Talia Introduces 'Good Works' Scheme for NGOs and Charities at 2008 Aid + Trade Conference

Good Works provides free VSAT hardware, with expanded African coverage

LONDON, UK. -- 2008-01-27

Talia Limited, one of the largest suppliers of satellite Internet for North Africa and the Middle East, will unveil their new 'Good Works' scheme at the 2008 International Aid + Trade conference in Geneva, Switzerland.

'Good Works' -- Free Hardware for Charities and NGOs

'We came up with the Good Works scheme to help organisations which are out there trying to make a difference,' said Alan Afrasiab, CEO of Talia. 'We're supplying free remote hardware as long as there is a minimum service period.'

The scheme was put together by Talia based on the experiences of someone close to the company.

'One of my closest friends spent the last six months in Africa, working for one of the big NGOs, without any real kind of international connectivity,' said Travis Mooney, COO of Talia. 'There was an Internet connection by VSAT, but it wasn't very reliable, and certainly didn't have the capacity to carry voice traffic. GSM coverage was poor, and hugely expensive -- both for him to call out, and for people to call him.

'Most of the people in the industry talk about communications services as a requirement of business, which is certainly true. But with expatriates, especially those stationed in countries vastly different to their home, communications are not just a business tool, but a lifeline back to friends and family.'

Talia sees the Good Works scheme as a way to bring reliable communications to remote workers, and will help by offering free hardware whenever possible.

'We know that cost is always a concern in the charitable sector, so we're trying to do something about it while maintaining the highest levels of support and customer care,' said Mr. Afrasiab. 'It's a cliche, but every little bit does help.'

Expanded African Coverage via Arabsat

Building on existing knowledge of the Middle Eastern and North African markets, Talia will open coverage on Arabsat BADR-C, Arabsat 2B, and has reserved space on the forthcoming Arabsat BADR-6. Between the three satellites, Talia will be able to offer service across most of the African continent.

'We've been operating in Northern Africa and the Middle East for a while now,' said Mr. Mooney. 'We think we've had a pretty good success there, growing from 2.8 to 70MHz of occupied space segment in a little over three years. We think the African market is as big as the Middle Eastern, and the users are similar, so our expertise should translate.'

But, it's not just about opening another market.

'We realise that there are a lot of NGOs and charitable organisations in Africa,' said Mr. Afrasiab. 'So, along with the Good Works scheme, we needed to increase coverage throughout Africa.'

Meet the Talia Team at the 2008 Aid and Trade Conference

The Talia team will be on hand at the 2008 International Aid and Trade conference in Geneva, January 29-30. All current and prospective customers are welcome to visit us at stand 5052, Hall 5, in the Geneva Palexpo Centre.

Featured on our stand will be our iDirect networks, new African coverage via Arabsat, our voice/VoIP platform, and the Eitri professional services. Engineers and sales staff will be on hand to discuss your requirements in detail.

About Talia

Talia is a top-tier provider of Internet and voice services, recognised as one of the fastest growing satellite Internet providers in the Middle East. Experts in VSAT, wireless, and voice communications, Talia provide coverage from Europe to the Middle East and beyond. Headquartered in London with offices in Dubai, Talia is committed to excellent customer service and top-grade solutions.

For more information about Talia, please see: http://www.talia.net

About 2008 International Aid and Trade Conference

The 2008 International Aid + Trade Event brings together the global humanitarian relief, aid and development community to embrace the challenge of integrated aid and development. The event features a range of interactive exhibits where providers of the latest humanitarian relief goods and services will come together with leading agencies and organisations administering relief in the field, bringing the challenge of humanitarian relief to life. NGO and UN pavilions give UN agencies and NGOs the opportunity to meet other agencies, decision makers, visitors and businesses.

The event also includes moderated workshop panel discussions and instructive learning centre sessions.

The 2008 event will see several new features including regional and sector-based pavilions such as the African Pavilion, Asian Pavilion, USA Pavilion, the Education Zone and the Satcom Zone, joining the consistently popular NGO, IGO and UN Pavilions.

The International Exhibition, Display Area, Vehicle Demonstration Zone, Workshop and Learning Centre Sessions, and numerous networking opportunities all make the event an invaluable two days for anyone involved in the humanitarian relief, aid and development community.