Printer Friendly
The Free Library
19,569,808 articles and books
Member login
User name  
Password 
 
Join us Forgot password?

$156 Million Investment in WildBlue Closes, Led by Liberty Satellite, Intelsat and NRTC; WildBlue Funded Through 2004 Launch of Affordable Satellite Broadband Service.


Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 22, 2003

WildBlue Communications today announced that Liberty Satellite & Technology, Inc. (LSAT LSAT
abbr.
Law School Admissions Test

LSAT (US) n abbr (= Law School Admissions Test) → Zulassungsprüfung für juristische Hochschulen
)(OTC OTC

See: Over-the-counter.


OTC

See over-the-counter market (OTC).
:LSTTA)(OTC:LSTTB), Intelsat, National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative (NRTC NRTC National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative
NRTC National Road Transport Commission (Australia)
NRTC National Respiratory Training Centre (UK)
NRTC National Research and Training Center
), Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, and David Drucker, WildBlue's chairman, have invested $156 million in the company. Liberty Satellite, Kleiner Perkins and David Drucker are existing shareholders. Intelsat and NRTC are new investors in WildBlue and will join the board of directors as part of this investment. This transaction was previously announced in December 2002.

"This large investment in WildBlue, in the face of tough financial markets, is a strong endorsement of WildBlue's business model and ability to revolutionize wireless broadband High-speed wireless transmission of data. What is "high" speed is always a changing number. Wireless systems are typically slower than land-based, wireline networks. In the past, wireless broadband started at 250 Kbps, whereas land-based broadband was generally considered to start at T1 . WildBlue will change the consumer broadband market making affordable high-speed Internet See broadband.  access available to virtually every home and small business in the contiguous United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. ," said Thomas Moore, chief executive officer of WildBlue. "We are now able to complete our investment in the space and ground infrastructure to allow us to launch our service in 2004."

WildBlue will deliver affordable two-way wireless broadband services via satellite, direct to homes and small offices, throughout the contiguous United States in 2004. WildBlue is expected to be the first to launch the Ka-band spot beam A spot beam, in telecommunications parlance, is a satellite signal that is specially concentrated in power (i.e. send by a high-gain antenna) so that it will cover only a limited geographic area on earth.  satellite technology designed to lower the cost of providing consumers high-speed Internet access via satellite. The WildBlue system also will leverage proven terrestrial cable modem cable modem

Modem used to convert analog data signals to digital form and vise versa, for transmission or receipt over cable television lines, especially for connecting to the Internet.
 technology, resulting in lower customer equipment and installation costs, a critical requirement in satellite-based consumer services Consumer Services refers to the formulation, deformulation, technical consulting and testing of most consumer products, such as food, herbs, beverages, vitamins, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, hair products, household cleaners, [paints, plastics, metals, waxes, coatings, minerals, . WildBlue's service should be especially appealing to the millions of homes and small offices that lack access to DSL DSL
 in full Digital Subscriber Line

Broadband digital communications connection that operates over standard copper telephone wires. It requires a DSL modem, which splits transmissions into two frequency bands: the lower frequencies for voice (ordinary
 or cable modem service.

WildBlue initially will offer its services using its license for the U.S. Ka-band payload aboard Telesat Canada's Anik F2 satellite, being built by Boeing and scheduled to launch in late 2003 into the 111.1(degree) WL orbital location. Based on future financing, WildBlue plans to subsequently launch its own satellite, WildBlue-1, being manufactured by Space Systems Loral, into WildBlue's 109.2(degree) WL orbital location. "We believe that retail satellite broadband services in North America North America, third largest continent (1990 est. pop. 365,000,000), c.9,400,000 sq mi (24,346,000 sq km), the northern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere.  will be an important component of future growth in the fixed satellite services industry," said Conny Kullman, CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board.  of Intelsat, Ltd. "Millions of rural residents and small offices have no access to high-quality, affordable broadband service comparable to that available in urban areas. We have great confidence in WildBlue's strategic plan and believe it represents a key opportunity for Intelsat to capitalize on this market gap."

"NRTC's investment in WildBlue's technology platform will help enable rural America to receive the most advanced telecommunication services available," said Bob Phillips, NRTC president and chief executive officer. "Our electric and telco members have successfully provided other leading-edge telecommunications solutions, such as DIRECTV and Ku-band satellite Internet, to their customers and we are confident a similar effort will be a key to WildBlue's future success."

"Intelsat, Liberty Satellite, and NRTC are three of the most important strategic relationships we could have chosen. WildBlue is especially pleased to strengthen our partnership with existing investor Liberty Satellite, and to begin our relationships with Intelsat, the world's premier satellite services provider, and NRTC, the foremost distribution partner for rural America," said Thomas Moore, WildBlue CEO.

