Viasat
Latest
ViaSat-1 scheduled to launch October 19th, spreading high-speed satellite service across North America
It's been delayed a few times already, but the high-capacity ViaSat-1 satellite is now in the process of being prepped for a new launch date: October 19th. Once in operation, it'll bring download speeds up to 10Mbps to satellite internet customers in both Canada and the US (including Hawaii) via Xplornet and WildBlue, respectively, and serve other partners like JetBlue. Those interested can keep an eye on the source link below for a live broadcast of the launch.
JetBlue to bring Ka-band high-speed internet to the friendly skies by 2012
Despite Boeing's early efforts to make satellite service the go-to option for in-flight internet, the rather costly connection solution never really took off. It seems, satellite connectivity is about to experience something of a resurgence -- just last month Gogo announced its plans to blanket the globe with Ka-band coverage by 2015, and now JetBlue's announcing that it will be the first to deliver an on-board Ka-band network. In an agreement with ViaSat, the airline intends to bring the service to its more than 170 aircraft, beginning installation in 2012. The new broadband option will reportedly offer higher transmission speeds and more bandwidth per passenger for less money than other in-flight internet alternatives. With Lufthansa's new FlyNet service also sporting satellite-enabled WiFi, it would seem things are looking up for the future of the once doomed broadband solution.
Viasat launches satellite VOD in Europe, Sweden calls first
Viasat isn't giving HD consumers any additional high-def scraps to fight over here, but at least the "premium" customers who are shelling out for that ViasatPlus HD service will be able to justify it a tad more. A new video-on-demand service (predictably named ViasatOnDemand) will utilize a customer's broadband internet connection to pull down movies and other programs to the hard drive of their DVR on demand. Sweden will become the first country to take advantage when it launches there this week, while Norway / Denmark get it next week and Finland later this year. Each movie that's currently available on premium channel TV1000 will be available at no extra charge, while other flicks / series will be priced between SEK19 ($2.47) and SEK49 ($6.25) per title.
SES ASTRA tardily trumpets 12 channels of HD Olympics across Europe
There's nothing here that wasn't apparent already, but SES ASTRA is just now getting around to boasting about a dozen HD channels that it's hosting to broadcast the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Ready for an exhaustive list? The channels broadcasting the Olympics in HD include for the UK, BBC HD, for France, France 2 HD and CANAL+ HD, for Germany, ANIXE HD, for Poland, TVP HD, for the Slovak Republic, STV3, for the Netherlands, 1 HD, for Belgium een HD, for Spain, TELEDEPORTE HD, for Sweden, Viasat HD and SVT HD and for Austria, ORF HD. So yeah, if you somehow missed this for the first week of the Games, at least you're clued in now.[Image courtesy of Beijing 2008]
SVT HD makes Viasat's HD lineup slightly less pitiful
Europe as a whole could use a real shot in the arm when it comes to HD, so we guess we can't point and laugh too much as Viasat increases its HD lineup from three networks -- Viasat Sport HD, TV1000 HD and National Geographic HD -- to four. Public broadcaster SVT HD is all set to join the others in short order, as Viasat attempts to maintain competitive balance with rival Canal Digital, which already offers the channel. There's no word on an actual go-live date (nor any indication of extra charges), but on a slightly separate note, we are told that Danish channel TV2 Sport HD will resume high-def airings when it covers the SAS football league after it returns from winter break.
Viasat launches high-definition offerings in Europe
Don't look now, but Viasat Broadcasting has just launched its first high-definition offerings (including two Viasat-branded premium HDTV channels, TV1000 HD and Viasat Sport HD) on its Nordic satellite pay-TV platform. Reportedly, TV1000 HD and National Geographic HD will be available in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland, while Viasat Sport HD makes its debut in Sweden, Norway and Finland; as for Danish subscribers, they'll have access to TV2 Sport HD. Unfortunately, fetching said programming won't come cheap, as it'll demand SEK/NOK/DKK 99 per month (between $15 and $20) in addition to the currently undisclosed HD set-top-box upgrade cost. Speaking of which, two STBs will initially be available: a Viasat Plus HD PVR box from Pace and a standard Viasat HD box made by Samsung, both of which use NDS middleware / content security and support 720p / 1080i. And we thought we were starved for HD...
