UK ISP to set alight Net access with satellite link

Easynet is to offer high speed Net access using BT satellite technology to help users overcome the world wide wait. Believed to be one of the first commercial services of its kind, the ISP believes there will be much interest in a service which BT claims is quicker than conventional ISDN connections. "Our customers will be able to download Internet information at the high speed and convenience offered by satellite," said Brian Mulligan, MD of Easynet. "The service will provide users with speeds greater than are typically available using ISDN from anywhere in Europe. This is the first time that Internet users can receive Web content via satellite for a fixed monthly subscription," he said. Exact details of how the service will operate are still sketchy but a spokeswoman for Easynet said it would cost £49.99 (excluding VAT) a month or £550 (excluding VAT) a year, although she was unable to say exactly what users will get for their money. And anyone using the service would also have to buy a satellite dish and specialist hardware to complete the connection. The service will use the EUTELSAT HOT BIRD 4 satellite which covers a broad area of Europe from the UK to the Ukraine. ®