Last updated: June 2026 · Verified plans & pricing
⚡ TL;DR — Key Takeaways
Viasat delivers satellite internet to homes and businesses across all 50 states, including areas where no other broadband option exists. With speeds up to 100 Mbps and plans designed for streaming and remote work, Viasat offers one of the most capable satellite internet experiences available — though high latency remains a characteristic limitation of geostationary satellite technology.
Viasat plans include a monthly data threshold. After this threshold is reached, speeds may be reduced during periods of network congestion, but you are never completely cut off. Unlimited data plans available on select plans in some areas.
Plan availability and pricing vary significantly by location — some addresses qualify for unlimited data plans while others are subject to the thresholds below. Always check viasat.com or call (978) 723-5746 for plans at your exact address.
| Plan | Speed | Data Threshold | Upload | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viasat Essential | 25 Mbps | 150 GB | 3 Mbps | $39.99/mo |
| Viasat Unleashed | 100 Mbps | Unlimited | 3 Mbps | $69.99/mo |
Plan rate: $69.99/mo
Viasat requires a 24-month service agreement and charges an equipment lease fee on top of the plan price. Here's what to budget for:
Viasat requires professional installation — a certified technician mounts a satellite dish at your property, aligned precisely toward Viasat's geostationary satellites. The process takes 2–4 hours and includes connection of an indoor modem/router combo unit. All equipment is leased, not purchased.
A directional satellite dish mounted on the roof or exterior wall, aligned toward Viasat's geostationary satellite. Larger than a standard TV dish. Must have a clear southern sky view. Professional alignment is required for optimal signal strength and cannot be self-installed.
A combined modem and Wi-Fi router unit installed inside your home. Connects to the outdoor dish via coaxial cable run through the wall. Broadcasts dual-band Wi-Fi to your devices. Leased at ~$13/mo — returned to Viasat if you cancel service.
Viasat sends a certified installer to mount the dish, run the cable, and configure the indoor unit. Standard installation typically costs $0–$99 depending on current promotions. Complex installations (longer cable runs, special mounting) may incur additional fees.
Viasat uses Ka-band frequencies which can be affected by heavy rain (rain fade). Light rain or clouds rarely impact service. Heavy downpours or severe storms may cause temporary slowdowns or brief outages. Service restores automatically once conditions improve — no manual reset needed.
Viasat participates in the federal Lifeline program, which reduces the monthly cost of satellite internet for qualifying low-income households. This is especially important in rural areas where Viasat satellite internet may be the only available broadband option.
The Lifeline program provides a $9.25/mo federal discount ($25/mo on Tribal lands) applied directly to your Viasat monthly bill. While smaller than the now-ended ACP program, Lifeline remains a permanent federal benefit for qualifying households — reducing the $69.99/mo Basic plan to about $60.74/mo (before equipment lease).
Qualification: income at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, or participation in SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, SSI, or the Federal Veterans and Survivors Pension Benefit.
Viasat Business satellite internet serves farms, construction sites, small offices, retail locations, and mobile businesses operating in rural areas beyond the reach of cable or fiber. Business plans include higher data thresholds, static IP options, and dedicated business support — making them suitable for POS systems, security cameras, and cloud applications.
Entry-level business satellite internet for small offices and retail locations. Includes static IP option, 24/7 business-priority support, and dedicated account management. Suitable for email, web access, and light cloud usage across 1–5 workstations.
Starting around $99/moHigher speeds and larger data thresholds for businesses with multiple users or cloud-heavy workflows. Supports POS systems, security camera uploads, inventory management tools, and video conferencing. Includes SLA-backed uptime commitment and priority technical response.
Starting around $149/moViasat powers in-flight Wi-Fi on United, JetBlue, and other carriers. For businesses requiring connectivity on vessels, vehicles, or remote job sites, Viasat offers mobile VSAT solutions and maritime internet packages beyond standard residential plans.
Call for custom quoteFor enterprise, multi-site, or specialty business internet requirements, call (978) 723-5746 to speak with a Viasat business specialist.
Viasat's most accessible discount is the Lifeline federal credit for qualifying low-income households. Call (978) 723-5746 to confirm current promotions and discounted installation at your address.
The federal Lifeline program provides a $9.25/mo discount ($25/mo on Tribal lands) on your Viasat monthly bill for qualifying low-income households. For rural households where Viasat satellite internet is the only available option, Lifeline makes connectivity more affordable. Qualify via SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, Federal Public Housing, or income at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. Apply at lifelinesupport.org, then call (978) 723-5746 to activate the discount on your account.
Viasat periodically waives or discounts the standard installation fee ($0–$99) for new customers. Professional installation is required for all Viasat plans — a certified technician mounts the dish and configures the indoor unit. Confirm whether discounted installation is available at your address today by calling (978) 723-5746 before placing your order.
In some Viasat service areas, certain plans include unlimited data with no speed reduction after the threshold. Availability of truly unlimited plans depends on satellite capacity in your specific area. Call (978) 723-5746 to ask whether unlimited plans are available at your address — this can be a significant upgrade from standard soft-cap plans for heavy data users.
