stc group, a Middle Eastern telecommunications group that provides a variety of services encompassing digital infrastructure, has entered into an agreement with Astranis, an American satellite manufacturer to deploy a dedicated satellite serving the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The satellite is part of Astranis’ Block 3 and is scheduled to launch in 2026.
In a press release, stc said that this satellite will expand stc group’s portfolio of satellite communication services and enhance connectivity across the Kingdom. This partnership aims to give stc group full authority over payload configuration and coverage, with data remaining in-region under enterprise-grade security.
Astranis builds advanced satellites for high orbits, providing dedicated, secure networks to highly-sophisticated customers across the globe – large enterprises, governments, and the US military. stc group provides a comprehensive suite of services encompassing digital infrastructure, cloud computing, cybersecurity, Internet of Things (IoT), digital payments, digital media, and digital entertainment. The group comprises 13 subsidiaries across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe.
“As stc plays a key role in advancing Saudi Arabia’s digital infrastructure, space has become a critical layer of our ecosystem, with dedicated satellite capacity central to how we deliver resilient, reliable, and secure connectivity across the country,” said Mohammad Alabbadi, Group Chief Carrier & Wholesale Officer, stc group. “Astranis’ speed and flexibility made them the right partner for this stage of that work. Together, we are setting a new benchmark for secure and reliable connectivity supporting the Kingdom’s digital vision.”
“It’s an honor to work with stc group to deliver dedicated, secure networks that support the expansion of Saudi Arabia’s broader digital infrastructure program,” said John Gedmark, CEO and co-founder of Astranis. “Countries require national control over critical networks and data, and we built Astranis to deliver it.”
The model complements stc group’s capacity in other orbits, further expanding the reach and resilience of its network. Astranis’ satellite offering is built for rapid deployment, providing stc group with capacity on a rapid timeline. This dedicated satellite is part of a broader wave of digital infrastructure investment already underway at stc group. The company has committed investment to a national network agreement, with phase one deployments already underway.