Satellite Industry News

WASHINGTON, DC. January 11, 2021. The Satellite Broadcasting and Communications
Association praised the Federal Communications Commission’s decision yesterday to permanently
invalidate Chicago’s onerous satellite dish restrictions, which had been suspended since 2012.

Viasat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), a global communications company, announced today that Rick Baldridge, Viasat's president & CEO, will participate in the 23rd Annual Needham Virtual Growth Conference on Tuesday, January 12, 2021, from 12:30pm EST to 1:10pm EST.

DISH Network Corporation today announced it reached a new, multi-year carriage agreement with Nexstar Media Group. Local stations and WGN America have been immediately restored on DISH TV. In addition, WGN America will be available on SLING TV in early 2021 as part of an Extra add-on package.

Viasat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), a global communications company, today announced it entered into a definitive agreement to acquire RigNet, Inc. (NASDAQ: RNET), a leading provider of ultra-secure, intelligent networking solutions and specialized applications, in an all-stock transaction that values RigNet at an enterprise value of approximately $222 million based on Viasat's share price as of the date of the agreement and RigNet's net debt at September 30, 2020.

DOW Electronics, the leading independently owned Consumer Electronics distributor, announced today that it has finalized an agreement with AV Warehouse to acquire certain assets of the Scottsdale, AZ based distributor.

Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES), the global leader in broadband satellite networks and a leading provider of managed network services under its HughesON™ brand, has been chosen as an approved provider by the Georgia Technology Authority (GTA) under its GTA Direct program. This award makes it easy for eligible agencies to procure essential broadband connectivity from Hughes – including cable, fiber, satellite and LTE services – as well as network management services, all from a single provider.

Viasat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), a global communications company, today announced that Viasat's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mark Dankberg has become Executive Chairman of the Company, a new position. He is continuing in his role as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Viasat, Inc. The Company's President and Chief Operating Officer, Rick Baldridge, has been named President and Chief Executive Officer. These executive changes went into effect on November 3, 2020.

AT&T is preparing its network to help residents stay connected through Hurricane Zeta. Get the latest updates here.

DISH (NASDAQ:DISH) today announced that it has chosen DigitalRoute's cloud-native Usage Data Platform to monetize new 5G services and complex business models. 

Dan Losada, Vice President, International Division, Hughes speaks to Teletimes

Viasat Inc. (Nasdaq: VSAT), a global communications company, today announced the availability of Viasat Business Voice – a new cloud-based phone service optimized to work over Viasat's high-speed, high-quality satellite network. When combined with the Company's advanced Business Internet and Business Hotspots, Viasat Business Voice will provide small and medium businesses (SMBs) with enterprise-grade tools enabling them to do business anywhere, even in the hardest-to-reach locations.

Hughes is an international leader in high-speed satellite Internet services. The company’s network HughesNet currently boasts 1.5 million subscribers in the Americas alone and connects people all over the world. Dan Rasmussen, Hughes’ Senior Vice President of North America Enterprise, discusses SD-WAN for enterprise business, while Senior Vice President and General Manager of Hughes International Division, Ramesh Ramaswamy, provides an analysis of the company’s efforts in delivering community Wi-Fi as a commercially viable solution to connecting underserved communities.

During a time when working safer at home and television binge-watching has been at an all-time high, TV and internet providers see satisfaction improvements for performance and reliability, according to the J.D. Power 2020 U.S. Residential Television Service Provider Satisfaction Study^SM and J.D. Power 2020 U.S. Residential Internet Service Provider Satisfaction Study,^SM released today.

DISH (NASDAQ: DISH) has chosen inventory and service order management software from Blue Planet, a division of Ciena, to intelligently automate its 5G wireless network.

Wildfires have engulfed parts of California, Oregon and Washington, leaving firefighters and other first responder crews to face a roaring, unpredictable monster as they try to contain the blaze and help those in affected areas

Viasat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), a global communications company, today announced Viasat Real-Time Earth (RTE) is available as a managed services option for Microsoft Azure customers. The Company has integrated Azure Orbital with its ground service solution to enable Azure Orbital customers, including those in the earth observation and remote sensing segments, easy access to Viasat's proven ground service solution—from initial commissioning and calibration to subsequent telemetry, tracking and command services and downlinking of critical payload data.

AT&T* has initiated its storm preparedness plan as Tropical Storm Beta tracks toward the coasts of Texas and Louisiana.

Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES), a leading provider of managed network services under its HughesON™ brand, announced today the commercial availability of its artificial intelligence (AI) for IT operations (AIOps) solution for enterprise Wide Area Networks (WANs). Integrated into the company’s HughesON Managed Network Services, the Hughes AIOps feature is already in use across more than 32,000 managed sites. The technology automatically predicts and preempts—or “self-heals”—undesirable network behavior, preventing service-disrupting symptoms in 70% of cases. Hughes is the first managed services provider to deliver a self-healing WAN edge capability to enterprise customers.

NFL Media and DISH Network Corporation today announced that the two parties have reached a new carriage agreement for NFL Network and NFL RedZone. Distribution of both networks has been restored on DISH TV and SLING TV (as part of the Sling TV Blue package) in time for the first Sunday of the 2020 NFL regular season.

Viasat Inc. (Nasdaq: VSAT), a global communications company, today announced it signed a reseller agreement with BCN, a technology solutions provider specializing in meeting the requirements of multi-location clients. This agreement will expand BCN's connectivity portfolio by providing multi-location businesses the option to purchase Viasat's proven business internet services as part of a total BCN solution.