By Rajani Baburajan, TMCnet Contributor

Gilat Satellite Networks, a provider of high-quality voice, broadband data and video services for diverse environments, announced that it has signed a corporate sourcing contract with France Telecom SA for the provision of satellite communications equipment.

Following this contract, Orange (News - Alert) Business Services, a provider of telecommunication services to multinational companies, installed a Gilat SkyEdge II hub at its Bercenay-en-Othe teleport in France.

Orange is a key brand of France Telecom (News - Alert).

Gilat SkyEdge II hub will facilitate the operation of a new cellular backhaul network in Niger.

According to company officials, the sourcing contract signed between the two companies qualifies the SkyEdge II broadband satellite communications equipment for the Orange brand entities.

The equipment covers a broad range of applications such as Internet Protocol/Virtual Private Network or “IP/VPN,” broadband access and cellular backhaul.

SkyEdge II also gives Orange the advantage of network-wide Demand Assigned Multiple Access, which matches user demands to available satellite capacity. It also offers bandwidth savings when compared to traditional Single Channel Per Carrier based solutions, company officials said.

“We are pleased to have added SkyEdge II to our portfolio of value-added satellite business solutions,” said Bruno Henrion, head of Satellite Factory of Orange.

The network SkyEdge II in Niger will be deployed in multi-star topology. This will allow the expansion of the Global System of Mobile Communications or “GSM” network coverage to remote locations.

With this multi-star topology Orange Business Services (News - Alert) can manage the network from their Bercenay teleport in France while maintaining direct, single-hop connectivity between the SkyEdge II terminals installed within the GSM network in Niger.

“Gilat's multi-star technology enables us to operate satellite networks for our multinational customers and worldwide subsidiaries in a centralized manner increasing the operational efficiency and utilization of our resources,” said Henrion.

Combining its terrestrial and satellite capabilities with its extensive global coverage and ITIL-aligned service management, Orange Business Services is uniquely positioned in the market, company officials said.

VSAT functions as an alternative way of accessing the corporate Multi-Protocol Label Switching or “MPLS” network, similar to terrestrial leased lines, DSL or Ethernet, they added.

 “It is a privilege for Gilat to have established this important cooperation with Orange,” said Aharon Fuchs, Gilat's regional vice president of sales of Europe.

According to Fuchs, Gilat's NetEdge multi-star solution enables Orange to manage multiple networks that combine local VPN services for remote sites with inter-continental Internet access all on a single platform.

Gilat recently announced that it has been selected by Kenya Commercial Bank or “KCB” to provide a SkyEdge II broadband satellite network. Read the full report here.