Posted: 23rd Sep, 2009 By: MarkJ
UK satellite operator
Avanti Communications has managed to sign three contracts for the sale of broadband services, taking it above its target of recruiting 50 service providers before the launch of its HYLAS satellite, which is due to occur before the end of this year. Service details remain scarce, although some sources suggests that HYLAS will be able to deliver a 2Mbps service from just £15 per month, thus meeting the governments universal minimum UK broadband speed target for 2012.
* The first is with Insis System Engineering, which provides systems integration services in automation, environmental monitoring and infrastructure control in Italy.
* Secondly, EnergoData has purchased capacity which will be used to manage telemetry and control services in the utilities sector in Macedonia, a new market for Avanti.
* Finally, Avanti has signed with Broadsat srl in Italy and the Balkans, which specialises in providing consumer broadband in rural Italy.
David Williams, Chief Executive of Avanti, said:
“I am delighted to add three new customers to our distribution network bringing us to 51 service providers in 13 countries. We have always assumed that 50 service providers would be enough to fill HYLAS quickly. We removed the last major technical risk from our project in July with the launch upgrade.
With the achievement today of a major distribution milestone we therefore now have full confidence that we are also rapidly removing commercial risks. It is also pleasing to recruit customers specialising in new niche industrial applications for satellite broadband, in addition to our existing strength in the consumer market.”
Back in May'09 Avanti was also awarded a project by the European Space Agency (ESA), which would contribute €250,000 in 2009 to the cost of work on a Preliminary Design Review for a new satellite system called Hercules. The Hercules system could provide a low cost method for delivery of broadband at speeds of between 2Mb and 50Mb to the 2.5m rural homes in the UK which have been identified as unable to access terrestrial high speed broadband.
Earlier this summer we completed our own interview with Avanti Communications regarding its future service plans, which also touched on the many cost and performance problems that hamper the technology and its ability to offer a truly affordable broadband solution to remote and rural areas of the UK.
Avanti UK Rural-Satellite Broadband ISP Interview:https://www.ispreview.co.uk/articles/09_avanti_uk_rural_satellite_broadband_isp_interview/UPDATE 24th September 2009:New information has surfaced via
The Times confirming that the launch of Avanti's HYLAS satellite will be delayed until as late as June 2010. This is due in no small part to a recent change in rocket launch contracts.
Avanti is also hoping to gain a large sum of money from the UK government to help build its 'up to' 10Mbps HYLAS-2 satellite. This looks to be the new name for Hercules, although we’d like to know where the originally estimated speeds of up to 50Mbps have gone.