CARLSBAD, Calif., May 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ViaSat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), a global broadband services and technology company, is supportive of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) decision to make the Connect America Fund (CAF) reverse auction technology neutral and cost-effective by inviting new service providers to participate in the bidding process.

This week, the FCC made an important decision to make $2B available over 10 years to subsidize broadband service availability for many U.S. households in the most remote and hardest-to-serve areas. The Commission took the first step in allowing non-telco service providers with different broadband technologies to compete for the funding. Allowing all technologies to compete through a competitive bidding process can potentially drive down the cost of the program to U.S. consumers. The CAF is focused on modernizing the universal service and intercarrier compensation systems to ensure robust, affordable voice and broadband service, both fixed and mobile, are available to Americans throughout the nation.

"We recognize and applaud Chairman Wheeler, the Commissioners and FCC staff for listening to various stakeholders and potential providers in the Connect America Fund proceeding, and taking an important first step toward expanding beyond legacy technologies and creating a technology neutral competition to provide the best available broadband access universally," said Mark Dankberg, ViaSat chairman and CEO. "ViaSat stands ready to participate in the proceeding and auction by offering future-ready satellite internet solutions that will help fill the broadband gap in the United States with a high-quality, high-performance broadband and voice service to the target households."

With the FCC's decision, all internet services, including ViaSat's satellite broadband service, Exede^®, are closer to competing for universal service funds on a level playing field. This will provide the best available high-speed internet access to U.S. households that have been traditionally in the most challenging to serve locations. ViaSat is looking forward to commenting on outstanding issues related to weighting criteria to be used to select competing bids, which will be critical to ensuring that all participating technologies actually compete fairly for funding to deliver the best possible service to everyone. With the addition of satellite broadband, more consumers will have the option for high-quality, high-speed internet access that enables streaming of HD movies and videos as well as music, loading webpages super-quick, video chatting, voice calling, software updates, emailing large files and more - from virtually anywhere in the United States. Today satellite broadband is available with download speeds up to 25 Megabits per second (Mbps), with even higher speeds to be offered in 2017 with the launch of the ViaSat-2 satellite.

About Exede Internet
Exede, a service of ViaSat, Inc., delivers high-speed internet to residential subscribers and businesses across the U.S. With download speeds of up to 25 Mbps, the Exede service has transformed satellite internet for households that previously had slow, inadequate internet service. ViaSat also offers Exede Voice residential telephone service over its network, optimized for quality and reliability. The Company offers Exede Business, which delivers a number of service plans to fit the varying needs of today's businesses.

About ViaSat's High-Capacity Satellite Platforms
Beginning with ViaSat-1, ViaSat started a transformation of satellite communications into a high-performance broadband service competitive with terrestrial alternatives. ViaSat-2, which is set to launch in Q1 CY2017, will provide another leap forward in broadband service quality for residential, mobile and enterprises by offering seven times the geographic coverage and twice the bandwidth of ViaSat-1. The Company also announced plans to launch the ViaSat-3 ultra-high capacity satellite platform - which is comprised of three ViaSat-3 class satellites with state-of-the-art ground network infrastructure. The first ViaSat-3 broadband communications platform is expected to focus on the Americas with plans to launch in 2019.

About ViaSat
ViaSat, Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT) keeps the world connected. As a global broadband services and technology company, ViaSat ensures consumers, businesses, governments and military personnel have communications access - anywhere - whether on the ground or in-flight. The Company's innovations in designing highest-capacity satellites and secure ground infrastructure and terminal technologies coupled with its international network of managed Wi-Fi hotspots enable ViaSat to deliver a best available network that extends the reach and accessibility of broadband internet service, globally. For more information visit ViaSat at:  www.viasat.com, or follow the Company on social media:  Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to the safe harbors created under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward looking statements include statements about ViaSat's success, timeline and ability to compete for funding within the CAF. Readers are cautioned that actual results could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include: ViaSat's ability to realize the anticipated benefits of the ViaSat-1, ViaSat-2 and ViaSat-3 satellite platforms, unexpected expenses or delays related to the satellite systems, the ability to successfully implement ViaSat's business plan for broadband satellite services on ViaSat's anticipated timeline or at all, including with respect to the ViaSat-1, ViaSat-2 and ViaSat-3 satellite platforms; and risks associated with the construction, launch and operation of ViaSat-3 and ViaSat's other satellites, including the effect of any anomaly, operational failure or degradation in satellite performance; contractual problems, product defects, manufacturing issues or delays, regulatory issues, technologies not being developed according to anticipated schedules, or that do not perform according to expectations; and increased competition and other factors affecting the business aviation industry generally. In addition, please refer to the risk factors contained in ViaSat's SEC filings available at www.sec.gov, including ViaSat's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. ViaSat undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements for any reason.

Copyright © 2016 ViaSat, Inc. All rights reserved. All other product or company names mentioned are used for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners. ViaSat and Exede are registered trademarks of ViaSat, Inc.

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SOURCE ViaSat Inc.