The broadband debate in the UK, and many other areas of the world, has focused on telephone networks, copper wiring and fibre optics for many years, but has satellite broadband been overlooked?
European broadband satellite operator Avanti Communications is set to undergo a month long tour of all British embassies across Europe to promote the virtues of satellite broadband. After years in the wilderness it seems that this delivery medium is set to play a part in the future of the industry. The expectation is that using special satellite broadband modems Avanti Communications believe it will be possible to deliver broadband speeds of up to 200Mbps far faster than anything which is available in the UK at this moment in time.
On the surface it seems as though satellite broadband could also be the answer to problems with supplying many rural areas and countries where the laying of networks is either impossible or not cost affective. There has been great improvement in the quality of broadband satellites over the last couple of years, ground bases are also much more receptive than they were and in general there is hope for the future.
However, at the moment we are yet to see any costings for the service or specific speed figures at this point in time. Once the information is on the public domain we should then see a new debate open.