Israel-based Gilat Satellite Networks (GILTF) has been selected by China Unicom (CHU) to provide a 1,500-site, high-speed satellite communication network.

Gilat's SkyEdge VSAT equipment will be used for rural telecom applications throughout China. Gilat has already deployed nearly 600 sites in the three months since this contract was signed.

Gilat's SkyEdge supports a variety of applications from the same SkyEdge hub. SkyEdge incorporates Gilat's broad knowledge base and field-proven product offering acquired through nearly two decades of experience with data, telephony and broadband IP applications.

Part of SkyEdge's appeal to telecom operators is that it can be deployed quickly in harsh terrain and perform well in severe weather conditions – important attributes for many remote Chinese villages, where the mountainous terrain and cold weather make it difficult to implement a communications infrastructure.