Intelsat offers telephony, corporate network, video and Internet solutions in approximately 200 countries via capacity on 26 geosynchronous satellites and a global terrestrial network. Liberty Satellite pursues strategic opportunities worldwide in the distribution of Internet data and other content via satellite and related businesses. NRTC supports more than 1,000 rural utilities in delivering telecommunications and information technology solutions to their communities. Kleiner Perkins is a leading venture capital partnership. David Drucker is the chairman of WildBlue and is making his investment as an individual.

In addition to the new investors, WildBlue's strategic investors include TeleSat (www.telesat.ca); EchoStar (www.echostar.com); Gemstar - TV Guide (www.tvguide.com); TRW TRW The Real World (TV reality show)
TRW The Right Way
TRW Tactical Reconnaissance Wing
TRW The Retriever Weekly (University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD)
TRW Thompson Ramo Wooldridge Inc
 (www.trw.com); and Arianespace (www.arianespace.com).

About Liberty Satellite & Technology, Inc. (www.libertysatellite.net)

Liberty Satellite and Technology, Inc., known as LSAT, pursues strategic opportunities worldwide in the distribution of Internet data and other content via satellite and related businesses. Through its majority-owned subsidiary majority-owned subsidiary

A firm in which more than 50% of outstanding voting stock is owned by the parent company.
, On Command Corporation, LSAT is a leading provider of in-room movies, broadband access and other entertainment and business services to the hotel industry. LSAT also holds strategic ownership positions in a range of video programming, satellite-delivered broadband distribution and satellite communication businesses, including WildBlue Communications, Astrolink International, and Sky Latin America SKY Latin America refers to two closely related pay-TV providers, one based in Mexico, the other in Brazil.

The Mexican company was founded in mid-1996, a joint venture between British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB), News Corporation, Liberty Media and Grupo Televisa.
. LSAT is a consolidated subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation.

About Intelsat (www.intelsat.com)

Intelsat, Ltd. offers telephony, corporate network, video and Internet solutions around the globe via capacity on 26 geosynchronous satellites in prime orbital locations. Customers in approximately 200 countries rely on Intelsat satellites and ground resources for quality connections, global reach and reliability.

About the National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative (www.nrtc.org)

NRTC supports more than 1,000 rural utilities in delivering telecommunications and information technology solutions to their communities. NRTC's members and affiliates provide direct broadcast satellite (DBS (Direct Broadcast Satellite) A one-way TV broadcast service from a communications satellite to a small round or oval dish antenna no larger than 20" in diameter. ) equipment and DIRECTV programming services to more than 1.6 million subscribers. NRTC is the largest provider of satellite television to rural homes, including households with no other television access to information and entertainment. NRTC also provides members Ku-band satellite Internet equipment and services for high-speed access to the Internet, regardless of location. Houlihan, Lokey, Howard & Zukin, an international investment bank, served as advisors to NRTC on the WildBlue investment.

About David Drucker

David Drucker is chairman of WildBlue Communications. He is also the majority shareholder of @Contact LLC (Logical Link Control) See "LANs" under data link protocol.

LLC - Logical Link Control
, an applicant for a global Ka-band satellite constellation (www.download-now.net).

About WildBlue (www.wildblue.com)

WildBlue plans to roll out affordable broadband services via satellite direct to homes and small offices throughout the contiguous United States in 2004. WildBlue was founded to accelerate consumer broadband access to the Internet. WildBlue's solution intends to deliver on consumer desires for a fast, affordable, simple, reliable, always-on and two-way technology for wireless Internet access.
COPYRIGHT 2003 Business Wire
No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder.
Copyright 2003, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.

 Reader Opinion

Title:

Comment:



 

Article Details
Printer friendly Cite/link Email Feedback
Publication:Business Wire
Geographic Code:1USA
Date:Apr 22, 2003
Words:991
Previous Article:Nash Finch Sets Annual Meeting Date.
Next Article:Prebon Technology Group Selects I-Deal Data Systems For Strategic Infrastructure Project.



Related Articles
The new Latin American gold rush.
LORAL-BUILT INTELSAT 904 TELECOM SATELLITE SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED.
Liberty Satellite, Intelsat, and NRTC Lead $156 Million Investment in Wildblue; WildBlue Funded Through 2004 Launch of Affordable Satellite Broadband...
Intelsat to Invest in Wildblue, Gain Strategic Position for U.S. Retail Broadband Market.
Space Systems/Loral Resumes Construction of WildBlue-1, the World's First All Ka-Band Commercial Communications Satellite.
NRTC to Offer WildBlue Satellite Broadband Services; National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative Members To Offer Affordable Wireless High-Speed...
And broadband for all: powered by satellite technology, high-speed Internet reaches rural users.
BRIEFCASE.

Terms of use | Copyright © 2012 Farlex, Inc. | Feedback | For webmasters | Submit articles