8 July 2005
A new project, aimed at bringing broadband services to remote locations, has been started in the UK.
The scheme, co-funded by Avanti Screenmedia and the European Space Agency (ESA), is called Internet via Satellite for Promoting Inclusion of Rural Economies or INSPIRE, and hopes to revolutionise remote access areas.
Avanti Screenmedia won the contract to provide the installation of a mix of satellite and wireless broadband Internet access technology in 600 small communities.
"This contract fits in the context of efforts currently being made to address the 'Digital Divide'," commented David Williams from Avanti Screenmedia.
"We have created a product which has the price and functionality to solve that problem."
If testing is successful the two companies plan to rollout the technology to other areas outside the UK.
Current forecasts predict a large number of households in the 25 EU member states will still have no broadband access by 2010.
In many places this is simply due to the economic and technical limitations of terrestrial broadband services.
ESA telecom technical officer for the INSPIRE project, Roberto Donadio added: "Avanti's success in this area will boost credibility of the provision of Internet services based on satellite and benefit the whole community of satellite interactive service providers."
© DeHavilland Information Services plc
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