UAE-Based YahClick Inks Deal With South Africa’s SKA Project

YahClick, the satellite broadband service of Abu Dhabi-based Yahsat, has won a deal to provide voice and data services to the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project in South Africa.

The deal will see YahClick providing data services in the country’s Northern Cape at reduced cost and reliability, state news agency WAM reported.

The SKA project is an international initiative to build the world’s largest radio telescope allowing astronomers to monitor the sky in detail and thousands of times faster than any system currently in existence.

The Northern Cape’s remote location and the lack of radio signals make it an ideal location to set up the SKA project.

YahClick said that these local conditions were also in line with its aim to provide internet services in remote locations and under served communities.

The company claimed its ability to operate over Ka-band technology, which is not affected by terrestrial factors and makes use of spot beams rather than broadcasting over the entire continent, was also a key factor in sealing the deal.

“South Africa and the African continent is an important market for us,” said David Murphy, chief commercial officer of Yahsat.

“Our technology allows us to deliver not only broadband internet, but also high quality voice, CCTV and a number of associated products such as email, backup and security. We believe that this service will significantly benefit the regions’ rural communities, farmers, and small-to-medium size businesses.

“This is entirely consistent with our main objective of connecting communities affordably, especially in more rural and underserviced areas where it truly makes a difference to lives.”

Owned by Abu Dhabi investment fund Mubadala, YahClick was launched in 2013 and claims to have 34,000 subscribers worldwide in 12 different countries.