ViaSat Delivers Units To Connexion by Boeinghttps://www.viasat.com/about/news_details.cfm?id=93
ViaSat Delivers Flight Qualified “Black Label” Units to Connexion by BoeingSM
Key Milestone Prior to Commercial Aircraft Broadband Service Launch
Carlsbad, Calif., and Seattle, Wash - ViaSat Inc. (Nasdaq:VSAT) has delivered the initial set of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) fully flight-qualified airborne receive and transmit subsystems (ARTS) for Connexion by Boeing under the initial production order announced in October 2001.
“This is a significant milestone in providing fully qualified equipment for the Connexion by Boeing broadband communications service for commercial aircraft. Successfully passing the qualification testing reflects the quality and robustness of the ARTS product. This delivery is an important step toward enabling initial deployment of this breakthrough communication system,” said Steve Cable, vice president, ViaSat Broadband Systems.
For the past 14 months ViaSat has been developing airborne and ground receiver and transmitter subsystems under contract to Boeing. The solid performance of the broadband modems on a rapidly moving platform is essential to creating a viable “Internet connection in the sky.” The modem subsystems use a spread spectrum waveform capable of simultaneously carrying multiple IP video streams, a videoconference link, large file transfers and e-mail traffic.
Connexion by Boeing is a broadband mobile information service provider that offers unparalleled high-speed data services to commercial air travelers and private and government aircraft operators via a space-based network. Through the service Boeing provides high-speed intranet, e-mail, and Internet services during flight, at ground-based service pricing. In addition, Connexion by Boeing will complement existing commercial in-flight entertainment systems by providing two-way, live data connectivity, rebroadcast television, video and audio services, fulfilling the modern business traveler's need to stay connected to the office, Web, news, and financial information.
“We are particularly excited with Viasat’s delivery because it allows us to offer our commercial and executive services customers an extremely cost-effective solution for data transmissions using Ku band satellites, as compared to narrowband service offerings or 64 kilobit systems,” said Ed Laase, director of System Development for Connexion by Boeing. “These systems simply can’t deliver a true broadband experience passengers want and expect; they confuse the marketplace and ultimately result in higher costs to end users.”
The receive and transmit subsystem is the Connexion by Boeing satellite communication terminal that receives and decodes the broadband signals from the satellite to the aircraft. In addition, it also encodes and spreads the signal transmissions back to the satellite to support broadband communication off the aircraft.
ViaSat (www.viasat.com) produces advanced digital satellite telecommunications and wireless signal processing systems for commercial and government markets. ViaSat’s full line of satellite communication products includes VSAT systems for network access and infrastructure, and Ka-band satellite systems, from user terminals to large gateways for both geosynchronous and low earth orbit satellites. Other products include tactical communication radios, network security products, and RF communication simulators. Along with its headquarters in Carlsbad, CA, ViaSat has divisions located in Clarksburg, MD and Norcross, GA. Additional field offices are located in Boston, MA, the United Kingdom, Australia, Chile, China, and India.
The Connexion by Boeing service is currently available to the executive services market in the U.S., which includes operators of private and government aircraft. Connexion by Boeing also remains on track with leading European carrier Lufthansa to begin service trial in late 2002. For additional information, visit the Connexion by Boeing web site at www.connexionbyboeing.com.
For additional information, please contact Steve Cable, ViaSat vice president, Broadband Systems at 760-476-2382 or Terrance Scott, Connexion by Boeing Media Relations, 206-655-9350.
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