2008-09-15 08:05:02 -
www.viasat.com/broadband-satellite-networks/fixed-broadband - Brainerd Communicators Joe LoBello, 212-986-6667 lobello@braincomm.com or Scott Cianciulli, 212-986-6667 cianciulli@braincomm.com ViaSat (NASDAQ:VSAT) has received an order for 5,000 SurfBeam(R) Ka-band broadband terminals from OpenSky for the launch of Eutelsat Tooway consumer broadband service in Italy. OpenSky is projecting that the 5,000 terminals are approximately a three-month supply.
The
Tooway service will enable OpenSky to extend high speed Internet to areas in Italy that are unserved or underserved by ADSL. It is estimated that approximately 12 million households, more than half of the Italian population, do not have access to high speed Internet service. In adding the Tooway service, OpenSky is gaining a way to reach that population more quickly and with more capital cost-efficiency compared to building out terrestrial infrastructure in hard to reach areas.
"The Tooway service is a very attractive way for us to expand the reach of our broadband services to all of Italy," said Paolo Dalla Chiara, president of OpenSky. "Going with Ka-band leaders like Eutelsat and ViaSat is an easy choice and we're excited about the next leap in high capacity satellite broadband with the new KA-SAT as well. We completed our infrastructure by partnering with a consortium of installers, CTA and CTA trade, that provide the logistic and installation all over Italy, so we can provide excellent customer service from installation to activation."
"OpenSky is an important distributor for Skylogic and ViaSat in opening access to satellite broadband services in Italy," said Jack Tassos, vice president of ViaSat Satellite Products. "The simplicity of connecting into the full-service Tooway network makes it easy to gain the pricing and throughput advantages that our SurfBeam system offers, and that is proving to be a great value proposition all across Europe."
Launched in Europe late last year, Tooway uses Ka-band capacity on Eutelsat's HOT BIRD(TM) 6 satellite and the ViaSat SurfBeam DOCSIS(R)-based broadband satellite system as the ground segment. Over 390,000 subscribers in North America already use the SurfBeam system to access ADSL-like services over satellite. ViaSat and Eutelsat are also working together to launch two new satellites that will significantly expand the quality, capability and availability of high-speed broadband satellite services for U.S., Canadian, and European consumers and enterprises.
About ViaSat
ViaSat produces innovative satellite and other digital communication products that enable fast, secure, and efficient communications to any location. The company provides networking products and managed network services for enterprise IP applications; is a key supplier of network-centric military communications and encryption technologies to the U.S. government; and is the primary technology partner for gateway and customer-premises equipment for consumer and mobile satellite broadband services. The company has five subsidiaries: US Monolithics, Efficient Channel Coding, Enerdyne Technologies, Intelligent Compression Technologies and JAST. These companies design and produce complementary products such as monolithic microwave integrated circuits, DVB-S2 satellite communication components, video data link systems, data acceleration and compression products, and mobile satellite antenna systems. ViaSat has locations in Carlsbad, CA, and Duluth, GA, along with its Comsat Laboratories division in Germantown, MD. Additional field offices are located in Boston, MA, Baltimore, MD, Washington DC, Australia, China, India, Italy, and Spain.
Forward-Looking Statements
Portions of this release, particularly statements about the collaboration of ViaSat and Eutelsat with regard to the launch of two new satellites and performance and deliveries of ViaSat products and technology, may contain forward-looking statements regarding future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties. ViaSat wishes to caution you that there are some factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, including but not limited to: contractual problems, product defects, manufacturing issues or delays, regulatory issues, technologies not being developed according to anticipated schedules, or that do not perform according to expectations; and increased competition and other factors affecting the telecommunications industry generally. In addition, please refer to the risk factors contained in ViaSat's SEC filings available at www.sec.gov, including without limitation, ViaSat's annual reports on Form 10-K and ViaSat's quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. ViaSat undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements for any reason.
SurfBeam is a registered trademark of ViaSat.
Tooway is a trademark of Eutelsat.
HOT BIRD is a registered trademark of Eutelsat.
DOCSIS is a registered trademark of Cable Television Laboratories Inc.
Comsat Labs and Comsat Laboratories are tradenames of ViaSat, Inc. Neither Comsat Labs nor Comsat Laboratories is affiliated with COMSAT Corporation. "Comsat" is a registered trademark of COMSAT Corporation. All additional products are trademarks of their respective owners.
Extends Availability of High Speed Internet to the Entire Italian
Peninsula for the First Time
