Satélite Norte Trials Viasat Digital Bus Solution in Brazil
- First successful implementation of Digital Bus solution in Brazil, demonstrating market validation
- Enables new revenue streams through targeted advertising and passenger data insights
- Strategic expansion into the Brazilian transportation market where alternatives like air and rail are limited
- Provides operational intelligence capabilities for fleet monitoring and management
- None.
Insights
Viasat's Digital Bus partnership with Satélite Norte creates new revenue stream in Latin American transportation sector with monetization potential.
Viasat's strategic partnership with Satélite Norte marks an important expansion of the company's terrestrial mobility business into the Brazilian transportation market. The successful deployment of their Digital Bus solution on long-haul routes spanning over 500 miles between Goiânia and São Paulo demonstrates the technical viability of their integrated satellite-cellular solution in challenging terrain.
What makes this implementation particularly valuable is the multi-faceted revenue model. Beyond the basic connectivity service fees, Viasat has incorporated a passenger portal enabling monetization through targeted advertising. This creates a potential recurring revenue stream that scales with passenger volume, while the operational intelligence platform adds value by helping fleet operators optimize their business.
This deployment addresses a significant market gap in Latin America, where long-distance bus transportation often serves as the primary mobility option in regions underserved by air or rail infrastructure. By targeting this sector, Viasat is effectively positioning itself in a niche with limited competition from traditional telecom providers whose terrestrial networks have insufficient coverage in remote areas.
For investors, this partnership represents a practical execution of Viasat's strategy to diversify beyond its core aviation and government segments. The transportation sector in developing markets presents a substantial growth opportunity, with thousands of long-haul buses operating throughout Latin America. If Viasat can leverage this initial deployment into broader regional adoption, it could establish a meaningful new vertical that generates consistent service revenue with relatively low customer acquisition costs compared to consumer markets.
One of the major Brazilian bus operators has successfully completed preliminary tests and is offering Viasat’s Digital Bus solution, which provides high-speed, reliable satellite Wi-Fi to its passengers
CARLSBAD, Calif., June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Viasat, Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), a global leader in satellite communications, today announced Satélite Norte has become the first operator to trial its new Digital Bus solution allowing the major transport operator to provide high-quality passenger experiences using satellite and cellular connectivity.
Following a successful test phase the solution is now being used by Satélite Norte vehicles between Goiânia, state of Goiás, and São Paulo, more than 500 miles away in the country’s southeast. With travelers across Brazil and many other countries relying on buses where rail or air routes are either too expensive or unavailable, Digital Bus offers reliable, high-speed satellite connectivity across remote locations.
Digital Bus features a passenger portal which allows travellers to access Wi-Fi quickly and intuitively. This also enables bus operators to implement monetization strategies through targeted and dynamic advertising, as well as gather passenger feedback and insights. Digital Bus is powered by customizable, managed satellite and cellular connectivity and provides operators with an operational intelligence platform to monitor the system and other datapoints from their vehicles.
Waldir Sampaio, Executive Director of Satélite Norte, said: “We are very pleased with the performance during the test phase, especially the connection stability in more remote areas. Our partnership with Viasat aligns perfectly with our mission to offer comfort, innovation, and a differentiated experience to our passengers. We believe that high-quality onboard connectivity will become a competitive advantage and add even more value to our luxury route between Goiás and São Paulo.”
Andy Kessler, Vice President, Enterprise and Land Mobile, Viasat, said: “Across many regions of the world buses are a key transport link - particularly in places where air travel is expensive, and rail routes are lacking. After launching Digital Bus earlier this month, we are proud to partner with Satélite Norte to bring our Digital Bus solution to Brazil. Together, we’re proving that reliable connectivity is transforming the passenger experience and helping operators digitize and elevate their entire operation. As premium road travel continues to grow, internet access is no longer a luxury, it’s an essential part of the journey.”
About Viasat
Viasat is a global communications company that believes everyone and everything in the world can be connected. With offices in 24 countries around the world, our mission shapes how consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the world communicate and connect. Viasat is developing the ultimate global communications network to power high-quality, reliable, secure, affordable, fast connections to positively impact people’s lives anywhere they are - on the ground, in the air or at sea, while building a sustainable future in space. In May 2023, Viasat completed its acquisition of Inmarsat, combining the teams, technologies and resources of the two companies to create a new global communications partner. Learn more at www.viasat.com, the Viasat News Room or follow us on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, Threads, and YouTube.
About Satélite Norte
Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Goiânia, Brazil, Expresso Satélite Norte is a prominent interstate bus operator serving regions from North to South of the country. With over 100 daily departures, the company connects major cities such as Goiânia, Fortaleza, Belém, and São Paulo. Renowned for its commitment to comfort and innovation, Satélite Norte offers a modern fleet featuring premium amenities, including fully reclining seats and onboard Wi-Fi, catering to the growing demand for high-quality road travel experiences.
Copyright © 2025 Viasat, Inc. All rights reserved. Viasat, the Viasat logo and the Viasat Signal are registered trademarks in the U.S. and in other countries of Viasat, Inc. All other product or company names mentioned are used for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.
Viasat, Inc. Contacts
Richard Jones – External Communications, Viasat Enterprise, Richard.jones@viasat.com
Lisa Curran/Peter Lopez, Investor Relations, IR@viasat.com
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, among others, statements that refer to the planned roll-out of the Digital Bus solution and its future performance or reliability. 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 our ability to successfully roll-out the Digital Bus solution; its overall reliability, availability and performance characteristics; our reliance on commercial partners to provide coverage and capacity to enable Digital Bus, our ability to realize the anticipated benefits of the ViaSat-3 class satellites and any future satellite we may construct or acquire; unexpected expenses related to our satellite projects; risks associated with the construction, launch and operation of satellites, including the effect of any anomaly, operational failure or degradation in satellite performance; our ability to successfully develop, introduce and sell new technologies, products and services; our reliance on a limited number of third parties to manufacture and supply our products; increased competition; introduction of new technologies; the effect of adverse regulatory changes (including changes affecting spectrum availability or permitted uses) on our ability to sell or deploy our products and services; changes in the way others use spectrum; our inability to access additional spectrum, use spectrum for additional purposes, and/or operate satellites at additional orbital locations; competing uses of the same spectrum or orbital locations that we utilize or seek to utilize; and other factors affecting the communications industry generally. In addition, please refer to the risk factors contained in our SEC filings available at www.sec.gov, including our 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. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements for any reason.
FAQ
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