[09-06-07 –  Satellite Today] SES Astra has signed a contract with National Broadband Services to provide satellite-based broadband Internet to Ireland, the company announced Sept. 6.

According to recent Irish census data, nearly a quarter of households in Ireland do not have a fixed telephone line and almost half of Internet-connected households are still using dial-up connections.

Astra2Connect, SES Astra’s broadband service, is a two-way service solution that can deliver dual- or triple-play services without the need for terrestrial support.