Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd., a provider of products and services for satellite-based communications networks, has announced the deployment of a broadband satellite Internet service for passengers of Kazakhstan Temir Zholy railway, the national railway company of Kazakhstan. 

Transtelecom helps the government to meet the railway’s communications requirements. The company selected Gilat as the satellite equipment provider for this pioneering deployment. ASTEL, a service provider in Kazakhstan and long-standing customer of Gilat, completed the equipment installation.

Gilat’s VSAT platform was installed on the Tulpar, the railway’s fastest train, serving the 1,300 kilometer route between Almaty and the capital city of Astana. The auto-pointing satellite terminal was installed on the roof of the train to provide toll-quality VoIP telephony service and data transmission with speeds of up to 2 Mbps.

Passengers onboard can now use the free broadband Internet service for email, fast web searches, streaming video content, e-commerce and other such applications. Also, Transtelecom plans deployment of the satellite internet service on other trains.

“The new broadband satellite Internet service is successfully meeting the connectivity needs of our country’s mobile workforce, tourists and other travelers,” states President of Transtelecom Mr. Mirbolat Ayupov.

“Gilat’s local team of experienced professionals delivered the dedicated support required to make this service an immediate success thus helping to increase the value of the traveling experience for our passengers,” added Ayupov.

“The successful operation of this network demonstrates the flexibility of our VSAT technology,” said Arie Rozichner, Gilat’s regional vice president, Eurasia. “We look forward to serving Transtelecom, and other national railways, with additional deployments in the future that will increase the appeal of rail travel.” 

Gilat’s SkyEdge and SkyEdge II multi-service platforms allow high-quality voice, broadband data and video services for different environments including enterprises, rural networks, cellular backhaul and government network applications. The latest addition to Gilat’s SkyEdge II portfolio is NetEdge, a dedicated solution for multi star networks, designed to meet the needs of corporate networks and cellular backhaul applications.

Gilat’s broadband satellite communications networks have been serving the Kazakhstan market since 1998.