WildBlue Communications awarded a requirements contract to ViaSat to supply the next 500,000 Ka-band satellite terminals to be deployed by WildBlue for use with its WildBlue-1 and Anik F2 satellites. Together with units already delivered, the number of terminals supplied by ViaSat is expected to exceed 750,000. The contract provides for potential expansion to other on-orbit Ka-band satellites that may be used by WildBlue. The contract, which also includes network infrastructure upgrades and software support services, could exceed a value of $200 million over the next three to five years, depending on the underlying market demand for WildBlue subscriber terminals.
“ViaSat and WildBlue have been working very closely together for a number of years to create a scaleable market for satellite broadband services,” said ViaSat CEO Mark Dankberg. “WildBlue’s impressive growth has shown there is very strong demand for high-quality, affordable satellite broadband service in rural America. We are extremely pleased to be a part of their continued growth.”
ViaSat was first selected as the supplier of the WildBlue satellite networking system in 2001.
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http://www.wildblue.com
- n March 2007, WildBlue Communications began offering Internet access services using its new Ka-band spot beam satellite, WildBlue-1. The new satellite allows WildBlue to more than triple its customer capacity, making high-speed Internet service available to more than 750,000 rural consumers throughout the continental United States. WildBlue expects that the additional capacity accessible on WildBlue-1 will be available to all areas of the contiguous United States by the second quarter of 2007. WildBlue will also continue to utilize its capacity on Anik F2, alongside WildBlue-1.