Affordable satellite set to fill SA's broadband gap

South Africans will have access to low-cost satellite broadband services from mid-2012, with the launch of the YahClick satellite service from Vox Telecom, says product manager Jacques Visser.

“Many South Africans still don't have access to reliable, affordable bandwidth,” says Visser. “ADSL services aren't available everywhere, and until now satellite Internet has been prohibitively expensive. YahClick is going to change that.”

YahClick is a project of Abu Dhabi-based Yahsat, which launched its Y1A communications satellite in April, and plans to launch its second, Y1B, in early 2012. The YahClick service will be fully tested and ready for launch to the public by mid-2012, says Visser.

“YahClick is a perfect broadband option for those who can't get ADSL service, or who need a back-up service in case of outages,” says Visser.

Based on Ka-band satellite technology, YahClick will offer download speeds of up to 5Mbps and upload speeds of up to 3Mbps. “We have developed packages to suit a wide range of users, from the home user who just wants to download e-mail and browse the Web, to businesses who may need to transfer hundreds of GBs a day,” says Visser.

A mid-range package offering 1Mbps download speed, 256Kbps upload speed and 200MB usage per day will probably cost less than R500 a month, adds Visser.

“Satellite has traditionally been seen as an expensive option that's only suitable for remote sites of large enterprises like mines,” says Visser. “But the technology has changed so much in recent years that it's a real option as a primary broadband connection.”

Farms, clinics, game lodges and schools in remote areas will be among the first to benefit, says Visser, but the need is nationwide. “There are many urban areas where ADSL isn't an option because there aren't enough ports locally available or the exchange is full,” he says. “YahClick is an ideal solution.”