Viasat Introduces Budget-Friendly Plan For Low Data Users

Viasat is offering potential satellite internet customers a new, budget-friendly option with the opportunity for additional savings. More than a year after simplifying its residential internet offering to a single Unleashed plan, Viasat is now introducing the new Essentials plan. It’s designed for customers with minimal internet needs, and don’t want to pay a higher price for unlimited data. Viasat Essentials starts at $69.99 per month and can go up to $89.99 per month, depending on the service address. As a special deal, the first three months are reduced by $20 per month for all Viasat plans.

• IMPORTANT: The $20 per month savings can only be added when signing up online or mentioning it directly to a Viasat reseller.

Viasat Essentials reduces the cost of its flagship plan, with the caveat that it’s restricted to 150GB per month, unlike the unlimited data that comes with the Unleased plan. It also requires a 12-month commitment to the service, which can only be canceled with an early termination fee of up to $180. 

The plan lives up to its name, “Essentials,” by allowing budget-minded customers to get internet access at their rural home, especially if they only require it for basic use cases. Viasat covers the majority of the U.S., allowing residents to get internet nearly anywhere. However, satellite internet is, on average, more expensive than a wired internet connection, such as cable or fiber—having a low-cost satellite internet option can make it even more accessible.

Viasat is capable of high speeds of up to 150 Mbps, depending on several factors, such as the time of day and location—though according to its official Broadband Nutrition Label, typical speeds are around 62 Mbps. 

With the limited 150GB per month and high latency that’s inherent to satellite internet, it’s not an ideal plan for heavy data users. Viasat Essentials is capable of web browsing, email, social media, and some streaming, although data usage can quickly become excessive. It can be extended with data boosts for an additional charge; 5GB costs $9.99. 

 For uses like HD streaming and downloading large files, the unlimited plan is recommended. An additional benefit to the Unleased plan is that it can be canceled at any time with no fee.