25th Sep 2008 07:00
Date: 25 September 2008
On behalf of: Avanti Communications Group plc ("Avanti" or "the Company")
Avanti Communications Group plc
AVANTI COMMUNICATIONS TAKES BROADBAND MESSAGE TO EUROPE
Avanti to tour British embassies across Europe in September and October
Launch of new satellite to offer unprecedented communications opportunities across the continent
Focus on broadband supply to rural businesses and communities unsupported by ADSL
Avanti unveils project to deliver 200 Mbps data capability via satellite by 2010
Avanti Communications Group plc, Europe's first broadband satellite operator, is to undertake a month long tour of British embassies across Europe during the autumn, starting in London at the House of Commons on 25 September.
The tour will focus on promoting the company's HylasOne satellite which, when launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida in 2009, will revolutionise the European broadband market.
The tour builds on recent announcements of successful projects in Italy, Czech Republic, Albania, Scotland and the West Midlands of the UK and recent agreements with leading communications companies in Spain, Ireland and Poland.
HylasOne - a revolution in satellite telecommunications
The HylasOne satellite is Europe's first broadband satellite. It will be up to three times more powerful than any other satellite over Europe, and will utilise both the data-friendly Ka spectrum and Ku-band wide beams.
HylasOne will provide broadband to consumers and businesses in Europe. There are 24 million homes and small businesses in Europe which cannot receive broadband at all through telephone lines or cables, and many more which cannot receive high speeds.
With up to 3GHz capacity and 15 year lifetime, HylasOne will provide a hugely flexible satellite coverage options, along with lower operating costs for both hardware and bandwidth.
The European broadband market
Recent EU data shows that some 24 million homes and SMEs will have no access to terrestrial broadband, offering a vast market opportunity for broadband satellites which Avanti estimates to be worth at least £2.5 billion per annum. Furthermore, there is a market called the ADSL fringe where broadband satellites can provide superior service quality.
40% of European homes are located more than three kilometres from telephone exchanges. At this distance, households cannot access the high speeds advertised, but Avanti can offer 8 Mbps speeds to all households regardless of location, with those speeds rising to as much as 200 Mbps in the next generation of modems due in 2010.
The European Union has long recognised the need and importance of internet access in aiding the process of economic regeneration, and has created significant convergence and cohesion funds to aid the provision of broadband internet to these remote areas. Up to €1.8 billion of structural funds are available to support rural broadband projects between now and 2013.
The embassy tour
David Williams, chief executive of Avanti Communications, said, "I am pleased to be undertaking the European embassy tour, which will showcase Avanti's position as Europe's newest and fastest-growing satellite telecommunications company and again grateful to the British government for its ongoing support for our business.
"The provision of broadband across all areas of Europe is vital and fundamentally aids the process of regeneration and communication across all areas, even those that are remote and appear inaccessible.
"Avanti is uniquely placed to play a leading role in this process, and the launch of HylasOne will enable us to provide affordable broadband access to those previously thought to be unable to receive it."
The tour is being run in conjunction with UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) London region, which provides support and intelligence to UK businesses seeking to establish a presence on a global scale.
Andrew Cahn, UKTI chief executive, said: "Avanti Communications has enormous potential in the European broadband marketplace, particularly in terms of bringing broadband to remote areas that would benefit from internet access.
"UKTI is proud to be associated with Avanti. Its continued growth will further help put Britain on the map as Europe's leading satellite communications supplier."
Beginning at the end of September in London, the tour finishes in Budapest at the end of October.
200 Mbps Challenge Avanti is pleased to announce a major step forward in European broadband. Whilst services of 8Mbps will be available on HylasOne from launch, the satellite has greater capability than this, but service speeds are limited be modem technology. Avanti has today initiated a project with its technology partner, STM Group Inc to start the development of a satellite broadband modem reaching 200Mbps data rate.
The technology is a relatively straightforward evolution for HylasOne. The new modem development represents a commitment by Avanti and STM to demonstrate that broadband satellites have compelling advantages over other technologies in being able to deliver the very highest data rates to all homes, regardless of their location. Avanti broadband services can also be provided by Avanti's wholesale partners to end users for as little as €10 per month.
The recently released Caio Report on Next Generation Broadband made no reference to the role that satellite can play in ensuring equality of access to broadband.
The highest speeds available in the UK currently are those on the high quality fibre optic cable networks operated by Virgin Media. But approximately 11 million households in the UK are unable to access the high speed cable networks.
David Williams said "We feel strongly that the capabilities of broadband satellites have been unnecessarily neglected in this debate. There is enough broadband satellite capacity arriving in 2009, and in subsequent generations of satellites to mean that the Digital Divide is at an end."
Embassy tour dates
|
London, UK |
25 September |
|
Dublin, Eire |
2 October |
|
Prague, Czech Republic |
7 October |
|
Lisbon, Portugal |
9 October |
|
Madrid, Spain |
14 October |
|
Rome, Italy |
16 October |
|
Vienna, Austria |
21 October |
|
Belgrade, Serbia |
23 October |
|
Budapest, Hungary |
30 October |
For more information about Avanti Communications and the Embassy tour, contact Redleaf Communications.
Jonathan Akerman +44 (0)20 7822 0232 [email protected]
Matt Rogers +44 (0)20 7822 0234 [email protected]
Notes to Editors
About Avanti Communications
Avanti Communications Group plc is the only licensed Fixed Satellite Services operator headquartered in the UK (and one of only eight such groups operating in Europe);
Avanti sell satellite broadband services to wholesale customers targeting consumer, enterprise and institutional markets.
Avanti's first satellite, called HylasOne is under construction and due for launch in 2009; the company plans further satellite projects
Avanti, which has more than 10 years' experience in the satellite industry, currently provides satellite broadband services to customers in Europe using leased satellite capacity which it will transfer to HylasOne on launch
No further funding is required for the HylasOne project following successful completion of a long term debt facility in July 2007.
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