The Arabsat Consortium said it has created a new Internet Division to meet the “overwhelming global demand for high-speed Internet connectivity solutions throughout the Middle East and North Africa.”

The organization said it already has signed a contract with “one of the strongest financial and commercial companies in Kuwait.” It provides leased capacity on the Arabsat 3A DBS satellite, which enables it to supply Internet service, including MPEG 2 DVD capability, from the Arabsat gateway in the United Kingdom.

The organization has established three main tiers of Internet service. Tier 1 service is the most robust and reliable service, from a two-way earth station, and is appropriate for large ISPs, telephone companies and broadcasters.

Tier 2 is a cost-effective, reliable delivery service for emerging ISPs. A variant, Tier 2/3, is designed for small- and medium-size ISPs, business and government agencies that need to use remote earth stations.

Tier 3 service provides low-cost, instant access to the Internet via low-cost, remote earth stations and is intended for individual end-users, schools and small businesses.

Arabsat said it soon will release additional Internet products including value-added and protocol-driven applications such as voice-over-Internet Protocol service, distance learning and telemedicine and services for the banking and oil industries.