Press release -
Eutelsat achieves ITU’s Partner2Connect Milestone: 1 Million People Connected in Sub-Saharan Africa
- Eutelsat reaches the ITU Partner2Connect milestone, connecting 1 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa to reliable satellite internet, two years ahead of schedule.
- The company delivers on its commitment to bridge the digital divide, providing high-speed connectivity to individuals, businesses, schools, and medical centres in underserved regions.
Paris, 5 February 2025 – Eutelsat (ISIN: FR0010221234 - Euronext Paris / London Stock Exchange: ETL) is proud to announce that it has achieved its Partner2Connect Digital Coalition pledge, backed by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), two years ahead of schedule. This milestone marks the connection of 1 million underserved people in Sub-Saharan Africa to reliable high-speed internet via satellite, reinforcing Eutelsat’s commitment to bridging the digital divide—a key pillar of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy—and advancing progress toward the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Eutelsat’s Konnect hotspots Wi-Fi services, powered by the EUTELSAT KONNECT satellite, have been instrumental in delivering affordable, high-speed internet to rural areas in Sub-Saharan Africa, where terrestrial networks remain inaccessible. With speeds ranging from 5 Mbps to 100 Mbps at competitive rates, the service has empowered individuals, schools, businesses, and healthcare centers to access essential digital resources, unlocking opportunities for education, e-commerce, and critical services.
Eva Berneke, Chief Executive Officer of Eutelsat Group, commented: “Reaching this milestone means 1 million people now have access to vital information, education, and communication resources through our Konnect solution. This achievement highlights our commitment to digital inclusion and underscores how we leverage cutting-edge satellite network solutions to meet the challenging demands for low-cost, high-availability, and trusted services in Africa. With both Eutelsat’s GEO satellite fleet and OneWeb’s LEO constellation, we are expanding our reach and ensuring that connectivity drives meaningful economic and social progress, empowering communities to thrive in the digital era.”
Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the ITU said: "Eutelsat's achievements in satellite connectivity have been instrumental in providing reliable and affordable high-speed broadband to individuals, businesses, schools and healthcare centres in underserved regions. This work underscores Eutelsat’s commitment to bridging the digital divide while contributing to ITU’s goal of delivering meaningful connectivity to everyone, everywhere.”
Topics
About Eutelsat Group
Eutelsat Group is a global leader in satellite communications, delivering connectivity and broadcast services worldwide. The Group was formed through the combination of the Company and OneWeb in 2023, becoming the first fully integrated GEO-LEO satellite operator with a fleet of 35 Geostationary satellites and a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation of more than 600 satellites. The Group addresses the needs of customers in four key verticals of Video, where it distributes more than 6,500 television channels, and the high-growth connectivity markets of Mobile Connectivity, Fixed Connectivity, and Government Services. Eutelsat Group’s unique suite of in-orbit assets and ground infrastructure enables it to deliver integrated solutions to meet the needs of global customers. The Company is headquartered in Paris and the Eutelsat Group employs more than 1,500 people across more than 50 countries. The Group is committed to delivering safe, resilient, and environmentally sustainable connectivity to help bridge the digital divide. The Company is listed on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange (ticker: ETL) and the London Stock Exchange (ticker: ETL)
Find out more at www.eutelsat.com
Media enquiries
Joanna Darlington
Tel. +33 674 521 531
jdarlington@eutelsat.com
Anita Baltagi
Tel. +33 +33 643 930 178
abaltagi@eutelsat.com
Katie Dowd
Tel. +1 202 271 2209
kdowd@oneweb.net
Investors
Joanna Darlington
Tel. +33 674 521 531
jdarlington@eutelsat.com
Hugo Laurens Berge
Tel. +33 670 80 95 58
hlaurensberge@eutelsat.com
DISCLAIMER
The forward-looking statements included herein are for illustrative purposes only and are based on management’s views and assumptions as of the date of this document. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks. For illustrative purposes only, such risks include but are not limited to: risks related to the health crisis; operational risks related to satellite failures or impaired satellite performance, or failure to roll out the deployment plan as planned and within the expected timeframe; risks related to the trend in the satellite telecommunications market resulting from increased competition or technological changes affecting the market; risks related to the international dimension of the Group's customers and activities; risks related to the adoption of international rules on frequency coordination and financial risks related, inter alia, to the financial guarantee granted to the Intergovernmental Organization's closed pension fund, and foreign exchange risk. Eutelsat Communications expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any projections, forecasts or estimates contained in this document to reflect any change in events, conditions, assumptions, or circumstances on which any such statements are based, unless so required by applicable law. The information contained in this document is not based on historical fact and should not be construed as a guarantee that the facts or data mentioned will occur. This information is based on data, assumptions and estimates that the Group considers as reasonable.
