WildBlue has raised more than $440 million for affordable new broadband
service.
DENVER, CO and OTTAWA, June 25 – Telesat Canada (www.telesat.ca), a
wholly owned subsidiary of BCE Inc. and a world leader in satellite
communications, space systems services and international consulting, is
increasing its investment in WildBlue Communications, Inc. (www.wildblue.com)
to approximately 20%. WildBlue is the leader in developing the next generation
Ka-band spot beam satellite broadband system for high speed Internet service.
Telesat CEO Larry Boisvert was also named to the WildBlue board of directors.
Today’s announcement builds on a longstanding collaboration between the
two companies. Telesat will provide telemetry tracking and control services
for WildBlue’s first satellite, WildBlue 1, to be launched in 2002, and
WildBlue will use the U.S. portion of the Ka-band capacity on Telesat’s Anik
F2 satellite, slated for launch in early 2003.
WildBlue plans to roll out affordable two-way broadband services via
satellite direct to homes and small offices throughout the contiguous United
States in 2002. The company will then expand service to Canada and Latin
America. WildBlue plans to be the first to launch the Ka-band spot beam
satellite technology designed to lower the cost of providing high-speed
Internet access via satellite. This service should be especially appealing to
the millions of homes that lack access to DSL or cable modem service.
In addition to Telesat, WildBlue’s strategic investors include EchoStar
(www.echostar.com); Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (www.kpcb.com); Liberty
Satellite & Technology, Inc., a consolidated subsidiary of Liberty Media Group
(www.libertymedia.com); Gemstar – TV Guide (www.tvguide.com); TRW
(www.trw.com); and Arianespace (www.arianespace.com).
“Telesat is pleased to increase its investment in WildBlue, the leader in
the development of next-generation affordable satellite broadband,” said Larry
Boisvert, Telesat’s president and CEO. “Once WildBlue makes its affordably
priced broadband service available to millions of U.S. consumers that can’t
get cable modem or DSL service, we are confident that it will attract a very
strong subscriber base.”
“Telesat’s investment in WildBlue, in the face of tough financial
markets, is a strong endorsement of WildBlue’s business model,” said Thomas
Moore, chief executive officer of WildBlue. “We are especially pleased to
strengthen our relationship with Telesat, one of the world’s leading
commercial satellite operators and a strong ally for WildBlue for several
years.”
About Telesat (www.telesat.ca)
Telesat is the world’s most experienced commercial satellite operator.
The company made history in 1972 with the launch of the first domestic
commercial communications satellite in geostationary orbit. Today, Telesat
competes with the world’s leading satellite fleets in providing
telecommunications and broadcasting services throughout the Americas. Telesat
is a wholly owned subsidiary of BCE Inc., one of the world’s leading
telecommunications companies.
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. The
company plans to subsequently expand service to Canada and Latin America.
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.
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For further information:
Ted Ignacy, Telesat
(613) 748-0123
Tony Gonsalves, WildBlue
(720) 554-7434
tgonsalves@wildblue.com
Dan Tisch or Josh Cobden
Environics Communications (media only)
(416) 920-9000, ext. 260 or 275
dtisch@pr.environics.ca
jcobden@pr.environics.ca
