HANNOVER, Germany & LUXEMBOURG--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SES ASTRA, an SES company (Paris:SESG)(LuxX:SESG), has announced today that it has launched a new solution to provide communities in areas without terrestrial broadband networks with its innovative satellite-based broadband service ASTRA2Connect. The so-called sub-distribution service allows telecommunication operators and internet service providers everywhere in Europe to offer satellite-based broadband connections via the existing last mile infrastructure.
It was presented for the first time at this year’s digital technology exhibition CeBIT in Hannover, Germany. The new technology will be showcased in Baden Württemberg, Germany, together with the Ministry of Rural Affairs, Nutrition and Consumer Protection and supported by technology partners Nokia Siemens Networks and NDSatCom.
The sub-distribution allows SES ASTRA to provide small communities in the white spots with broadband connections of up to 6 Mbit/s without households needing to install a satellite antenna at their homes. The satellite broadband connection is installed at the street cabinet of the community, and the broadband connection to the end customer is realized via the last mile infrastructure already in place. End customers only need a standard DSL modem, to access the broadband internet.
“We are very proud to be able to contribute to the current broadband discussion with such an innovative solution,” said Norbert Hölzle, Chief Commercial Officer at SES ASTRA. “Our sub-distribution solution bears an enormous potential to close the white spots in Germany while promoting cooperations between infrastructure providers and telco operators at the same time. We are convinced that we are offering an attractive service for communities, internet service providers and end customers alike.”
“The satellite is an ideal technology to offer rural areas without access to terrestrial broadband networks fast and reliable internet connections,” said Michael Reiss, Division Vice President at the Ministry of Rural Affairs, Nutrition and Consumer Protection in Baden-Württemberg. “With SES ASTRA’s new technology, communities in the white spots benefit from low costs in the set-up of the infrastructure which can be fully subsidized by a variety of funds available in Germany.”
ASTRA2Connect is an interactive broadband internet service that is offered via distribution partners to end customers and businesses in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The service is independent from any terrestrial networks and is immediately available anywhere within the footprint of the satellite. To date, ASTRA2Connect has more than 75,000 end-users in Europe, thereby representing the largest satellite-based broadband network on the continent.
About SES ASTRA www.ses-astra.com
SES ASTRA is the leading Direct-to-Home (DTH) satellite system in Europe. The satellite fleet currently comprises 16 satellites. The ASTRA satellite system delivers services to more than 125 million DTH and cable households and transmits more than 2,600 analogue and digital television and radio channels. SES ASTRA also provides satellite-based multimedia, internet and telecommunication services to enterprises, governments and their agencies. With 190 High Definition (HD) channels on its main orbital positions, ASTRA represents the most important HDTV platform for Europe's leading broadcasters. The prime orbital positions for ASTRA are 19.2° East, 28.2° East, 23.5° East, 5° East and 31.5° East.
About SES
SES (Paris:SESG)(LuxX:SESG) wholly owns the market-leading satellite operators SES ASTRA and SES WORLD SKIES, and participations in Ciel in Canada, QuetzSat in Mexico as well as a strategic participation in satellite infrastructure start-up O3b Networks. SES provides outstanding satellite communications solutions via a global fleet of 44 satellites. For further information: www.ses.com