MUMBAI: Telefonica Global Solutions has announced an agreement with Eutelsat Communications, Europe‘s leading satellite operator, to provide high quality satellite broadband services to carriers from across Europe through the high-performance KA-SAT satellite.

With KA-SAT, Telefonica aims at offering fast Internet access to carriers from all over Europe, especially in areas that are not within reach of terrestrial broadband networks, such as rural areas or urban belts, as well as fully diversified backup solutions in areas that do have terrestrial access.

The Telefonica Global Solutions wholesale unit is a leading global solutions provider in the international wholesale market, with a broad and competitive catalogue of outsourcing services and solutions for international carriers, present in the leading markets in Europe and America.

Eutelsat‘s broadband subsidiary, Skylogic CEO Jean-François Fenech said, "Telefonica has followed a path that has established it as one of the most emblematic and admired companies in Europe, making it the ideal partner for increasing the reach of satellite broadband. We are convinced that the implementation of satellite broadband via KA-SAT will successfully address the challenge of building a strong and fair digital landscape throughout Europe."

Telefonica Global Solutions Director Eduardo Guardincerri said, "The bid for Eutelsat Ka band is the logical step for the evolution of the business of data communications via satellite in Europe, where land-based infrastructures have increasing capillarity. KA-SAT will allow us to offer high quality services at competitive prices, allowing us to update our catalogue of services for operators and corporations. It also allows us to complement the overall strategy of the Telefonica Group providing another access technology for services such as M2M or iHealth."