VT iDirect (iDirect), a leader in satellite-based IP communications technology, has announced the launch of Talia Home, a consumer-focused Internet and telephone communications service for subscribers in the Middle East, Africa and Europe.

The new service from Talia Limited, a leading provider of satellite and communications services, will help bridge digital divide and deliver reliable, affordable connectivity to underserved populations, said an official of iDirect, a company of VT Systems.

Talia Home is powered by iDirect Evolution technology and offers a highly reliable service at an affordable rate, bringing connectivity to those who could not previously afford a satellite-based service, said Stephen Tunnicliffe, vice president (Europe) iDirect.

Talia Home is a Ku-band service, running on SES Worldskies NSS-12 in the Middle East and Europe, and Telesat Telstar 11N in Africa.

Individual user services start  from as low as $50 per month for an uncapped service, with business and enterprise services as upgrade options. Complete hardware bundles, consisting of antenna, BUC, LNB, and iDirect Evolution X3 remote, are available from Talia from as low as $599, said a top official.

"All Talia Home services include access to Talia Voice, a Voice over IP service designed to work in concert with VSAT services. Inexpensive worldwide calling as well as incoming call services are available through a pre-paid voucher system, and network resources required for call quality are included in the per minute cost," said Alan Afrasiab, president and chief executive officer, Talia.

"In a multi-million dollar agreement, iDirect's Evolution technology sits at the heart of Talia Home, enabling Talia to ensure affordable, high quality connectivity and guarantee reliable service level agreements."

The performance of the iDirect Evolution platform, iDirect's Group Quality of Service technology and forthcoming advancements to the platform were all factors in Talia's decision, Alan noted.

"Talia Home brings a reliable Internet connection to users who most need it in the MEA and Europe. iDirect gives us the flexibility to share bandwidth across a large area while keeping operating costs at a minimum so we can introduce connectivity to a greater number of people at a price they can more readily afford," he added.

"We are proud that Talia has selected iDirect's platform to introduce a consumer service designed to bring connectivity to populations currently without basic Internet access. Talia is taking a critical step forward by introducing a large-scale consumer service with a far reaching footprint," Tunnicliffe said.

"The key to this service's success is affordability and reliability - two important standards that have become hallmarks of the iDirect platform," he added.-TradeArabia News Service