The European Satellite Operators Association (ESOA) is lobbying the European Commission for funding for new communication satellites, writes La Tribune. Along with industry players such as satellite manufacturers Astrium and Thales Alenia Space, ESOA has written to the EC's two vice presidents, Neelie Kroes and Antonio Tajani, to request a financial effort for telecommunications, described as the poor relation of Europe's space policy. "It is very clearly not the first priority of the EU, because this sector works very well", operator SES's CEO, Romain Bausch told La Tribune. Nevertheless, he said that Brussels should give the industry a fillip to finance a Megasat on a European scale. Under the EU Digital Agenda, the EC wants all of its citizens to have a minimum internet download speeds of 30 Mbps by 2020, and half of them to have 100 Mbps both ways. But satellites cannot offer these bandwidths at present, Bausch said. We therefore believe that Europe's space policy can contribute to the development of satellite technologies capable of reaching these communication speeds". Neelie Kroes also set a closer objective, for all EU residents to have access to broadband internet services by 2013, but without giving a download speed target. Satellite industry companies are concerned that the EC will favour land-based internet technology to meet this first challenge, giving satellite internet a more marginal role. According to the article, the EC is due to publish a statement on its space policy in October.
