Viasat internet offers service all across the country, but it’s not the fastest option.
6 min readNot only is Viasat taking the satellite world by storm with its new no-contract, no-data limit plans, but its service also accommodates satellite internet users around the country.
“Viasat was very reliable, and I rarely had any issues,” says Otto, a former Viasat customer in Collettsville, North Carolina.
The main downside is Viasat’s often slow speeds and intermittent unreliability. Viasat underperforms compared to Hughesnet and Starlink, Viasat’s main satellite competitors.
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Our breakdown of Viasat Internet features
For all our internet reviews, we give a rating based on three main criteria: Speed and reliability, dollar value, and customer experience—which we then average to make an overall score.
Want to know how Viasat stacks up? See our full take below.
Overall score: 3.1/5
Speed and reliability
2.8/5.0
Viasat is a satellite internet service, which means it's automatically slower and less reliable than other connection types, like fiber or cable. But it has its uses, especially in rural areas that lack more traditional internet.
Even compared to similar satellite services, Viasat is slow. According to the Reviews.org speed test, in 2023, Viasat's average download speed was 2.82 Mbps, slightly better than Hughesnet's speeds but half as fast as Starlink's. At that pace, Viasat is okay for basic internet access but not great for streaming video or gaming.
Some customers expressed frustration with the slow speeds.
"It was advertised as 25Mbps down and five up. It was actually more like zero to five down and zero up," says former Viasat customer Silas Horst, a construction worker near Buffalo, Missouri.
"It cost me $150 a month plus tax," Horst says, adding, "I was getting screwed, and I knew it."
In contrast, Otto of Collettsville, North Carolina, started with Viasat when it was Wildblue and had no issue with the speeds. "Just had to adjust to the data limits and high latency," he says. With Viasat Unleashed, data limits are no longer a concern to most customers—but latency (what you probably think of as response time) remains high.
Otto only left Viasat when Starlink, which was a better deal, came to his area.
For many people, Viasat provides a stable connection. Eugene Klimaszewski, president of Mammoth Security in New Britain, Connecticut, initially chose Viasat for his company because its service area is extensive. "I also appreciate Viasat for its reliable satellite coverage—integral for maintaining operations in remote areas where other services aren't available," says Klimaszewski.
Still, Viasat isn't always reliable. Like other satellite internet providers, Viasat's connection is sometimes interrupted on its long trip down from space.
"Viasat is very sensitive to weather," remarks a former customer in Boone, North Carolina, who goes by the Reddit username ConsciousContract726. "Sometimes sprinkling rain caused the internet to go out."
What’s Viasat-3?
Viasat has four satellites (compared to Starlink's 6,350), and it's launching a constellation of three satellites called Viasat-3. Viasat promises that Viasat-3 will "offer unprecedented bandwidth productivity."
Dollar value
3.5/5.0
Dollar value isn't a strength for Viasat. It costs some major moolah—$100 a month (at least) for Viasat Unleashed, which works out to as much as $8.33 per Mbps. (And that’s not counting fees for Viasat equipment and other expenses.) Compared to non-satellite internet providers, that's outrageous. Compared to other satellite providers, it's average but still not great.
The biggest Viasat value add? Definitely unlimited data, which is especially important for a slow connection with high latency. You can't always do things fast, but at least you can still do them, which is only sometimes the case when you have strict data limits.
Still, unlimited data might not justify the high cost. For instance, one former customer wishes Viasat delivered more for the price.
"When I left Viasat, I had the 'unlimited' plan at the time, but it was throttled terribly ... Pretty much worthless," says former Viasat customer James Mizer. Mizer, an HR manager in Coshocton, Ohio, signed up with Viasat's former iteration, Wildblue, around 2006.
Meanwhile, internet expert Peter Christiansen feels that the value varies wildly with the widespread new Viasat Unleashed plan.
"Speedwise, it hasn't changed in a very significant way," Christiansen says, comparing Viasat Unleashed to previous plans. "Cheap slow plans went away, and expensive fast plans went away. Now you have one mid-priced (for satellite) plan that could be anywhere from kinda slow to pretty fast."
Viasat offers some deals to help customers save money, but not all of them work for every customer. To keep your bill as low as possible, use our pro-tips to lower your Viasat internet bill.
Customer experience
3.7/5.0
Viasat’s strongest customer service point is its availability; it’s now available in 99% of the U.S. That means you may not have to switch internet providers if you move—always a plus.
But otherwise, customers who spoke to Reviews.org were lukewarm about the customer service. Silas Horst’s experience was “not too bad,” while company president Eugene Klimaszewski calls his experience “mixed.”
“While responsive,” he says, “resolution times vary, which can be challenging during critical operational periods.”
"At one time, they had very good customer service," recalls James Mizer. "Over the years, though, it got worse and worse and worse." During Mizer's time with Viasat, the provider eliminated its engineer-monitored customer support board, which he'd used to reach support staff.
And while the ACSI 2024 telecommunications study doesn’t feature Viasat as a separate entity, the “All Others” category (which includes Viasat) scored an underwhelming 65 points—three below average.
