SES Astra, Abrared Sign Pact For Two-way Satellite Broadband Service

Communications Today, Dec 14, 2001

Abrared, owner of NEO, a provider of interactive broadband solutions in Spain, has reached an accord with SES Multimedia, a unit of SES Astra, to provide two-way satellite capacity and Astra's Broadband Interactive (BBI) service solutions.

The new service will enable businesses, enterprises and institutions across Spain to use leading-edge two-way satellite technology to improve the speed and reach of their broadband communications. The service, which will be rolled out early in 2002, will enhance the range and type of Internet-based applications available to companies, public institutions and schools.

The Astra satellites will let corporate users surf the Internet and download content at speeds as least as fast as DSL, company officials said. In addition, the two-way interactive capabilities of Astra's BBI system will enable companies to contribute information via satellite to the network at speeds of up to 2 Mbit/s from their own premises. >TK COM Satellite Systems Inc. [CMI]: