Rural satellite internet provider bought by ViaSat
October 1, 2009
The prospective owners of DirecTV have spun off another one of their subsidiaries as part of a restructuring. WildBlue Communications, which provides satellite high-speed internet to rural customers, will be bought by ViaSat.
ViaSat - a wireless and satellite communication firm - is expected to incorporate WildBlue's service into its own network, and upgrade it with ViaSat technology. The merger of the two companies is part of an effort to reduce the risks and long-term costs associated with the satellite internet business. Satellite internet is still far behind terrestrial delivery methods for high-speed connectivity, partially for technical reasons and partially because of prohibitive start-up costs - i.e., launching satellites into space.
Experts say that Liberty Media - the former owner of WildBlue - is ditching its satellite internet subsidiary in order to clear the decks and free up capital for a potential acquisition of DirecTV, the nation's most popular satellite TV provider.
ViaSat told the Wall Street Journal that the company did well in the last quarter, due to a "robust" pace of sales.
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