Archive for the ‘VSAT’ Category
Newtec And SES Broadband Services Successfully Complete Ka-band Test
Satellite specialist Newtec today announced that they have successfully tested Newtec’s new high speed Ka-band technology for SES Broadband (previously called ASTRA2Connect) – Europe’s most successful satellite broadband service. Newtec has shipped well over 100.000 Ku-band Sat3Play® terminals for SES Broadband and is now providing the next generation Ka-band terminals for SES Broadband evolution, featuring download speeds beyond 10 Mbps.
The test was completed with next generation Ka-band Sat3Play terminals and related hub infrastructure. The new technology was tested on the ASTRA 1L Ka-band capacity at 19.2 degrees East.
“We have jointly tested and validated the Sat3Play Ka-band platform from Newtec with the objective of proving operational readiness for a rollout of SES Broadband Ka-band services later this year. The upgrade of existing end user terminals and the next generation Ka-band terminals, featuring speeds beyond 10 Mbps, are part of SES strategy to bring its successful broadband service to the next level. The test was very successful and we are pleased with the performance of the equipment. We look forward to the launch of our Ka-band services,” said Patrick Biewer, Managing Director, SES Broadband Services.
During testing, Newtec installed a Sat3Play hub at SES Broadband Services’ premises in Luxembourg, provided several Ka-band terminals working on Astra-1L Ka-band frequencies, and also provided the ability to remotely operate the Hub.
Serge Van Herck, CEO of Newtec, commented: “The testing has been a clear success. We have now completed the tests and look forward to the operational start of the SES Broadband Ka-band services later this year.”
SES Broadband currently offers download speeds up to 10 Mbps and delivers broadband Internet and Voice Over IP (VOIP) services to private households and small businesses. SES will further increase the performance of its service by using additional multiple spot beam Ka-band capacity that will become available onboard its ASTRA 2F, 2E and 2G spacecraft, with the first spacecraft, ASTRA 2F, scheduled for launch later in 2012.
At SATELLITE 2012, Newtec is presenting this new High Speed Ku/Ka-band Sat3Play terminal, including a new modem and a new Ka-band interactive LNB unit. The terminal features higher broadband forward and return speeds, the lowest power consumption available on the market and an easy installation tool based on Newtec’s Point&Play® technology.
Newtec Demonstrates 372 Mbps Throughput Over An Intelsat 72 Mhz Ku-Transponder
Satellite communications specialist Newtec has demonstrated 372 Mbps bidirectional throughput and 313 Mbps unidirectional throughput over a 72 Mhz Intelsat Ku-transponder.
What started out as a simple test of a number of Newtec’s recently released and upcoming technologies ended in a quite exceptional report. During the actual test an Intelsat 72 MHz Ku band transponder was saturated using Newtec’s latest modem technology and a mere 4.5 meter antenna. The result using Wideband, Clean Channel Technology™ (CCT) and Equalink® (Newtec technologies) was a staggering 313 Mbps. Amazingly that did not include the use of the upcoming modulation and coding DVB-S2 extensions that Newtec’s 200-head engineering team is working on.
When adding a return carrier within the same transponder and Newtec’s 2nd generation Bandwidth Canceller (ZN781), 372 Mbps was reached, by far exceeding current market available alternatives within the same link conditions. The Newtec Bandwidth Canceller and CCT will also feature at the 2012 Satellite Washington show.
Newtec CEO, Serge Van Herck, indicates that customers can already take full benefit of those technologies with the exception of the wideband modem technology. The latter will become commercially available later this year.
“Our customers will be able to achieve a new level of speed and efficiency,” said Van Herck. “This extra satellite transmission efficiency enables considerable operational savings. The higher speed levels will help our customers to increase the total amount of services provided within the available satellite bandwidth. Our partners are mainly looking at high speed IP links, Government Networks and Video Contribution links when expressing their need for higher efficiency.”
The technologies used in the test and the upcoming technologies will be made available to major operators and service providers for testing prior to their commercial release as Newtec is looking forward to sharing this experience and collecting feedback from the Industry.
“It’s Newtec’s intent to productize the most efficient modulation and demodulation algorithms and to help standardization bodies with defining and bringing new standards to the market.” said Dirk Breynaert, Newtec’s Co-founder, Chief Technical Officer and long term contributor to the industry’s progress.
“We are strong believers in a non-proprietary technology approach, sharing our innovations to the benefit of the whole satellite industry. Standardisation also creates the necessary economy of scale to keep costs as low as possible. I guess keeping the operators and service providers profitable and ahead of terrestrial alternatives, has turned out to be the best constant over our 27 years of existence” Breynaert concludes.
The Tough 20 Tooway™ Broadband Challenge: Connecting the toughest UK locations to high-speed broadband
Satellite broadband provider Skylogic today announced plans to install its Tooway™ new-generation broadband service in 20 of the toughest locations across the UK as part of its “Tough 20 Tooway Broadband Challenge”.
The company, a subsidiary of Eutelsat, Europe’s leading satellite operator, is inviting local authorities to suggest the toughest locations for connecting high-speed broadband services. It will install the Tooway™ 10mbps satellite broadband service in the 20 locations and provide a free service to the local community for 2012. The first locations will be announced in the coming weeks.
Steve Petrie, Skylogic’s Director for Tooway™ in the UK and Northern Europe said: “With over 40% of people in UK rural areas still not receiving broadband speeds greater than 2Mbps, it’s no surprise that many people still think that broadband is just not possible in Not Spots and Slow Spots. This may have been true in the past, but no longer. Tooway™ can deliver high speed broadband to everyone, everywhere and we intend to prove with the “Tough 20 Tooway Broadband Challenge” that there need be no exclusions to broadband access.”
Tooway™ provides users with an always-on service delivering speeds of up to 10Mbps downstream and 4Mbps upstream, with no need for a telephone line. Customer equipment comprises a small satellite dish (77 cm) and a sleek modem, which is connected to a PC or Mac via an Ethernet connection. Tooway™ can also be used for Voice over IP telephony and IPTV. Direct-to-Home reception of television channels from adjacent broadcast satellites is also possible with a dual-feed (Ku-Ka) LNB.
The new-generation service is delivered via Eutelsat’s innovative KA-SAT satellite, which has ushered in a new era of competitively priced, satellite-delivered IP services for homes and small businesses across Europe and the Mediterranean Basin. The satellite forms the cornerstone of a satellite infrastructure, which includes eight main satellite gateways across Europe connected to the Internet by a fibre backbone ring.