Viasat Eliminates Ka-band Speed Limits for Business Aviation In-Flight Connectivity; Showcases its Satellite Innovation and Capabilities
CARLSBAD, Calif., July 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Viasat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), a global communications company, today announced it has removed internet speed limits delivered to the aircraft across all of its business aviation Ka-band service plans. Additionally, the company has doubled its minimum committed internet speed to the aircraft for the same Ka-band service plans. The move, an industry-first, demonstrates the Company's leadership in the business aviation market by unleashing an entirely new premium in-flight connectivity (IFC) experience for its Ka-band business jet customers.
A recent report by Euroconsult, Prospects for In-Flight Entertainment & Connectivity, 2019, found that the growing demand for applications including video-conferencing and high-definition video streaming, which are expected to drive IFC terminal demand, require faster high-speed connectivity.
Viasat's elimination of Ka-band speed maximums enables an even better experience for passengers and crew to simultaneously use business-critical productivity and entertainment apps such as video-conferencing, accessing VPN/cloud content, email, high-definition streaming services, live TV and more - through all phases of flight - across the world's most heavily traveled flight routes. Ka-band customers also have the option to subscribe to Viasat Unlimited Streaming, which allows passengers to access online media services without impacting monthly data allowances.
"Over the last few years, business aviation service plans have evolved to include bigger data allowances and higher Maximum Information Rates (MIR) and Committed Information Rates (CIR) as service providers react to ever increasing data requirements. As we emerge from COVID-19, these requirements will go up another notch with corporations transporting more of their employees through so-called health corridors and passengers having become more accustomed to using bandwidth-intensive applications like video-telephony and subscription-based streaming services during lockdown," states Craig Foster of Valour Consultancy. "Viasat's decision to remove speed caps entirely means that it will be poised to support the increase in demand and an overall improved passenger experience."
The new Ka-band service plans offer uncapped speeds made possible by the world's highest-capacity satellite network combined with Viasat's compact and lightweight hardware. Together they deliver the global bandwidth required to meet the increasing demand for faster connectivity speeds to use data-rich applications while in-flight. As a result of Viasat's recent Ka-band speed tests, customers have seen 40 Mbps and higher across the new service plans, allowing passengers to access more data at higher speeds across more devices.
"Today's offering delivers a completely new and premium in-flight experience made possible by Viasat's innovative technology," said Claudio D'Amico, business area director, Business Aviation, Viasat. "We believe this key differentiator is expected to dramatically change the onboard connectivity experience for Viasat's business aviation Ka-band customers. By removing speed limits, we are creating a home-like connectivity experience for mid-cabin to large- and long-range business jets."
The Viasat Ka-band business aviation IFC solution uses Viasat's Global Aero Terminal 5510, which taps into the ViaSat-1, ViaSat-2 and European Ka-band satellite platform, and is expected to be forward-compatible with Viasat's next-generation satellite systems. Forward-compatibility allows customers to install the Viasat shipset and subscribe to a Viasat service package today, with assurances that they can access additional satellite capacity, including larger data volumes and expanded coverage once Viasat launches its ViaSat-3 satellite constellation.
To find out more about Viasat's new uncapped Ka-band speeds or service plans, please email Viasat at [email protected], visit Viasat Ka-band or call +1 760 476 4755.
About Viasat
Viasat is a global communications company that believes everyone and everything in the world can be connected. For more than 30 years, Viasat has helped shape how consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the world communicate. Today, the Company is developing the ultimate global communications network to power high-quality, secure, affordable, fast connections to impact people's lives anywhere they are—on the ground, in the air or at sea. To learn more about Viasat, visit: www.viasat.com, go to Viasat's Corporate Blog, or follow the Company on social media at: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter or YouTube.
Forward-Looking Statements
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 statements about the elimination of speed limits, faster speeds for Ka-band customers and enhanced experiences, benefits and capabilities. Readers are cautioned that actual results could differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include: our ability to successfully implement our business plan for our broadband services on our anticipated timeline or at all; risks associated with the construction, launch and operation of satellites, including the effect of any anomaly, operational failure or degradation in satellite performance; 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, and increased competition and other factors affecting the aviation sector 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.
Copyright © 2020 Viasat, Inc. All rights reserved. Viasat, the Viasat logo and the Viasat signal are registered trademarks of Viasat, Inc. All other product or company names mentioned are used for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.
SOURCE Viasat, Inc.
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