ViaSat (NASDAQ: VSAT) is supplying a LinkStar® broadband network to Gulfsat Communications Company, a subsidiary of United Networks, for shared hub network services in Kuwait.
Gulfsat is planning to target its networking and Internet services to banks, oil operations, government offices and businesses in remote areas without terrestrial connections. Using the Eutelsat SESAT-2 satellite, the services will cover the Middle East, Europe and North Africa.
ViaSat’s LinkStar is a hub-based “star” networking system that features DiffServ QOS and multi-label protocol switching to enable many customers to share a single VSAT hub, while keeping their data separate and secure from other users.
The features provide enterprise-level services such as virtual private networks, distance education, media streaming, multicasting, videoconferencing, and large file transfer. Dynamic bandwidth allocation increases or decreases data rates on-the-fly to adjust to each customer and use the available satellite bandwidth in the most efficient way.
“We feel the advanced technology in LinkStar VSATs really increases our competitive advantage over other satellite network services,” said Mustafa Murad, network planning manager for United Networks. “The system enables us to offer a higher quality of service to our customers and do it more efficiently as well.”
The LinkStar system can operate according to the DVB-RCS international standard or in a proprietary ViaSat configuration. ViaSat also recently announced the new LinkStarS2 system, that incorporates the DVB-S2 waveform offering up to 30% greater bandwidth efficiency – substantially reducing network operating costs.
Established in 1995 in partnership with the Ministry of Communications, Kuwait, Gulfsat Communications is one of the world leaders in the satellite communications services industry. Gulfsat designs, integrates, installs and provides advanced satellite networking for business establishments and governmental organizations.
Gulfsat owns and operates one of the major teleport facilities in the world located in Kuwait and has pioneered many of the technologies currently in use today and suitably adapts them according to customer needs and the growing potential of the network in the future.
About ViaSat (www.viasat.com)
ViaSat produces innovative satellite and other communication products that enable fast, secure, and efficient communications to any location. Products include satellite ground equipment, information security devices, tactical data radios, and communication simulators. ViaSat has a full line of VSAT products for data and voice applications, and is a market leader in Ka-band satellite systems, from user terminals to large gateways. ViaSat has locations in Carlsbad, CA, and Duluth, GA, along with its Comsat Laboratories division in Germantown, MD. Additional field offices are located in Boston, MA, Washington DC, Australia, China, India, Italy, and Spain.
In addition the company has two wholly-owned subsidiaries: US Monolithics, based in Chandler, AZ designs and produces monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) and modules for use in broadband communications for military and commercial applications; and Efficient Channel Coding, based in Cleveland, OH is an innovator in satellite communication components and systems, based on the new DVB-S2 standard, that increase the efficiency of today’s advanced satellite, wireless, and wire-line communication systems.
About Gulfsat Communications Company (www.gulfsat.com)
GulfSat is a subsidiary of United Networks (www.unitednetworks.com.kw), Kuwait, the region’s leading provider of solutions and services in the communications and media sectors offering convergent communications solutions that optimize and support real-time delivery channels for voice, video and data. United Networks is a member of the Kuwait Projects Company (KIPCO) group (www.kipcogp.com ). KIPCO’s other media and telecommunications interests include Wataniya’s mobile telephone operations in Kuwait, Algeria, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, the Maldives and Iraq, and Showtime, the regional digital pay-television network. KIPCO is one of the leading diversified holding companies in the Middle East and North Africa, with more than US$ 15 billion of assets under management or control.
