U.S. Company BB SAT to Provide Satellite Broadband Service in Japan

Aug 11, 2008

BB SAT, LLC, beginning October 1 will demonstrate two-way consumer satellite broadband service in Japan. The demonstration is being conducted under the sponsorship of the Japanese Satellite Broadband Promotion Council with oversight and observation by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.

The demonstration service is aimed at showing how broadband satellite service can solve Japan's "digital divide" problem of several million households, and how this service can be a significant part of the government's strategy to provide broadband service to all citizens. Two towns in the Japanese "digital divide", Shobara in Hiroshima prefecture and Tsuru in Yamanashi prefecture, have been selected as sites for this initial demonstration service. James Beitchman, president of BB SAT said, "Very successful satellite broadband services aimed at consumer markets have been established in the U.S., and BB SAT will bring those same systems and services to the Japanese people. We are most fortunate to receive very strong support from ViaSat, Inc. in the U.S. and Space Communications Corporation of Japan for this program."

The demonstration service will use the economical, technically advanced ViaSat SurfBeam(R) system already in widespread use in the U.S. and elsewhere. Satellite capacity is being provided by Space Communications Corporation using their Superbird B2 spacecraft. BB SAT intends to begin commercial service aimed at "digital divide" and underserved broadband customers in Japan in the second quarter of 2009.