Hughes Network Systems (HNS) has signed a contract to provide a satellite telephony network for Gabon Telecom to connect all the railway stations in Gabon (Transgabonais Network), including the central train station in Libreville. Gabon Telecom selected HNS to supply and install a complete satellite solution, replacing an existing terrestrial wireless network that was unable to reliably connect and service the entire rail system. HNS is providing Gabon Telecom with a TES system including a hub earth station, as well as C-band remote terminals. The new satellite network will provide railway workers with increased security and monitoring capabilities, as well as improved emergency calling abilities.
"We have been successfully operating an HNS TES network throughout rural Gabon for the past 10 years and have been very satisfied with the performance and service. When it came time to replace the railroad's telephony network, we turned again to HNS for the satellite solution," said Brice Ponga, Director of Operations at Gabon Telecom.
"Reliable and secure transportation is essential for economic growth in Gabon and throughout West Africa," said Soheil Mehrabanzad, regional director for the Middle East/Africa at Hughes Network Systems. "HNS' satellite solutions are ideally suited for communicating between locations within a countrywide transportation system, such as the rail system in Gabon, because they are flexible, reliable, cost effective and can be rapidly deployed even in the most remote areas."
Installation of the railway project is underway and will be completed in October 2003.
The Gabon Telecom group includes a basic voice services provider, as well as a mobile service subsidiary called Libertis, which operates a nationwide GSM network servicing over 200,000 customers; 50% of Gabon's cellular market."
Posted to the site on 9th October 2003
Posted to: www.cellular-news.com/story/9881.php