Telecom Namibia Restores Satellite Services After IS-33e Failure. Telecom Namibia has successfully restored its Satlink VSAT platform after months of disruption caused by the failure of the Intelsat IS-33e satellite in October 2023. The company announced on January 22 that full connectivity had been reinstated after extensive efforts to find alternative solutions.
The IS-33e high-throughput satellite (HTS), which served Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, suffered a catastrophic power failure on October 19, 2023. Shortly after, the satellite broke apart, and Intelsat officially declared it a total loss on October 21. The sudden outage left many service providers, including Telecom Namibia, scrambling for backup solutions. The exact cause of the failure is still under investigation.
For Telecom Namibia, this failure disrupted services for customers relying on its Satlink VSAT platform, which provides satellite-based internet and communication solutions. The company immediately sought ways to restore service, working with international partners to secure alternative satellite capacity.
Within three weeks of the outage, Telecom Namibia managed to establish temporary backup connectivity, though with limited capacity. This partial restoration allowed around 50% of its Satlink customers to regain access to services. However, many still experienced disruptions as the company worked to secure additional satellite bandwidth.
Over the following months, Telecom Namibia focused on obtaining long-term satellite capacity and making necessary infrastructure adjustments. The company engaged with global satellite service providers to find a reliable replacement for IS-33e, ensuring its customers could receive stable and uninterrupted service.
On January 19, 2024, Telecom Namibia confirmed that full service had been reinstated. With the additional satellite capacity secured and infrastructure updates completed, the company announced plans to dispatch technical teams to reconnect all remaining customers. These efforts are expected to be completed within six weeks.
Telecom Namibia emphasized its commitment to maintaining reliable communication services despite the challenges posed by external factors such as satellite failures. The company continues to work closely with its partners to ensure the long-term stability of its satellite-based solutions.