Note in this article that NDS has a deal with Cyberstar also, I believe to provide a similar service. Also note that this combo allows a sat uplink , as opposed to using telephone lines for the return path ala DirecPC.
PETAH TIKVA, Israel--(BUSINESS WIRE)--February 26, 1998--Gilat
Satellite Networks Ltd. (NASDAQ: GILTF.O) together with NDS, the
pioneering provider of data broadcasting technology, today announced
a joint collaboration to offer users of the NDS Data Broadcasting
Network(TM) (DBN) a faster and higher bandwidth return path through
Gilat's Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) technology. VSATs are
readily available, requiring only an easy-to-install card in the
receiving PC and a small external satellite dish. DBN uses the
existing infrastructure of satellite broadcasting to deliver
information more than 1,000 times faster than the Internet and is the
quickest and cheapest way for PC-users to download multimedia
information. The VSAT return path offers ubiquity of service, higher
bandwidth, higher availability and lower cost to users of the DBN
network.
"For home users and some corporate users of DBN, the traditional
return path of a dial-up modem connection and the public telephone
network is perfectly adequate. However, for corporations distributing
multimedia information, Business TV or any other electronic content,
the VSAT return path combined with DBN provides a cost-effective,
faster and higher bandwidth solution," said Dr. Abe Peled, CEO of NDS.
"VSAT and DBN will be useful for many applications including
distance learning, corporate Intranet, franchise operations, Internet
in rural locations and for data communications in countries without a
well developed public telephone network," added Gilat President and
COO Amiram Levinberg. "Gilat Outdoor Units are compact and
easy-to-install, and VSAT technology is a low-cost alternative to
land-based services such as ISDN. We expect VSATs to become an
important emerging access product. They can work miles from the
nearest telephone in remote locations and can cross international and
regional boundaries without expensive Telco to Telco tariffs, as part
of a pan-European DBN system, for example."
About VSATs
A VSAT is a technological innovation in the field of satellite
communications that allows for reliable transmission of data via
satellite using comparatively small antennas (0.6 - 1.8 meter). It
simply plugs straight into existing terminal equipment, operating in
effect as an aerial modem. A VSAT network consists of a satellite, a
central hub with an antenna (between 4.5 and 11 meters) and a network
of up to several thousand VSAT terminals with smaller antennas.
NDS's Data Broadcasting Network (DBN)
Using the existing infrastructure of satellite broadcasting, DBN
offers numerous benefits for consumers and content providers such as
the ability to download multimedia information with video, animation
and CD-quality sound to their PCs. With DBN, broadcasters and
publishers can deploy new, revenue-generating business models for
delivering value-added services and products.
DBN uses a Direct Broadcast Satellite broadcasters' extra
satellite transponder space to broadcast content to PCs installed with
a low-cost board connected to a DBS 18-inch satellite dish. After the
broadcast is received by the satellite dish, the content is then
directed to the user's PC via a coaxial cable interfaced with a DVB
compliant PC-board. Once decoded, it is saved on the PC's hard disk
for later review and use. Because the content is resident on the hard
disk, the time delays associated with on-line access are removed,
creating a much more enjoyable surfing experience for the user.
Another great advantage of DBN is that the built in Conditional Access
technology not only secures revenue for the DBN service provider and
content owners but is an enabler for e-commerce and micro$
transactions as it removes the necessity for relatively expensive
credit card transactions.
About NDS
NDS, headquartered in the UK, with operations worldwide, provides
end- to-end solutions for digital broadcasting through the company's
research, development and manufacturing activities. NDS is a
recognized leader in digital video compression and conditional access,
and has proven systems integration and global support capabilities.
NDS is providing its advanced technologies, products and services to
many of the current and planned satellite and terrestrial broadcasting
systems around the world. In addition, over 8 million subscribers
around the globe use NDS conditional access systems to receive pay TV
satellite and cable services.
NDS plays a major part in developing open systems and the
international standards for the digital broadcasting arena, providing
the technology and market know-how to implement standards such as
MPEG-2 DVB and DTTV. The company continues to make a major commitment
to R&D, with over 700 of its 1,300 plus employees dedicated to its
pioneering development work at research centers in Israel, the US and
the UK.
NDS is a subsidiary of the News Corporation Limited (NYSE/ADR:
NWS), a leading global media company. NDS has won many awards for
technology including an Emmy from the National Academy of Television
Arts and Sciences and two Queen's Awards, one for Technology and one
for Export. NDS is on the World-Wide-Web at ndsworld.com.
About Gilat
Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. designs, develops, manufactures,
markets and supports Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) satellite
earth stations and related hub equipment and software. Gilat products
are incorporated into telecommunications networks that provide
satellite- based communications between a central location and a large
number of geographically dispersed sites. The Company offers a range
of products: Skystar Advantage(TM), which incorporates Gilat's
TwoWay(TM) VSAT into GE Spacenet's Skystar Advantage system, enables
interactive, transaction-oriented applications; ISAT(TM) enables
frame-relay delivery of voice and data; FaraWay(TM) VSAT offers
multi-channel, toll-quality telephone service; DialAway(TM) VSAT
offers single-channel, near toll-quality telephone service;
SkySurfer(TM) VSAT, the Company's first PC plug-in card, delivers
satellite-based Internet-access; OneWay(TM) VSAT provides
unidirectional data broadcasts.
In December 1996, Gilat acquired Skydata Inc., a Florida-based
VSAT company specializing in the paging and data broadcast markets. In
December 1997, Gilat formally established Global Village Telecom N.V.
(GVT), a Netherlands-based company specializing in the operation of
rural telephony networks in remote areas. The goal of GVT is to
provide services or to establish joint ventures or partnerships with
local service providers in order to offer telephone and fax services
using Gilat's thin-route telephony DialAway(TM) and FaraWay(TM) VSAT
networks.
Skystar Advantage(TM) is a trademark of GE Capital Spacenet
Services, Inc. and is a joint development of GE Capital Spacenet
Services, Inc. and Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. TwoWay(TM),
FaraWay(TM), DialAway(TM), SkySurfer(TM) and OneWay(TM) VSAT and are
trademarks of Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. ISAT(TM) is a trademark of
Skydata, Inc. GSAT(TM) is a trademark of GTECH Corp. TerraSat(TM) is a
trademark of COMSAT RSI, Inc.
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