While natural beauty spans all of Spain, access to high-speed residential internet did not.
Until now.
The power of satellite internet is being felt across the country, as Viasat, with our recent launch of our residential services, helps connect those who lack access to high-speed broadband.
Typically, when thinking about areas that lack access to high-speed internet, more remote locations come to mind. While that’s largely true in Spain, there are also more populated regions — like the Community of Madrid — that are unable to connect to high-speed internet service.
According to Spain’s Ministry of Economy and Business, over 10 million Spanish residents still don’t have access to the minimum recommended download speed of 30 Mbps, a standard set by the European Commission. Europe’s 2020 Digital Agenda has a goal of expanding access to 30 Mbps internet speeds for all consumers across the European Union.
But this plan presents challenges. Parts of rural Spain lack cable and fiber, the infrastructure used by ground-based internet service providers. To expand this infrastructure, a huge amount of work and financial investment is required from ground-based service providers. In less-populated areas, this typically does not happen. Consumers are often left unconnected with few or no options, thus widening the digital gap.
With the introduction of service from Viasat, Spaniards can now take advantage of the many benefits of satellite internet — including its reach of just about anywhere, its minimal footprint (which preserves the country’s beauty), its resilience during extreme weather and its overall value when compared to alternatives.
Using capacity from the KA-SAT satellite, Viasat is now able to help close Spain’s digital gap by offering its services and technologies to homes that don’t yet have access to high-speed internet. People in Spain no longer need to wait for the arrival of ground-based internet — which may never come. Satellite allows them to get a high-quality connection regardless of where they live, be they in rural or urban locations.
In recent years, Spain has seen a decrease in populations across rural areas. Part of this is due to the lack of connectivity. By reaching into these rural areas, Viasat is helping close the technological gap between rural and metro areas. With true broadband speeds, people in rural economies can access e-commerce and online healthcare sites and services. They can stay better connected with their families and enjoy more entertainment options through video streaming. The new service will also allow Spaniards heading to their summer homes for vacation stay connected, so they can do things like stay up-to-date on current events and connect with friends.
Viasat believes that everyone and everything in the world can be connected with our powerful satellite technologies. In Spain, we’re bringing this game-changing technology to more than 10 million people and helping the country make the most of the digital economy.
