OneWeb Signs LOI with Kazpost and Beeline Kazakhstan
OneWeb, the global low Earth orbit (LEO) communications network, today announces that it has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Kazpost, Kazakhstan National Postal Service, with the largest regional branch network in Kazakhstan, and Beeline Kazakhstan to address the needs for high-speed internet communications in remote areas across Kazakhstan. The LOI was signed at the Inaugural Astana International Forum 2023 in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Currently, 340 out of Kazpost’s 2,000 stationary rural post offices are not connected to the Internet. OneWeb will provide these remote locations with high-speed internet connection, with Beeline Kazakhstan acting as the technical integrator of the project. OneWeb LEO satellites-powered broadband connectivity will enable Kazpost to provide e-government, e-commerce, transport and logistics, financial services for businesses and the public across the country.
This announcement demonstrates OneWeb’s continued commitment to providing high speed connectivity to remote regions of Kazakhstan. Last summer, OneWeb completed successful field trials in northern rural Kazakhstan, and OneWeb and Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, National Railways Company, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore the provision of high-speed, low-latency broadband satellite connectivity for railway stations and rolling stock across the country, earlier this year.
The collaboration is part of OneWeb’s ongoing plan to provide worldwide ubiquitous satellite broadband connectivity forging local partnerships across the globe. The company has already completed the deployment of the low Earth Orbit satellite constellation ahead of the global roll out of services later this year and has partners across the Europe, Middle East, Asia, Africa and Alaska. OneWeb plans to launch commercial services in Kazakhstan before the end of the year.
“This collaboration between OneWeb, Kazpost and Beeline is an important milestone in the development of Kazakhstan’s connectivity network. With a longstanding presence in the country, including undertaking successful field trials at the National Space Centre last year, OneWeb recognizes how important bridging the digital divide is to improve the infrastructure and economies in rural and remote areas. With the high-speed, low latency application of our LEO network, I look forward to seeing how OneWeb can continue to work with local partners to ensure Kazakhstan benefits from pioneering satellite communications technologies,” said Stephen Beynon, Chief Commercial Officer of OneWeb.
“Kazpost continues to develop post offices, providing access to postal, financial, agency, digital services. In order for Kazakhstanis to receive public services in six regions of the country, Kazpost, together with the Government, launched a joint project for citizens. The LOI with OneWeb and Beeline Kazakhstan to provide Internet in remote areas will expand Kazpost services for rural residents. In addition, Internet connection in the village is necessary for educational, medical, economic needs. Our offices will become a centre of attraction for residents of villages, towns and district centres,” said Assel Zhanassova, Chairwoman of the Board of Kazpost.
“Reducing the digital divide between urban and rural areas is our top priority. We are actively participating in the 250+ project, thanks to which mobile communications and high-speed Internet from Beeline have already appeared in more than 1,500 settlements of Kazakhstan with a total population of more than 1.5 million inhabitants. What's more, with our proprietary LTE Everywhere program, 97% of our network coverage is available in LTE. The purpose of this LOI is to include remote villages of Kazakhstan in the country's digital economy, and we are pleased to be a technology partner for such an initiative,” comments Evgeny Nastradin, CEO of Beeline Kazakhstan.