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Q: What kind of speeds does Viasat offer?
A: Viasat internet offers several service options available, depending on where you live and availability. The plans vary by speed and video streaming quality with downloads speeds up to 100 Mbps as follows:
- NEW 100 Mbps service (now available in select areas!): Up to 100 Mbps downstream / 3 Mpbs upstream
- 50 Mbps service: Up to 50 Mbps downstream / 3 Mpbs upstream
- 30 Mbps service: Up to 30 Mbps downstream / 3 Mpbs upstream
- 25 Mbps service: Up to 25 Mbps downstream / 3 Mbps upstream
- 12 Mbps service: Up to 12 Mbps downstream / 3 Mbps upstream
Q: How can you offer such fast speeds? Isn’t satellite internet supposed to be slow?
A: Viasat’s high-speed internet is the culmination of a process that began in 2008 when Viasat began construction on its next-generation satellite, ViaSat-1. The success of ViaSat-1 was followed by the launch of Viasat’s newest ViaSat-2 satellite in the summer of 2017. With speeds currently as fast as 100 Mbps downstream, Viasat’s advanced technology delivers the most significant capacity leap in the history of satellite technology.
Q: What about latency?
A: The reason older versions of satellite internet service were slow had more to do with the technology available at the time than latency. Viasat’s satellites are in orbit a bit more than 22,000 miles above the Earth, but the speed of light is approximately 186,282 miles per second. And while there is a tiny bit more latency than on cable and DSL networks, it’s not enough to make a big difference in most uses of the internet. (Exceptions can be with certain live-action fast-twitch games and VPN services.) Additionally, Viasat incorporates groundbreaking web-acceleration technology that dramatically increase page-load time, minimizing the effect of latency. So in addition to the higher speeds enabled by Viasat’s high-capacity satellite, you will experience a much faster, more responsive web-browsing experience.
Q: Are Viasat’s internet speeds throttled?
A: Older plans such as the Liberty plans that use the previous ViaSat-1 satellite come with a preset data limit, similar to HughesNet and cellular internet. Once the monthly data limit is reached, speeds are throttled to under 5 Mpbs during the day and 1 Mbps in the evening. However, the nwere Viasat unlimited plans available with the ViaSat-2 satellite are true unlimited data plans and do not throttle speeds at a preset limit, leading to faster speeds and better overall performance.
Q: How does Viasat’s speeds compare to other rural internet service providers?
A: Viasat offers a high-speed true unlimited internet service for customers living in rural America where there is no fiber optic/cable Internet (like Comcast, Charter, Spectrum, Suddenlink, Uverse, etc). While most rural providers like DSL, Cellular and Microwave typically offer speeds up to 3 Mpbs speeds, Viasat internet speeds are at least 4x faster on our smallest plan in most locations and now feature plans with speeds up to 100 Mpbs in select areas.
Q: Does my data usage ever affect the speed of my internet service, especially if I use a lot of data?
A: When the Viasat network traffic is not busy, your service speeds will not be affected. However, when the network is congested with high traffic use, and you have used more data than the amount provided in your service plan, Viasat may prioritize your data behind other customers, which may result in slower speeds. Webpages and videos may load slower than during periods of non-congestion.
Q: I don’t see my question listed. What should I do?
A: If you have a question or issue not already addressed, we are here to help. You can Chat with us online (see the lower right-hand corner of your screen below), email us at viasat@getruralinternet.com or use our handy online email form and we will get back to you with an answer or solution to help make your Viasat internet experience the best possible! Better yet, just call and ask us at 1-844-4GETNET (1-844-443-8638) TODAY!
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