Song Galaxy - Musical website reaches galactic speeds

Cutting edge technology is helping a Ross-shire online music company keep up with increased demand in the wake of programmes like 'Pop Idol'.

German musician Claus Uecker's website www.songgalaxy.com is out of this world for professional and budding singers who can download backing tracks in all genres, from golden oldies to chart busters.

Typically, Song Galaxy's music is used by pub singers and wannabe pop stars preparing for auditions, although a Steps tribute band has even received custom-made tracks for a UK tour. Song Galaxy has also been approached by a BBC radio station to provide music for a contest.

For Claus, receiving and sending large files speedily, via the internet, is vital and now he can download music from his international network of musicians - and send emails - at much faster speeds thanks to BT Business high speed broadband access by satellite.

This service uses satellite technology - a phone line isn't needed - to provide fast and remote internet access, at up to 10 times faster than a normal 56k modem connection.

For those companies that can't get high speed internet access via ADSL (the fixed network alternative), because they're outside the range of an ADSL-enabled telephone exchange, BT Business Satellite is revolutionising the way they go about their business.

Claus, who's been in the music business for 10 years, received financial support from Highlands and Islands Enterprise to help meet the up front costs involved in installing the service.

He has a network of satellite-enabled computers manned by colleagues who work from their homes in the area. Customers can download over 2,000 MIDI music files and over 6,000 audio backing tracks are available on CD or MiniDisk.

Broadband satellite also means that his location in Hill of Fearn, three miles from Tain, isn't a barrier to being successful in the international music business.

He said: "I use musicians in Germany, Italy and the USA and we send data back and forth so speed is really important.

"Broadband satellite has made our business faster overall. Where it used to take 10 to 15 minutes to download a song it now takes just one and a half minutes so we can make that music available on the website much quicker.

"In the wake of programmes like Pop Idol, people are taking more interest in our products now."



Telecroft 2000 - Most northerly business praises BT Business Satellite

People on the most northerly island in the British Isles are accessing the internet at high speed thanks to cutting edge satellite technology.

Telecroft 2000, on Unst, Shetland, is the northern most business in the UK using the broadband satellite service provided by BT.

The service uses satellite technology - a phone line isn't needed - to provide fast and remote internet access, at up to ten times faster than a normal 56k modem connection.

For those companies that can't get high speed internet access via ADSL (the fixed network alternative), because they're outside the range of an ADSL-enabled telephone exchange, BT Business Satellite is revolutionising the way they go about their business.

Telecroft 2000 has provided training and business services to a wide range of individuals, community groups and companies over the past decade.

One of the main benefits for Telecroft 2000 is that the Broadband satellite service is 'always on' so that incoming e-mails are received in real time rather than being stored up and downloaded only when the user logs on.

Manager Laura Baisley praised the service: "Broadband gives us the ability to download very large data files in a fraction of the time it used to take."

She added: "We are proud to be Britain's most northerly Broadband Satellite connection. Other businesses could also reap great benefits and we are happy to demonstrate the system in action and answer any questions about our experiences with this excellent service."