
iDirect Hub infrastructure technology supports Arabsat's ambitions to expand to new audiences and provide end-to-end seamless connectivity
Herndon, Va., May 22, 2024 - ST Engineering iDirect, a global leader in satellite communications, and Arabsat, the leading satellite operator and service provider in the Arab world, are extending their successful multi-year partnership to bring connectivity to new markets in the Middle East, Africa and West/Central Asia.
While Arabsat's BADR-7 Ka-band satellite and 6A Ku-Band satellite currently service locations including Africa, Middle East and parts of Asia, the government-backed satellite service provider is now working alongside ST Engineering iDirect to expand its coverage to manage connectivity services in countries that face poor infrastructure challenges. Arabsat's expansion into new markets is part of Saudi Arabia's wider initiative to continue to invest in space, diversify from the media and broadcast sector and bring satellite internet capabilities to users in remote and underserved areas through its VSAT broadband business.
alt=Arabsat ST Engineering iDirect partnership width=450 height=300 data-lazy-srcset=https://www.idirect.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/arabsat-pr-signing-300x200.webp 300w, https://www.idirect.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/arabsat-pr-signing-768x512.webp 768w, https://www.idirect.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/arabsat-pr-signing-942x628.webp 942w, https://www.idirect.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/arabsat-pr-signing-600x400.webp 600w, https://www.idirect.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/arabsat-pr-signing.webp 1000w data-lazy-sizes=(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px data-lazy-src=https://www.idirect.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/arabsat-pr-signing-300x200.webp />To close the digital divide, bridge the widening connectivity gap and bring vital resources in addition to managed services such as e-learning and disaster recovery solutions to residents in those countries, Arabsat is deploying the next-generation iDirect Hub infrastructure DCR/DBR to expand its existing Dialog and Evolution-based ground systems in four new gateways. This is in addition to the existing two gateways to utilize and operate almost 30 beams on Ka-Band, Ku-band, and C-Band to serve diverse coverages and geographical locations.
The iDirect Hub Infrastructure provides a highly-scalable and flexible solution for Arabsat's Dialog-based gateway deployments, achieving a higher throughput, greater efficiency and flexibility. It establishes the foundation for Arabsat to migrate to a virtualized, cloud-based hybrid infrastructure over time. As their network and requirements evolve, they can easily adopt the recently announced Intuition and its standards-based, end-to-end orchestration capabilities to further speed up the time-to-market and streamline service delivery.
This partnership brings together best-in-breed ground system technology complementing Arabsat's advanced constellation of HTS satellites. We're committed to delivering flexible and future-ready solutions that enable Arabsat to address a wide range of services from media and enterprise, to mobility and broadband, to help them to unlock new markets and growth. By leveraging cutting-edge, forward-compatible technology, we are empowering Arabsat to extend its reach, transforming lives across the EMEA region through seamless satellite connectivity, said Don Claussen, CEO at ST Engineering iDirect.
Expanding our partnership with ST Engineering iDirect underscores our company-wide commitment to transforming the lives of communities in the EMEA region through satellite connectivity, said Alhamedi Alanezi, CEO and President of Arabsat. ST Engineering iDirect provides best-in-class technology that will enable us to expand our services portfolio across the entire region to provide real-time and enjoyable satellite broadband experience with competitive market SLAs. We are dedicated to promoting fairer distribution of broadband for a range of use cases, continuing to deliver the very best quality of service content for our customers, and ensuring we have a future-proof network so we can adapt and respond as market demands evolve.
*****
About ST Engineering iDirect
ST Engineering iDirect, a subsidiary of ST Engineering, is a global leader in satellite communications (satcom) providing technology and solutions that enable its customers to expand their business, differentiate their services and optimize their satcom networks. With over 40 years of delivering innovation focused on solving satellite's most critical economic and technology challenges we are committed to shaping the future of how the world connects. The product portfolio, branded iDirect, represents the highest standards in performance, efficiency and reliability, making it possible for its customers to deliver the best satcom connectivity experience anywhere in the world. ST Engineering iDirect is a leader in key industries including mobility, broadcast and military/government. For more information visit www.idirect.net.
