
New Partnership Will Leverage Eutelsat's Successful European Broadband Business and ViaSat's Advanced Broadband Technologies and Consumer ISP Business Expertise
Carlsbad, Calif., and Paris, 9 February 2016 - Eutelsat Communications (NYSE Euronext Paris: ETL) and ViaSat Inc.(NASDAQ: VSAT) today announced an agreement to create a joint venture combining Eutelsat's current European broadband business with ViaSat's industry-leading broadband technologies and consumer Internet Service Provider (ISP) business expertise.
Building on a decade-long relationship, Eutelsat and ViaSat are joining forces to create a partnership that will expand Eutelsat's current wholesale broadband business and launch a new consumer retail service in Europe. The joint venture will initially leverage KA-SAT, Eutelsat's high capacity broadband satellite.
Commenting on the new partnership, Michel de Rosen, Eutelsat Chairman and CEO, said: With KA-SAT, our unique dedicated High Throughput Satellite, Eutelsat has built an effective, high-quality, broadband platform for Europe in which ViaSat has played a key role as technical partner. Broadband is an important component of our strategy, and we seek to partner with market-leading companies that contribute to enriching our offer. ViaSat is a partner that we both trust and value for its track record in setting industry standards and developing technologies that unlock broadband opportunities. Our joint venture will take our relationship to a new level and give further impetus to affordable, high-quality Internet services in Europe.
ViaSat's Chairman and CEO, Mark Dankberg continued: Eutelsat is the clear leader in the European broadband market and is an obvious partner in extending our global reach. We have worked together for more than a decade - creating the satellite broadband market and sharing a vision for the future of satellite broadband. We complement each other extremely well. We offer a powerful team to close the digital divide in Europe today and well into the future. The joint venture combines an unprecedented collection of expertise in satellite operations and technology, broadband networks, and wholesale and retail distribution throughout Europe that forms the foundation for next-generation internet services. We're excited to be working with Eutelsat to bring a proven model to the European and Mediterranean markets.
Since KA-SAT entered service in 2011, Eutelsat has capitalised on its high capacity satellite platform in Europe and the Mediterranean Basin to reach 190,000 customers. ViaSat has proven success in the consumer residential market.
The joint venture will consist of two businesses coordinating efforts to expand the European broadband market:
Wholesale Services will be focused on providing wholesale broadband services in the European and Mediterranean regions to the newly established retail services business and existing Eutelsat distributors. Eutelsat will contribute its current European broadband business including the KA-SAT satellite. ViaSat will continue to provide selected broadband technologies for KA-SAT gateways and terminals and will acquire a 49 percent interest in the business for a consideration of 132.5 million. For future capacity, the partnership will continue to evaluate over the next few months the ViaSat-3 technology and the extent and the terms under which it would utilise the European capacity on the new ultra-high throughput ViaSat-3 platform, which ViaSat expects to bring into service in 2020. The partnership will also continue to study other options to add growth capacity in the nearer and long term.
Retail Services will be focused on building a direct-to-consumer ISP business in Europe. Enhanced service plans will be introduced in select European countries throughout 2016, setting a foundation for growth in the retail services business with the availability of future satellite capacity. The business will be owned 51 percent by ViaSat and 49 percent by Eutelsat.
Completion of the transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions, and is currently expected to close during the second quarter of 2016.
About Eutelsat Communications
Established in 1977, Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code: FR0010221234) is one of the worlds leading and most experienced operators of communications satellites. The company provides capacity on 40 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 37 countries who are experts in their fields and work with clients to deliver the highest quality of service.
For more about Eutelsat please visit www.eutelsat.com
Press
Vanessa O'Connor Tel: 33 1 53 98 37 91 voconnor@eutelsat.com
Marie-Sophie Ecuer Tel: 33 1 53 98 37 91 mecuer@eutelsat.com
Violaine du Boucher Tel: 33 1 53 98 37 91 vduboucher@eutelsat.com
Investors and analysts
Joanna Darlington Tel. : 33 1 53 98 35 30 jdarlington@eutelsat.com
C dric Pugni Tel. : 33 1 53 98 35 30 cpugni@eutelsat.com
Follow us at:
About ViaSat
ViaSat, Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT) keeps the world connected. As a global broadband services and technology company, ViaSat ensures consumers, businesses, governments and military personnel have communications access - anywhere - whether on the ground or in-flight. The Companys innovations in designing highest-capacity sate
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
16/03/2026
Dr. Robert H. Goddard and a liquid oxygen-gasoline rocket in the frame from which it was fired on March 16, 1926, at Auburn, Massachusetts. Credit: NASA....
16/03/2026
Precision-guided munitions shown in production illustrate one of many operational systems benefiting from modernized M-Code GPS, supporting assured positioning,...
16/03/2026
NEW YORK - March 16, 2026 - A E Global Media and Nielsen today announced a new,...
