ROLE FOR SATELLITE BROADBAND IN NEW ACCESS BROADBAND CYMRU INITIATIVE

The head of a leading satellite broadband company has forecast a strong role for the technology in the rollout of the new Access Broadband Cymru initiative across Wales.

The Access Broadband Cymru scheme provides support for alternative broadband solutions through targeted grant support for premises across Wales that may not be served by the Superfast Cymru programme, or where its roll-out has not yet commenced.

The scheme offers a Welsh Government funded grant up to a maximum of £1,000 per premise in Wales from 1st October 2013. Last year it was estimated that 90,000 homes in Wales would not benefit from the Superfast Cymru plan.

Mark Wynn, managing director of Avonline Broadband - the UK's largest provider of the leading Tooway satellite broadband service, said: "Our satellite broadband service delivers download speeds of up to 20Mbps anywhere in Wales immediately. There is no phone line needed and no lengthy wait for an upgrade programme. Everyone in Wales can get fast broadband today through a satellite broadband system, no matter where they live.

"Over the past couple of years, we have had a great response under the Broadband Support scheme in Wales for our satellite broadband service. In other parts of the UK we have successfully teamed with the local authority to deliver superfast broadband immediately to remote and rural areas and other harder-to-reach communities that either cannot get - or have a long wait for - fibre or cable broadband.

"There aren't any catches. We have even introduced a Triple Guarantee which offers customers the option of ending their contract early if a faster alternative service does become available."

Access Broadband Cymru, which is the successor to the Broadband Support Scheme, is open to individuals, businesses, third sector organisations and communities in Wales suffering from slow broadband connections and whose premise can only receive a broadband connection with a consistent download speed of less than 2 mega-bits per second (Mbps).

The Tooway satellite broadband service delivers download speeds of up to 20Mbps anywhere in the UK immediately via satellite transmission, with no need for infrastructure investment. The option of unlimited overnight data allowances via satellite was also recently introduced for the first time in this country.

Fast satellite broadband means users can browse the internet, catch-up on social media, make free phone calls and stream high quality video or download HD movies. A separate phone line is not required.

Further information is available at www.avonlinebroadband.co.uk.

ENDS

Note to editors:

For further information and interviews:

Mark Wynn, Managing Director, Avonline Broadband, tel 07970 008001

Email: mark.wynn@avonline.co.uk

Images are available from:

Ken Harrison, HPR Marketing, tel 07801 649045. Email kharrison@hprmarketing.co.uk