Orbit expands Internet via satellite service

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Unlike other Internet via satellite providers that use the DVB platform, the Orbit SatNet service has adopted DOCSIS because it offers more functionality and can be deployed at much lower cost making it suitable for residential and SoHo users. Orbit SatNet has recently obtained its operating license in Bahrain.

Jad Dib, Director, Broadband Communications, Orbit, said:

'As the Middle East telecommunications sector deregulates and pushes for greater broadband access, a DOCSIS based Internet via satellite service becomes a viable option for channel delivery because of its significantly smaller capital cost.'

Internet via satellite can be deployed very quickly and offers 100 per cent geographical coverage, making it an excellent solution for outlying rural areas and areas where geography makes the infrastructure costs of fibre and DSL prohibitive.

According to the latest statistics from InternetWorldStats.com penetration rates of 45 per cent or more are common in Western Europe and North America. By comparison, connectivity in the Middle East is lagging with the UAE being the most connected country with 30 per cent of the population having online access. In Saudi Arabia the figure slumps to 11 per cent.

The two-way SatNet service is licensed in Bahrain where it sells a variety of packages offering from 256 Kbps for a single user up to 1024 Kbps across a 15 user LAN. The SatNet service uses a 1 meter satellite dish equipped with both a transmitter and receiver for two-way satellite connectivity to the Internet and provides high bandwidth access.

Orbit is actively seeking to expand its dealer network across the MENA region, and it carefully monitoring the regulatory status in countries falling within the satellite footprint.