O3b signs agreement with ViaSat

15 March 2010

O3b Networks Limited, has signed a contract with ViaSat Inc. for the production and installation of Ka-band infrastructure. The value of the contract is approximately $47 million.

ViaSat will supply gateway teleports and high speed IP trunking terminals to O3b Networks, including full-motion tracking antenna systems for the Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites, high-speed modems, monitor and control equipment, system development, and installation. Teleport installation is scheduled to be complete ahead of the planned launch of the O3b service in early 2012.

Each teleport will include three ViaSat 7.3-meter antennas and each IP trunking terminal will include two 4.5-meter tracking antennas together with high-speed modems and other baseband equipment. The O3b IP trunking terminal is designed for Internet backhaul by telecom carriers, operating at rates from 50 Mbps to 1 Gbps. ViaSat will develop a new 4.5-meter MEO antenna and a very high-speed DVB-S2 modem.

Mark Rigolle, O3b Chief Executive Officer, said "ViaSat’s leadership in Ka-band satellite technology and antenna tracking provides additional confidence that we can meet our plans to commence service in early 2012. This infrastructure equipment is a critical piece of our advanced satellite network, which will bring high-speed access to those who have so far been poorly served, or completely cut off, from the Internet."

John Zlogar, VP and general manager of Antenna Systems at ViaSat said, "The growing demand for more and more bandwidth is a worldwide phenomenon, and we’re firm believers that Ka-band satellite is the technology that can deliver the high-capacity, low-cost broadband that people need. We are excited to be working with O3b Networks who share that same belief."