Every EU household now has access to a...
Every EU household now has access to a basic broadband connection due to the pan-European availability of satellite broadband, the European Commission said Thursday. Satellite connections available in all 28 EU countries cover everyone, including the three million people who…
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don’t have access to fixed and mobile broadband networks, it said. But most people don’t know about the satellite option, so the EC launched broadbandforall.eu, a service developed by the European Satellite Operators Association (ESOA) that lets people check their satellite broadband options, it said. There are 148 satellites providing services in Europe, with basic packages starting at 10 euros (around $14) per month, the EC said. But basic broadband isn’t enough, Digital Agenda Commissioner Neelie Kroes said. Speaking at an ESOA “broadband for all” event in Brussels, Kroes said her motto and “bumper sticker” is “every European digital.” The target is for universal access to at least basic broadband by 2013 -- a goal now reached -- and to 30 Mbps broadband by 2020, she said. Traditional telecom operators aren’t interested in providing services to rural areas, which is where satellites come in, she said. Modern bi-directional broadband satellites can provide download speeds up to 20 Mbps at ever lower cost to consumers, she said.