Advanced Television

ViaSat-3

ViaSat-3 open for airline passengers

Viasat’s massive ViaSat-3 F1 satellite is now in commercial service. The satellite has been under test for the past few months and despite some complications created by a problem with its antenna deployment upon launch has entered commercial service and is now available for aviation customers operating over North America, including air-routes servicing Hawaii. The […]

August 6, 2024By Chris Forrester

Viasat Q3 loss despite revenue up 8%

California-based satellite operator Viasat reported its Q3 numbers after the market closed on February 6th. Chairman and CEO Mark Dankberg said revenues grew 8 per cent to $1.1 billion (€1.02bn) which was up an impressive 73 per cent y-o-y improvement of 2023’s $651 million. However, the company’s net loss rose to $124 million (a loss […]

February 7, 2024By Chris Forrester

Viasat’s debt ratings adjusted by Fitch

Fitch Ratings has affirmed satellite operator Viasat and its subsidiaries’ Long-Term Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) at ‘BB-‘ and removed all ratings from Rating Watch Negative (RWN) – which is good news for the company. Fitch has resolved the RWN as it expects Viasat’s debt leverage to decline and sustain within the current EBITDA leverage sensitivities […]

January 19, 2024

Viasat updates market on VS-3 problem

Viasat has issued interim statements on its current financial position and expectations, and including an update on the situation with ViaSat-3 Americas (VS-3 F1) which suffered a major malfunction with its giant antenna following its launch on May 1st. It has also issued its statement on the loss of Inmarsat I6-F2 which has also failed. […]

October 12, 2023

ViaSat-3 on the move

ViaSat-3 Americas, which suffered a major malfunction after launch on April 30th, is on the move from its original test position to a new location. The satellite’s problem concerns its giant reflector which failed to deploy correctly. The satellite has subsequently been shaken and manipulated – all quite normal actions – in attempts to coax […]

October 3, 2023By Chris Forrester

Viasat faces key business challenge

It is not yet confirmed but the potential loss of a new satellite for Viasat of California could pose a major problem for the company. But some experts suggest the loss might prove to be a blessing in disguise. The satellite in question is Inmarsat I6-F2 craft, but the probable loss comes hard on the […]

August 29, 2023

ViaSat-3 suffers major problem

Viasat’s brand new – but long delayed – satellite, ViaSat-3, only launched on May 1st, has suffered problems with its antenna. A statement from Viasat issued after the market closed on July 12th said that an unexpected event occurred during reflector deployment that may materially impact the performance of the ViaSat-3 Americas satellite. “Viasat and […]

July 13, 2023By Chris Forrester

Viasat, Inmarsat targeting growth in IFC, D2C cellular

Mark Dankberg, chairman of Viasat, said that his company’s airline clients were buying into the concept of geostationary satellites and that the recently launched ViaSat-3 satellite would make a major difference to its airline broadband services. Viasat serves 15 airlines including Delta Air Lines which represents major – and growing – demand on Viasat’s satellite […]

May 22, 2023

Viasat: “Geo + Inmarsat can equal LEO”

In post-results comments to market analysts, Viasat’s chairman Mark Dankberg said the combination of its expanding ViaSat-3 ‘next generation’ satellites, plus the L-band services from Inmarsat (which it is in the process of acquiring) would equal the sort of rival satellite-based offerings from the likes of SpaceX/T-Mobile, Apple/Globalstar, Iridium/Qualcomm, Lynk Global and AST SpaceMobile. All […]

February 9, 2023

ViaSat-3 sets launch date; robust Q3

Viasat says its first ‘next-generation’ ViaSat-3 satellite will launch on around April 8th on a SpaceX rocket. Chairman Mark Dankberg told shareholders: “The ViaSat-3 system is intended to enable a substantial leap in space and ground technology – designed to deliver far more bandwidth per unit of capital, over very large coverage areas, with dynamic […]

February 8, 2023By Chris Forrester