WildBlue (formerly iSky and KaStar) plans to offer Ka-band Broadband Internet Access
via satellite. WildBlue's approach is based on next generation, two-way wireless Ka-band
spot beam satellite technology, which dramatically lowers the cost of providing high
bandwidth access to the Internet. Offering 35 spotbeams, it will enable operator WildBlue
Communications to provide broadband Internet access for the contiguous United States -
even in the most isolated regions of the country. It will be positioned at 111.1° West.
The Satellite names were changed from KaStar 1 and 2 to iSky 1 and 2 in 1999 and to
WildBlue 1 and 2 in September, 2000.
WildBlue announced in March 2002 that it has suspended work on its satellite broadband
system as it seeks additional funding. Work has been stopped on the first of two WildBlue
satellites (under construction at Space Systems Loral) that would have provided high-speed
Internet service, primarily for people in rural areas of the US without access to cable or
DSL. In 2003 work on WildBlue 1 was resumed.
