Exede Internet Celebrates America's Space Dominance in First National TV spot

CARLSBAD, Calif., Jan. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Approaching its first year in service, satellite Internet provider ViaSat (NASDAQ: VSAT) has launched its first national television commercial for Exede^® satellite Internet service. The spot connects the dots between the dominance of the United States in the space race and Exede Internet, which is powered by ViaSat-1 – the world's highest-capacity satellite.

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

Featuring poignant imagery of astronauts on the moon, crowds cheering rocket launches and other historical footage, the "Space Race" spot loops back its message to today's Internet users enjoying high-speed Exede service here on Earth. Created by Denver's Sukle Advertising & Design, the spot is aimed at highlighting the next generation of high-speed Internet delivered via satellite.

"It's really a stirring piece visually, and it reminds us that this kind of technology is still what America does very well," said Matt Farr, creative director for Exede Internet.

ViaSat-1 was launched in October 2011 and the Exede Internet service kicked off in January 2012. The satellite was designed by ViaSat, an innovative provider of satellite communications equipment for consumers, business, and the government. In addition to the Exede Internet service in the U.S., ViaSat equipment powers other satellite broadband services around the globe, from Australia and Canada to Europe and Latin America.

"The message in this first TV spot is that we won the space race, and that American ingenuity continues to fuel innovation in satellite technology," said Lisa Scalpone, vice president of sales & marketing for Exede Internet. "ViaSat has been at the cutting edge of this, and the ViaSat-1 satellite behind Exede is simply light years ahead of those early satellite Internet services."

In its first six months in full operation, Exede service attracted more than 150,000 subscribers around the country. Featuring download speeds up to 12 Mbps, the service is about six times faster than earlier satellite Internet and four times faster than average DSL. Because it doesn't rely on cables or wires to deliver the signal, Exede is popular with rural users — although the service also competes with "terrestrial" ISPs in other areas as well.

"With 12 Mbps service, it's a real game changer for people," Scalpone said. "Especially for those who had to live with just dial-up or really slow DSL. People who have signed on in the last year really love it."

The Exede Internet service builds on the legacy of WildBlue, also a ViaSat service, which has been providing satellite Internet service since 2004.

The "Space Race" commercial can be viewed at http://youtu.be/oASZFIRUxiA

Find more information about Exede Internet at www.exede.com.

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 1,750 mobile platforms, including Yonder Ku-band mobile Internet; satellite broadband networking systems; and network-centric military communication systems and cybersecurity products for the U.S. and allied governments. Based in Carlsbad, California, ViaSat employs over 2,400 people in a number of locations worldwide for customer service, network operations, and technology development.

Exede is a registered service mark of ViaSat Inc.

SOURCE ViaSat