On Friday, October 16, 2026, British communications infrastructure and media services provider Arqiva announced a three-year managed satellite services agreement with Kuwait-based satellite operator Gulfsat.
The commercial contract expands Arqiva’s presence across the Middle East, delivering international connectivity and broadcast distribution for regional television networks and telecommunications operators.
Operational Resilience and Geodiverse Uplink Strategy
Under the three-year agreement, Arqiva will provide Gulfsat with an ex-region uplink infrastructure architecture engineered to protect broadcast transmissions from regional geopolitical disruptions, spectrum interference, and severe weather anomalies. Operating transmission facilities outside the Middle East establishes geographic diversity, ensuring business continuity and long-term service assurance for Gulfsat’s broadcast clients across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
The technical deployment was brought into operational readiness within several months, integrating redundant fiber trunk lines directly into Arqiva’s UK teleport facilities.
Managed Service Architecture and Transponder Capacity Specifications
The service configuration combines global fiber transport with dedicated satellite uplink capacity:
- Transponder Allocation: Dedicated uplink of four Ku-band transponders delivering video and data carriers.
- Space Segment: Uplinks terminate at the Eutelsat 8 West B geostationary communications satellite, located at the key 8 degrees West orbital video neighborhood serving the MENA broadcast market.
- Teleport Infrastructure: Dual-site uplink transmission utilizing Arqiva’s Chalfont Grove facility alongside its Tier 4-certified Crawley Court teleport.
- Operational Support: Resilient global terrestrial fiber connectivity paired with 24/7 continuous network operations center monitoring and carrier management.
Executive Perspectives
Leadership from both organizations underscored the operational value of geographically independent transmission paths.
“By combining Arqiva’s infrastructure with Gulfsat’s regional expertise, we are uplinking Gulfsat’s services from the UK, giving them a resilient, geographically independent platform backed by the redundancy built into our teleport and network operations,” stated Gaurav Jandwani, Executive Director of Media & Broadcast at Arqiva. “It’s a model we’re ready to extend to operators and broadcasters across the Middle East and Africa.”
“Their ability to deliver secure, reliable, end-to-end connectivity, combined with a collaborative approach and deep technical expertise, gives us the confidence to serve our customers with the highest standards,” added Mustafa Murad, Chief Executive Officer at Gulfsat.