About Arabsat
Established in 1976, Arabsat is an initiative launched by 21 Arab countries and is wholly owned by the Arab League. It is considered the first provider of satellite services in the Arab world and enjoys an advanced position among satellite operators globally.
Thanks to a fleet of 8 satellites, equipped with state-of-the-art technologies, Arabsat is adept at providing a full spectrum TV and radio broadcast, telecommunications, broadband, advanced data transmission network solutions, and a range of satellite ecosystem services as well as multi-channel communications services, in addition to Internet services for government and commercial entities around the MENA region.
Arabsat provides satellite and Internet broadcast services for more than 260 encrypted television net
Europe Stories
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
25/06/2026
Launching today (Thursday 25 June), new RT podcast Ramble with Joe McGucken is a series of curiosity-driven conversations where actor, writer and comedian Joe ...
24/06/2026
Plus: VoiceAssist Basic now available to UA LUNA users
NoiseWorks Audio have just released an update that adds a new Mouth De-Click module to the Advanced t...
24/06/2026
New heavy-duty mic stand joins range
The latest arrival to Gator's Frameworks family introduces a new heavy-duty boom stand that's been designed for...
24/06/2026
Latest major plug-in update goes live
Waves have just announced that the latest major update for their hugely popular plug-in range is now officially availa...
24/06/2026
When assessing cellular coverage, many people look at the signal bars displayed on a smartphone, router or modem. More bars are often assumed to mean better per...
24/06/2026
Rohde & Schwarz THORIS sets new standard for counter UAS defense At Eurosatory 2026, Rohde & Schwarz is unveiling THORIS, a German engineered, sovereign count...
24/06/2026
Rohde & Schwarz expands voice communications modernization program for Egyptian ...
24/06/2026
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({...
24/06/2026
X-Rite Pantone Adds MSI PRO MAX Displays to Pantone Validated Program for Proven...
24/06/2026
24th June 2026, London: Dara Briain will host brand new comedy entertainment series Dara's Dull Appreciation Society (4x40') celebrating members of th...
24/06/2026
Wednesday 24 June 2026
Sky reveals wild new trailer and images for Shaun the Sh...
24/06/2026
Comscore Announces Partnership with Amazon DSP to Expand Content Addressability ...
24/06/2026
From Cork to Limerick to Earagail:
RT is supporting 21 Arts and Cultural Events all over Ireland this July
RT Supporting the Arts is delighted to spotlight...
23/06/2026
128 channels of signal routing & DSP
Announced just before the NAMM Show 2026, Violet Audio's latest digital audio matrix offers 128 channels of signal ...
23/06/2026
Latest Current expansion created by EPROM
Minimal Audio have just launched the latest Current Expansion, Memory Rites. Designed in collaboration with renown...
23/06/2026
Popular hardware EQ gets official plug-in emulation
Undertone Audio have just launched a new plug-in that brings one of their most popular hardware designs ...
23/06/2026
December 7, 2022
Colorfront (colorfront.com) - the multi-award-winning develope...
23/06/2026
April 23, 2026
NAB 2026, Las Vegas - the Academy and Emmy Award-winning develop...
23/06/2026
23rd June 2026, London: UKTV and BBC Entertainment have unveiled a joint co-comm...
23/06/2026
Also starring Jonny Lee Miller, Sheldon Shepherd and Bel Powley, the ambitious f...
23/06/2026
The priority now is a clear and credible plan
June 23, 2026, Winchester, UK - Arqiva, the UK's leading communications infrastructure provider, welcomes tod...
23/06/2026
The RT Toy Show Appeal has raised over 31 million since its inception in 2020 ...
