Ottawa, Canada, - Telesat, one of the world's leading satellite operators, has signed a multi-year agreement to purchase DOCSIS®-for-satellite Ka-band consumer terminals (CTs) from ViaSat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT). Telesat chose ViaSat in March 2004 as the supplier of gateways and terminals for Telesat broadband consumer Ka-band services in Canada on the Anik F2 satellite.

ViaSat DOCSIS-for-satellite Ka-band consumer terminals use a networking technology that uses satellite bandwidth more efficiently, lowering the cost of broadband service to consumers. The terminals include satellite modems and Ka-band transceivers from US Monolithics, ViaSat's wholly owned subsidiary.

"Telesat is committed to using the best technologies available to bring affordable broadband services to consumers, no matter where they live," said Dave Lahey, Telesat's vice president of business development. "ViaSat's terminals will help Telesat deliver a superior satellite broadband service that can help make the 'digital divide' a thing of the past."

The two companies have developed a strong relationship as Telesat has implemented its plans for new broadband services. In March 2004, ViaSat supplied gateways and terminals for Telesat's Anik F2, the world's largest commercial communications satellite. Anik F2 is one of the first satellites to provide North American consumers with ubiquitous service in the Ka-band - a breakthrough satellite communications technology for delivering cost-effective, two-way broadband services.

"We have tremendous respect for Telesat's innovation and technical leadership in broadband and Ka band satellite systems," said Mark Dankberg, chairman and CEO of ViaSat. "So we are especially proud of this major expansion in their DOCSIS-based consumer broadband service. This increases the number of DOCSIS consumer terminals on order worldwide to almost 200,000 units and will significantly support our efforts to establish satellite as an economical alternative for broadband access services."

About Telesat (www.telesat.com)
Telesat is a pioneer in satellite operations and systems management. The company made history in 1972 with the launch of the first domestic commercial communications satellite in geostationary orbit. Today, Telesat competes with other top international satellite fleets in providing telecommunications and broadcasting services throughout the Americas. Telesat is a wholly owned subsidiary of BCE Inc., a leading communications company with shares listed in the United States, Canada and Europe.

About ViaSat (www.viasat.com)
ViaSat produces innovative satellite and other communication products that enable fast, secure, and efficient communications to any location. Products include satellite ground equipment, information security devices, tactical data radios and communication simulators. ViaSat has a full line of VSAT products for data and voice applications, and is a market leader in Ka-band satellite systems, from user terminals to gateways. ViaSat has locations in Carlsbad, CA, and Norcross, GA, along with its Comsat Laboratories division based in Clarksburg, MD. Additional field offices are located in Boston, MA, the Washington DC/Baltimore area, China, India, Italy and Australia.

About US Monolithics (www.usmonolithics.com)
U.S. Monolithics focuses on providing superior, low-cost, MMIC-based products to the growing wireless telecommunications markets including satellite communications, point-to-point, and point-to-multipoint systems. U.S. Monolithics products include high-power Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit (MMIC) components and multi-chip modules, including power amplifiers, transceivers, and integrated block converters. U.S. Monolithics is a wholly owned subsidiary of ViaSat.

DOCSIS is a registered trademark of Cable Television Laboratories Inc.

For more information, please contact:
Marilynn Wright
Telesat
Tel: 613-748-8855
m.wright@telesat.ca

Bruce Rowe
ViaSat
Tel: 760-476-2505
bruce.rowe@viasat.com

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