ISP Satellite Internet Joins Welsh Access Broadband Cymru Scheme

The imaginatively named Satellite Internet, which is a division of BeyonDSL and supplies Satellite based broadband connectivity using the SES Techcom (ASTRA) platform, has today announced that it is an official registered supplier for the Access Broadband Cymru (ABC) subsidy scheme.

The ABC scheme has recently been made available to all homes and businesses across Wales (here) that “currently do not have a superfast connection” (24Mbps+). Applicants for the vouchers, which are designed to help cover the cost of getting an alternative connection installed, are usually offered two levels of funding depending upon the Internet speed required. The first level offers £400 for download speeds of 10Mbps+ and the second level offers £800 for 30Mbps+.

In order to be eligible new connections through the scheme must deliver a step change in speed, which should equate to at least double your current download speeds (e.g. a current connection of 10Mbps must improve to at least 20Mbps in order to gain support).

Mike Locke, Satellite Internet Managing Director, said:

“Even in today’s access-dependent age, numerous properties across Wales and the rest of the UK still don’t have reliable, high-speed Internet, leaving both residents and workers unable to access vital online services. Satellite Internet is fully backing the ABC scheme, illustrating the viability of satellite internet connectivity for the final five percent of properties within the entire UK.

The beauty of a satellite-based internet solution is that it can be provisioned at any location where there is a clear line of sight to the southern sky. This allows it to offer a fast and robust connection to reach those areas where it is simply unfeasible to deploy any other internet delivery technology.”

Generally speaking most of Satellite Internet’s packages offer a headline broadband download speed of 20Mbps, although we’re told that a special 30Mbps package tier also exists for homes and businesses in Wales (unfortunately this doesn’t appear to be listed on their website).