Abstract :
In the Scottish Highlands, access to telecommunication services is limited in terms of supplier, affordability and availability. This part of the UK, with it´s low population density and rugged terrain, is truly a challenge when it comes to communications infrastructure, despite various governmental initiatives to assist. An announcement by BT to launch a broadband satellite service to the Highlands & Islands and Northern Ireland is, therefore, an interesting development. Will the system work and will it appeal to the small office/home office user? Will it mean less investment in other technologies? This paper is presented from both an end-user and a market perspective. From the end user view, we look at how these systems actually work for a SOHO operator - considering what it´s like to use in everyday circumstances, and would a user pay for this service over and above ISDN? From a practical viewpoint, how easy is it to set up, what is the equipment like and what are the restrictions? Also, how does the user address the planning regulations and what are the consequences for installation times?.
Keywords :
broadband networks; business communication; legislation; personal communication networks; planning; satellite communication; BT; ISDN; Northern Ireland; SOHO operator; Scottish Highlands; UK; broadband satellite service; communications infrastructure; installation times; investment; market; personal broadband satellite; planning regulations; small office/home office user; telecommunication services;