Ottawa-based Telesat Canada was formed Sept. 1, 1969, as the first operator of a satellite launched to serve a single country. Today, it is blazing the trail to offer high-speed broadband services with the recent launch of the Anik F2 satellite.

The new Anik F2 satellite reportedly will be the first in the world to make full commercial use of the breakthrough Ka-band technology, which the company said is ideal for delivering high-speed Internet and other multimedia applications. While the focus has turned to broadband innovation, Telesat’s challenge in 1969 was to bring basic telephone and television service to the country. Its first satellite, the Anik A1, has been followed by 15 other successful satellite launches.