Orcon Announces Satellite Broadband Service

7 September 2006

Orcon Announces Satellite Broadband Service

Rural New Zealand is set to benefit from the launch of a new satellite broadband service from Orcon Internet.

³The new satellite service compliments our existing fixed-line services offered by Orcon and is a major bonus for rural customers as it greatly increases Orcon¹s broadband coverage. With plans starting at just $59 per month this is an affordable technology to deliver broadband to rural New Zealand² says Scott Bartlett, Orcon¹s General Manager of Operations and Regulatory affairs.

The services initial specification delivers download speeds of 1Mbps (Megabits per second), and upload speeds of 256Kbps (Kilobits per second). This is substantially faster than the dial up connections that many homes and businesses outside of metropolitan areas are currently stuck with.

³Rural New Zealand should not be left behind in the race for faster, cheaper broadband. We want to ensure that all New Zealanders have access to a broadband product that allows them to take advantage of the great opportunities internet technologies provide² continued Bartlett.

Orcon will also be marketing its Satellite broadband product as a back-up service for business customers in the main centres. ³While we are really excited about being able to offer fast, reliable broadband to the rural community, business customers in the main centres can use our Satellite service as a great back-up internet connection.² Concluded Bartlett.

The new service utilises the IPSTAR-1 satellite, the largest commercial satellite in the world, which was launched earlier this year by Thai Telecommunications provider Shin Satellite. This satellite is dedicated to providing broadband services in the Asia-Pacific region. The satellite earth station is located in Auckland and connected directly to the the Orcon network. This delivers speed and reliability that was previously unattainable.

More information about the satellite broadband service is available on the Orcon website (www.orcon.net.nz ).

ENDS

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