Under an agreement with RASCOM, the Regional African Satellite Communication Organization, representing the interests of 44 African telecommunications operators, RascomStar-QAF has the responsibility to implement by 2006 the first African satellite telecommunication system covering the whole continent.

This satellite will offer RascomStar-QAF the capability to provide fixed voice, data telecommunications and Internet access as well as broadcasting satellite services to the whole African continent, although its footprint extends beyond Africa to include part of Europe and of the Middle East.

"We are very proud to implement the first RASCOM telecommunication satellite dedicated to the African continent. Before long, Africans in some 300,000 villages will be affordably connected to the rest of the world. This ambitious project is a natural part of our business since we believe that every human being should benefit from communications with others," said Pascale Sourisse, Chairman and CEO of Alcatel Space.

"Our close collaboration with RASCOM and the African Telecommunications operators have enabled us to carve out a position in a new market."

"RASCOM as a dynamic African organization had been set up to resolve telecommunications predicaments in Africa and though the process has been very hectic, requiring taking up a lot of challenges, we are very satisfied today with the signing and the implementation of the contract for the construction of the first RASCOM dedicated satellite for Africa with Alcatel Space", said G. D. Adadja, Director General/CEO, RASCOM.

"The RASCOM Satellite system shall tremendously contribute to bridge the digital divide between rural and urban areas in Africa and between Africa and the rest of the world. It shall provide fully meshed connectivity throughout the entire continent and enable Africa to participate actively in the Global Information Society," said Adadja.

Based on the flight proven Spacebus 3000B3 platform, this high performance, high capacity satellite will provide a pan-African coverage with multiple spot beams based on 12 Ku and 8 C bands transponders. The system's ground networks will include gateway Earth stations and low-cost, solar powered rural terminals.

RASCOM, a pan-African intergovernmental, commercial satellite organisation, is the expression of the strong willingness of African governments and telecommunications operators to pool their efforts in view of providing the African continent with a telecommunications infrastructure based on space technology which is not only leading to a global response for all telecommunications requirements identified in Africa, but more specifically going to provide telecommunications services at very low costs, thus making universal services a reality in Africa.

RASCOM has a membership of 44 African countries as of now. To achieve its mission, RASCOM has entered into a strategic partnership with RascomStar-QAF which has, under an Execution Agreement, the responsibility to implement the RASCOM telecommunications satellite system dedicated to the African continent.

RascomStar-QAF is a private Company registered in Port-Louis Mauritius which through a strategic partnership with RASCOM is in charge the RASCOM dedicated Telecommunication satellite System for Africa, offering a wide range of services to the whole telecommunication community, from public to private operators to TV Broadcasting Companies and Internet Service Providers. RascomStar-QAF first Board Meeting was held in Port-Louis Mauritius on May 28 ,2003 and was hosted at Mauritius T¿l¿com's Tower.

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