Broadband could be coming to the Arctic

Three Norwegian partners are determined to launch broadband coverage to the Arctic, says the Sintef research organisation.

The project, called ASK (a Norwegian abbreviation of Arctic Satellite Communications), was launched by Telenor, the Norwegian Space Centre, public research organisation Sintef and the Norwegian Marine Technology Research Institute, Marintek.

The project’s aims are in line with the Norwegian government’s recommendations linked to its Arctic Policy Strategy. Activities such as oil and gas production, search and rescue operations, as well as communications for the ever-increasing shipping traffic in the area, are dependent on an effectively functioning broadband network capable of transmitting relatively large volumes of data, Sintef said.