[Satellite TODAY 02-21-13] Eutelsat has inked German Internet service provider skyDSL Global to a five-year multiple spot beam capacity contract on Ka-Sat, with an option for an additional five years, after providing the broadband service on the satellite for the past 18 months, the operator announced Feb. 21. 

   The skyDSL customer will use selected capabilities of Ka-Sat to deliver a portfolio of Internet access and triple play services under its skyDSL2-Plus brand. The platform offers download speeds of up to 20 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 6 Mbps.

   “Our experience of Ka-Sat since 2011 has convinced us that this is an unmatched platform for driving penetration of high-quality satellite broadband in Europe,” skyDSL Global Managing Director Jan Hesse said in a statement. “This new contract equips us to grow our business in our core markets of Germany, France, Italy and Spain, and penetrate new markets. We continue to contribute to closing the digital divide in our target markets with our high quality ADSL-style portfolio and compelling pricing.”