Exede Internet "Invasion Tour" Rolls into Iowa State Fair With UFO on Board

DES MOINES, Iowa, Aug. 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- It's not every day an alien spacecraft loaded onto an all-terrain military vehicle rolls into town, but that's just what's happening this week at the Iowa State Fair. The fair is the kickoff event for the "Exede^® Invasion Tour," hitting seven states this summer and fall.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20091216/VIASATLOGO)

A UFO-style spacecraft, home to Brian the Alien, will showcase "Exede — Internet So Fast It Must Be From Outer Space." The service is powered by ViaSat-1, the world's highest capacity satellite, which beams signals from household computers 22,000 miles into space and back.

Fair-goers are invited to try the Exede service on a large Windows 8 or Mac desktop, or on an iPad or Samsung tablet. They'll also have the opportunity to try Exede Voice, a new home phone service that uses the Exede network. 

ViaSat's Exede Internet provides download speeds of 12 Mbps – significantly faster than previous generations of satellite and many DSL services. The service is available across Iowa. Exede Internet is one of the nation's fastest growing Internet services and has offered many consumers across the U.S. a new choice in upgrading their Internet service to higher speeds.    

Exede Spaceship and demo station location: On the fairgrounds near the southwest doors

Date and Time:  Aug. 8-18, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Featuring:  Hands-on demos/explanation of Exede Internet service

Introductory service offer: Available for duration of fair. Details available at demo area.

Iowa Business Involvement:  Johnston Communications, West Des Moines. Award-winning Exede dealer.

Buzz: Post a picture with Brian the Alien, the extraterrestrial mascot for Exede Internet, on your Facebook page and tag "#exedebrian"

Media Demo:  Aug. 13, 10 a.m. or by request. Media credentials available.

Visuals available:  Photo of spaceship and truck, Brian the Alien, logos.

Photo Opportunities:  Preparation – Aug. 5 and 6, 1- 3 p.m.  Fair candids: Any time during fair        hours.

About Exede (www.exede.com)

Exede, a service of ViaSat Inc., delivers high-speed Internet to more than 500,000 subscribers across the U.S. With download speeds of 12 Mbps, Exede service has transformed satellite Internet for households that previously had slow, inadequate Internet service. It is also proving to be a popular, competitive alternative to residential DSL and wireless Internet. In June 2013, the company began offering Exede Voice residential telephone service over its network, optimized for quality and reliability.

In the FCC's annual benchmarking report, Measuring Broadband America 2013, Exede service led all Internet service providers included in the study in surpassing advertised speeds. ViaSat-1 earned a Guinness World Records® achievement as the highest-capacity communications satellite in the world at the time of its launch in October 2011. Exede service is also a winner of a 2013 Edison Award for innovation and performance and a winner of the 2012 Popular Science "Best of What's New."

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 2,800 people in a number of locations worldwide for technology development, customer service, and network operations.

Exede and Yonder are registered trademarks of ViaSat Inc.

SOURCE ViaSat Inc.