O3b Satellites to launch broadband speed to billions of under-connected people across the world

O3b Networks, the world's first fibre-speed satellite network, is launching its first four satellites into orbit today.

What started as a visionary idea six years ago in the jungles of Rwanda to solve the challenge of limited affordable international connectivity has become a state-of-the-art satellite network providing billions of people across Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific access to fast and affordable Internet for the first time.

The first four O3b satellites have been built and tested, and are poised at the top of the Soyuz rocket waiting to be launched into orbit. O3b's ground systems around the world are in place ready to communicate with and operate the newly launched satellites, while O3b staff and customers have gathered at the Guiana Space Centre for the launch, which is scheduled to take place at 3:53pm, local time (6:53pm UTC; 8:53pm CEST).

O3b CTO, Brian Holz, said: "We are ready. The countdown has begun. In a few short hours, our satellites will be coming over the horizon for the first time. We are very close to launching a network that has the potential to change lives in very tangible ways, and that is a tremendous feeling."

O3b's second set of four satellites will be launched in September and operations will start in November.