Europe Online Networks (EON), has contracted additional capacity on the Astra satellite system at 19.2 degrees East and has established a smaller platform at 28.2 degrees East to develop its ‘Internet in the Sky’ network. This increases EON’s Astra capacity to four full transponders at 19.2 degrees East plus bit-rate capacity at 28.2 to serve the UK market. The ‘Internet in the Sky’ network was introduced in May 1999 and the consumer launch is scheduled for August. EON is also building a Point of Presence in Betzdorf to feed traffic to the SES uplink centre. The extent of EON’s ambitions in terms of the amount of satellite capacity it ultimately intended to use was first revealed in Interspace 666, when EON president Candace Johnson said she envisaged occupying nine transponders within five years of launch.