Satellite broadband provider Eutelsat will next week increase the speed of its Tooway consumer broadband service from 2Mbps to 3.6Mbps.
Maximum uplink speeds on the service provided locally by Satellite Broadband Ireland will also be increased to 384Kbps for all customers. In addition, overnight usage volumes will be discounted by 50pc between midnight and 6am to reward use of the satellite network at times of traditional low usage.
“Tooway is a revolutionary satellite service offering consumers in rural and slowband areas the chance of true broadband access,” said Arduino Patacchini, Eutelsat’s multimedia director.
“The dual benefits of increased speed and usage will ensure that Tooway customers continue to reap the benefits of our technology as we prepare for the launch of our KA-SAT satellite later in 2010, which will further raise broadband speeds to up to 10Mbps.”
Tooway is the first satellite two-way broadband service offering speeds and costs similar to ADSL. The service is based on Eutelsat’s satellite coverage, the commercial and infrastructure operating experience of Eutelsat’s subsidiary Skylogic, and SurfBeam technology developed by ViaSat.
This technology used by Tooway comes to Europe after acquiring extensive experience on the North American market, where ViaSat already provides the equipment and network for over 400,000 homes, with satellite broadband access fully independent from the terrestrial network.
Today,Tooway serves customers in more than 20 European countries including the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland and Ireland, with additional countries across Europe rolling out over the coming months.
The Tooway solution consists of a satellite dish and a modem connected to the PC via the Ethernet, giving customers immediate broadband access following a simple installation.
In addition, the Tooway service has the ability to deliver voice over satellite telephony services and direct-to-home television using the Tooway dish.
In 2010, Eutelsat will expand the service with additional broadband access up to 10Mbps. These revolutionary broadband speeds will come from the launch of KA-SAT, the dedicated new satellite from Eutelsat specifically designed for broadband delivery in Europe.
The satellite, which has the combined capacity of 40 traditional satellites, will enable Eutelsat to serve up to two million European homes at a similar speed, price and quality to terrestrial ADSL2 services.
“This increase in speeds and monthly allowances is great news for all our current customers and indeed all rural people without a broadband service. Satellite Broadband Ireland will be offering this service from 1 July without any increase in cost, further underlining our commitment to providing a broadband service throughout Ireland at an affordable cost,” explained Kevin Ryan, proprieter of Satellite Broadband Ireland.
Tooway is delivered via a network of certified distributors, whose contact details can be found at www.tooway.com
By John Kennedy
Image © Eutelsat S.A.
