Gilat chosen by leading African telecom operator

SkyAbis for CDMA networks is an expansion of Gilat's satellite cellular backhaul solution

Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. announced today that its SkyAbis CDMA2000 will provide the satellite backhaul for the network of a leading African telecommunications operator. The operator plans to install more than 150,000 fixed phone lines overall, based on a variety of backhaul technologies.

Gilat's SkyAbis CDMA2000 features traffic optimization and dynamic bandwidth allocation enabling low-cost of ownership for CDMA network operators. CDMA technology is an economical solution for fixed-line telephony in rural and remote regions. When integrated with Gilat's satellite backhaul, cost-effective and rapid deployment of lines can be achieved to cover additional regions.

"Our cellular backhaul solutions which include the SkyAbis CDMA2000 and SkyAbis GSM enable CDMA and GSM network operators to seamlessly and cost-effectively expand their networks and service offerings," said Tal Meirzon, Gilat Network Systems vice president of marketing and business development. "This new deployment reflects our ability to cater to the demands of these different types of operators and networks".

Gilat's SkyAbis2000 and SkyAbis GSM are integral parts of the SkyEdge multi-service platform.

SkyAbis GSM has been chosen by operators worldwide to provide backhaul services for mobile network operators. The solution has also passed interoperability testing with multiple infrastructure vendors. Additional contracts for Gilat's SkyAbis GSM have recently been awarded in Latin America and Africa. In these cases, the operators have expanded their service offering with cellular backhaul, based on the existing SkyEdge platform.

Gilat's SkyEdge is a satellite communications platform that delivers high quality voice, broadband data and video services over a powerful unified system. The platform represents Gilat's deep knowledge base and field-proven product offering, acquired through nearly two decades of experience. SkyEdge's flexible architecture and efficient space segment utilization make it an ideal platform for operators and service providers - Gilat.