Nepal's Mercantile and Rivada Collaborate to Build Secure LEO Network

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Mercantile Space and Rivada Space Networks have announced a partnership to leverage the latter's Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite network, Outernet, to deliver next-generation connectivity services characterized by security and high performance. Rivada has accumulated a business pipeline exceeding $20 billion for its Outernet.

Mercantile Space and its parent company, Mercantile Communications, are leading telecommunications providers in Nepal, specializing in satellite solutions and wireless network systems, while also offering technology solutions such as cybersecurity, cloud services, managed IT, and data center management. Against the backdrop of growing global demand for secure and rapid data movement, organizations in the banking, security, defense, and telecommunications sectors are seeking innovative network technologies.

Rivada's Outernet is a global low-latency point-to-point network comprising 600 LEO satellites, and is the first unified global communications network. This network combines inter-satellite laser links with onboard processing and routing technologies to form an optical mesh in space. Data travels entirely in space from source to destination, creating a satellite network that covers the poles and provides end-to-end latency far lower than long-distance terrestrial fiber. This physically isolated space network offers a defense layer for organizations that need to securely share data across widely distributed sites.

Mercantile Space will utilize Outernet to address critical infrastructure limitations in the region, providing secure data connectivity for enterprise and government networks. Nepal's rugged terrain poses obstacles to deploying traditional fiber optic cables or wires. By leveraging Outernet's satellite architecture, Mercantile can bridge the connectivity gap in remote or underserved areas. The network enhances performance and creates new business opportunities through multi-gigabit bidirectional capabilities combined with global coverage.

Amod Pratap Rana, Director of Telecom Services at Mercantile Space, stated that the company's goal is to ensure customers have sovereign data connectivity, carrier Ethernet resilience, and a ubiquitous network that bridges the connectivity gap. He noted that Rivada is building a LEO architecture with unique capabilities, essentially a highly secure global communications backbone. Outernet not only strengthens digital infrastructure but also provides customers with a platform to expand capabilities to meet new security requirements.

Declan Ganley, CEO of Rivada Space Networks, stated that the partnership with Mercantile Space will enrich its communications service portfolio. The space sector is playing a key role in securing network infrastructure and addressing data sovereignty and security needs. Unlike traditional LEO systems that only connect satellites to the nearest ground gateway, Rivada's Outernet is an independent and interconnected private space network that redefines connectivity in terms of security, latency, capacity, efficiency, and coverage. Its gateway-less architecture is becoming the preferred system for secure data communications.