Local firm partners with international satellite company

Local Guyanese internet provider WANSat Networks Inc has partnered with international satellite communications company Viasat for the distribution of satellite broadband services in Guyana. The two companies recently signed an agreement for their partnership.
Viasat is a global leader in satellite communications that leverages its satellite network to power high-quality, secure, affordable, fast connections and help close the global digital gap.
The distribution agreement will leverage satellite broadband capacity from the ViaSat-3 satellite platform once it is launched and operational. According to Viasat’s Q3 FY23 earnings call, the company anticipates the launch of the ViaSat-3 for America’s satellite the week of April 8, 2023.
This new WANSat service is expected to provide connectivity even in the hardest-to-reach regions of Guyana where wireless and fiber services are not available.
WANSat will market, install, and provide on-site service to broadband customers in Guyana as a licensed Internet Service Provider, in collaboration with its local partners. The agreement with WANSat gives Viasat a strategic local partner and channel to meet the growing connectivity needs of a nation with the fastest-growing economy in the world.
WANSat’s goal is to enable Guyana to reach 100% internet penetration by 2025, leveraging satellite to extend internet coverage beyond the extremities of current wireless and wireline providers.
Commenting on the agreement, Head of Fixed Broadband, Latin America, & Global Prepaid Internet, Kevin Cohen said: “Through this collaboration, Viasat can offer its high-quality satellite broadband connectivity across Guyana, including hard-to-reach regions. Our ability to connect unconnected communities helps create new opportunities for the people of Guyana including access to online services such as telemedicine, distance learning, business-critical tools, entertainment, and e-government services. The upcoming launch of the ViaSat-3 for the America’s satellite will continue to fuel our mission to bring connectivity where it is needed most and help close the global digital gap.”
Managing Director of WANSat, Andre Jones, added that “At WANSat, we pride ourselves in bringing the latest in satellite technology to the Guyanese public. Leveraging Viasat’s advanced satellite technology and our expertise in satellite communications will enable us to provide cutting-edge solutions for the government of Guyana, enterprise customers, and residential customers in the country’s remotest regions. There are still tens of thousands of people in Guyana without any access to the internet, or access to a high-quality, reliable broadband internet connection we’re going to change that.”