16/03/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, is delivering the first commercial 100-Gigabit systems following successful validation and certification for customer n...
16/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/03/2026
Shotoku USA, Shotoku Broadcast Systems' North American operation, will unveil significant additions to its platform at NAB 2026. Topping the list is the wor...
16/03/2026
Ikegami USA will demonstrate the latest additions to its wide range of broadcast-quality cameras, controllers and monitors on Central Hall booth C3819 during th...
16/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/03/2026
ELEMENTS launches GRID at NAB Show 2026
Brie Clayton March 15, 2026
0 Comments
North Hall, Booth N1717
ELEMENTS returns to NAB Show 2026, with an exp...
16/03/2026
Blackmagic Design Cameras Capture Artist Salavat Fidai's Micro Sculptures
Brie Clayton March 15, 2026
0 Comments
6K sensor and open gate capabilit...
16/03/2026
DHD to Introduce Latest Generation Broadcast Audio Mixers at NAB 2026, Las Vegas
Brie Clayton March 15, 2026
0 Comments
Hero image: Front of DHD RM1 P...
16/03/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Has Released the Trailer for Love at Last, Starring Ed...
16/03/2026
The reporting option was introduced following extensive consultation with publis...
16/03/2026
After a nail-biting Grand Finale, Rose of Tralee Katelyn Cummins has been announced as the winner of Dancing with the Stars 2026.
The four finalists each dance...
16/03/2026
Welcome to Moore Street will begin on RT One and RT Player on Thursday 19 Marc...
15/03/2026
Visit ToolsOnAir at NAB Las Vegas 2026
More Details:From April 19-22, join us at NAB Show Las Vegas in the North Hall, Booth N1258, for an exclusive preview of...
15/03/2026
Latest dark drama, thrillers & tension library announced
The Very Loud Indeed Co.'s latest Kontakt library has just arrived, delivering a third instalme...
15/03/2026
Johannesburg, 14 March 2026 - On 13 and 14 March 2026, the 19th Annual South Afr...
15/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
14/03/2026
Combines mic, USB interface & wireless IEMs
Following a successful Kickstarter campaign, HISONG have announced that their innovative AirStudio S1 device is ...
14/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
14/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
14/03/2026
Yospace, the trusted leader in Dynamic Ad Insertion (DAI), stitched 5.4 billion one-to-one addressable OTT advertisements across the 17 days of Milano Cortina 2...
14/03/2026
Telestream Advances Production-Ready AI Across Its Product Portfolio
Brie Clayton March 13, 2026
0 Comments
New AI capabilities drive smarter automati...
14/03/2026
Kraken Graded in DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton March 13, 2026
0 Comments
Senior Colorist Dylan Hopkin delivers the first Scandinavian feature in...
14/03/2026
Tedial Powers the Future of Media Operations at NAB Show 2026
Brie Clayton March 13, 2026
0 Comments
Transforming Media Through Intelligence, Flexibil...
13/03/2026
Recently named CEO Andreas Eriksson has taken the helm at Net Insight at a pivot...
13/03/2026
Scripps Sports and Ally Financial are partnering with the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) to broadcast its first game on national linear televisio...
13/03/2026
Disney+ has launched Verts, a vertical video feed on its U.S. mobile app, markin...
13/03/2026
LTN, a managed IP video transport company, and Appear, a live production technol...
13/03/2026
The Professional Fighters League (PFL) has announced an agreement with Sportradar for global betting data and streaming rights. Under the deal, Sportradar becom...
13/03/2026
In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...
13/03/2026
The streamer will be the first entertainment platform to offer AI-enabled vertical video for live games, starting with the NBA...
13/03/2026
Ease Live, an Evertz company specializing in interactive graphical overlays, has deployed its platform on Red Bull TV for Premier Padel coverage. The deployment...
13/03/2026
Monday Night Football, ESPN's premiere NFL property, has continued to be improved and upgraded from a production perspective. Alternative broadcasts are aug...
13/03/2026
At NAB Show 2026, Net Insight (booth W1653) is introducing the Nimbra 520, a high-density media processing node for live contribution and distribution across ma...
13/03/2026
Harmonic (booth W2831) has announced Spectrum X Plus, the newest generation of its Spectrum X media server, offering double the channel density of previous gene...
13/03/2026
Riedel Communications has announced the expansion of its Managed Technology Divi...
13/03/2026
Telestream (booth W1503) has announced the expansion of Telestream Cloud Services with the introduction of UP, a cloud-native solution for ingest, orchestration...
13/03/2026
From awards ceremonies and sports honors shows to festivals and fan conventions,...
13/03/2026
Overtime has announced a partnership with Metro by T-Mobile, naming Metro the Of...
13/03/2026
At NAB 2026, Calrec (booth C6907) will IP Ecosystem powered by True Control 2.0, integrating the company's IP-native Argo consoles - including the U.S. debu...
13/03/2026
Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent ratings news derived from press releases ...