Globecast secures PoP deal for West Africa

Media services group Globecast has struck a point-of-presence partnership with Senegalese telecom operator Sonatel. 

Dakar-based Sonatiel serves markets including Mali, Guinée Bissau and Guinée. Globecast will use the telco’s Dakar PoP as an access point to its backhaul network for audiovisual services. The PoP is connected to Globecast’s Paris hub via fibre.

According to Globecast, the agreement will enable it to attract local and international broadcasters or production centres that need to backhaul signals to or from Senegal for onwards cable, MMDS, satellite or OTT distribution.

“This is an important step in increasing our reach in West Africa, facilitating the easy and cost-effective distribution of content,” said Lionel Antoine, Globecast’s African sales manager.

“It allows us to connect customers directly via fibre at their Senegalese premises without any investment in an earth station or in space segment, which until now has been used for backhaul from Senegal. These economic and technical benefits can then be passed on to our customers.”