[Satellite TODAY 02-27-13] TS2 Satellite Technologies has expanded its Internet service in Afghanistan using Avanti’s Hylas 2 satellite, which is equipped with Ka bandwidth transponders that enable bidirectional data transmission and additional services for corporations, individuals, and government agencies in rapidly growing international markets. Additionally, TS2 will launch commercial links in selected African and East European countries, and in Poland.

   The Hylas 2 satellite, built by Orbital Sciences, was launched on August 2012 and occupies the orbital slot at 31 degrees east. It has 24 Ku-band transmitting and six receiving transponders, and it has an estimated life of more than 15 years. It has a throughput nearly three times as high as that of its predecessor, HYLAS 1. 

   Using Hylas 2, TS2 Satellite Technologies can provide access to the Internet and all IP services independently from terrestrial connections; VoIP, VPN, and videoconferencing connections; backbone and corporate network solutions; and backhaul satellite solutions for GSM networks to extend cellular telephony reach.