ASTRA Broadband Services Deploys Stampede FX Series for Its ASTRA2Connect Service

Stampede and ASTRA Broadband Services to Partner on Satellite Bandwidth Optimization

DAYTON, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Stampede® Technologies, Inc. (www.stampede.com), a leading provider of WAN optimization and acceleration solutions for Satellite and terrestrial-based networks, announced today that ASTRA Broadband Services (ABBS), a fully owned subsidiary of SES ASTRA, Europe’s leading provider of Direct-to-Home (DTH) and other satellite services in Europe, has selected Stampede’s FX Series appliances to optimize its satellite broadband Internet service ASTRA2Connect. Using Stampede’s WAN optimization solution, ABBS will be able to further improve its level of service to its customers.

“We are happy to see Stampede having developed such an innovative product. The company’s acceleration technology will further improve our service offering to our customers”

The deployment of Stampede’s FX Series will provide ASTRA2Connect customers with single-sided (out-bound) optimization and acceleration benefits. Currently, FX 4000 appliances are deployed in a highly scalable and high-availability configuration to optimize out-bound HTTP traffic.

Broadband satellite is a unique possibility for households in regions without terrestrial broadband networks to get access to fast and reliable Internet connections. In order to provide their customers with a real alternative to fixed-line broadband, satellite service providers accelerate their networks by deploying technologies that overcome challenges such as inherent latency in satellite network technology. As a result, they can deliver LAN-like speed no matter where their customers are located. With its Stampede Technologies' FX Series 4000 appliances, Stampede has enabled ASTRA Broadband Services with flexible deployment options that equip them to meet their satellite broadband Internet needs. The technology capabilities of the FX Series appliances include data compression, caching and protocol optimization to deliver data quickly to remote users throughout the world.

“We are happy to see Stampede having developed such an innovative product. The company’s acceleration technology will further improve our service offering to our customers,” said Patrick Biewer, Technology Director of ASTRA Broadband Services. “Stampede has been an excellent partner to work with, and their solution will provide us with an optimized throughput on our Satellite capacity, while delivering us an excellent return on our investment. We are looking forward to continuing our cooperation for this enhanced technology with Stampede,” he added.

“Our products are designed to best address the satellite provider’s network communications needs and the ASTRA2Connect satellite platform is a great fit,” said Gordon Dorworth, Stampede Technologies’ President and CEO. “The Satellite Internet Service Providers market continues to be an excellent area of growth for us. ABBS and other divisions have helped Stampede improve our products and technology. We very much appreciate clients like ABBS that are more like partners in terms of their willingness to work with us to improve our solutions for them.”

To see these solutions in action, Stampede will be exhibiting at Satellite 2010 in Washington, D.C., on March 16-18, 2010 - Booth #449.

About Stampede Technologies, Inc.

Stampede Technologies is a pioneering innovator of WAN optimization and application acceleration. Stampede provides flexible solutions that solve a variety of difficult challenges that inhibit Internet Service Providers from taking advantage of the full potential of their networks, and prevent their customers from receiving the best possible network performance over terrestrial and satellite broadband networks. Our products solve problems related to bandwidth constrained, high-latency networks, and TCP, web application and content delivery inefficiencies. Our single-sided and two-sided acceleration technologies have flexible deployment options that include FX Series appliances, unique Acceleration On-demand technology that automatically injects acceleration into remote user laptops and mobile devices, a family of client software options, and FX 1000 Series Remote Branch appliance. For more information, visit www.stampede.com.

About ASTRA Broadband Services

ASTRA Broadband Services is a 100% owned subsidiary of SES ASTRA operating SES ASTRA’s new satellite broadband access ASTRA2Connect. ASTRA2Connect is marketed via wholesalers and internet service providers to the residential market. The innovative service offers a highly reliable, always-on, interactive broadband internet access for flat service fees. ASTRA2Connect offers a unique possibility for households in regions without terrestrial broadband connection to access broadband services. Sold to end-users through domestic service providers in European countries and regions ASTRA2Connect closes the gap between the end user and the broadband technology and provides a highly reliable and well performing broadband access service matching local needs. Based on the ASTRA2Connect technology, ASTRA Broadband Services has recently started to offer low-cost satellite-based broadband connections to businesses as well.

Stampede® and Acceleration On-Demand® are registered trademarks and FX Series is a trademark of Stampede Technologies, Inc. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.