Telenor Satellite Services, a subsidiary of Telenor of Norway, Tuesday commercially launched its latest IP networking service – Telenor Digital Video Broadcasting – Return Channel Satellite (DVB-RCS).

The new, two-way broadband service enables low-cost, “always-on” communications for land-based users located throughout Europe and the Middle East.

Telenor DVB-RCS, Powered by Terralink, Telenor’s exclusive network of IP infrastructure and applications, is the latest addition to the company’s expanding portfolio of broadband services.

Telenor DVB-RCS service provides broadband communications via satellite to and from fixed and semi-fixed land-based locations where cable connections are unavailable or where satellite service is the preferred communications technology.

The service is asymmetrical, meaning uplink and downlink transmission speeds differ.

Asymmetrical service is a highly efficient and economical use of satellite capacity, since customers often need dramatically faster transmission speeds to receive a high volume of data, such as downloading a Web site.

Customers using Telenor DVB-RCS service will have the added flexibility of two transmission speed options:

  • up to 512 kbps downlink with up to 128 kbps uplink or
  • up to 1024 kbps downlink with up to 256 kbps uplink

The new service uses commercially available standard equipment and supports a wide variety of applications for business enterprise users, small office and home office users, educational organizations, and Internet Service Providers.

Telenor DVB-RCS service will initially enable Internet access, e-mail, and virtual private network (VPN) applications.

Future Terralink releases are planned to incorporate a number of advanced applications including IP videoconferencing, voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), streaming video, Web TV and other technologies, in addition to expanded geographic coverage for DVB-RCS.

“Telenor continues to add to its portfolio of innovative broadband services for customers on land, at sea and in flight,” said Tore Hilde, chief executive officer of Telenor Satellite Services.

“Telenor DVB-RCS service is our most advanced offering for our land-based users. It gives businesses, offices, and organizations with regional offices and remote branches, the opportunity to expand cost effectively their wide area networks.

“Our DVB-RCS offerings, and future expanded services, will allow users to perform contemporary applications including e-learning and e-commerce, telemedicine, rural communications, and conduct financial transactions, regardless of the local infrastructure.”

According to Hilde, “Satellite-based broadband services, such as Telenor DVB-RCS, offer users rapid and easily deployable communications with a consistent quality of service regardless of location and local infrastructure. Recently compiled market research indicates that there will be more than 58,000 DVB-RCS sites deployed throughout Europe by 2007.”

For each new Telenor DVB-RCS subscription occurring before January 15, 2005, Telenor is waiving the service limits and offering unlimited uplink and downlink data transmissions for all new subscribers signing one-year contracts.