To ring in the new year, internet service via satellite provider SkyVision expanded its global satellite presence throughout the Europe, Middle East and Asia (EMEA) markets by teaming up with iDirect Technologies - a developer of satellite-based broadband access solutions. Together, SkyVision will use a platform from iDirect enabling the company to sell satellite capacity to virtual network operator (VNO) customers which in turn will allow them to deploy their own networks without assuming the upfront hardware costs, or the ongoing concerns of maintenance and security.

SkyVision officials said the iDirect platform’s flexibility has opened up a wide range of possibilities for the company and will help its customers communicate more efficiently. Use of the technology will be of particular benefit to iDirect’s high-end clients from the oil and financial industries and other global corporations, the company said.

The iDirect solution allows SkyVision to resell its satellite capacity to customers who can then operate their own VSAT network without the cost of buying the VSAT hub infrastructure. SkyVision will lease network capacity to each VNO which can then be managed in any way the service provider needs - including the use of private IP addresses, the company said.

The new solution allows operators to control remote sites and deliver end-user broadband speeds all while only paying for the capacity being used. SkyVision said the VNO package offers all the opportunities of the VSAT industry without assuming the risk, or the upfront investment of deploying a wholly-owned and separate teleport infrastructure.