How long it took to get a real human on the phone: It took two minutes to connect with a real, live person, and the phone tree to get there wasn’t terribly obnoxious, either.
How the chat service is: We’ll never know. Apparently, I would need a My Viasat account to casually chat with an online agent.
Overall quality
3.3/5.0
Viasat has its high points—it’s available almost everywhere, it can be reliable, and its Viasat Unleashed is a unique offering among satellite internet providers. Overall, though, Viasat lags in speed and reliability, even compared to other satellite services.
What makes this review legit?
Our fact-based research process centers on interviews with internet customers across the country, helping us understand how internet services hold up against diverse needs and challenges.
To put together this review, we read tons of customer reviews on Reddit and other online forums, talked to seven different Viasat customers, read practically the entire Viasat website, and looked at various internet surveys and research papers.
Viasat vs. the competition
Viasat doesn't perform well compared to non-satellite providers. That's no surprise—satellite internet isn't very competitive by nature.
When up against other satellite services, Viasat looks much better. It's more affordable than Starlink and faster than Hughesnet, and it offers the unique Viasat Unleashed option, which combines contract-free service with unlimited data.
And, according to retired IT instructor and Virginian G. Saunders, Viasat allows users to sign up in non-rural areas, something Starlink won't always do. "None of the terrestrial providers are competing with Starlink or Viasat," Saunders says. "If there's broadband infrastructure with DSL, fiber, 4G, 5G, or cable available, Starlink won't subscribe to you. Viasat will."
Compare internet providers and prices
Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change. Data verified as of the article's publication date.
*
Offer available to new qualifying customers. One-time standard installation fee may be due at checkout. Minimum 24-month service term required. Equipment lease fee is $12.99/mo. Taxes apply. Service is not available in all areas. Offer may be changed or withdrawn at any time.
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Plus hardware, shipping & handling fees, and tax. Fully refundable. Depending on location, some orders may take 6 months or more to fulfill.
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Service plans require a 24-month commitment. Pricing not available in all areas.
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Plus taxes and fees. Upload/download speed and device streaming claims are based on maximum wired speeds. Actual Internet speeds are not guaranteed and may vary based on factors such as hardware and software limitations, latency, packet loss, etc.
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Price after $5/mo Autopay & Paperless bill discount (w/in 2 bills). Plus taxes $ fees. Limited availability. May not be available in your area.
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w/ Auto Pay. Regulatory fees included in monthly price for qualified accounts. See full terms.
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Price per month with Auto Pay & without select 5G mobile plans. Fios plan prices include taxes & fees
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Limited time offer; subject to change; valid to qualified residential customers who have not subscribed to any services within the previous 30 days and who have no outstanding obligation to Charter.
What do customers think of Viasat?
Viasat has a lukewarm reputation. When I talked to customers, the following points of interest came up:
- Viasat is fairly stable for some people—unexpected for satellite internet
- But there are enough problems that several current and former customers are unhappy
As mentioned, several customers said Viasat was stable for them despite its satellite-connected nature.
"Despite living in a rural area where other ISPs struggle to provide consistent coverage, Viasat has been dependable in delivering internet access when I need it most," says Aapt Dubey, a freelancer in Laurel, Maryland.
"It was available anywhere you had a clear view of the southern sky," says HR manager and former Viasat customer James Mizer in Coshocton, Ohio. "Pretty reliable except for rain fade."
However, current and former customers were generally critical of the service.
“It was better than nothing, I suppose.” —Silas Horst
“Speeds were bad at times, and the data plans were ridiculous,” vents Mizer. “Was hoping to get on the new satellite, but when it failed to deploy at maximum capacity, I dropped it.”
“Internet of LAST resort. If anything else is available and will work at your location, get it.” —James Mizer
Need to contact Viasat customer service or tech support?
You can call Viasat home internet support at +1-855-463-9333.
Can Viasat customers use the internet service on airplanes?
While Viasat internet is available on some airlines, home internet customers don’t automatically have access.
"Love being able to connect to the internet while flying," says Florence Lowe, founder and CEO of SchoolAnalytix in Dallas. Lowe has used Viasat on flights before. "When you run a startup, you want to be responsive to new clients or prospects, and you need to be connected."
If you want to use Viasat in the air, airlines sometimes allow you to access in-flight Wi-Fi at no cost. Sometimes, you have to pay a fee. And sometimes, you can only hop online if you have the right phone plan. For instance, T-Mobile customers can sometimes access Viasat airplane internet free of charge.
Viasat has yet to respond to our request for comment about the airline internet service.
Have thoughts about home internet?
We’re eager to hear from internet customers about their experiences with their home Wi-Fi. Contact us at info@reviews.org to share your thoughts, recommendations, and hot tips.
FAQs
One of Viasat's biggest downsides is its slow speeds and sporadic unreliability, which are common for most satellite internet providers.
When comparing Viasat and HughesNet, Viasat wins with faster speeds and higher data caps. HughesNet's speeds cap out at 100Mbps, while Viasat offers up to 150Mbps. With HughesNet, the maximum high-speed data you can get is 200GB, while Viasat offers up to an impressive 800GB.
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