Rural areas could see satellite broadband as the way ahead

Recent advances in broadband access using satellite technology could see many rural areas of the UK using this services as an alternative to lower quality broadband or mobile broadband services.

The claims from the broadband supplier, Avanti Communications state that with lowering prices of access using satellite broadband services many consumers that live in what are widely know as ‘notspots’, where regular broadband access is limited or unavailable, this form of broadband access may soon become a viable option for getting faster broadband connections.

With preparations underway to launch the new Hylas satellite, which will be transmitting signals over the Ka-band radio frequency, many users that currently don’t have the option of cable or ADSL broadband in the areas they live will soon be able to get broadband connection of around 2Mbps.

It is believed that as many as 2.5 million users in the UK would benefit from this service once the satellite has been launched and many more users throughout Europe will also have access to this satellite broadband service.

Using satellite technology would prove a serious asset in helping the government to achieve its promise made in the Digital Britain report to provide 2Mbps broadband access to every home in the UK by 2012 and would also be able to provide consistent connection speeds said Avanti.

With the recent suggestion made by Avanti that as the number of user subscribing to the satellite broadband service increases the costs of installing the systems would drop significantly, giving it an even greater advantage.

Although this will provide the government with much needed extra broadband coverage throughout the UK the speed limitations inherent with satellite broadband system may be a limiting factor when it begins to implement a next-generation broadband network offering much higher speeds of connection.