LUXEMBOURG -- Global satellite operator SES S.A. (Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG) and Jersey, Channel Islands-based O3B Networks Limited (O3b), announced today that SES has made a minority investment in O3b to support the development of O3b’s satellite-based, global internet backbone designed to reach the “other three billion” people in the developing world who today do not have access to the internet. SES joins Google, Liberty Global, HSBC and North Bridge Venture Partners to become a large investor in O3b.
SES will invest a total of 75 MUSD in the company, and will provide engineering and commercial support to O3b in order to assist the company’s development.
O3b is building the world’s first ultra-low latency, fiber speed satellite network to serve as a global internet backbone and next generation backhaul infrastructure for people and businesses in emerging markets. The company will be able to combine the speed of a fiber network with the global reach of a satellite system, and will partner with telecommunications providers and internet service providers (ISPs) to serve billions.
“O3b’s positioning perfectly meets our vision of bringing people closer together through the power of satellites”, said Romain Bausch, President and CEO of SES. “Through its innovative satellite technology, O3b will be able to provide emerging markets with fast, competitively priced internet connectivity that is currently only available to the developed world. As we look to celebrate our 25(th) anniversary next year, and reflect on how far we have come since we were a young start up company, we are excited to embrace and support this next generation infrastructure initiative, and to help O3b make their vision – and ours – a reality.”
SES S.A. (Paris: SESG)
O3b Networks Ltd.