ViaSat and Eutelsat Enter First-of-a-Kind Agreement to Link High-Capacity Ka-Band Satellite Networks

Regulatory News :

ViaSat Inc. (Nasdaq: VSAT) and Eutelsat Communications (Paris:ETL) (NYSE Euronext Paris: ETL) have entered into a pioneering agreement that will enable service access and roaming on each other’s high-capacity satellite networks (KA-SAT for Eutelsat and ViaSat-1 for ViaSat). Both Ka-band networks, representing well over half of all Ka-band capacity on orbit worldwide, share the same high-capacity satellite ecosystem, enabled by the ViaSat Broadband System, along with other ground infrastructure owned and operated by Eutelsat and ViaSat. The resulting high-capacity service area will span North America, Europe and the Mediterranean Basin. Customers will be able to operate an array of fixed and mobile services including in-flight connectivity, maritime, emergency relief, oil and gas operations and government applications anywhere within the combined coverage areas..

The agreement includes provisions for future satellites and follow-on technologies as they complement current Eutelsat and ViaSat High Throughput Satellites. That future includes ViaSat-2, scheduled for launch in 2016, which is designed to cover a broader footprint in North America, Central America, the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean and to bridge the North Atlantic to form a blanket of high-capacity coverage across the region.

“This formalises another step towards covering the high traffic areas of the world with the fastest, most affordable mobile broadband satellite connectivity,” said Mark Dankberg, ViaSat Chairman and CEO. “Extending our long-standing relationship with Eutelsat enables us to provide the fastest in-flight Wi-Fi available on both sides of the Atlantic.”

Michel de Rosen, Eutelsat Chairman and CEO, said: “Working with ViaSat, we can extend to North America the high quality of service we already provide clients in Europe through KA-SAT, and bridge the two satellite systems with the addition of ViaSat-2. We believe this feature will be a real plus for companies providing mobile services and who need to move around user equipment from region to region.”

Eutelsat’s KA-SAT, the first High Throughput Satellite (HTS) in the European region, supplies more than 90 Gbps of network capacity. Eutelsat provides services in conjunction with a number of partners under brands including the Tooway™ consumer broadband service and the NewsSpotter video contribution service. The ViaSat network covers the U.S. and Canada with over 145 Gbps of capacity, providing a service network for both consumers and enterprises, including Exede® and Xplornet brand services.

About Eutelsat (www.eutelsat.com)

Established in 1977, Eutelsat Communications (ISIN code: FR0010221234) is one of the world's leading and most experienced operators of communications satellites. The company provides capacity on 37 satellites to clients that include broadcasters and broadcasting associations, pay-TV operators, video, data and Internet service providers, enterprises and government agencies. Eutelsat’s satellites provide ubiquitous coverage of Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia-Pacific and the Americas, enabling video, data, broadband and government communications to be established irrespective of a user’s location. Headquartered in Paris, with offices and teleports around the globe, Eutelsat represents a workforce of 1,000 men and women from 32 countries who are experts in their fields and work with clients to deliver the highest quality of service.

About ViaSat (www.viasat.com)

ViaSat creates satellite and other wireless networking systems that efficiently deliver the most bandwidth for fast, secure, and high-quality 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 high-speed in-flight Internet as well as global tracking and messaging; satellite broadband networking 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 3,100 people in a number of locations worldwide for technology development, customer service, and network operations.

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 geographic coverage of the satellite service area; the available fixed and mobile services; the speed and affordability of services; and the future launch, coverage and capabilities of ViaSat-2. ViaSat wishes to caution you that there are some factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, including but not limited to: the ability to successfully implement ViaSat’s business plan for broadband satellite services on ViaSat’s anticipated timeline or at all; risks associated with the construction, launch and operation of ViaSat’s 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.

Tooway is a trademark of Eutelsat SA.

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