Rural areas across Colombia will benefit from free community Wi-Fi zones delivered via high-speed satellite-enabled broadband networks

LUXEMBOURG -- (BUSINESS WIRE) --

The Colombian Ministry of Telecommunications (Mintic) has selected local services provider INRED to install, operate and maintain 1,000 Wi-Fi hotspots in rural areas around the country as part of the Sustainable Universal Access project. Enabled by SES Network’s Signature Enterprise Solutions INRED will leverage managed satellite services with flexibility on capacity and coverage, and a tailored network management interface, SES announced today.

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This project responds to Colombia’s "the digital future belongs to everyone" governmental initiative, which aims to accelerate the closing of the digital divide in Colombia and seeks strong cooperation between the private and public sectors to connect 100 percent of Colombians.

INRED has become Colombia’s first certified partner for delivering SES Networks’ Signature Solutions and will leverage connectivity delivered by the SES-14 satellite, which comprises a mix of wide beams and high throughput (HTS) spot beams to cover the entire Latin America region, the Caribbean and the North Atlantic. As a certified partner, INRED will also gain access to dedicated bandwidth, flexibility in service design, and teleport operations to ensure high reliability and outstanding quality of service.

By partnering with SES Networks, INRED is boosting Internet access in Colombia’s most sparsely populated areas, while fulfilling universal service obligation (USO) commitments. The deployment of INRED’s Wi-Fi hotspots will benefit 1,000 municipalities in the Colombian departments with the lowest Internet network penetration. The improved service will bring new opportunities for local communities and businesses.

“By working together with SES Networks, we were able to quickly and cost-effectively expand our data and Internet services via satellite throughout the Colombian territory, reducing the digital divide that still separates cities from the countryside,” said Jhon Jairo Ureña CEO at INRED. “This project will allow end users in 20 Colombian departments to have high speed Internet access, even in those areas that have been historically underserved or tough-to-reach.”

“Colombia’s geographically diverse landscape makes it challenging to build up infrastructure to connect people who live in sparsely-populated regions,” said Omar Trujillo, Vice President of Sales for Fixed Data Americas at SES Networks. “We are extremely proud to partner with INRED to help the Colombian government bring Internet connectivity to more people in remote areas of the country.”

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About SES

SES is the world’s leading satellite operator with over 70 satellites in two different orbits, Geostationary Orbit (GEO) and Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). It provides a diverse range of customers with global video distribution and data connectivity services through two business units: SES Video and SES Networks. SES Video reaches over 355 million TV homes, through Direct-to-Home (DTH) platforms and cable, terrestrial, and IPTV networks globally. The SES Video portfolio includes MX1, a leading media service provider offering a full suite of innovative services for both linear and digital distribution, and the ASTRA satellite system, which has the largest DTH television reach in Europe. SES Networks provides global managed data services, connecting people in a variety of sectors including telecommunications, maritime, aeronautical, and energy, as well as governments and institutions across the world. The SES Networks portfolio includes GovSat, a 50/50 public-private partnership between SES and the Luxembourg government, and O3b, the only non-geostationary system delivering fibre-like broadband services today. Further information is available at: www.ses.com

About INRED

INRED was created in 2002 as an engineering company that has become a relevant player in the ICT sector, with know-how in integral networking services for diverse markets. INRED has established itself as one of the main solution providers for projects promoting social inclusion in Colombia. Due to the new partnership with SES, INRED has expanded their portfolio, integrating layers of value and reaching end users with 'turnkey' solutions for high performance satellite connectivity.

INRED provides satellite-enabled telecommunications services and last-mile solutions. The company offers state-of-the-art technology solutions in places where the telecommunications infrastructure is deficient or non-existent. INRED has national coverage and specialized professionals that ensure the operation and management of projects in the ICT sector are delivered under the premise of quality, commitment and passion for customer satisfaction.