WILDBLUE ANNOUNCES LAUNCH PLANS FOR ITS NEXT SATELLITE
WILDBLUE-1 WITH ARIANESPACE
Denver, Colorado - WildBlue Communications
announced today that Arianespace has scheduled the launch of its Ka-band spot beam satellite, WildBlue-1, on an Ariane 5 vehicle in
the fourth quarter of 2006 from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana. WildBlue provides broadband connectivity
via satellite to homes and small businesses in communities where terrestrial broadband access is either limited or unavailable. TheWildBlue-1 satellite will enable WildBlue to serve more customers throughout the United States.
WildBlue-1, manufactured by Space Systems/Loral, will approximately triple WildBlue's customer capacity, and is expected to handle WildBlue's continuing rapid customer growth into 2008 and beyond. WildBlue-1 is a 4.7 metric ton high power satellite based on Space Systems/Loral's 1300 spacecraft bus and provides Ka-band spot beam capacity over the contiguous United States. Spot beam Ka-band satellites are a key component in WildBlue's low-cost wireless broadband infrastructure. WildBlue currently utilizes the Ka-band spot beam capacity over the United States on Telesat Canada's Anik F2 satellite, which was launched by Arianespace in July 2004.
"WildBlue-1 will help to ensure that we are able to handle 100 percent of customer demand into the foreseeable future," said Dave Leonard, Chief Executive Officer of WildBlue. "Our low-cost, high-speed Internet via satellite service has proven extremely popular nationwide, requiring that we accelerate the launch of our new satellite later this year to meet the demand."
Based on a successful fourth quarter launch, WildBlue will conduct in-orbit testing, and expects to offer service to its customers via the WildBlue-1 satellite in January 2007. WildBlue owns a lifetime lease on Anik F2's Ka-band payload over the U.S. and will continue to use that capacity as well.
"WildBlue-1 has been built to handle a very large capacity of customers," said Jim Elliot, WildBlue's Vice President of Infrastructure. "This satellite uses advanced technology and will enable WildBlue to significantly augment its Ka-band spot beam platform across the U.S."
"Arianespace is pleased to work with WildBlue on the launch of WildBlue-1. Preparations are firmly underway for a successful fourth quarter launch of this year on an Ariane 5," said Jean-Yves Le Gall, President and Chief Executive Officer of Arianespace.
WildBlue also announced it has contracted with Andrew Corporation to build two new spot beam gateways and augment the existing U.S. gateways that WildBlue currently utilizes. In addition, the company has exercised an agreement with Viasat to deliver the equipment necessary to serve the added customers in the additional gateways
High-Speed Internet Via Satellite Service Being Used For Earthquake Research in Remote Locations
Denver, Colorado-WildBlue Communications, Inc. is helping companies track earthquake data in remote locations along fault zones throughout the West Coast. QuakeFinder and other U.S. companies are using WildBlue systems at numerous isolated monitoring sites to operate remote equipment and to collect scientific data. WildBlue provides high-speed Internet access via satellite to homes and small businesses in communities not served, or underserved, by other high speed providers.
QuakeFinder, a private company located in Palo Alto, CA, is conducting pioneering research in the area of earthquake forecasting. The company has a network of ground sensors which measure Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) magnetic fluctuations that have been observed prior to earthquakes, and uses WildBlue's satellite Internet service to transmit these measurements back to its Data Center in Palo Alto, California. Established in 2000 as an education outreach concept by Stellar Solutions, Quakefinder's goal is to save lives by researching global forecasts of seismic activity in order to provide communities with early warnings of potentially destructive earthquakes. QuakeFinder is conducted in partnership with NASA, Stanford and Berkeley Universities.
"We are proud that WildBlue is able to provide the equipment necessary to maintain QuakeFinder's earthquake research," said Erwin Hudson, Chief Technology Officer of WildBlue. "WildBlue is able to operate in virtually any location, no matter how remote, and the information that we are helping to provide is essential in tracking their data."
FIVE MORE VALUE ADDED RESELLERS JOIN GROWING
LIST OF WILDBLUE ENTERPRISE PROVIDERS OF
BROADBAND INTERNET SERVICES
01/18/06
Denver, Colorado -
WildBlue Communications announced today that five Value Added Resellers (VARs) have joined its growing list of providers in the Enterprise
Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) Market. The company and its VARs will showcase its Enterprise class high speed Internet
products and services at Satellite 2006, February 6-9 at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. These services
are designed to meet the specialized needs of telecommuters and specialized industries such as retail, financial, telemedicine, energy,
remote monitoring, federal, state and local governments, disaster recovery, homeland security and other markets.
