Small to medium sized companies in Zimbabwe and Zambia have an additional VSAT and Ka-band internet service provider, thanks to a partnership between Avanti Communications and Sat Space Africa.

The service is targeting enterprises with remote sub-offices as well as those that are based in non-urban areas, said Sat Space Africa, a regional internet and VSAT company.

The internet and VSAT coverage that it will provide will be backed by Avanti Communications, a satellite data and communications company. The servie will also use the HYLAS 2 Ka-band satellite to beam "high speed broadband connectivity" into the two countries.

Sat Space Africa managing director, Shimri Lotan, said the company does "not impose usage restriction" on its packages which are likely to be "very attractive for our customers in the cities and rural areas".

The company has a portal for resellers and final users, said a sales executive at the company, adding that this helps it integrate more customers onto the network.

In November last year, Sat Space Africa inked a partnership with MEASAT Satellite Systems to offer similar services on the AFRICASAT-1a satellite.

"We continue to see demand for reliable communication access from Africa and this agreement is a reflection of our commitment to the African continent," said Raj Malik, the senior vice president for sales and marketing at MEASAT.