Avanti Communications, the leading provider of high throughput satellite capacity across EMEA, has signed a long-term capacity lease agreement with global communications company Viasat to help support the connectivity needs of its customers in the energy sector.

Capacity from Avanti’s fleet of HYLAS Ka-band satellites will be used to extend coverage across the North Sea and Western Africa.

Viasat and Avanti have a long-standing relationship. Having signed prior Ka-band capacity lease agreements. This latest lease agreement will allow Viasat to accelerate the deployment of Ka-band solutions to its Viasat Energy Services customers.

In 2021, RigNet merged its capabilities with Viasat to become Viasat Energy Services, offering a global managed services network infrastructure.

Avanti’s Chief of Strategy & Business Development, Toby Robinson, said, “We are delighted to extend our relationship with Viasat and to support them in the delivery of high-speed satellite data connectivity across the North Sea, Middle East and Western Africa. The energy sector is a high growth vertical for satellite connectivity, and this capacity agreement will serve Viasat well, enabling them to offer seamless connectivity capabilities in the hardest to reach locations across multiple geographies.”

Lee Ahlstrom, President of Viasat Energy Services added, “With Viasat’s combined leadership in satellite network innovation and energy services, we are able to expand the ground infrastructure and available user service in the region. Our strategic partnership with Avanti will drive a deeper market presence and penetration to our energy customers ahead of our ViaSat-3 satellite launch aimed over Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA).”

Viasat Energy Services plans to leverage Avanti’s HYLAS capacity beginning in calendar Q3 2022.