The five new VARs that WildBlue has contracted with are:
• Hs3 Technologies, Inc., (NASDAQ OTC:HSTT), based in Denver, Colorado, provides "best
of breed" proprietary security surveillance and monitoring devices to the Oil & Gas Industries. They also provide random
numerical biometric authorization and remote security systems solutions to the Hotel and Fast Food Industries;
• Orbital Data
Net, Inc., based in Columbia, Missouri, specializes in mobile emergency operation centers, corporate network backup (Business Continuity
of Services) for banking and other entities, corporate and governmental tele-commuters (specialized VPN into data centers), Internet
for remote communities, military communications, SCADA and video surveillance;
• EchoSat Communications Group, based in Lexington,
Kentucky, is a communication solutions company, specializing in Electronic Funds Transfers. Merchants and retailers of all sizes
and from all industry segments can now utilize their WildBlue connection to transmit EFT transactions to specific payments processors;
• ESS
- Enterprise Satellite Solutions, based in Phoenix, Arizona, is an industry leader of managed turnkey, wide-area networking services
to retail, commercial, industrial, and governmental customers with mission-critical networking requirements;
• M2M Data Corporation,
based in Englewood, Colorado, serves the energy market including the following verticals; Natural Gas (EFM and Compressor Monitoring),
Oil, Utilities, Water and Waste Water and Power Generation with proprietary remote monitoring applications.
WildBlue previously announced it had contracted with Ground Control, OptiStreams, Broad Sky Networks and Amtech as Enterprise VARs.
"With the addition of these five top-notch VARs to our existing VSAT market service providers, combined with our low cost equipment, affordable pricing and excellent service, our expansion into the Enterprise segment will accelerate," said Dave Leonard, CEO of WildBlue. "We will showcase our Enterprise services at the Satellite 2006 trade show."
WildBlue will offer its Internet service at download speeds of up to 1.5 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 256 Kbps at a price-to-performance ratio significantly better than currently available from other service providers in the Enterprise Market. WildBlue's Enterprise offering will be branded under the name WildBlue Enterprise Solutions™, and will be available for sub-branding by its VARs.
Denver, Colorado-WildBlue Communications, Inc. today announced that it has created a cooperative marketing program in which it will provide advertising funds for participating WildBlue dealers. WildBlue provides high-speed Internet access via satellite to homes and small businesses in communities not currently served, or underserved, by other high speed providers.
WildBlue created the marketing program to support its dealers' acquisition activities and to build the WildBlue brand in participating dealers' local communities. This program is the only marketing co-op program of its kind for residential satellite broadband dealers. Interested dealers may find out more by contacting DSI at 1-800-888-8876, or at www.dsisystemsinc.com.
"WildBlue is dedicated to helping its satellite dealers spread the word about the WildBlue service in their local communities," said Brad Greenwald Vice President of Sales and Marketing at WildBlue. "We are now actively ramping up our dealer network throughout the United States. This cooperative program is another example of the strong support we are providing to dealers in building awareness for and generating sales of WildBlue's popular high speed Internet via satellite service nationwide."
Denver, Colorado-WildBlue Communications, Inc. today announced that it closed a secured
credit facility of over $200 million to fund the continued growth of its high speed Internet access business. WildBlue provides broadband
connectivity via satellite to homes and small businesses in communities where terrestrial broadband access alternatives are either
limited or unavailable.
The financing will fund WildBlue's growing broadband business, and will facilitate the launch of a second satellite targeted for the 4th quarter of 2006. The lending group is led by Liberty Media Corporation, the largest WildBlue shareholder. The National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative (NRTC), also a major WildBlue shareholder, and TimesArrow LLC, affiliated with one of WildBlue's founders, also participated in the facility. Terms of the credit facility were not disclosed.
"We are extremely pleased with the closing of this financing, which reiterates the commitment and confidence our shareholders have in this business, and reinvigorates our near-term expansion plans," said Dave Leonard, CEO of WildBlue. "This funding will help enable us to rapidly expand the availability of affordable broadband service to homes and offices that lie beyond the reach of other broadband Internet services."
"WildBlue has been able to fulfill its promise of reaching consumers who are not served by other broadband alternatives," said Mark Carleton, Chairman of WildBlue's Board of Directors. "Since WildBlue's launch, consumer demand for the service has been strong, and this financing demonstrates Liberty's continued commitment to help WildBlue meet that demand into the future."
"This financing has significantly enhanced WildBlue's financial position," said Paul Froelich, CFO of WildBlue. "It will enable WildBlue to accelerate the growth of our broadband business in 2006 and facilitate the launch of our next satellite, which is necessary to meet the strong customer demand for WildBlue service."
WILDBLUE OFFERS INSTALLATION DISCOUNT FOR
HIGH SPEED INTERNET VIA SATELLITE
01/03/06:
Denver, Colorado-WildBlue Communications, Inc. today announced that it has discounted the installation price for its high speed Internet via satellite by $100.00. Professional installation for WildBlue's equipment package will now be offered for only $79.95. WildBlue provides high-speed Internet access via satellite to homes and small businesses in communities not currently served, or underserved, by other high speed providers.
WildBlue offers fast, reliable Internet service in three service packages to consumers and small businesses across the contiguous U.S. for as little as $49.95 per month. WildBlue offers download speeds of up to 1.5Mbps. All packages include Internet Service Provider (ISP) services such as e-mail and Web space, the WildBlue Portal (featuring the latest news, information and entertainment), 24 hours per day/7 days a week customer care, and an equipment warranty. WildBlue?s equipment is available for $299.00. The $79.95 installation promotion will be available through March 31, 2006.
