WildBlue Selects ViaSat to Supply Consumer Broadband Satellite Equipment

05 Jan 2004 | Satellite Modems, Transceivers and Gateway Equipment Will Enable WildBlue's Satellite Broadband Service

WildBlue Communications, Inc. and ViaSat Inc. announced today an agreement for ViaSat to supply satellite broadband equipment and ground systems for the WildBlue consumer and small office/home office broadband service. The contract is valued at over $33 million and includes final development and production of consumer premises equipment (CPE) and gateway equipment to support WildBlue's initial service launch. Customer equipment includes a ViaSat Ka-band satellite modem and outdoor Ka-band transceiver electronics from ViaSat subsidiary US Monolithics LLC. CPE deliveries are scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2004.


With a planned launch in the second half of 2004, the primary target of the WildBlue service will be an estimated 30 million homes and small offices that don't have access to other broadband options. To reach these customers, WildBlue is using a new approach to satellite communications. The CPE technology is based on the proven DOCSIS(R) (Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification) networking standard, the leading consumer broadband technology in North America. Coupled with advanced satellite waveforms, ViaSat's implementation of DOCSIS for a satellite-based system lowers the cost of consumer terminals, reduces satellite bandwidth requirements, enables plug-and-play installation, and provides for mature customer service, billing and network control software and systems. WildBlue is also expected to be the first satellite broadband service based on next-generation Ka-band spot beam technology, designed to lower the cost of providing high-speed Internet access via satellite.


"WildBlue's mission is to provide affordable broadband Internet access virtually anywhere, with a focus on small cities and rural America," said WildBlue CEO Thomas Moore. "We have a strong dedication to developing a low cost infrastructure, from the cost-effective design of our satellite modems to the high capacity and low cost of our next generation Ka-band spot beam satellite. We are especially pleased to be working with ViaSat, a recognized industry leader in IP networking over satellite technologies, to make the most efficient use of our satellite capacity."


Mark Dankberg, ViaSat chairman and CEO commented, "We're very pleased to resume our contract with WildBlue. We believe this program represents the state-of-the-art in low-cost satellite broadband technology both in terms of our ground segment and WildBlue's Ka-band spot beam satellite. We're certainly looking forward to WildBlue's service launch this year."


WildBlue's satellite modem is designed to serve the same purpose as DSL or cable modems. It will convert analog data transmissions into Internet Protocol (IP) data packets, that can be read by the customer's PC or any digital Internet appliance. The agreement with ViaSat allows WildBlue to leverage standard components from the cable modem and satellite TV industries to lower the cost of satellite modems while providing excellent performance over the Ka-band satellite link. This performance will enable WildBlue to offer attractively-priced two-way wireless satellite broadband service.

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