PARIS: The Republican Center for Space Communications (RCSC) Kazakhstan and SES have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore service agreements for satellite-enabled, high-speed connectivity services using SES’s O3b mPOWER communications system in Kazakhstan to accelerate the Digital Kazakhstan project.

Under this memorandum of understanding, Republican Center for Space Communications (RCSC) will explore utilising SES’s next-generation, high-performance, low-latency constellation scheduled to launch in Q3 2021.

Located at 8,000km away from the Earth’s surface in a medium earth orbit (MEO), the fully-funded O3b mPOWER system will provide global coverage with as few as six satellites, and will ramp capacity with its current plan of 11 satellites. The system is capable of delivering dedicated services at multiple gigabits per second with unprecedented flexibility and resiliency, ensuring constant, efficient usage of bandwidth.

The parties will also explore creating an in-country gateway for O3b mPOWER. SES has committed to knowledge transfer programmes to advance the digital transformation process of enterprise and government sectors in Kazakhstan. SES has also established a local presence in Kazakhstan as of last year and will be making a direct in-country investment.

O3b mPOWER is built upon the success of SES’s current generation of O3b system which has been operational since 2014. Today the O3b system remains the only commercially proven non-geostationary satellite (NGSO) constellation preferred by leading telco and mobile operators, governments, maritime, mining, oil and gas companies due to the robust ground infrastructure developed by SES and its technology partners.

In addition, SES has also conducted a demo on the current O3b constellation in Saryagash in central Kazakhstan where it provided 730 megabits per second to a local mobile tower, enabling the delivery of carrier-grade low-latency Wi-Fi services in the region.

In addition, RCSC and SES will also look into using O3b mPOWER services for other Central Asian countries with ubiquitous broadband access to the Internet.

“Today, the market for satellite communications services is highly competitive as the needs of operators and end users grow on a daily basis. An increase in channel throughput and high-quality requirements calls for an introduction of new services, and we cannot disregard the opportunities that new satellite technologies will deliver. Therefore, we are looking into an international cooperation using next-generation global high-speed, low-latency non-geostationary satellites (NGSO) systems,” said Chairman of the Board of JSC “RCSC” Malik Zhuiriktayev.

“In the digital era, high-speed connectivity and reliable network access is of utmost importance to empower business and communities – especially remote ones. At SES, we take pride in leveraging our unparalleled reach and proven technology to contribute to the digital transformation of Kazakhstan through cloud-enabled satellite communications. We are pleased to support RCSC with our services and proven NGSO experience as they continue to innovate and expand their data services in Kazakhstan, and we look forward to more collaborations with other companies in the country,” said JP Hemingway, CEO of SES Networks.

SES has a bold vision to deliver amazing experiences everywhere on earth by distributing the highest quality video content and providing seamless connectivity around the world.

As the leader in global content connectivity solutions, SES operates the world’s only multi-orbit constellation of satellites with the unique combination of global coverage and high performance, including the commercially-proven, low-latency Medium Earth Orbit O3b system.

By leveraging a vast and intelligent, cloud-enabled network, SES is able to deliver high-quality connectivity solutions anywhere on land, at sea or in the air, and is a trusted partner to the world’s leading telecommunications companies, mobile network operators, governments, connectivity and cloud service providers, broadcasters, video platform operators and content owners. SES’s video network carries over 8,200 channels and has an unparalleled reach of 361 million households, delivering managed media services for both linear and non-linear content. The company is listed on Paris and Luxembourg stock exchanges (Ticker: SESG). www.ses.com

Republican Center for Space Communication was designated by the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan as the National Operator of the Space Communication and Broadcasting System “KazSat” and is a leading enterprise in the implementation of activities on communication issues in the telecommunications market of Kazakhstan.

The space system “KazSat”, which is operated by RCSC, makes it possible to implement efficient and reliable satellite communication channels in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The national space system as a part of communication satellites and ground control stations, including Teleport, provides great opportunities for telecommunication operators of Kazakhstan, national companies and holdings, government agencies and private companies for organizing digital television and radio broadcasting (HD, DTH, IPTV), broadband access to the Internet, data transmission and creation of corporate satellite communication networks of various topologies. www.rcsc.kz