Rivada's 'Outernet' Deal in Kazakhstan Signals New Era of Data Sovereignty

MUNICH, July 22, 2026 – In a move that underscores the growing global demand for ultra-secure communications, Kazakh telecom operator ZHARYQ has partnered with Rivada Space Networks to bring a next-generation satellite network to Central Asia. The deal centers on Rivada’s “Outernet,” a planned 600-satellite Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation designed from the ground up to function as a private, secure data network in space, physically separate from terrestrial infrastructure.

This partnership represents a significant step for Rivada, which claims to have already lined up over $20 billion in global business for its unique network. By teaming with ZHARYQ, a 35-year veteran in the region, Rivada gains a crucial foothold in the geopolitically sensitive territories of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Azerbaijan. The collaboration aims to deliver unprecedented levels of security and performance for government agencies and enterprise clients in sectors where data integrity is non-negotiable, including banking, defense, and energy.

A New Architecture for a New Era of Threats

What sets Rivada's Outernet apart in an increasingly crowded LEO market is its core architectural choice: a "gateway-less" design. While competitors like SpaceX's Starlink and Eutelsat OneWeb also use inter-satellite laser links (ISLs) to create a mesh network in space, they largely function as conduits to connect remote users to terrestrial internet gateways. Data still travels across vulnerable ground-based fiber and public internet infrastructure.

Rivada’s network is fundamentally different. It is engineered as a true orbital transport layer. Data travels from a user terminal up to a satellite, is routed entirely through the optical mesh network in space via laser links, and comes down only at its intended destination. By combining ISLs with advanced onboard processing and routing on every satellite, the Outernet effectively creates a private, global network in the sky, bypassing the public internet entirely.

This design dramatically reduces the attack surface available to malicious actors. By eliminating terrestrial gateways as a point of intercept or failure, it offers a level of security that traditional networks cannot match. Declan Ganley, CEO of Rivada Space Networks, emphasized this distinction, stating, “Unlike traditional ‘gap-filler’ LEO systems... Rivada’s game-changing Outernet is a fully independent and inter-connected private space network that re-defines connectivity in terms of security, latency, capacity, efficiency, and coverage. Our unique gateway-less architecture is fast becoming the system of choice for secure data communications.”

This approach promises not only enhanced security but also lower latency over long distances compared to fiber, as light travels faster in the vacuum of space than through glass cables. For organizations needing to transfer large, sensitive datasets between continents, this combination of speed and security is a transformative proposition.

Central Asia's Digital Shield

The partnership's focus on Central Asia is no coincidence. The region's vast and often challenging geography makes terrestrial infrastructure deployment difficult and costly, creating a strong reliance on satellite connectivity. At the same time, national governments are pursuing ambitious digital transformation agendas while navigating a complex geopolitical landscape where data sovereignty and infrastructure resilience are paramount security concerns.

ZHARYQ, as a long-established systems integrator with deep ties to government and commercial clients, is positioned to address these specific needs. The company will leverage the Outernet to provide secure and resilient voice, video, and data solutions for fixed, land-based, and maritime customers.

Korchagin Alexey, Commercial Director of ZHARYQ, highlighted the strategic imperative behind the deal. “Our goal is to ensure our customers have access to the latest innovation in secure satellite communications,” he said. “By tapping into a truly independent global network, we can offer a new level of resilience, security and performance.”

For nations in the region, the ability to ensure that critical government or financial data does not traverse foreign networks offers a powerful guarantee of data sovereignty. Rivada's architecture provides control not through policy or legal agreements, but through the physical and logical separation of its network, creating a digital shield for critical communications.

The High-Stakes Race for the LEO Market

Rivada's strategy marks a clear divergence from the consumer-broadband focus of competitors like Starlink and Amazon's Project Kuiper. The German-based company is pursuing an exclusively B2B and B2G (business-to-government) model, selling wholesale capacity to telecom operators, enterprises, and government entities. The ZHARYQ partnership is a textbook example of this model in action.

The company’s bold claim of a $20 billion business pipeline, while not fully verifiable through public records, is bolstered by a series of high-profile strategic moves. In late 2024, Rivada secured a contract with the U.S. Navy for joint engineering cooperation, a significant vote of confidence from a demanding defense client. Furthermore, a collaboration with networking giant Cisco to integrate advanced routing and security technologies into the Outernet lends substantial technical credibility to its enterprise-grade ambitions.

By focusing on the high-margin, high-security enterprise and government market, Rivada is carving out a defensible and potentially lucrative niche. While the capital expenditure for a 600-satellite constellation is immense, the value proposition for customers who cannot afford any compromise on security is compelling.

The partnership with ZHARYQ will be a critical test case. As part of the deal, the Kazakh operator will join Rivada’s Customer Advisory Board, ensuring the network’s development is closely aligned with the real-world needs of its target clients. This collaboration will not only shape the deployment of services in Central Asia but also provide invaluable feedback as Rivada builds out its global network, moving from a bold architectural concept to a fully operational force in global telecommunications.