Globalised network operator Intelsat SA, and French telecommunications Group Orange have announced the renewal of an agreement based on the delivery of 3G satellite solutions and support, effectively extending the network to remote regions and provide data services to businesses.

Orange currently provides 2G services using satellite infrastructure provided by Intelsat.

According to the companies under the new agreement, the Orange network will expand its geographic footprint and add a 3G offering by leveraging C-band solutions from the Intelsat 22 satellite at 72.1° East.

In an announcement the partners explain that the Intelsat solution optimises the network to deliver the additional coverage and throughput that Orange needs to expand its reach in remote areas of Cameroon, deliver 3G services and provide more differentiated offerings to its subscribers.

"Intelsat has been instrumental in our efforts to expand 2G and 3G connectivity throughout Cameroon," said Bénédicte David, West and Central Africa Regional Director for Orange. "As demand for connectivity grows beyond city centres, communities need faster, more reliable broadband connectivity to support business growth as well as critical healthcare and educational services. With our enhanced infrastructure, we will be able to offer upgraded, differentiated services to our customers, expand our subscriber base and extend our geographic reach to the benefit of those located in less densely populated areas of the country."

Brian Jakins, Intelsat's Vice President, Africa, added, "As part of our ongoing relationship with Orange, we understood that deploying 3G services was a critical component of its business plan. We assessed their network and developed an extension strategy that addressed their performance and business model requirements, providing the additional coverage and throughput they needed to meet their customers' demands. Using our expertise, Intelsat's goal is to ensure that our customers are always getting the maximum performance from their network and delivering an exceptional experience to their end users."

2016 has been a busy year for Orange. In July the company announced that together with its Senegal-based partner Sonatel, it acquired mobile operator Airtel in Sierra Leone. It also completed the acquisition of Airtel in Burkina Faso via its subsidiary Orange Côte d'Ivoire.

In November Giorgio Heiman, VP Africa, Orange Business Service confirmed that one of Orange's focus areas is the sale of internet to carriers and ISPs across Africa. "We have about two hundred customers in a hundred countries worldwide and Africa is one of the places we do sell internet to carriers and ISPs," said Heiman.

According to its Q1 2016 report, Orange counted 111.8 million mobile customers at the end of the quarter in the Africa and Middle East market - up 2.8% year-on-year.