SES ASTRA starts Interactive Broadband Service ASTRA2Connect

[BGonaSTICK]

SES ASTRA, an SES company (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG), has launched its innovative broadband satellite service ASTRA2Connect with Filiago as an anchor customer in Germany. Both companies presented their cooperation at the international computer trade show CeBIT in Hannover. Filiago will market the broadband internet access service to end customers in Germany especially in regions without terrestrial broadband access. The satellite-based DSL infrastructure is the only possibility for these regions to access highspeed DSL-internet, thus preventing a “digital divide” for homes in the countryside. According to official data from the German Ministry for Economy and Technology at least 2.9 million German homes still do not have any access to Broadband Internet.

The end user equipment - necessary to use the service - consists of an interactive satellite antenna as well as a low-cost and easy-to-install satellite modem. The costs for the internet access range from 19.95 Euro to 49.95 Euro for a 256 kbit/s, 512 kbit/s or 1024 kbit/s flatrate plus a registration fee of 99.95 Euro. The hardware equipment can be either purchased for 319.95 Euro or leased for 9.95 Euro per month.

ASTRA2Connect will also support Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services. It uses advanced technology which has been developed in cooperation with Newtec in Belgium and the European Space Agency (ESA).

ASTRA2Connect mainly targets homes in Germany and the rest of Europe which cannot easily get terrestrial or cable broadband internet services. The new product is currently offered by SES ASTRA on a wholesale basis to large European service providers such as telecommunication operators, internet service providers and broadband operators that target the residential and small enterprise markets.

SES ASTRA will introduce ASTRA2Connect in the very near future also in other European countries, where SES ASTRA is negotiating with several resellers.

”Together with Filiago, we will bring a highly innovative product to the German market that provides broadband internet access to everyone in Germany at an affordable price”, says Alexander Oudendijk, Chief Commercial Officer of SES ASTRA. “ASTRA2Connect is an impressive proof of the technological advantages of satellite broadband services for rural areas and a further step for SES ASTRA to deliver dual- and triple-play services by satellite to the German and European markets. With this product and through the cooperation with Filiago, households all over Germany will be able to benefit from an affordable and always-on two-way internet connectivity.”

Utz Wilke, Managing Director of Filiago, says: “In areas without DSL coverage customers are now offered an attractive solution at costs which are comparable with DSL. Astra2Connect is easy to use and compatible with any operating system, which makes the offer even more compelling.”

[solunauk]

The Astra2Connect service is reviewed on DrDish-TV this week. You can watch it at 9.20am BST, until Thursday. It's also available on the DrDish website as a streaming video.

Looks like a good service at a reasonable price for satellite internet. Only available from ISPs in Germany, Switzerland and Austria at the moment.

Wonder if it would work on a mobile home? Can't see why not.

Sol