Rendering of a Boeing Ka-band 702HP satellite, the architecture of the future ViaSat 2. Photo: Boeing.

[Via Satellite 05-06-2014] Xplornet Communications has secured all the residential capacity covering Canada on the ViaSat 2 satellite to deliver faster Internet speeds and data throughput to its Canadian customers. The satellite is scheduled to launch in mid-2016. Xplornet purchased network operations, annual network maintenance, gateways and ground equipment from ViaSat in the same contract. The company is also allowed to order ViaSat Broadband System subscriber terminals.

“The Xplornet team has performed exceptionally in Canada and … our new satellite is expected to approximately double the bandwidth economics of ViaSat 1 while simultaneously providing a coverage footprint that is seven times larger,” said Rick Baldridge, president and COO of ViaSat.

Xplornet currently offers high-speed satellite Internet options through the ViaSat 1 satellite. The expected total coverage of ViaSat 2 includes areas in North America, Central America, the Caribbean, a small section of northern South America and the main aeronautical and maritime transatlantic routes between North America and Europe.