Tuesday, Jul 31, 2012
Dubai: The UAE’s newly launched second communications satellite Y1B will begin transmitting broadband services to five countries in August, said Abu Dhabi-based satellite operator Yahsat yesterday.
Launched in April, the second national satellite will offer what’s called YahClick, a commercial broadband internet service for businesses and consumers that offers better ground reception, negating the need for larger towers, the company said.
Yahsat said in a statement on Tuesday that Y1B is “the first satellite in the region to offer internet connectivity through Ka-band multi-spot beams, with reusable frequencies to maximise spectrum efficiency. The multi-spot beam technology means higher power on the ground, which enables use of a smaller antenna size.”
The availability of a new broadband service that does not depend on landlines should greatly boost the regional economies now served by Y1B, Yahsat said, given World Bank estimates that a 10 per cent increase in broadband penetration can translate into a 1.3 per cent increase in a country’s GDP.
Yahsat said Africa, for example, only enjoys 6.2 per cent share of the world’s internet users despite being home to 15 per cent of the world’s population.
“The percentage of internet users in Africa is far below the levels shown in other regions. Improved broadband services in Africa will lead to a significant increase in the number of people within reach of internet services. Today, broadband services are a necessity, providing much needed access to information, education, government services, and opportunities to trade and prosper. Other markets where there is great potential are the fast developing consumer markets in the Middle East and southwest Asia,” said Tareq Abdul Raheem Al Hosani, Yahsat CEO, in a statement.
Staff Report
Gulf News 2012. All rights reserved.
