NBN Co Selects ViaSat to Provide Satellite Internet System in Australia
CARLSBAD, Calif., July 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- NBN Co, building a wholesale-only national broadband network (NBN) designed to deliver high-speed Internet to all Australians no matter where they live, has selected ViaSat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT) to provide the ground-based communications, network management, and data processing systems for the Long Term Satellite Service component of the project. The initial value of the contract is in excess of $240 million, which is expected to increase as the network is built out to reach up to 200,000 homes and businesses. ViaSat is under contract to supply consumer satellite terminals, including broadband modems and antennas for Australian homes and businesses, and 13.5-metre diameter Ka-band satellite antennas for ten ground station gateway facilities across Australia. The contract award follows a comprehensive, two-year procurement process by NBN Co.
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“The rollout of Australia‘s NBN is the most comprehensive broadband plan in the world and we are excited to deliver part of the satellite ground portion,” said Mark Dankberg, chairman and CEO of ViaSat Inc. “We have long-shared the NBN Co vision of fiber-grade satellite network access. The work we do in Australia over the next three years will be pivotal in establishing the state-of-the-art in affordable, satellite broadband.”
ViaSat is the leading choice for Ka-band broadband systems, providing the most advanced network infrastructure and cost-effective customer premises terminals for the largest broadband satellites in North America, Europe, parts of Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and now Australia. ViaSat systems offer constant innovation in satellite design, ground infrastructure, and service operations support.
ViaSat in Australia
ViaSat first established operations in Australia over a decade ago and now has offices in Canberra and Belrose in Sydney‘s north. With this selection, at least one additional office is expected to be established and Erwin Hudson, chief technical officer for WildBlue since its founding, will be in country to oversee Australian operations for the NBN Co project.
“Beyond just supplying the ground system, we’re looking forward to expanding our team in Australia and sharing the operational expertise we’ve gained in running our satellite services in North America for over seven years,” said Hudson.
Additional NBN Co Long Term Satellite System Information
- Scheduled to begin commercial service in 2015
- Targeted to approximately 200,000 premises outside the reach of the NBN fiber optic and fixed wireless services, including outback areas and Australia‘s external territories such as Norfolk Island, Christmas Island, Macquarie Island, and the Cocos Islands
- ViaSat system will be designed to offer NBN Co’s retail service providers initial peak download speeds of 12 Mbps* at the wholesale level — consistent with NBN Co entry-level terrestrial services
- A wholesale, high-speed open-access Internet service that providers can use to offer a range of plans and packages to consumers and businesses
* NBN Co is designing the NBN to be capable of delivering these speeds to NBN Co wholesale customers (ISPs). Speeds actually achieved by retail customers (end users) will depend on a number of factors, including the quality of their equipment and in-premises connection, the broadband plans offered by their ISP, and how their ISP designs its network to cater for multiple end users.
About NBN (www.nbnco.com.au)
NBN Co Limited was established in 2009 to implement the Australian Government’s policy initiative to design, build, and operate a National Broadband Network to provide access to high-speed broadband to all Australian homes, businesses and schools. NBN Co is a wholly-owned Commonwealth company that has been prescribed as a Government Business Enterprise (GBE) and is represented by “Shareholder Ministers” - the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy and the Minister of Finance and Deregulation. The organization’s goal is to deliver Australia‘s first national wholesale-only, open access broadband network to all Australians, regardless of where they live.
About ViaSat (www.viasat.com)
ViaSat delivers fast, secure communications, Internet, and network access to virtually any location for consumers, governments, enterprise, and the military. The company offers fixed and mobile satellite network services including Exede(SM) by ViaSat, which features ViaSat-1, the world’s highest capacity satellite; satellite broadband networking systems; and network-centric military communication systems and cyber security products for the U.S. and allied governments. ViaSat also offers communication system design and a number of complementary products and technologies. Based in Carlsbad, California, ViaSat has established a number of worldwide locations for customer service, network operations, and technology development.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to the safe harbors created under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, particularly statements regarding contract value increases as the network is built out, additional offices, and team expansion in Australia. 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 communications industry generally. In addition, please refer to the risk factors contained in ViaSat‘s SEC filings available at www.sec.gov, including ViaSat‘s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and 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.
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Mark D. Dankberg
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SOURCE ViaSat Inc.
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