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ViaSat wins O3b deal, dominates Ka-band
Chris Forrester ©RapidTVNews | 15-03-2010
The Ka-band is a range of frequencies that satellite operators are increasingly interested in, especially for satellite-delivered broadband. Eutelsat’s Ka-Sat craft will launch later this year in and with ViaSat supplying the ground-based segment. Now ViaSat has won a contract from O3b, in which SES holds a significant stake.
The $47m agreement was announced at the Washington ‘Satellite 2010’ show. O3b Networks Limited, the developer of a new global, high-speed, low latency, fiber-like satellite-based Internet service for telecommunications operators and ISPs in emerging markets, has signed a contract with ViaSat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT) for the production and installation of Ka-band infrastructure.
ViaSat will supply gateway teleports and high speed IP trunking terminals to O3b Networks, including full-motion tracking antenna systems for the Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites, high-speed modems, monitor and control equipment, system development, and installation. Teleport installation is scheduled to be complete ahead of the planned launch of the O3b service in early 2012.
Each teleport will include three ViaSat 7.3-meter antennas and each IP trunking terminal will include two 4.5-meter tracking antennas together with high-speed modems and other baseband equipment. The O3b IP trunking terminal is designed for internet backhaul by telecom carriers, operating at rates from 50 Mbps to 1 Gbps. ViaSat will develop a new 4.5-meter MEO antenna and a very high-speed DVB-S2 modem.
Mark Rigolle, O3b Chief Executive Officer, said: “ViaSat’s leadership in Ka-band satellite technology and antenna tracking provides additional confidence that we can meet our plans to commence service in early 2012. This infrastructure equipment is a critical piece of our advanced satellite network, which will bring high-speed access to those who have so far been poorly served, or completely cut off, from the Internet.”
© Rapid TV News 2010
