History

 


2010

  • Launch of the second satellite (RASCOM-QAF1R) in August 2010

2009
  • RascomStar-QAF has been honoured by SATCOM STARS as winner of the award for “Innovative Application of Satellite Technology in Africa 2009” (SATCOM AFRICA 2009 international event)
  • Start of full satellite control from Gharyan Operation Center in Libya
  • Effective date of contract for the development of the GTS (End June 2009)
  • Start manufacturing of the first R*BCS Gateways
  • Launch of the panafrican connectivity initiative : MOU signing by African Telecom Operators

2008
  • Start of commercial Operation on RASCOM-QAF1 (Bandwidth Lease Services - R*BCS)
  • Opening of Missions Facilities in Douala (Cameroon)
  • Manufacture of RASCOM-QAF1 Replacement Satellite (RQ1R)
  • RascomStar-QAF selected ViaSat as the manufacturer of the system for its ground segment services to be marketed as R*BCS and R*TES
  • Transfer of GPTC’s capital shares in RascomStar-QAF

2007
  • RASCOM-QAF1 was successfully launched in Kourou, French Guiana
  • RascomStar-QAF updated the technical definition of its ground telecommunications services (GTS) and sent a Request for Proposals for Ground Segment R*BCS and R*TES pan-African telecommunication services to preselected vendors

2006
  • RascomStar-QAF decided to simplify its corporate structure and consolidated R-QAF with RascomStar-QAF in an assignment of all R-QAF’s assets and obligations to RascomStar-QAF
  • Libya Africa Investment Portfolio (LAP) entered into a subscription agreement to become a shareholder in RascomStar-QAF

2004
  • Additional frequency resources at 3° East were obtained for the RASCOM-QAF1 (RQ1) satellite

2003
  • RascomStar-QAF subsidiary R-QAF entered into the first contract for (1) the manufacture of the first RASCOM-QAF satellite (2) the delivery of the satellite in-orbit and (3) the supply of a ground control system to be installed in Gharyan, Libya.
  • RascomStar-QAF and RASCOM entered into a concession agreement, referred to as the Execution Agreement. Under this Execution Agreement, RASCOM assigned the frequency rights and other orbital rights obtained for the project to RascomStar-QAF for the duration of the concession and established terms and conditions for the construction, deployment and operation of the space segment and ground segment of a pan-African satellite telecommunications system

2002
  • Registration of RASCOM-QAF1 filing into the SFS plan
  • RascomStar-QAF was registered as a Mauritius company, with a global business license. The three (3) founding shareholders were RASCOM, Alcatel and GPTC

2001
  • Securing of orbital frequency resources at 2.9° East
  • Pre-commitments signed by African Operators 

1998
  • RASCOM issued an international call for tenders for the creation of an international operational company, procurement of satellites and financing: 11 competitors responded

1992
  • African States met in Abidjan to create the Regional African Satellite Communications Organization: RASCOM. The main objective of RASCOM was the implementation of a telecommunications infrastructure capable of ensuring the sustainable development of telecommunications over the entire African continent with special emphasis on providing rural telecommunication services in each African country