Newtec VSAT systems expand SES satellite broadband services

Satellite broadband equipment from Newtec is helping to expand the high-speed, high-capacity broadband services offered by SES Broadband Services.

The Newtec-SES collaboration develops the ASTRA Ka-band services offered by SES Broadband. Using Newtec VSAT systems, ISPs can access the SES Broadband satellite network and tap the services from the new Ka-band hubs at SES' headquarters in Castle Betzdorf, Germany.

Newtec will deliver the initial orders of its MDM2200 Ka-band consumer terminals to the ISPs that distribute SES Broadband services across Europe. The ISPs will pay special attention to regions that lack sufficient terrestrial broadband connectivity and offer voice, data and television services to consumers in those remote regions.

The Newtec MDM2200 satellite broadband platform can access both Ku-band and Ka-band frequencies. It is capable of hitting download speeds of up to 22 Mbps and can facilitate a broad selection of applications.

The collaboration between Newtec and SES Broadband Services started in 2007. Newtec has delivered and installed more than 120,000 of its Ku-band VSAT terminals since then, and its Ku-band terminals can easily be upgraded to Ka-band.

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SES Broadband Service set to start late this year

November 2012 will witness the launch of SES Broadband Service (SBBS,) a Ka-band satellite broadband service that will offer up to 20Mbit/s downloads and up to 2Mbps upload.

Right now, the ASTRA 2F platform is waiting for September 21, 2012. Once successfully launched, the SES satellite will be parked at the orbital position 28.2 degrees East, the first of four Ka-band satellites that will support SES Broadband'sInternet-by-satellite services.

A cooperation agreement between SES, Gilat Satellite Technologies, and Newtec created both SBBS' hub infrastructure and the means to deliver the end-user terminals to SES' customers.

“With ASTRA 2F and the subsequent launches of ASTRA 2E, ASTRA 5B and ASTRA 2G in 2013 and 2014, we will be able to further expand our satellite broadband service in Europe with the additional Ka-band capacity on our fleet,” said Patrick Biewer, Managing Director of SBBS.

SES’ long-term partners NordNet, Vivéole, and WIBOX will distribute the new satellite Internet service to end-consumers in France. Representatives from those three service providers were excited for the Ka-band satellite broadband service.

“The new service will further increase the attractiveness of satellite broadband,” said Francis Piet, CEO of NordNet, who added that satellite Internet is now 500% faster while costing only half the price it did in 2008.

“Vivéole has been committed to bridging the digital divide since 2005,” Alexandre Séménadisse, CEO of Vivéole, said. “As a long-standing partner of SES, we will soon be able to offer even better solutions to a larger customer base.”

“The fact that satellite technology has constantly developed allows us to meet the growing demand for broadband services in the regions,” agreed Thomas Gassiloud, President of WIBOX. “We can now offer services close to the speed of ADSL connections and traffic volumes offering unprecedented freedom of choice for our customers.”