ViaSat Receives US$6 Million Award From Unete/Pacific Group to Supply VSAT DVB-S2 Broadband Network for Telecentros Ecuador
CARLSBAD, Calif., Dec. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ViaSat Inc. (Nasdaq: VSAT) will supply its LinkStar® DVB-S2 satellite networking system to Unete Telecomunicaciones S.A. (Bolivia) to expand its enterprise broadband services in Ecuador and the surrounding region, and specifically, for its recently awarded Telecentros Comunitarios Ecuador contract, issued by the national entities CONAM and CONATEL.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030602/VSATLOGO)
The contract, valued at approximately US$6 million, includes installation and integration of a satellite network hub in Guayaquil, Ecuador and 1,200 LinkStarS2 terminals. Deliveries of the hub, networking equipment and first shipment of broadband VSAT terminals are scheduled for this month, with deliveries continuing into the second half of calendar 2007.
“Communication brings people closer together and increases opportunities and socio-economic development. Unete is committed to growing and extending its services to reach more and more people, in Bolivia, Ecuador, and other markets in the region. With this LinkStarS2 networking system, we believe we have the most technologically sophisticated satellite network in the region, offering voice, data, VPNs, and high-speed Internet services, using the bandwidth efficiencies that DVB-S2 offers,” said Juan Ayoroa, Unete/Pacific Telecom Group president.
“With Unete extending its broadband satellite services into Ecuador for the important Telecentros project, we are seeing yet another expansion of our broadband LinkStar DVB-S2 based platforms into new regions of Latin America,” said Robert Feierbach, managing director Latin America and EMEA. “Unete’s commitment to expanding communications in South America makes us very happy to welcome them as a new DVB-S2 satellite network provider.”
“LinkStarS2 VSATs incorporate the latest DVB-S2 waveform to offer bandwidth efficiency gains of up to 30%, substantially reducing network operating costs. ViaSat customers also get the benefit of one VSAT system that can support multiple network services,” said Hugo Frega, ViaSat regional director for Latin America. “We wish our partner Unete/Pacific Telecom much success in this important project for Ecuador.”
With more than 140 hubs and 80,000 terminals installed worldwide, the success of the LinkStar VSAT system can be traced to its versatility. The system is cost-effective for a full spectrum of applications, from low speed, quick-turnaround retail transactions such as point-of-sale and lottery networks, to broadband multimedia applications such as Internet access, high-speed military or homeland security applications, enterprise networking, and distance learning. Operators get better service and more efficient use of satellite transponders from dynamic bandwidth allocation, which increases or decreases data rates on-the-fly. Service providers can also access dedicated network management tools and hub resources from a shared hub though the system’s Virtual Network Operator (VNO) functions.
About Unete (www.unete.bo)
Unete is a telecommunications service provider with offices in Bolivia and Ecuador, with a mission to bring the widest coverage, most advanced technology, and highest service quality to the region. The company offers broadband connectivity, long distance telephony, and leased-line services to businesses, carriers, and ISPs.
About ViaSat (www.viasat.com)
ViaSat produces innovative satellite and other 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’s three wholly owned subsidiaries, US Monolithics, Efficient Channel Coding, and Enerdyne Technologies Inc., design and produce complimentary products such as monolithic microwave integrated circuits, DVB-S2 satellite communication components, and video data link 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.
Safe Harbor Statement
Portions of this release, particularly statements about the 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. The Company refers you to the documents it files from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, specifically the section titled Risk Factors in the Company’s Form 10-K, which contain and identify other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in our projections or forward-looking statements. Stockholders and other readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. We undertake no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements.
SOURCE ViaSat Inc. -0- 12/13/2006 /CONTACT: Joe LoBello, lobello@braincomm.com, or Olga Shmuklyer, shmuklyer@braincomm.com, both of Brainerd Communicators, +1-212-986-6667, for ViaSat Inc./ /Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030602/VSATLOGO AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com/ /Web site: http://www.viasat.com/ (VSAT)
CO: ViaSat Inc.; Unete Telecomunicaciones S.A. ST: California, Ecuador, Bolivia IN: CPR NET TLS SU: CON
KA-LP -- LAW017 -- 4907 12/13/2006 08:20 EST http://www.prnewswire.com