Mangata & Microsoft unite to advance AI cloud via satellite

Mangata Networks, a world-leading provider of satellite-enabled connectivity and intelligent edge computing services, has announced a strategic partnership with tech giant Microsoft. This milestone collaboration aims to create an AI-enabled edge cloud platform that will be connected through innovative satellite technology.

This ambitious long-term endeavour will focus on advancing and improving cloud technology through superior satellite connectivity. The project is expected to provide substantially enhanced reach and functionality for Microsoft's Azure cloud services. This will be realised through high speed, low-latency global satellite connectivity and robust edge computation solutions.

Brian Holz, CEO of Mangata Networks, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership: "We are thrilled to develop this transformative product in strategic collaboration with Microsoft, further enriching the Microsoft commercial marketplace ecosystem." He further added, "Our offering is not just a product but an all-encompassing network, infrastructure, platform, and software service. This is more than a partnership; it is a long-term alliance set to redefine how enterprises leverage the cloud and intelligent edge compute."

A key feature of the collaboration is both parties' strong commitment to innovation. By leveraging Microsoft's impressive AI and data analytics capacities, this partnership will redefine the product innovation lifecycle, with AI being integrated end-to-end. The partnership's goal is to deliver Azure adaptive cloud solutions designed to address unique and complex business problems at the edge, enabling and accelerating customer outcomes in a culturally sensitive manner.

Mangata’s managed service will expand the geographical reach of Azure’s adaptive cloud, with the partnership delivering an array of innovative features, including AI-enhanced network routing at the edge, remote bandwidth optimisation, workload management, real-time data processing, and many more. These collaborative solutions will be available via the Azure Marketplace, offering seamless user experience with comprehensive application-level Service Level Agreements (SLAs).

The partnership will allow customers to process data where it is generated, thus reducing latency and time-to-insight by hosting advanced analytics and AI-inferencing at the edge. Applications can process sensitive data at the edge, keeping it within national or regional boundaries and only sending what is permitted to the public cloud. This is especially beneficial for highly regulated organisations and for geographies with strict data sovereignty rules.

Mitra Azizirad, President and Chief Operating Officer for Growth, Innovation and Strategy at Microsoft Strategic Missions and Technologies, stated, "In collaboration with Mangata, we look forward to delivering an end-to-end Cloud and Edge platform to enterprise and government customers. This platform will enable business and mission critical applications anywhere with committed availability through satellite connectivity."

The partnership also aims to address global challenges such as sovereign state requirements, enterprise innovation, and telecommunication capacity needs. It aligns with the Airband Initiative, a joint venture between Microsoft and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), intended to dissolve the global digital divide by making internet access universal.

The pilot phase for the customer trial networks is set to commence in late Q2 2024, ahead of Mangata's planned constellation launch. The partnership is on track to revolutionise how businesses and governments leverage edge cloud connectivity via satellite technology, marking an important step towards a more connected and intelligent future.