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Title: Eutelsat sets a new benchmark for satellite broadband via KA-SAT Post by: RealWire on July 05, 2012, 10:05:53 PM Launch of higher user speeds, increased volume allowance, equipment rental programme and new entry level package for the Tooway™ broadband service
UK, 5 July 2012 - Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) today announced major improvements to its Tooway™ satellite service which will enhance the speed and affordability of consumer satellite broadband across Europe and the Mediterranean Basin. Offering higher bitrates, increased consumption profiles and lower entry costs, the latest generation of Tooway™ broadband services is now available and is being progressively commercialised by distributors integrating the new offers into their service portfolio. Up to 18Mbps immediately for consumers, irrespective of location The Tooway™ portfolio of services delivered via Eutelsat’s KA-SAT High Throughput Satellite now offers download speeds of up to 18 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 6Mbps, with consumption profiles of up to 50 Gigabytes per month. This means that the top of the range consumer package has been boosted to 18Mbps from 10Mbps, with high volume allowances across the range, while pricing levels remain the same. A new entry level package is also being launched, offering download speeds of up to 2Mbps and upload speeds of up to 1Mbps for an expected retail price from €19.90[1]. This move towards a faster, higher volume service has been facilitated by an upgrade of the digital modulation scheme of the KA-SAT infrastructure, from 8PSK[2] to 16APSK, generating a significant increase in the system’s total throughput. In order to lower entry costs, Eutelsat’s broadband affiliate, Skylogic, is also rolling out an attractive hardware rental programme in certain countries to enable distributors to opt to rent user equipment to new customers. “Today’s announcement shows our commitment to further enhancing the performance of the Tooway™ service which is fundamentally about connecting people – both those in areas unserved and underserved by ADSL,” said Michel de Rosen, Eutelsat CEO. “The update last month of the EU’s Digital Scorecard shows that as many as 10 million homes in the EU27 are still not broadband-equipped. This means there is still work to be done to meet the objectives of the Digital Agenda in Europe and at a broader level across the full KA-SAT footprint. We believe that the enhanced Tooway™ service and the improved user equipment programme will forward the move to satellite broadband for those still struggling with mediocre Internet access, depriving them of the social and economic benefits of broadband.” Tooway™ consumer service packages See table at: http://www.realwire.com/31167 * Bandwidth reduced to 128 kbps beyond volume consumption. The Tooway™ customer equipment comprises a 77cm satellite dish and a sleek modem, which is connected to a PC or Mac via an Ethernet connection. Customers can select professional or self-installation. The equipment is installed by pointing the dish to 9° East using an included sound beeper and following indications on-screen to activate the modem. Tooway™ system can also be used for Voice over IP and IPTV. With a dual-feed (Ku-Ka), Direct-to-Home reception of television channels from adjacent broadcast satellites is also possible. Photos available at: http://www.eutelsat.com/products/broadband-tooway.html [1] VAT included [2] Phase Shift Keying |