INSPIRE
Applications: B2B/B2C
“The recent E-Communications Household Survey conducted for the EC found that
rural broadband penetration in the 10 new member states is only 4% compared with
the average for the EU25 of 23%. INSPIRE intends to bridge this gap.”
Guy Wilkinson, Operations Director Avanti Broadband Ltd.
PRIME CONTRACTOR: Avanti Broadband Ltd.
74 Rivington Street
London EC2A 3AY
United Kingdom
http://www.avanti-broadband.com
CONTACT Avanti Broadband Ltd.: Guy Wilkinson
Operations Director
Email: Guy.wilkinson@avanti-broadband.com
Phone: +44 207 749 1600
Fax: +44 207 749 1633
PROJECT PARTNERS: Maxima (UK)
PROFILE:
The INSPIRE project, started in January 2005, is the work of Avanti Screenmedia
Group, based in the United Kingdom. It aims to provide broadband connectivity
primarily to home users in rural areas of the UK and Ireland.
Equipped with a range of applications, INSPIRE not only proves the commercial
viability of such a service, but also demonstrates the benefits of both basic and
advanced broadband services. The applications have been designed with rural users in
mind. Key among these is a community channel, which will allow users to create their
own community websites with locally produced content. The INSPIRE applications
also include an Entertainment Channel using a secure multicast platform, as well as
VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). Eventually, the service will offer Video-Chat for
residential users and Video-Conferencing applications for businesses that will help
users to stay in touch with each other.
Applications alone will not bridge the Digital Divide. To be a success, any solution
also needs to be low-cost. Although typically more expensive than terrestrial
solutions, advances have increased the competitiveness of satellite broadband. Avanti
chose the innovation approach of combining DVB-RCS with Wi-Fi. Both technologies
are standard platforms but DVB-RCS terminals, however, are still generally too
expensive for the typical residential user. To reduce this cost, Avanti is connecting
these terminals to Wi-Fi access points that can be shared by up to 10 users in a group,
creating islands of broadband connectivity. This means that users have to pay for a
only share of the DVB-RCS terminal and the much less expensive and discrete Wi-Fi
equipment.
Telecommunications
May 2007 http://telecom.esa.int/inspire e-mail: telecom@esa.int Satellite Applications