Eurosky is utilizing the Astra satellite’s high-speed bandwidth, which means that the only equipment required is a DVB-MPEG2 PC card and a satellite dish pointed at Astra – in the same position as that required for Sky TV. Any request for data is sent through a standard modem over the terrestrial network, via Eurosky. The service includes local call access from anywhere in the UK, along with 10Mb of webspace and 5 email addresses.
Eurosky has also signed an agreement with Europe Online Networks SA, which it says has lowered subscription costs. These start from 9.99 for data only, whilst the PC cards are priced from 240.68 – opening the service to small businesses and private individuals.
In addition, Eurosky has launched a multicasting service, which takes the programmers standard video output and sends it as an IP multicast stream via satellite to users PC’s. It can then reportedly be viewed in an appropriately-sized window; a development that has attracted interest from companies including CNBC, Bloomberg and MTV.
Phil Sabin, Eurosky director, said that “satellites will play a major part in the delivery of broadband internet services in the future.”