Manila, Philippines and Sint-Niklaas, Belgium – Newtec, a specialist in designing, developing and manufacturing equipment and technologies for satellite communications, is to partner with satellite service provider First United Broadcasting Corporation (FUBC) to launch a new broadband service called “iGSat Satellite Broadband” in the Philippines.
iGSat is a service being provided by FUBC which is licensed to operate Direct To Home (DTH) satellite services as well as radio and TV broadcast. FUBC also runs the DTH Satellite TV (GSAT) and Global News Network (GNN) and its satellite footprint reaches the Philippine archipelago and surrounding countries.
The new iGSat Broadband service will deliver high-speed satellite broadband across the Philippines, which comprised of over 7100 islands.
“This latest technology will support the grassroots programme of the government and private firms to cover the entire Philippine society for communication, information and education. The technology will be available anywhere, everywhere. It is limitless and beyond boundaries,” said Philip J. Chien, CEO, First United Broadcasting Corporation.
Serving the corporate market, iGSat Broadband will deliver reliable, high-speed, always-on Internet access without depending on availability of terrestrial networks. The network connects entirely via satellite. Whether in the city or the depths of the countryside, users will be able to use broadband connection wherever they are.
“This project will not be in competition with the present providers but will be a great support in areas where there is slow or no available bandwidth at all,” added Chien.
iGSat offers a range of solutions for the broadband user, comprising of satellite connections for the home, business, private network and maritime communications as well as for Internet Service Providers (ISPs).
The broadband service is based on Newtec’s broadband hub utilising thousands of Newtec’s terminals including the MDM2200 IP Satellite Modems and interactive LNBs. This technology provides local ISPs with the broadband connection they need in order to offer reliable, high-speed and always-on Internet access to users through a wired or wireless (WiFi) connection.
“Newtec is proud to partner with First United Broadcasting Corporation’s iGSat Broadband service in the Philippines. Our technologies continue to offer high performance in the most economical way and remain at the forefront of pushing satellite broadband to areas where any connectivity was not previously thought to be possible and we are doing this at a competitive price,” said Serge Van Herck, CEO, Newtec.
A contract was signed on 6 November at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza and witnessed by Ambassador Roland Van Remoortele of the Kingdom of Belgium and Ambassador Garry Lin of Taiwan ROC. The iGSat Broadband service will launch at the beginning of December in 2014 and ultimately connect thousands of businesses and homes to satellite broadband technology.
