Viasat Internet Review: Reliable Internet for Rural Situations

While Viasat advertises download speeds up to 150Mbps, these are not guaranteed and depend on your location. Still, this should be enough for streaming, web surfing, email, and voice chat. I entered dozens of zip codes across the country into Viasat's site and found that 100Mbps was the most common top speed, with 150Mbps rarely available. My own purchase speed was reportedly up to 100Mbps, but my actual speed, according to multiple speed tests, ranged from 40Mbps to 50Mbps.

So, while download speed sometimes surpasses Hughesnet, it's middle-of-the-road in the best-case scenario, and it will rarely outmatch Starlink. Another critical metric to consider is average latency. Unfortunately, this is a common weakness among satellite providers. While download speeds are decent, your internet will still appear slow because the signal has traveled a long distance.

Average latency from providers like Viasat has been measured in the hundreds of milliseconds. Customers I spoke with reported latency between 600 and 800 milliseconds (for comparison, the average cable latency is 15 to 35 milliseconds). They told me multitasking on the internet is challenging and incredibly frustrating when multiple people use it.

I got firsthand experience with Viasat's performance, and, contrary to other customers' frustrations, I was surprised by how decent my speeds were. I could stream live TV and movies, browse the web, and hold video calls with coworkers. However, high latency was noticeable, as it took a few more seconds than usual for a web page to load or for a Netflix movie to start. Unfortunately, signal interruptions are also common with satellite internet, so if my connection were suddenly interrupted, it would take several seconds for my movie to buffer and resume. These interruptions weren't that long, but they were more frequent and somewhat annoying during peak hours in the evening and when multiple devices were connected.

Customers I've spoken with say that while speed can be an issue, it's rare for it to stop working—although some told me their service can be spotty. The weather will significantly affect the speed of your Viasat service, as it does with any satellite provider. While using it, I never experienced a complete service outage. Even when it was overcast, I could still get a signal.

Customer support left a positive impression on me. Both my purchase, installation, and subsequent support calls were responsive and painless. Getting signed up was quick, and my installation took place just a few days later, at a time that was most convenient for me. My installer was knowledgeable, polite, and willing to answer all my questions. At a certain point, I decided to put my service in “hibernation mode,” which temporarily deactivates the service without canceling your account—useful for customers who only use it part-time of the year. This process was quick to initiate, and the customer rep I spoke with answered my questions.

Viasat outshines its competitors in unlimited data. With its updated Unleashed plan, Viasat is the only satellite internet provider that offers its fastest speeds with unlimited high-speed data. While Viasat's Unleashed data plan is virtually limitless, it warns customers that if they exceed the monthly standard data usage limit — 850GB, according to Viasat — they will likely see slower speeds to conserve bandwidth.

Hughesnet manages its network's traffic with a 200GB cap on priority data, so your speeds will slow to around 1 to 3Mbps once you go over. Starlink's priority plans offer up to 220Mbps, depending on location, while the Standard Starlink plan offers unlimited data at around 150Mbps. Viasat will be better suited for heavy-data households, but it's tough to say how consistent the speeds will be, given that every customer will have free rein with unlimited high-speed data.

Viasat's Unleashed plan offers unlimited data, ideal for customers who stream a lot. Streaming can drain allotted high-speed data, but since Viasat virtually eliminated its cap, you shouldn't have to worry about running out even when you watch HD or 4K TV.

So, is Viasat worth it? It depends on what's available in your area and what you primarily use the internet for. Its main internet plan ranges from $99.99 to $129.99 per month, depending on your location. Also, be aware that you'll need to pay a monthly equipment lease of $15, and you may need to pay an installation fee of up to $300, pending a soft credit check, though my own installation was free.

If you use a lot of data (e.g., streaming daily, working from home through the web, frequently videoconferencing, and sharing large data files), the promise of unlimited high-speed data should appeal to you. This is especially true compared to Hughesnet, which caps customers at 200GB per month.

Viasat also joins Starlink in ditching a mandatory contract, letting you pay month-to-month and end service whenever you want. Hughesnet is the only primary satellite internet provider in the U.S. that requires a two-year commitment and will charge an early termination fee.

Viasat is in the middle of the pack price-wise. Its Unleashed plan is usually more affordable than Starlink’s standard plan but slightly more expensive than Hughesnet’s Elite plan ($89.99 per month plus a one-year discount of $25 per month). However, moving away from mandatory contracts and providing virtually unlimited data makes the higher cost worth it, as it allows you to be more flexible. Hughesnet users need to be ready to have the service for at least two years.

For a deeper dive into these internet services, check out our full Hughesnet vs. Viasat breakdown. Viasat Internet and Starlink Internet are on more even footing when it comes to pricing. Starlink wins out because its technology enables faster, lower-latency internet.

Customers I got in touch with often struggled to find anything overly optimistic to say about their Viasat service.

“Viasat speeds were good, but the latency was bad—800ms plus,” former Viasat customer Jason Astel told me in a recent interview. “It was not an ISP to stream anything.”

Astel, who lives in rural Missouri, originally got it for home entertainment and his children's school. Since streaming wasn't a viable option, he told me he had to supplement with a satellite TV plan, which increased his bill even more. Astel left Viasat for Starlink, which he says has been a much better experience.

“The actual service has been reliable enough not to have to contact customer service,” said Michael David, a network engineer who uses Viasat at work. In rural areas across the country, David's work uses Viasat as a backup in case its primary internet connection goes down.

“During typical times, it’s not so bad, but when there’s a lot of volume on the network, the congestion can cause packet loss and errors with multiple devices,” he said.

Not everyone had a consistent signal. The online discourse surrounding Viasat often includes comments about dropped service and slower-than-advertised speeds. One customer I interviewed said his service was constantly spotty, even on clear days.

“Zoom works relatively well, although the resolution is not great and it sometimes has to buffer,” said Viasat customer Sal Salamone, in rural upstate New York. “My work requires I use a VPN, and it’s impossible with Viasat. It slows it down too much.”

Salamone said that when he upgraded his plan a few years ago, the service improved nominally, but it was not worth the higher monthly payment.

“There’s just no comparison,” Salamone said when comparing Viasat to traditional broadband internet.