Happy first anniversary, ViaSat Exede Internet

It’s only been a year since ViaSat introduced its Exede Internet service. And yet the fledgling residential satellite broadband service has already acquired more than 285,000 subscribers on ViaSat-1.

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According to ViaSat chairman and CEO Mark Dankberg, Exede proved that satellite broadband connectivity can exceed terrestrial alternatives if the cost of satellite bandwidth becomes affordable. The Company will deliver a series of new satellites to capitalize on the the success of ViaSat-1 and continue to redefine the capabilities of satellite broadband.

ViaSat-1 bears the official title of World’s Highest Capacity Communications Satellite. The Guinness World Records title holder provides capacity and connectivity for the Exede Internet service.

With a baseline download speed of 12 Mbps, Exede Internet has become one of the mainstream options for Internet connectivity. Around 40% of its new subscribers have passed over other alternatives for fixed home use in order to avail of ViaSat’s satellite Internet service.

The FCC itself announced last February that the ViaSat high-speed Internet via satellite service exceeded all other ISPs when it came to making good on the speeds promised to subscribers. 90% of Exede subscribers reported enjoying peak period speeds that were 140% faster than advertised.

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Eutelsat, OneAccess launches Ka-Sat Internet via satellite solution for enterprises

A partnership between Eutelsat Communications and OneAccess expressed its intention to provide businesses with a new performance-enhanced platform that will leverage the Ka-Sat High Throughput Satellite to deliver Internet via satellite services within a secure VPN environment. The two companies stated that their new satellite broadband solution will be able to match DSL in terms of service quality and price.

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A One1520 satellite router has been developed by Eutelsat and OneAccess and dedicated to this new platform. The router can deliver downloads speeds of up to 20 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 6 Mbps through the incorporation of integrated traffic acceleration, IP routing, and IP-VPN secure transport

Businesses that dispersed their offices across multiple networks critically need a fast and secure inter-branch communications network. The new high-speed Internet by satellite solution will enable the swift implementation and secure environment that private networks require for integrated backup and traffic offload solutions. And in addition to widening the range of enterprise services, it also promises decrease the total cost of ownership, making it more attractive to users and operators.

The Eutelsat-OneAccess satellite Internet solution will launch in March 2013.

Pactel signs capacity deal with SES to power satellite solutions in Pacific

In a long-term capacity deal with SES, Pactel will be using several transponders aboards the NSS-9 satellite to improve the voice and data services it currently offers in the Pacific region.

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SES satellite capacity allows Pactel to reach the numerous businesses in remote Pacific locations. Pactel delivers Internet by satellite connectivity, voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) calls, and other satellite communications services.

According to SES, satellite is the most efficient communications infrastructure for the delivery of Pactel’s connectivity solutions to businesses on the widely-separate and remote islands of the Pacific region.

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O3b Networks, Royal Caribbean sign second maritime satellite broadband deal

O3b Networks revealed that Royal Caribbean Cruises has secured a second multi-year deal for the provision of the Company’s high-speed satellite broadband service, O3b Maritime, aboard the cruise ship Allure of the Seas.

Allure of the Seas is one of the largest ships operated by Royal Caribbean. The vessel’s more than 8,000 guests, staff, and crewmembers can now enjoy fiber-like broadband speeds while cruising the Caribbean courtesy the O3b satellite constellation.

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In a company statement, Royal Caribbean Cruises explained that cruise ship guests desire voice and Internet services equal to terrestrial fiber services. The cruise line is the first to offer high-quality connectivity services to the guests and crew of its Oasis class of cruise ships.

Royal Caribbean was also the first to sign up for O3b Maritime services. The cruise operator entered a contract with O3b Networks in 2012 for the provision of its satellite broadband solution aboard Oasis of the Seas, the sister ship of Allure of the Seas.

According to O3b, it expects the high-speed Internet from satellite service it will deploy aboard Allure of the Seas to be four times faster than current and future GEO satellite systems.

The total bandwidth provided by the satellite broadband agreements between O3b Networks and Royal Caribbean is greater than the combined amount currently provided on all other Caribbean cruise ships, which secures the leadership position of the regional market for O3b.

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Satellite internet services to be strengthened by Ka band technology

Satellite internet technology has taken a long time to really take-off, mainly because satellite hardware can be expensive and installation an added cost. Latency issues also continue to hamper the services leaving clients depending on DSL connections, or plain and simply, disconnected.

Ka band is changing all that as it becomes the next commercial step for the satellite industry. The present Ku and C bands are already approaching saturation and it is only logical for operators to move to the next spectrum. This next frequency band is expected to drive growth in the industry, and strengthen communications solutions, including internet from satellite.

Many enterprise and government organizations are already turning to Ka band for their various communications applications. Businesses with remote operating sites will benefit the most from the new frequency band which offers higher throughput capacity by employing multi-spot beams yet offering a wide cloak similar to Ku band coverage.

The additional bandwidth unlocked through Ka band capacity will strengthen VSAT applications, including satellite broadband, and enable improved services such as video conferencing, data and telemetry, and private corporate networks. The satellite industry is taking these improvements as a fantastic opportunity to promote healthy competition within the industry while supplying the increased demand for satellite capacity.

Ka band VSAT terminals also enjoy the advantage because they are smaller end-user terminals which are perfect for mobile deployment without compromising performance. This is perfect for internet on satellite service, which is mostly developed and designed for rural clients. With the additional bandwidth, satellite broadband services are now stronger, providing higher-speeds to run online applications like telehealth, distance learning, and work from home opportunities.