ViaSat Delivers 1 Mbps Throughput Next-gen L-band Terminals

The use of bonded cellular for ENG has grown as available bandwidth has increased and compression quality improved. ViaSat's next-generation L-band terminals could provide an alternative to terrestrial cellular networks for operations in areas where 4G cellular connections are overloaded or unavailable. ViaSat has demonstrated 1 Mbps throughput over the LightSquared SkyTerra-1 satellite to its 8” x 5” by 2” terminal in fixed configurations and in mobile applications at speeds up to 65 mph. ViaSat achieved the 1 Mbps rate by efficiently balancing power and bandwidth over the LightSquared satellite.

Phil Berry, VP MSS at ViaSat said, "Receiving 1 Mbps with a mobile terminal this small pushes the boundaries of performance per cubic inch and creates an opportunity to address unserved and underserved mobile market segments. We’re designing our network waveform to adapt to the variable link conditions each terminal experiences as it operates in a mobile environment, to maximize data reception. This development is a testament to our team’s capability for innovation.”

Earlier this year ViaSat announced it had received over 3,000 advance orders for its next-generation Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) terminals. No information was provided on the cost of the service or its availability.

Doug Lung

Doug Lung is one of America's foremost authorities on broadcast RF technology. As vice president of Broadcast Technology for NBCUniversal Local, H. Douglas Lung leads NBC and Telemundo-owned stations’ RF and transmission affairs, including microwave, radars, satellite uplinks, and FCC technical filings. Beginning his career in 1976 at KSCI in Los Angeles, Lung has nearly 50 years of experience in broadcast television engineering. Beginning in 1985, he led the engineering department for what was to become the Telemundo network and station group, assisting in the design, construction and installation of the company’s broadcast and cable facilities. Other projects include work on the launch of Hawaii’s first UHF TV station, the rollout and testing of the ATSC mobile-handheld standard, and software development related to the incentive auction TV spectrum repack.
A longtime columnist for TV Technology, Doug is also a regular contributor to IEEE Broadcast Technology. He is the recipient of the 2023 NAB Television Engineering Award. He also received a Tech Leadership Award from TV Tech publisher Future plc in 2021 and is a member of the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society and the Society of Broadcast Engineers.