• Rawafed Libya expands partnership with Eutelsat Group as it adds new exclusive LEO agreement to existing GEO services.
• LEO connectivity to address sectors including oil and gas sector, telecoms, and financial services, as well as government applications and humanitarian groups.
• Partnership is based on a multi-million dollar, multi-year contract, with options to extend or expand, with services due to start in early 2024.

Eutelsat Group, the world’s first GEO-LEO satellite operator, has  announced the signing of an exclusive distribution partnership agreement between Eutelsat OneWeb, its connectivity business unit and Rawafed Libya for Telecommunications & Technology (RLTT), the Libyan telecoms operator, for the delivery of high-speed, low latency connectivity across Libya.

RLTT is expanding its relationship with Eutelsat Group to include a hybrid bundle of both enhanced GEO and LEO services, in this new landmark agreement. Eutelsat OneWeb will provide exclusive access to its Low Earth Orbit (LEO) powered connectivity constellation, delivering full connectivity over Libya from early 2024. The multi-million-dollar, multi-year contract further cements the existing long-standing relationship between Eutelsat Group and RLTT.

The services will provide high-speed, low latency connectivity for a range of applications including commercial connectivity to the Oil and Gas and Financial Services industries, Government sectors, cellular backhaul for telecoms operators and remote connectivity for humanitarian organizations.

Cyril Dujardin, Co-General Manager of Eutelsat OneWeb, said: “Eutelsat OneWeb was formed to bring together GEO and LEO constellations to meet a growing customer need for integrated satellite connectivity, and the extension of our relationship with RLTT shows we are delivering. We continue to see huge demand for high-speed connectivity as we roll out our LEO services globally, with the wide variety of potential use cases that the increased resilience offers proving highly attractive to customers. By building on existing customer relationships, we are able to grow the business in international markets and continue to bridge the digital divide globally.”

Taha Ellafi, Chairman at Rawafed Libya for Telecommunications & Technology, said: “We have been working with Eutelsat Group for several years now and are excited to bring its high-speed, low-latency connectivity to our customers across the oil and gas, cellular backhaul and humanitarian sectors. By combining both LEO and GEO powered connectivity, we are able to meet the different needs of our customers without having to use multiple providers. Through this exclusive deal, we look forward to bringing unmatched connectivity across Libya.”

The announcement comes as Eutelsat OneWeb continues to grow at a rapid pace in the African market, with the signing of a distribution agreement with NEC XON covering Sub-Saharan Africa in November. Demand for connectivity in the region is very high, with agreements such as these helping to bridge the digital divide across the continent and bring high-speed connectivity, regardless of location.