The significance of delivering broadband and interactive services via satellite has been underlined by the news from Astra SES of four new contracts for the provision of one-way satellite broadband services at 19.2° East and 28.2° East. These services specifically target households in Germany, Hungary and the UK, who do not have access to terrestrial broadband services.
In Germany, SES ASTRA has contracted BBV-Computer-Dienst, a specialized IT service provider focusing on rural areas and the agricultural sector, who, in collaboration with the national Farmers' Association, has launched "AGROSAT".
Furthermore, in Germany, "Internetagentur Schott" is now providing a wide range of seven different satellite broadband services via ASTRA, either at flat rates or with variable service levels at different subscription prices. (See
www.satspeed.de)
In Hungary, EticS introduced a new Interactive Television Service for the Hungarian market. By leasing fully equipped PC's to Hungarian households for three years, EticS provides end users broadband access via satellite to the 'virtual city' of Metropolis. EticS hereby takes profit from the main multicast and unicast applications for satellite data transmissions: 1) DSL-type services for accessing the Internet; 2) IP Streaming; 3) multicast and file delivery services to run and update the virtual city.
Finally, in the UK, SES ASTRA has teamed up with network and communications specialist AVC Europe to launch the UK's first nationwide consumer broadband internet-via-satellite service on ASTRA, branded AVC Broadband. This high-speed package offers to the end-user download speeds in excess of 512kbit/s - more than ten times faster than 56kbit/s phone line modems - with unlimited access to the Internet, and will be available across the UK at a competitive price as from 1 January 2004.
01-12-2003
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