[Satellite TODAY Insider 03-04-11] SES Astra’s latest Astra2Connect subdistribution service launch in Germany, unveiled March 2, will lower the operator’s hardware and installation costs and allow the company to provide expanded, individual solutions for end users, apartment complexes and entire communities, SES Astra Vice President of Broadband Sales Armin Neumaier told Satellite TODAY Insider.
    The service aims to allow telecommunication operators and Internet service providers the ability to offer satellite-based broadband connections at speeds of up to 6 megabits per second without requiring customers to install a satellite antenna. Instead, the satellite broadband connection will be installed at street cabinets located in these communities, allowing users to access broadband Internet with a standard DSL modem.
    “The technology is ideal for small communities without access to terrestrial broadband networks, mostly because the set-up of the infrastructure is too expensive,” said Neumaier. “Communities benefit from the fact that they can offer their citizens broadband connections without them having to wait for DSL or fiber networks for years. End customers, on the other hand, do not need to install a satellite dish at their home. They can access the broadband internet with a standard DSL modem via their phone lines or cable networks.”
    Neumaier added that SES has high expectations for the service and is hoping its success will lead to expansion throughout the European markets and beyond. “We see a number of opportunities in Africa and the Middle East where we have been offering Astra2Connect successfully as well. In Germany, we will be presenting the solution for the first time in a pilot project with the Ministry of Rural Affairs and the Nutrition and Consumer Protection Agency in Baden-Württemberg,” Neumaier said. “After commercialization, we will be able to offer the solution everywhere in Germany, and eventually, Europe. With our orbital position at 23.5 degrees East, we can cover most of Europe and significantly expand our technology.”

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