Contract Win

Avanti Communications Group plc

Contract Win: IP backhaul service for African Mobile Operator

· Smart signs IP backhaul contract with Avanti Communications

· New contract serves networks in Burundi, Tanzania & Uganda

Smart, the East African mobile operator, has appointed global satellite operator Avanti Communications to deliver IP backhaul services in East Africa.

Owned by the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development, Smart will deploy the satellite-based service to customers in Burundi, Tanzania and Uganda. Designed to complement sub-sea fibre networks, Avanti Communications' IP backhaul service enables operators to keep pace with market growth cost effectively.

Abdellatif Bouziani, Group Chief Executive at Smart, commented: "We are delighted to partner with Avanti in our key markets. Its leading IP backhaul is quickly changing perceptions within the telecom industry of the quality and cost of satellite services."

David Williams, Chief Executive Officer at Avanti Communications, commented: "We are delighted to be supporting Smart in East Africa. Avanti's quality and flexibility provides the security, resilience and coverage essential to support the data needs of the most demanding operators. Avanti continues to lead the market in providing backhaul services to the mobile industry."

--ENDS--

For further information please contact:

Avanti Communications Group Plc Tel: +44 (0) 20 7749 1600

David Williams, Chief Executive

Nigel Fox, Finance Director

Cenkos Securities plc Tel: +44 (0) 20 7397 8900

Max Hartley (Nomad)/Julian Morse

Jefferies Hoare Govett Tel: +44 (0) 20 7029 8000

Neil Collingridge

Tulchan Communications Tel: +44 (0) 20 7353 4200James Macey-White

About Smart

· Smart's parent company is Industrial Promotion Services (IPS) Kenya, which in turn is part of the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED).

· AKFED has been funding social enterprises across East Africa for decades - making long-term investments with the aim of building economically sound businesses that create employment and improve lives.

· Smart's approach is to bring AKFED's social enterprise business model and reputation for innovation and customer service to telecommunications in Burundi, Tanzania and Uganda.

· AKFED will leverage more than ten years of telecommunications experience to make Smart East Africa's operator of choice.

· Together with AKFED's other entities, Smart has extensive experience in emerging markets, particularly in East Africa.

· Visit: www.smarteastafrica.com

About Avanti Communications

· Avanti Communications is a carriers' carrier, selling wholesale data telecoms to service providers which use them to create networks for enterprise, carrier, government and consumer users.

· Avanti Communications' network consists of:- two high throughput satellites in orbit, called HYLAS 1 and HYLAS 2; a multiband satellite called Artemis plus a fourth satellite in construction called HYLAS 3 and an international fibre network connecting data centres in several countries.

· Avanti Communications has GEO satellite network spectrum filings in the ITU Master Register for Ka band at 33.5° West and 31.0° East and for Ka, Ku, S and L-band at 21.5° East.

· Avanti Communications serves customers in Europe, Middle East and Africa.

· Visit: www.avantiplc.com