| According to the multi-year agreement
signed, Intelsat will provide the integrated, end-to-end network connectivity,
while ODSL will be responsible for sales, marketing and retail distribution
of the service in the Middle East region. Intelsat-provided gateway
required for ODSL's service has been installed in Perth, Australia,
and is operating a beta service to facilitate the service launch.
The service is expected to be launched later this year and will
provide consumers with capabilities for web browsing, email, file
transfer, audio/video streaming and distance learning at high speeds,
says a company release.
The broadband offering will be provided using a platform based
on the data over cable service interface specification (DOCSIS)
standard and Ku-band satellite capacity on an Intelsat satellite.
Existing DOCSIS technology and software, previously used to support
cable-based applications, have been modified by Intelsat's equipment
supplier ViaSat, to enable satellite-based broadband access.
User terminals that incorporate ViaSat's SurfBeam DOCSIS-based
platform will be provided to ODSL by Intelsat. ODSL will be responsible
for installing the user terminals and for providing call centers
and customer support. ODSL is an affiliate of Orbit Communications
Company, a provider of digital pay television services in the Middle
East.
According to ODSL general manager Dr Mohammed Omar, "The combination
of teamwork and ingenuity from Intelsat and ODSL on this venture
will benefit the industry and its customers by making high-speed
Internet available to people living in the Middle East. This service
is part of the bundled services Orbit intends to provide to its
customer base in the region. A partner like Intelsat, with its strong
reputation, regional presence and customer focus, is key to our
meeting increasing customer demand for high-speed Internet services
in the region."
Says Intelsat COO Ramu Potarazu, "This venture represents
a significant commitment to making broadband technologies accessible
to people living in regions where terrestrial infrastructure is
limited. Intelsat pioneered Internet over satellite, so it is only
natural that we'd be the company to take broadband technology to
the next level, where it can be easily implemented and available
cost-effectively to anyone who needs it."
According to ViaSat CEO Mark Dankberg, "The deployment of
this DOCSIS-based satellite system represents a significant step
in working toward establishing a new standard for these types of
applications. Additionally, consumers can look forward to paying
a lower cost for high-speed access because the SurfBeam terminals
are based on the DOCSIS standard, which has been widely used in
cable modems worldwide."
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