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Astra2Connect.

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Ex Member

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Apr 5^th, 2008 at 9:08pm

Hi. Guys. I am new to this forum but I wanted to answer some of the existing queries regarding Astra2Connect/Newtec Sat 3.
In 2006 Ses-Astra entered into an agreement with Newtec regarding the Sat3 technology This gave Astra exclusivity over the Newtec technology for Europe and thus Astra2Connect was born. The service was launched in April last year in Germany through a firm called Filiago. The service is presently available in the UK and in Ireland. For more details visit www.nbb.ie
The service is available on Astra 1E at 23.5 degrees. By using a special twin clamp a second lnb can be fitted which will receive all the TV channels on Astra 2A at 28.2 degrees. Because of the fact that the A2C lnb is a send/receive lnb it is quite bulky which is the reason for the special clamp.

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Eric Johnston

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Reply #1 - Sep 16^th, 2008 at 8:50am

Last week ( 12.09.2008 ) SES ASTRA created a new broadband company to help sell the Astra2Connect product.

Press release as follows:

ASTRA Broadband Services bundles the successful broadband activities of SES ASTRA

Betzdorf (Luxembourg), 12 September 2008. � SES ASTRA, an SES company (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG), announced today the creation of a new company bundling its successful broadband activities. The new company, ASTRA Broadband Services (ABBS), is a 100 percent owned subsidiary that will further promote and enhance SES ASTRA�s portfolio of products serving the dynamic market for satellite-based broadband services. A main focus of the new company is the further development and roll-out of ASTRA2Connect, a two-way high-speed internet service launched in April 2007, across several European markets.

ASTRA Broadband Services is led by Norbert Willems, as newly appointed Chief Executive Officer, who served in other management positions at SES ASTRA prior to this new assignment. Alessandro De Meo, also from SES ASTRA, has been appointed Chief Financial Officer. Peter Sch�ler, responsible for product sales since the start of ASTRA2Connect, has been named Chief Commercial Officer, and Patrick Biewer, also part of the ASTRA2Connect team, is the new Chief Technical Officer.

�In the last year, we have experienced an immense success with the roll-out of ASTRA2Connect� said Ferdinand Kayser, President and CEO of SES ASTRA. �In order to further support the dynamic development and serve the high demand from different European markets, we have created this new company. It will fully focus on this promising sector and serve the growing number of customers. I am confident that with ABBS we have created a centre of excellence for our growing number of broadband customers.�

Best regards, Eric.

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bthed Member ★★ Offline Posts: 3	Reply #2 - Oct 20^th, 2008 at 4:05pm I got the system installed over 6 months ago in Ireland and �the service is a disaster. I do not recommend it to anyone at this time. It doesn't do what it says on the NBB website. Internet is OK but phone is still not working as it should and I receive promise after promise but nothing more.
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Eric Johnston YaBB Moderator ★★★★★ Offline Posts: 2109	Reply #3 - Oct 20^th, 2008 at 11:08pm The posting above by bthed refers to the NBB website. �This obviously refers to www.nbb.ie which on close inspection refers to Astra2Connect service. �So I think bthed was referring to an Astra2Connect terminal. � I have emailed him to clarify this. Best regards, Eric.
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bthed

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Reply #4 - Oct 21^st, 2008 at 12:54pm

Hi to all, it's the Astra2Connect system I got installed over 6 months ago. Has anyone else got problems with NBB. I am only receiving promisses that the system will be perfect as it is described on the NBB website, but nothing happens. I quit my other phone connection when I subscribed to Astra2 because I was told the phone will work perfectely in a week they said 6 months ago.

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Admin1

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Reply #5 - Oct 21^st, 2008 at 3:45pm

If you want VoIP to work using a shared 64kbit/s uplink the hub will need to assign a significant proportion of the uplink bit rate to your site for the duration of the call and that allocation will need to be assigned in regularly and evenly spaced packets, say one packet, each and every half second. �It will also be essential that the VoIP bit rate (voice waveform coding and its IP packet overhead) is minimised.

The best I have ever seen ( using CDM570L modems ) was 10.8 kbits using G729a and very short packet headers. � So it may be possible to get VoIP to work over a 64k TDMA uplink but the number of active sites simultaneously using the uplink will be very limited and the VoIP packets will need to be assigned priority and even spacing.

I am not suprised that VoIP does not work. �It requires such careful software programming and configuration at both the hub and the remote site. � It is not impossible for Astra to get it working - It just strikes me as an improbable and amazing acheivement if they can do it. �

Is anyone with an Astra2connect terminal able to make satisfactory phone calls ?. �If so, please tell us how it was done.

I wonder if a particular VoIP phone is provided with Astra2 connect to enable Astra to remotely configure the phone voice codec and samples per packet etc. �I can't imagine a mass market product (as Astra2connect is supposed to be) to require the customer to understand and impement such configuration complexities.

Best regards, Eric.

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bthed

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Reply #6 - Oct 21^st, 2008 at 5:25pm

The problem is, the Astra2Connect package includes Voip and 200 landline minutes. Why can they not provide an internet only version. That's problem no1. No2 is the fact that they are selling something that is clearly sold and advertised as an alternative to standard internet and phone, but it doesn't work. If I discontinue this service which would be no problem according to my solicitor, then I have no internet. If I continue and get my landline back, then I pay for two phone connections but I only need the one. Problem no3, this is going on for a long time and the damage to my business is going into thousands. NBB's information is only to get the customer off the phone and to gain time to fix the problem. My problem would have been much smaller if they had been honest with me instead of telling me rubish just to keep me quiet for a while and not to loose me as a customer. I am realy angry about the treatement I receive from NBB.

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getbroadbandanywhere.com

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Reply #7 - Nov 1^st, 2008 at 12:25am

Yes, i agree stick with your landline for now - it's crazy for them to offer VoIP on these systems so soon - the ultra low wattage of the BUC has always worried me with the Astra2Connect, it makes the upload speed so restrictive and its upload speed that is so important for VoIP traffic and also for fast browsing response time, yet they advertise it with VoIP support :s - how did you find the speeds on the Astra2Connect for data usage without the VoIP?

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« Last Edit: Nov 1^st, 2008 at 11:46am by Admin1 »

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Ex Member Ex Member	Reply #8 - Mar 26^th, 2010 at 12:06pm for people checking out this old threat : the Astra2Connect platform now contains QoS functionality and higher return speed capabilities that make VoIP work like it should ! So the old comments in this threat are not valid anymore.
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