German broadband internet via satellite provider Eusanet and Eutelsat Broadband, the broadband subsidiary of satellite operator Eutelsat, have set up a new solution in which a local FTTH network is connected to the backbone via satellite.
The interim solution installed in Ullersdorf, a village in Saxony, marks an example of how rural communes in non-served or underserved broadband areas can start investing in fibre-optic infrastructures and take them into service even if there is not yet a landline connection to regional and national backbones available.
The broadband internet connection is established via Eutelsat’s KA-SAT satellite (9° East). Local households are provided with a bandwidth of up to 30Mbps for downloads and up to 5Mbps for uploads. For businesses, Eusanet offers up to 50Mbps (downloads) and up to 10Mbps (uploads).
As the next step, Eusanet wants to offer IP-based telephony through the combined satellite/FTTH service soon. The company also plans to provide the connected households with digital TV channels in SD and HD quality at a later stage.