Eutelsat Communications has announced a new range of Tooway packages delivering the fastest satellite-based consumer broadband speeds in Europe, unlimited data download usage day and night and more competitive pricing.

Designed to offer high speed broadband to everyone today, these next generation Tooway services will satisfy even the most demanding Internet users - further closing the digital divide for consumers.

The new packages will ensure that whatever their location, digitally deprived homes and home-workers in the EU can instantly access the benefits of high speed broadband, including for applications such as film downloads, heavy file uploads and video chat that are now standard user expectations.

Up to 30 million homes in the footprint of the KA-SAT satellite, that delivers Tooway, are still waiting for quality broadband connectivity.

The new packages, called Tooway S, M, L and XL, will initially be available through service providers in France, Spain, Italy, Germany and the UK from February, and will offer across the board download speeds of up to 20 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 6 Mbps (excepting entry level service), making it the fastest consumer satellite broadband service in Europe.

The packages will be rolled-out to other European countries in the coming months. The service operates with a small (77cm) easy-to-install satellite dish and modem and is delivered by KA-SAT, Europe's most powerful satellite.

To address growing demand for increased data allowances for video and multimedia services, Eutelsat is also introducing a true unlimited data service, called Tooway Absolute, for the first 20,000 customers across Europe.

Customers subscribing to the L and XL service will also be entitled to uncapped data usage overnight, allowing video and large files to be downloaded without impacting daytime data allowances. Eutelsat is also introducing for service providers a recommended monthly rental fee for the dish and modem to simplify access to Tooway.

Jean-Francois Fenech, General Manager of Eutelsat's Broadband Business Unit, said: "These new Tooway packages are another huge step forward in making universal high speed broadband an immediate reality for Europe.

The fastest speeds and most generous data packages at the best competitive rates can be delivered in a matter of days, regardless of location. The outlook for consumers in Europe's most digitally deprived areas just got much brighter."

Eutelsat's portfolio of Tooway services provides consumers and home-office workers with an always-on Internet service, which is triple-play ready with full compatibility for Direct to Home (DTH) television services and Voice over IP solutions.

Eutelsat's KA-SAT, with a total capacity of 90 Gbps, is transforming the market for satellite- delivered broadband services. The satellite forms the cornerstone of a state-of-the-art communications infrastructure which includes a sophisticated on-ground network of eight main gateways across Europe that are connected to the Internet by a fibre backbone ring.