22/06/2026
New hyper-resolution analyser EQ revealed
CEDAR Audio's all-new Icons plug-in series has just gained its newest member, Blade. Described by the compan...
22/06/2026
Turn any live input into a cinematic soundscape
Designed for use in the studio and on stage, Sampleson's latest creation is capable of taking any audio ...
22/06/2026
Adds guitar strings to Eurorack rigs
ADDAC System are renowned for their weird and wonderful synth designs, and their line-up includes plenty of gear that...
22/06/2026
In our latest blog, Tim Pearson explores NAGRA Venturi, the new streaming security solution for the AI era from NAGRAVISION. Designed to aggregate and analyze ...
22/06/2026
Monday 22 June 2026
Official trailer released for Katie Price: Nothing to Hide,...
21/06/2026
New series now live on Udemy
Regular SOS contributor and Cubase workshop columnist John Walden has just released a new Cubase video course that is now avail...
21/06/2026
Sunday 21 June 2026
Sky announces immersive documentary series The Wargame
The Wargame first looks
ZIP (2MB)
Sky today confirms the commission of The Wargam...
20/06/2026
New add-on creates doubles & vocal stacks
IK Multimedia's latest ReSing add-on kits the innovative software out with the ability to automatically genera...
19/06/2026
Company launch comprehensive mix-comparison tool
The Him DSP are a plug-in company founded by The Him, an EDM DJ and producer who has amassed over half a bi...
19/06/2026
Major Sampler upgrades introduced
The latest version of Bitwig's DAW software has just entered public beta testing, and is available now for all users w...
19/06/2026
Four times the power of their predecessors
Akai Pro have just introduced upgraded versions of two of their popular standalone MPC systems, kitting them out ...
19/06/2026
Friday 19 June 2026
How to watch the 2026/27 Premier League season on Sky Sports
Which matches are Sky Sports showing on the 2026/27 Premier League opening we...
19/06/2026
Catch up on the latest developments across Baselight and Daylight v7, Nara and FilmLight API Wednesday 8 July, 5pm onwards
Firehouse: DCTV, 87 Lafayette St, Ne...
18/06/2026
Improvements & new IR content
iamReverb Audio have just launched a free update that kits their convolution reverb plug-in out with some new features and int...
18/06/2026
Modelling suite gains improved captures, iOS support & more
Two notes Audio Engineering have just announced the launch of Genome 2.0, a significant update t...
18/06/2026
New AI assistance feature, video overhaul & more
VSL have just announced the launch of Vienna Ensemble Pro 8.1 and 8.1V, a pair of major updates to their ev...
18/06/2026
New study reveals 10 hidden data drainers costing Brits hundreds abroad - and the holiday hotspots where you could get rinsed the mostThursday 18 June 2026
The...
18/06/2026
Thursday 18 June 2026
How to watch the 2026/27 Scottish Premiership season on Sky Sports
Which matches are Sky Sports showing on the 2026/27 Scottish Premiers...
18/06/2026
Thursday 18 June 2026
Sky Sale: Latest deals now on, with discounts on iPhone Air & 2.5Gbps speeds
The latest deals have dropped from Sky Mobile, the award-wi...
18/06/2026
FOX Advertising and Toonstar Team to Create New Opportunities for Brands in Digi...
18/06/2026
Arqiva's Crawley Court and Chalfont Grove teleports re-certified at highest World Teleport Association standard
18 June 2026, Winchester, UK - Arqiva, the ...
18/06/2026
Apple today announced changes impacting iOS apps in Brazil that reflect a recent agreement with Brazil's competition regulator, the Conselho Administrativo ...
17/06/2026
New features, changes & bug fixes
SoundBridge have just released another update for their remote collaboration-focused DAW - reviewed here in SOS March 2026...
17/06/2026
Valve-based front end for digital & modelling rigs
The latest addition to Fryette's product range delivers a packed-down, pedalboard-friendly version of...