Broadband News
News, views and analysis
Satellite firms could be high-flyers in Digital Britain
09 Nov 2009 | 22.51 Europe/London
The Government's signed up a UK satellite operator in a bid to help reach the Universal Service Commitment (USC) that was laid out in the Digital Britain report. Avanti Communications is being called on to plug gaps in Britain's broadband network as Blighty strives for 2Mbit/s access across the board by 2012. Meanwhile, another satellite broadband firm's just announced its post-tax profits are up by over a third.
Avanti has two announcements that tie in directly with the Britain's goals for a digital future. Firstly, the company's been awarded a contract to prepare for larger scale deployment of satellite backhaul for rural mobile broadband access, building on earlier technology trials performed in Northern Ireland. Secondly, the Government's Technology Strategy Board has awarded the company a project to investigate technologies that can be incorporated in Customer Premises Equipment - the aim being to support emerging applications and next generation broadband services.
"I am pleased to announce our involvement in these new government sponsored activities," says Avanti Chief Executive David Williams. "They will help us to prepare our solution for the Universal Service Commitment contemplated by the Digital Britain Report. It is now clear to all that Avanti’s broadband satellites will have a major role in solving these problems for governments around the World."
Avanti's also part of a consortium that's been chosen by the European Space Agency to help support the standardisation of the next generation of DVB Return Channel via Satellite standard (DVB-RCS NG). The key point here is that the new standard aims to improve the interoperability and efficiency of satellite broadband services leading to higher speeds and lower equipment costs. In this endeavour, it's working alongside the University of Bologna and the DLR Institute of Communications and Navigation.
What's more, the Highly Adaptable Satellite (HYLAS) that Avanti will be relying on to fulfil its new commitments is edging closer to launch. HYLAS, which will be the first superfast broadband satellite launched in Europe, has now arrived at its assembly point: the ISRO facility in India. The market for 2Mbit/s broadband across the continent has been estimated at around 70 million households (and the European Commission setting aside 2.8 billion Euros in funding for rural broadband over the next five years).
But Avanti's not the only satellite firm with good news: Inmarsat's just revealed it's profits are up by 33.5 per cent per cent after tax, meaning they've broken the $50 million mark. It says an increasing demand for high-speed wireless services as the main reason - and that its SwiftBroadband division is behind more than ten per cent of its growth:-
While in-flight cellular broadband driving growth may sound sexy, news agency Reuters is putting Inmarsat's success is down to a "strong demand for broadband services on ships." Off the back of the news, the company's shares rose to a four-year high.
Avanti has two announcements that tie in directly with the Britain's goals for a digital future. Firstly, the company's been awarded a contract to prepare for larger scale deployment of satellite backhaul for rural mobile broadband access, building on earlier technology trials performed in Northern Ireland. Secondly, the Government's Technology Strategy Board has awarded the company a project to investigate technologies that can be incorporated in Customer Premises Equipment - the aim being to support emerging applications and next generation broadband services.
"I am pleased to announce our involvement in these new government sponsored activities," says Avanti Chief Executive David Williams. "They will help us to prepare our solution for the Universal Service Commitment contemplated by the Digital Britain Report. It is now clear to all that Avanti’s broadband satellites will have a major role in solving these problems for governments around the World."
Avanti's also part of a consortium that's been chosen by the European Space Agency to help support the standardisation of the next generation of DVB Return Channel via Satellite standard (DVB-RCS NG). The key point here is that the new standard aims to improve the interoperability and efficiency of satellite broadband services leading to higher speeds and lower equipment costs. In this endeavour, it's working alongside the University of Bologna and the DLR Institute of Communications and Navigation.
What's more, the Highly Adaptable Satellite (HYLAS) that Avanti will be relying on to fulfil its new commitments is edging closer to launch. HYLAS, which will be the first superfast broadband satellite launched in Europe, has now arrived at its assembly point: the ISRO facility in India. The market for 2Mbit/s broadband across the continent has been estimated at around 70 million households (and the European Commission setting aside 2.8 billion Euros in funding for rural broadband over the next five years).
But Avanti's not the only satellite firm with good news: Inmarsat's just revealed it's profits are up by 33.5 per cent per cent after tax, meaning they've broken the $50 million mark. It says an increasing demand for high-speed wireless services as the main reason - and that its SwiftBroadband division is behind more than ten per cent of its growth:-
SwiftBroadband usage levels are steadily increasing and we are pleased with the early stage development of this service. SwiftBroadband continues to see orders related to the introduction of in-flight cellular services on commercial airlines. In September, British Airways launched a London to New York service equipped with our SwiftBroadband service to support in-flight passenger services.
While in-flight cellular broadband driving growth may sound sexy, news agency Reuters is putting Inmarsat's success is down to a "strong demand for broadband services on ships." Off the back of the news, the company's shares rose to a four-year high.