"WildBlue is excited to start the new year off with this great installation price," said Brad Greenwald Vice President of Sales and Marketing at WildBlue. "We are dedicated to providing affordable, two-way broadband to virtually anywhere people work or live, and our new installation price helps to make the service an even more cost-effective broadband option."
03/27/06
WILDBLUE OFFERS FREE INSTALLATION
FOR HIGH SPEED INTERNET VIA SATELLITE
Denver, Colorado-WildBlue Communications, Inc. today announced that it will offer free installation for its high speed Internet via satellite beginning April 1st. WildBlue provides high-speed Internet access via satellite to homes and small businesses in communities not currently served, or underserved, by other high speed providers.
WildBlue offers fast, reliable Internet service in three service packages to consumers and small businesses across the contiguous U.S. for as little as $49.95 per month. WildBlue features download speeds of up to 1.5Mbps, competitive with other high-speed services available in the market today. All packages include Internet Service Provider (ISP) services such as e-mail and Web space, the WildBlue Portal (featuring the latest news, information and entertainment), 24 hours per day/7 days a week customer care, and an equipment warranty. WildBlue's equipment is available for $299.00. Installation, normally $179.95, will be free through May 15, 2006.
"WildBlue has experienced a tremendous 2006 thus far, and, with free installation, our two-way wireless high-speed Internet service is now an even more attractive option for people in communities where terrestrial broadband access is either limited or unavailable," said Brad Greenwald, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at WildBlue. "We truly are the most cost effective satellite broadband option available in the market today, and the advantages of a short-term free installation offer remove another hurdle for rural and small town customers who are seeking the benefits of high-speed Internet wherever they live and work."
Denver, Colorado-WildBlue Communications, Inc. today announced that they have signed a non-exclusive operating agreement with AT&T (NYSE:T) to sell WildBlue's broadband Internet access service. Under the agreement, AT&T will begin selling WildBlue's service beginning later in May, under the brand name "AT&T High Speed Internet Access, powered by WildBlue." WildBlue provides broadband Internet access via satellite to homes and small businesses in communities not currently served, or underserved, by other broadband providers.
According to the agreement, WildBlue will provide equipment management, installation and distribution services to AT&T for its satellite service customers. AT&T will announce further details and ordering information on the service offering later this month.
The WildBlue service, under the WildBlue brand name, will continue to be available through participating National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative Members, retail dealers and directly from WildBlue.
An always-on broadband Internet connection, WildBlue's service offers access speeds that are up to thirty times faster than dial-up. WildBlue's two-way wireless service provides high-speed data in both directions, upstream and downstream. Customers do not need an additional phone or cable line in order to receive satellite broadband Internet access.
WILDBLUE SIGNS WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENTS WITH DIRECTV AND ECHOSTAR
High-Speed Internet Service via Satellite to be Made Available
to DIRECTV and DISH Network Subscribers Nationwide
Denver, Colorado - WildBlue Communications, Inc., a leading provider of broadband
access to consumers and small offices primarily in rural areas and small cities, today announced that they have signed five year wholesale
distribution agreements with each of DIRECTV, Inc. (NYSE: DTV) and EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH). As part
of these agreements, WildBlue is the only satellite-based Internet solution that each of DIRECTV and EchoStar will offer to their
respective customers for the next 5 years. DIRECTV and EchoStar currently offer digital television entertainment via satellite
to a combined total of more than 27 million customers nationwide. WildBlue provides broadband Internet access via satellite
to homes and small businesses in communities not currently served, or that are underserved, by other broadband providers.
Each of DIRECTV and EchoStar intends to begin offering WildBlue high-speed Internet service in the coming months across the contiguous United States with further details on availability and pricing of their respective offerings to be forthcoming. The offerings will be provided separately under the DIRECTV and EchoStar brand names, and sub-branded as "powered by WildBlue." The WildBlue broadband offering will be focused on small town America and rural markets.
"Our agreements with DIRECTV and EchoStar are a turning point for WildBlue," said David Leonard, WildBlue's Chief Executive Officer. "We have worked very hard this year to make our affordable broadband Internet service available to every home and small business across the continental U.S., and we are pleased to be working with DIRECTV and EchoStar to further strengthen our presence nationwide and to extend their respective product offerings as well."
"We are pleased to offer this proven service as part of the portfolio offered to our customers who are interested in the power and convenience of broadband Internet access bundled with our outstanding video product," said Bruce Churchill, President, New Ventures for DIRECTV, Inc. "This is an exciting step in providing broadband access and other services to our rural customers."
"More and more people are embracing the convenience of getting their Internet service through their pay-TV provider, and EchoStar is pleased that we are now able to provide a high-speed Internet solution to our DISH Network customers," said Nolan Daines, Executive Vice President, Business Development for EchoStar.
An always-on broadband Internet connection, WildBlue's service offers access speeds that are up to thirty times faster than dial-up. WildBlue's two-way wireless service provides high-speed data in both directions, upstream and downstream. Customers do not need an additional phone or cable line in order to receive broadband Internet access.