Web-via-satellite deal exclusive for Microtronica

Microtronica has netted a deal to be the first distributor in Europe for BroadLogic. It will distribute BroadLogic's Satellite Express range of products in the UK. These are cards that enable Internet access to PCs via satellite. The cards, fitted to the motherboard, offer higher speed and more cost effective Web access, according to BroadLogic. Applications also include data delivery, fast video downloads and real time data streaming – used for getting information like stock quotes. Amaury Simon, Broadlogic European director of sales, said: "We feel that Microtronica is well positioned to help us to develop a very promising market in the UK, as the use of satellite technology for PC applications gains more acceptance." Jeff Smith, Microtronica industrial product manager, said there was a lot of potential for satellite links to PCs. "The main area of benefit is faster retrieval of information from the Internet," he said. "We see a number of opportunities where information updates can be simultaneously multicast to different parts of an organisation or sales network using this technology, for example for software updates or point-of-sale information." BroadLogic is headquartered in California. Its European base is in Paris. ®