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Yahsat to offerconsumer broadband servicesSatellite broadband believesits time has come. The AbuDhabi satellite company Yahsatwill offer consumer broadbandservices that it says will be"competitive", with monthlysubscription prices starting atUS$30 (Dh110), a senior executiveat the company says.Satellite broadband has historicallybeen priced higher thanconsumer internet packages providedvia telephone networks,known as a digital subscriberline (DSL) connections.Yahsat previously said basicsatellite internet packageswould start at $40 a month, butcharges could be as low as $30in some markets, said ShawkatAhmed, the chief commercialofficer at Yahsat."We are targeting price pointsof our basic services to start at$40. It could be lower in somemarkets, such as in Africa. Itcould be around $30," said MrAhmed. "For the first time inthis region, we will be providingsatellite broadband at pricesthat will be comparable to DSL."Commercial internet serviceswill begin after the launch ofYahsat's second satellite atthe end of this year. Satelliteinternetpackages will be soldby Yahsat's partners in each ofthe 25 countries in which theinternet service will be available- markets across the MiddleEast, Africa and parts of Asia."We will be offering broadbandin 25 countries, with a populationof more than 1 billionpeople," said Mr Ahmed. "Wewill be deciding on the pricepoints and marketing with thelocal service providers."Matthew Reed, an analyst atInforma Telecoms & Media, saidsatellite internet "has generallybeen regarded as more expensive".Such technology worksbest in rural areas where cableinternetinfrastructure is notavailable, he said. "It's generallyexpected that satellite is atechnology that is used whenother options arenot available,"said Mr Reed. "Iexpect [Yahsat] tobe targeting lessdevelopedareas."Mr Ahmed said that while thefocus for satellite broadband ison "unserved and underservedareas", Yahsat's partners wouldalso market the service in urbanareas such as Abu Dhabi andDubai."We are not limiting ourselvesto rural areas," he said. "Ifprices are competitive, youmay want to switch to satellitebroadband because you getbetter customer service or getbetter reliability."Mr Ahmed said the receiversrequired to pick up consumersatellite-broadband servicescost about $350. The receivers,as well as four ground stationsthat communicate with thesatellite, will be provided by thebroadband satellite providerHughes Network Systems.Soheil Mehrabanzad, the assistantvice president for theMiddle East and Africa regionat Hughes Network Systems,said satellite broadband couldbe priced to be competitiveeven with cable connectionsprovided by companies such asEtisalat and du. "In the UAE, allof us are paying at least $80 amonth," he said.Mr Mehrabanzad added thatHughes Network Systems wouldbuild four ground stations - inthe UAE, Greece, Luxembourgand Spain - to support Yahsat'ssatellite internet service.Internet services in the Gulfregion have frequently beendisrupted when undersea internetcables have been severed.Satellite users would not beaffected by such a problem, MrMehrabanzad said. TYahsat sends First Command to Y1A from Abu DhabiYahsat has sent its firstcommand to Y1A from thecompany’s satellite control centerin Al Falah, Abu Dhabi. Thesatellite, which was launchedlast month by Arianespace, hadremained under the control ofthe manufacturers as it wasbrought to its final orbital positionat 52.5 degrees east.This event also marks the firsttime Yahsat’s team of Emiratiengineers has controlled Y1A, atask many have spent the past18 months preparing for.“This is a defining moment forour team as, in taking commandof Y1A, Yahsat has become atrue satellite operator,” said JassemMohamed Al Zaabi, CEO ofYahsat and Executive Directorof Mubadala Information, Communicationsand Technology.“We issued the first commandthis afternoon, and Y1Aresponded well. For the nextseveral weeks, our team will betesting Yahsat’s control systemsand evaluating the satellite’sfunctionality, which so far appearexcellent,” he added.To commemorate the event,Yahsat has framed a copy ofthe first command issued bythe company to the satellite,which has been signed by thecompany’s senior managementand put on display in the controlcenter’s main foyer.As Y1A is now under the commandof Yahsat, the manufacturersalong with Yahsat’soperators will spend the nextseveral weeks testing everyaspect of Y1A’s functionalitybefore its systems are activatedfor its dual commercial andmilitary missions. T54 www.teletimesinternational.com15Jun - 14Jul 2011