ViaSat Signs Amended Contract to Boost Quality of JetBlue Fly-Fi In-flight Internet
CARLSBAD, Calif., June 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- JetBlue Airways has upgraded its agreement with ViaSat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT) as the airline moves forward on its mission to offer a superior in-flight broadband experience. JetBlue is more than doubling its contract commitment to $20 million for the service, called Fly-Fi powered by Exede® Internet, while ViaSat will bill for bandwidth charges based on the service take rate for each flight.
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“A good way to characterize this amendment is that we’re both putting a little more skin in the game because of our confidence that providing a really good service is going to increase the number of passengers who use it,” said Mark Dankberg, ViaSat CEO and chairman. “This is a great show of JetBlue’s faith in us as we complete ground testing with LiveTV and move ahead to the first flights.”
The Exede In The Air in-flight service for commercial aircraft is designed to eclipse the service quality and speeds of other in-cabin airline broadband services. The major differentiator for Exede services is an innovative Ka-band satellite system, featuring ViaSat-1, the world’s highest capacity communications satellite. The more favorable economics of the ViaSat system enable airlines to specify a high-speed service level to each passenger, rather than simply an aggregate amount of bandwidth to the plane that leaves passengers competing for limited resources. The system is capable of delivering 12 Mbps or more to each connected passenger.
ViaSat is already under contract to install its in-flight system, working together with partner LiveTV, onto a total of 370 aircraft, including JetBlue and one other U.S. carrier. Installations are expected to begin later this year with all aircraft scheduled to be online by the end of calendar 2015.
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 by ViaSat, which features ViaSat-1, the world’s highest capacity satellite; service to more than 2,300 mobile platforms, including Yonder® Ku-band mobile service; satellite broadband networking systems; and network-centric military communication systems and cybersecurity 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 employs over 2,700 people in a number of locations worldwide for technology development, customer service, and network operations.
Safe Harbor Statement
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. Forward-looking statements include, among others, statements that refer to the service level that the ViaSat system is capable of delivering, service quality, transmission speeds, and the timing of installations. Readers are cautioned that actual results could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include the ability to successfully develop, introduce, and sell new products and enhancements; 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; 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.
Exede is a registered trademark of ViaSat Inc.
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Mark D. Dankberg
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SOURCE ViaSat Inc.
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