VSAT Satellite Communications Equipment

Three companies, ViaSat, Hughes and iDirect manufacture a wide range of satellite terminals. Each manufacturer makes a range of models to suit customer requirements.

I highlight a few popular examples here:

Particularly suitable for Access Networks

Viasat and Hughes make terminals suitable for the domestic user.

Viasat Surfbeam(TM) VSAT terminals: High performance, star-based VSAT system for service providers, Internet Service Providers and corporate network managers who are seeking a system based on DVB standards. Direct to Home, Small Office, Business. Dynamic bandwidth allocation that makes it more efficient and faster than other TDMA systems. Terminals can transmit data to the network hub at speeds up to 1.15 Mbps, with data downloads of up to 60 Mbps, satisfying bandwidth-intensive applications using IP data. C and Ku band. Web based Network Management System. Wide deployment in very large networks such as Wildblue in North America and Tooway in Europe.

HughesNET VSAT terminals. Wide deployment in medium, large and very large networks worldwide including North America, Europe, Africa and Middle East.

These terminals are popular in the new high throughput satellites (HTS) which have multiple spot beams. Each spot beam serves several thousand customers.

Particularly suitable for Infrastructure networks

iDirect VSAT terminals: A very popular solution for small, medium and large networks. Good for start up satellite ISP enterprises. Good security with applications in oil, gas, mobile and military applications. Great variety of modem type to suit customer needs, including outdoor enclosed modems for SCADA applications.

Other manufacturers

Gilat, Comtech,

Some companies, such as Winguard and Sematron (UK) integrate and install VSAT equipment. Examples are quick deployment auto-pointing antennas.

General Dynamics SATCOM (GDSatcom) manufacture VSAT antennas including special designs for NASA and defence contractors.

20 Nov 2003. Last amended 3 Apr 2019.