WildBlue, the first next-generation Ka-band satellite broadband system, is the fastest growing broadband service in the world

WildBlue's initial target for its affordable two-way broadband services is residential and small office/home office customers throughout the contiguous United States. WildBlue's strategic investors include Liberty Media Corporation, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Arianspace, the National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative, and Intelsat. The spot beam satellite technology and ground system design of WildBlue is lowering the cost of providing high speed Internet access via satellite. Since its roll out in late 2004, subscriptions have quickly grown to nearly 300,000.

WildBlue is especially appealing to the 15 to 20 million U.S. homes that do not have access to DSL or cable modem service.

Spot beam satellites focus multiple beams of satellite power onto different geographic regions, similar to the cells of a wireless phone network. According to WildBlue this technology produces an increase of four to six times the capacity of conventional Ku-band satellites that have one large "footprint," generally covering an area slightly larger than the continental US. Of course with higher system capacity WildBlue can offer lower cost airtime for users. WildBlue service will launch using Ka-band transponders on the Telesat Anik F2 satellite. WildBlue also has its own satellite, WildBlue 1, on order with Loral Space Systems.

DOCSIS for Satellite

Perhaps as important as choosing spot-beam technology is another aspect of WildBlue's strategy, which is building a satellite system based on the cable industry's well-established Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS®). Using DOCSIS for satellite, WildBlue can tap into proven broadband technology, including mass produced chipsets, a variety of hub hardware, and mature back office systems. This tremendous savings in development time and costs will further reduce the cost of subscriber services.

To adapt the system to satellite, WildBlue chose ViaSat as its technology partner. ViaSat engineered both a satellite modem and the satellite modem termination system (SMTS), or "headend" of the network. ViaSat wholly owned subsidiary, US Monolithics will also be contributing key technology to WildBlue.

US Monolithics is the exclusive supplier of outdoor satellite transceiver electronics, in the form of a 3-watt linear output power transceiver operating at transmit frequencies of 29.5 to 30.0 GHz and receive frequencies of 19.7 to 20.2 GHz, integrated into a single, compact package. As with the other system components, a low cost transceiver is a key to making WildBlue's business proposition work.

The satellite modem, similar in size and function to DSL or cable modems, converts the analog data transmissions into Internet Protocol (IP) data packets, which can be read by subscriber's PCs or any digital Internet appliance. ViaSat is enabling WildBlue to leverage standard components from DOCSIS, as well as the satellite TV industry, while ensuring the design will provide excellent performance over the Ka-band satellite link.

The SMTS serves same purpose as a cable modem termination system. Located at each WildBlue gateway location, the ViaSat SMTS will provide the interface between the terrestrial internet backbone and WildBlue subscribers. The SMTS will control the satellite network, act as an IP router/switch to communicate with and manage the traffic for each subscriber satellite terminal, and perform authentication and encryption for subscribers. Six gateways, being built by Andrew Corp., are under construction. Locations are in San Diego, CA; Cheyenne, WY; Laredo, TX; Syracuse, NY; Duluth, MN, and Seattle, WA.

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