Florida Residents Benefit from First Satellite Internet Service Without Strict Data Caps
ENGLEWOOD, Colo., Jan. 21, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Richard Kelley recently found his dream home outside of Ocala, Fla., where his two dogs can run off-leash on his rural property. But when it came time to find internet service, he was surprised to learn that the local telephone company's broadband service ended just short of his home.
"I didn't even think about internet when I moved," he said. "You just figure wherever you go, you can have service. I started calling around thinking, 'Where do I go now?'"
He signed on with a satellite internet company but quickly discovered he was using data at a fast clip – and buying additional data was more money than he wanted to spend.
Then he saw a sign advertising the Exede® Freedom plan with virtually unlimited data.
"My first thought was, 'My idea of 'virtually unlimited' and their idea are probably two completely different things'," he said. "But (ViaSat) told me what the deal was, and I thought, 'That's a whole heck of a lot better than what I've got now.'"
Kelley relies on the service for communications and advertising for his business, Under Pressure Power Washing, and for personal communications, web search and streaming.
"I like the fact I can watch a movie on Netflix," he said. "Before, I would have to wait until the end of the month to see if I had any data left over before I watched a movie or did updates to my computer. I don't have to worry about that anymore."
Kelley is just one of thousands of subscribers, including many across Florida, benefitting from the industry's first satellite internet plan that does not have a strict data allowance.
"Exede Internet reaches the entire state of Florida with high-speed service, which is a great advantage for many people like Richard, especially those in rural and remote areas," said Matt Farr, marketing director at ViaSat. "However, the data cap has been one of satellite internet's limitations. We're very excited about the introduction of the Freedom plan, which is meeting our customers' needs for more data."
Farr also noted that the Freedom plan is available to new subscribers for only $69.99 for the first six months.
"People love the Freedom plan," Farr said. "For most customers, it means they can stream TV and movies as much as they want and do everything else without having to worry about how much data they're using. It's great."
Farr said the new plan is delivered at 12 Mbps download speeds — about twice the speed of average DSL or 4G/LTE mobile service.
Over the past two years, the Exede service network has grown from the original Exede Internet residential service to include a number of innovative services. Now the company also offers Exede Voice phone service to residential subscribers; Exede In the Air high-speed in-flight internet for airline passengers on two major carriers; Exede Business for added speed and data tailored to business subscribers; and Exede Enterprise communications for live events, field operations and disaster response.
ViaSat has also announced plans for another groundbreaking satellite, ViaSat-2, scheduled to launch in mid-2016. Its launch is expected to facilitate a significant expansion of Exede services, capacity, speed, and coverage areas.
For more information, please visit exede.com.
About ViaSat (www.viasat.com)
ViaSat creates satellite and other wireless networking systems that efficiently deliver the most bandwidth for fast, secure, and high-performance communications to any location for consumers, governments, enterprises, and the military. The company offers Exede services in North America, which feature ViaSat-1, the world's highest capacity satellite; worldwide mobile satellite services, including global tracking and messaging as well as high-speed in-flight internet; satellite broadband networking systems; Wi-Fi and other hotspot operations, support, and management systems; and network-centric military communication systems and cybersecurity 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 3,300 people in a number of locations worldwide for technology development, customer service, and network operations.
Safe Harbor Statement
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 anticipated benefits of the ViaSat-2 satellite, expected capacity, service, speeds, coverage and other features of ViaSat-2, and the timing, cost, economics and other benefits associated therewith. Readers are cautioned that actual results could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include: the ability to realize the anticipated benefits of the ViaSat-2 satellite, unexpected expenses or delays related to the satellite system, the ability to successfully implement ViaSat's business plan for broadband satellite services on ViaSat's anticipated timeline or at all, including with respect to the ViaSat-2 satellite system; risks associated with the construction, launch and operation of ViaSat-2 and ViaSat's other satellites, including the effect of any anomaly, operational failure or degradation in satellite performance; negative audits by the U.S. government; continued turmoil in the global business environment and economic conditions; delays in approving U.S. government budgets and cuts in government defense expenditures; ViaSat's reliance on U.S. government contracts, and on a small number of contracts which account for a significant percentage of ViaSat's revenues; the ability to successfully develop, introduce and sell new technologies, products and services; reduced demand for products as a result of continued constraints on capital spending by customers; changes in relationships with, or the financial condition of, key customers or suppliers; reliance on a limited number of third parties to manufacture and supply ViaSat's products; increased competition and other factors affecting the communications and defense industries generally; the effect of adverse regulatory changes on ViaSat's ability to sell products and services; ViaSat's level of indebtedness and ability to comply with applicable debt covenants; ViaSat's involvement in litigation, including intellectual property claims and litigation to protect proprietary technology; and ViaSat's dependence on a limited number of key employees. 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.
Exede is a registered trademark of ViaSat Inc.
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SOURCE ViaSat
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