[Satellite TODAY 08-16-10] Avanti signed contract for U.K.-based Computerlinks to become the first distributor of Avanti’s Business Internet Continuity (BIC) service, Avanti announced Aug. 16.
     Under the three-year contract, valued at 4.5 million British pounds ($7 million), Computerlinks will enable its more than 5,000 channel partners to provide the BIC service as a disaster recovery communications solution.
     “This contract brings an important new revenue stream to Avanti and our first major sale of our patented BIC product to a large and highly expert customer,” Avanti CEO David Williams said in a statement. “With the increasing importance of cloud computing in the enterprise market, simple, cost-effective and scalable business continuity solutions will be in demand across the world. Avanti’s patented BIC product has potential application for almost every connected business in the world and takes satellite broadband beyond core rural and enterprise markets."
     Avanit plans to place its Hylas-1 satellite in orbit before the end of the year, and the Hylas-2 and Hylas-3 satellites are scheduled to be launched within two to three years.