Deutsche Telekom

T-DSL and IP radio

With ASTRA as its satellite provider, Deutsche Telekom is enabling users of its T-DSL service not only to connect to the internet at broadband speeds, but also to receive a wealth of news and entertainment via IP radio. T-DSL makes use of a DVB-IP stream from an ASTRA satellite located at 19.2º East to transport both internet data and radio programming directly to the end-user through a small antenna at the customer's premises. The customer accesses content through a DVB receiver connected to a PC.

With ASTRA already carrying many of the major German radio channels on its satellites, bundling radio with the service was an easy next step. Providing streams free-of-charge adds value to the product without a corresponding increase in Deutsche Telekom's subscriber cost basis. Furthermore, since the radio transmission is independent of the data stream, users can enjoy news and music even when they are not online, helping to keep Deutsche Telekom's bandwidth load steady.

One of the main differentiators of our T-DSL service from other broadband offerings is the addition of German-language radio programming. ASTRA's position as the leader in radio-via-satellite in Europe, combined with their broadband delivery capabilities, means we are able to provide our customers with a great enhancement at no additional charge, giving our product a key advantage in the marketplace.