ViaSat… Optical Optimization (FEC)

[SatNews] Debuting are new forward error correction cores (FEC) as standardized off-the-shelf products, all designed to extend the transmission range of optical cables.

ViaSat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT) has readied their most demanding (FEC) cores for 100G optical transport. This technology — the ECC66100 series — can provide cost savings over optical compensation techniques, increase optical channel capacity, and extend the range of transmission for optical cables. The company will exhibit these FEC cores and its digital signal processing products at the Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exposition and the National Fiber Optic Engineers Conference (OFC/NFOEC) starting March 8 in Los Angeles. ViaSat proprietary soft-decision coding with 15 or 20 percent overhead improves performance in high data rate and long haul applications by providing up to 11.4 dB net electrical coding gain (NECG). The algorithm of the FEC core is optimized for 100 Gbps data rates and is scalable to 40 Gbps or beyond 100 Gbps. It is also readily adapted for use with higher order modulations (e.g., QPSK, 8PSK, n-QAM) and OFDM. The FEC cores are optimized for low power consumption and latency and are amenable for use with 28 to 65 nm ASIC processes. ViaSat has built an extensive portfolio of FEC and DSP cores that have demonstrated some of the best performances in the industry. These FEC and DSP cores are verified and available as synthesized RTL.

ViaSat Inc. (Nasdaq: VSAT) is also building on its success in the global mobile satellite networking business at Ku-band by expanding to Ka-band in key international markets. The Yonder® mobile broadband network service has been ViaSat’s fastest growing business over the past two years. The network serves business jets, maritime vessels, and government and defense customers around the world. Based on the ArcLight® spread spectrum networking system, the Yonder service offers much higher speeds, lower airtime pricing and much greater total bandwidth availability than L-band mobile services. The ArcLight system also enables smaller and lower cost terminals than conventional mobile Ku-band VSAT systems. Last fall, ViaSat and JetBlue reached a landmark accord to deploy the first Ka-band commercial aviation broadband network using the ViaSat-1 Ka-band satellite. Ka-band extends the benefits of the ArcLight system even further, offering higher transmission speeds and even more attractive airtime pricing. Concurrently, ViaSat has been working with key Yonder high-speed mobile Internet service customers in the Middle East region to test a Ka-band version of the VR-12, the leading airborne broadband Ku-band satellite antenna. Government customers have also begun using the next generation ArcLight Solo modem, which provides transmit speeds up to 4 Mbps from the 12-inch VR-12 airborne antenna over Ku-band.

Now ViaSat and Star Satellite Communications Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Al Yah Satellite Communications Company PrJSC (Yahsat), have restructured their prior services agreement to better capitalize on the mobility opportunity. The new agreement will make Yahsat Y1B Ka-band bandwidth available for subscribers to the ViaSat Yonder global mobile network when the satellite is launched and establishes a partnership to offer mobile broadband services for commercial and business aviation, maritime, and government applications. ViaSat anticipates that the availability of Ka-band satellite mobility in the Middle East will meaningfully accelerate the already fast growth in broadband satellite mobility due to the substantial improvements it enables in bandwidth availability, transmission speeds, and airtime pricing. Under the revised agreement, the SurfBeam® 2 consumer broadband network infrastructure procurement portion is deleted and a corresponding portion of ViaSat order backlog for the YahSat contract will be adjusted. The backlog adjustment is not expected to have a material impact on earnings or business outlook. Instead, ViaSat will provide Ka-band networking infrastructure in the YahSat Y1B gateway teleports and deliver and manage wholesale and retail mobile broadband services via the new partnership services agreement.