Hughes Network Systems has extended satellite broadband coverage to 50,000 American small businesses in regions where digital subscriber line (DSL) and cable broadband are not available.
Hughes' Direcway service delivers reliable satellite broadband access to subscribers anywhere in the continental United States with an unobstructed view of the southern sky. The service offers download speeds of up to 1 Mbps, along with e-mail features and static IP addressing.
According to research from Frost & Sullivan, Hughes has only tapped part of what could be a substantial market for non-terrestrial broadband services. The firm estimates that as much as 40% of American businesses can't be reached by traditional landline broadband. Moreover, distance limitations on DSL often make the technology unsuitable even in situations where customers can be physically connected.