A broadband satellite launched last week opened a window to the internet for hundreds of thousands of cut-off consumers across Europe.

The £120 million Hylas-1 satellite will act as a relay station for broadband traffic, enabling isolated rural communities to connect with the worldwide web for the first time.

Hylas is the first superfast broadband satellite to be launched outside the US.

Britain has played a major role in the Hylas project. The satellite’s development was partly funded by the UK Space Agency, and Hylas was designed and built for Avanti Communications by the British space company Astrium UK.

When Hylas is on-stream, between 150,000 and 300,000 consumers at a time will be able to use it to access fast broadband.

David Williams, chief executive of Avanti, said: “This is a landmark day for the many consumers and businesses across Europe who have been frustrated by a lack of access to adequate broadband, it means that finally there is the opportunity to solve the digital divide.