Leveraging the availability of the EUTELSAT KONNECT satellite, Eutelsat Communications’ (Euronext Paris: ETL) new direct arm, konnect, has kick-started the retail distribution of next-generation satellite Broadband across Europe and Africa. The service is currently being rolled out across both continents, with broadband packages designed to address the needs of individuals, small businesses and institutions currently operating beyond the fiber footprint.
The recent acquisition of BigBlu, Europe’s leading distributor of satellite broadband, has added significant firepower to konnect’s retail capabilities. With regulatory approvals to operate across both continents secured, konnect has launched a multi-channel retail strategy encompassing online distribution and telesales in Europe and a multiple channel partners and retail stores in Africa. In complement to the recent wholesale agreements with Orange for the entire capacity in France and TIM for capacity covering Italy, initial retail distribution will be focused on the UK, Ireland, Germany, Spain and Portugal in Europe and Côte d’Ivoire and Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa, ramping up progressively to cover the 15 European and 39 African markets in EUTELSAT KONNECT’s footprint.
As it accelerates its operation, konnect is rapidly re-defining connectivity expectations for people who live and work beyond the fiber footprint, offering them an immediately available service with packages offering:
- Superfast speeds of up to 100 Mbps from launch; ensuring those situated beyond the scope of traditional networks can enjoy fiber-like speeds;
- Unlimited data plans addressing needs ranging from individuals, households, small businesses, schools and other institutions
- A range of competitively priced, affordable price points starting at €25/month in Europe and $15/month in Africa;
- Low set-up costs with free installation and all equipment included in the monthly fee for the majority of the European footprint; in Africa, the kit will be priced at a maximum of $99, compatible with the high-growth pre-paid market;
Commenting on the campaign, Eutelsat Deputy CEO Michel Azibert said: “We are delighted to see konnect ramping up its marketing efforts in the wake of the availability of the significant new in-orbit assets brought by EUTELSAT KONNECT. ‘konnect’ is the name of our satellite and our brand, articulating in a single word, an exciting new direction for the Eutelsat Group. At a time when the demand for reliable, affordable high-speed broadband has never been higher, konnect offers an immediately accessible solution for individuals, businesses and institutions living beyond the reach of terrestrial infrastructure.”
Appendix: indicative pricing grid
Konnect Europe sample packages
*On the Easy Starter, Zen, Max service plan, after 20GB, 60GB and 120GB of data usage, the data might be prioritized behind other customers during network congestion. The data traffic is not accounted during the night (from 1 to 6 am – local time).
Konnect Africa sample packages (example for Ivory Coast)
Source: Eutelsat Press Release