O3b Fibre Newtorks Receive Google Funding

6 Aug 2010

O3b, a Google-backed satellite network operator, has signed a long-term agreement with Europe Media Port.

The agreement binds the company to provide gigabit IP network connectivity and bandwidth services to clients in Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.

O3b states that it intends to attract "mobile backhaul operators, backbone operators, government entities, and data or bandwidth resellers who serve the three billion people who live between latitudes 45 degrees north and south."

Google is one of many companies who have decided to offer backing to this venture. Other businesses funding the project include: satellite operator SES, Liberty Global, HSBC Principal Investments, Northbridge Venture Partners and Allen & Company.

The new gateway will initially support over 12Gbps throughput that serves up to 10 spot beams simultaneously. O3b plan to install multiple 7.3m Ka-band gateway antennas at Nemea to provide this for customers.

O3b have said that just one of their satellite beams has a footprint of 600km diameter on the ground and will deliver top speed connection rates of 1Mbps to 10Gbps and fibre-like latency.

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