Astranis, a San Francisco-based company that designs and deploys internet satellites, announced a partnership Dec. 7 with Grupo Andesat (Andesat) to provide broadband internet access to approximately 3 million people in Peru, according to a Businesswire press release.
The deal, worth more than $90 million, includes the launch of an Astranis MicroGEO communications satellite in 2023, which will be the first satellite solely dedicated to serving Peru's population.
The deal includes an option for a second satellite to expand capacity.
“This is a landmark deal not only for Andesat, and not only for Peru, but for all of Latin America,” Pablo Rasore, CEO of Andesat said in the release. “One Astranis satellite is a great first step and will extend affordable 4G service from the jungle to the mountains and up to the seas in Peru. But Andesat has larger plans as we see demand for additional Astranis satellites in the near future and have secured an option for a second satellite to promote the expansion of our business in Peru and bring the benefits of connectivity far and wide.”
Astranis' MicroGEO satellites are roughly a tenth the size and expense of standard legacy satellites, enabling Andesat to improve cellular services from 2G to 4G.
The satellites will also improve broadband internet connectivity in rural parts of Peru and extend the company's service footprint while decreasing operator costs at cell sites, the release stated.
“Through this new partnership, Astranis has the opportunity to help make a dramatic improvement in the lives of millions of people,” John Gedmark, CEO and co-founder of Astranis said in the release. "I’m proud to be working alongside Pablo and the team at Andesat to make the vision of a connected Peru a reality.”
Andesat is a global provider of telecommunication services with operations in Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru.
The company offers a range of services including rural cellular networks, cellular backhaul, and Internet of Things (IoT) solution design.
Along with the construction, launch, and operation of the satellite, Astranis will deploy its first ground teleport in Peru and function as a full-stack managed service provider for all spaceflight operations, with Andesat overseeing ground operations.