Tiscali launches satellite broadband trials

NEWS Tiscali has today launched trials of its two-way satellite broadband service, significantly undercutting the prices offered by rivals. The company is hoping to sign up 100 users to its broadband service, supplied in conjunction with Gilat Satellite Networks. Participants in the trial will have to pay a one-off fee of £230 to take part in the trial, with a further £650 to pay at the end of the three month trial if they decide to continue with the service, and a £59.99 per month subscription fee. The service does not come with a guaranteed bandwidth, but promises up to 400Kbps download with a "targeted peak-time bandwidth" of 150Kbps. Upload speeds will be from 40 to 140 Kbps. The company is looking for around 100 trialists to sign up from now until a commercial launch in spring of this year. It is thought likely to appeal only to small business and home office users in areas not served by other broadband technologies such as ADSL. Sergio Cellini, UK CEO of Tiscali, said: "We have already received a very nice level of demand, before the trial even started." Several other companies, including Aramiska, Bridge, BTopenworld and Cedar Telecommunications have launched satellite services, though the prices promised by Tiscali are significantly lower.