Eutelsat Communications has selected EADS Astrium to deliver its first satellite operating exclusively in Ka-band frequencies. The satellite will form the cornerstone of a major new satellite infrastructure programme that will significantly expand capacity for consumer broadband services across Europe and the Mediterranean Basin.
Currently called KA-SAT and scheduled for launch in third quarter 2010, the satellite will be configured with over 80 spotbeams, making it the most advanced multi-spot satellite designed in the world to date. A network of eight gateways managed by Eutelsat, and which will provide access to KA-SAT and deliver the full range of services to end users, will form an integral part of the new infrastructure.
KA-SAT is the European equivalent to ViaSat-1, a high-capacity Ka-band broadband satellite ordered by ViaSat to serve the North American market and planned to launch in 2011. ViaSat and Eutelsat said they are cooperating closely around ViaSat’s Ka-band SurfBeam networking system and a similar wholesale business model that works through ISPs, telecommunications companies and pay-TV platforms to serve subscribers.
Eutelsat said the amount of bandwidth provided by KA-SAT, coupled with ViaSat’s next generation SurfBeam ground networking system, will take satellite operations to new levels of efficiency and capacity, delivering a total throughput of over 70 Gbps.http://www.eutelsat.comhttp://www.viasat.com
- In December 2007, Eutelsat Communications and ViaSat launched “Tooway” — a satellite-based, consumer broadband service in Europe being delivered using the Ka-band spot beam capacity on Eutelsat’s HOT BIRD 6 satellite at 13 degrees East. It will also be available via Ku-band capacity on the EUROBIRD 3 satellite. The Ka and Ku-band hubs with equipment supplied by ViaSat to manage Tooway are now fully commissioned and ready for service at Skylogic’s SkyPark teleport in Turin, Italy. Tooway uses ViaSat’s SurfBeam DOCSIS system.