23 August 2019

Algérie Télécom Satellite (ATS), a branch of incumbent operator Algérie Télécom, is preparing the launch of the satellite internet service dedicated to individuals and residents in September 2019.

The Algerian satellite Alcomsat-1 that ATS plans to bring high-speed internet connectivity to isolated and unserved border areas is expected to significantly help improve the internet penetration rate in Africa’s largest country by land mass.

Currently, the ATS service is aimed at multinational, enterprises and professionals who demand a high-capacity data service.

The new residential offering will focus on landlocked areas and other remote regions still poorly or not at all covered by the internet.  

As a result, the management team at ATS noted that the cost of the new service will be “a little higher than that of ADSL” justified by the cost of the kit that is not like wired equipment.

According to the latest statistics from the Regulatory Authority for Post and Electronic Communications (ARPCE), Algeria had 34.6 million internet subscribers, or 82.06% penetration rate.

The residential satellite internet service is also expected to reduce the digital divide between rural and urban areas, contributing to the digital society that the government is committed to building through various investments to avoid being left behind in the fourth industrial revolution.

In addition to providing services, ATS also aims to export its know-how internationally, particularly in satellite management.