Hughes Teams with mu Space and SES Networks to Provide Broadband Access to Rural Southeast Asia
Satellite broadband Internet will help to improve lives among the rural and underserved communities of Thailand
Rural communities of Thailand will soon be able to enjoy reliable satellite-based broadband services delivered by mu Space Corp using SES Networks’ satellite capacity and the Hughes JUPITER™ System. mu Space is a Thai space technology startup, which aims to provide satellite services that are affordable and easy-
to-install and offers widespread coverage. By contracting capacity on SES satellites and using the Hughes JUPITER System, mu Space will be improving quality of life for Thailand’s citizens by providing reliable and affordable satellite-based broadband for telecom providers and businesses.
According to Thailand’s telecom industry database, only 12% (more than 8 million people) of the country’s 70 million population currently has access to broadband. Recognizing its importance in social and economic development, the Thai government has launched several initiatives, including a National Broadband Policy and a new economic model, Thailand 4.0, with the goals of increasing broadband penetration to 95% of the Thai population by 2020, and to transforming the country into an innovation-driven economy.
“At mu Space, our mission is to deliver nationwide and reliable connectivity to everyone in Thailand, to improve the quality of life of the local people,” said James Yenbamroong, founder and CEO of mu Space. “We have been searching for the ideal partners to ensure that we can deliver reliable broadband services at the right price point. Together with the global experience of SES Networks and Hughes, we are confident of the high service quality that we will jointly deliver in Thailand.”
“In rural and underserved areas, satellite is the best solution for broadband access, as it’s much more affordable and faster to deploy compared to land-based Internet infrastructure,” said Imran Malik, Vice President, Fixed Data, Asia-Pacific at SES Networks. “We are thrilled to help empower Thai citizens and improve their lives with opportunities involving the digital economy.”
“In exurban and rural communities, terrestrial networks are difficult to roll out and costly, contrasted with the new generation of satellites and access technologies that bring affordable access to people anywhere across continent-wide coverage areas,” said Ramesh Ramaswamy, senior vice president and general manager, International Division at Hughes. “We are excited that mu Space has chosen our JUPITER System to deliver on their mission of bringing broadband to everyone in Thailand.”