Viasat's plans are differentiated by download speed and monthly data threshold. Higher tiers offer faster speeds and more data — essential for streaming-heavy or multi-user households.
| Plan | Speed | Data | Price/mo* | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viasat Essential | 12 Mbps | 40GB | $69.99 | Solo user, minimal streaming, email/browsing |
| Viasat Unleashed | 30 Mbps | 60GB | $99.99 | Small household, occasional streaming |
| Choice Plus | 100 Mbps | 150GB | $69.99 | Families, frequent streaming, remote work |
*Equipment lease ~$13/mo additional. 24-month contract required. ETF up to $360. After monthly data threshold used, speeds may be reduced during peak hours. Prices and availability vary by location.
For a single user doing email and light browsing, Viasat Essential is the lowest-cost entry — though 40GB goes fast. A household that watches 2–3 hours of HD video per night needs at least the Choice Plus plan (150GB) — HD streaming uses ~3GB/hour, meaning 150GB allows about 50 hours of HD viewing per month. For all-day remote work with video calls and regular streaming, the Choice Plus tier is the only practical option. Call (978) 723-5746 to confirm which plans and speeds are available at your specific address.
Viasat is the premium satellite ISP for rural areas — faster and with more data than HughesNet, but still constrained by the fundamental physics of geostationary satellite. Here's our full assessment.
Viasat is the best geostationary satellite option for rural households — faster and with more data than HughesNet, with nationwide availability. The 3.5/5 rating reflects real limitations: high latency, data thresholds, a mandatory equipment lease, and a 24-month contract make it a difficult recommendation when better options exist. But when cable, fiber, and T-Mobile 5G aren't available, Viasat delivers reliable broadband connectivity to addresses that would otherwise have nothing. Always check T-Mobile 5G Home availability before committing. Call (978) 723-5746 to compare options at your rural address.
Viasat is internet only — no TV service and no wireless offering. For rural households, pairing Viasat internet with DirecTV satellite TV is the most common complete entertainment setup.
DirecTV uses a separate dish and satellite from Viasat, delivering live TV channels to rural areas where cable doesn't reach. Many households run both a Viasat dish (internet) and a DirecTV dish (TV) on the same property — they use different satellites and don't interfere. DirecTV packages start at $84.99/mo for ENTERTAINMENT (75+ channels). Call (978) 723-5746 to ask about DirecTV alongside your Viasat service.
Streaming video is possible on Viasat but requires data management. Netflix HD uses ~3GB/hour; 4K uses ~7GB/hour. On the Viasat Unleashed plan (60GB), a household has about 20 hours of HD streaming per month before hitting the threshold. Tips for stretching Viasat data: download shows during off-peak hours when network congestion is lower, set Netflix and YouTube to SD quality (reduces data to ~1GB/hour), use DirecTV satellite TV for live content instead of streaming it live over Viasat.
Viasat does not offer wireless service. In rural areas with Viasat internet, cell service may also be limited — AT&T and Verizon have the broadest rural cell coverage in the U.S. For rural households, a Verizon or AT&T mobile plan alongside Viasat internet provides the most complete connectivity option. Call (978) 723-5746 to discuss your rural connectivity needs.
Viasat competes against other satellite providers and fixed wireless in rural markets where cable and fiber don't reach.
| Provider | Technology | Max Speed | Latency | vs. Viasat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viasat | Satellite (GEO) | 100 Mbps | 600–700ms | — |
| HughesNet | Satellite (GEO) | 100 Mbps | 600–700ms | HughesNet starts cheaper ($39.99 vs. $69.99) and offers the Fusion plan for reduced latency (~100ms). Viasat generally offers more data per plan tier. For latency reduction, HughesNet Fusion beats Viasat; for data volume at mid-tier prices, Viasat edges out HughesNet. |
| Starlink | Satellite (LEO) | 220 Mbps | 20–40ms | Starlink is superior on every technical metric: faster speeds, dramatically lower latency, no hard data thresholds, no long-term contract. At $120/mo plus $599 hardware, it's more expensive upfront. If Starlink has capacity in your area and the hardware cost is feasible, it's the better long-term choice over Viasat. |
| T-Mobile 5G Home | Fixed Wireless | 415 Mbps | 20–50ms | T-Mobile 5G Home is faster, lower-latency, cheaper ($50/mo), contract-free, and includes equipment free — where available. Always check T-Mobile 5G Home availability at your address before committing to Viasat. In areas with strong T-Mobile 5G signal, it's clearly the better choice. |
Pricing verified June 2026. Call (978) 723-5746 to compare all available options at your rural address.
Test your Viasat connection's download speed, upload speed, and latency below. Latency will read 600–700ms on standard satellite plans — this is normal.
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Free Internet Speed Test
Check your current download speed, upload speed, and latency — no app or plugin needed.
Run Free Speed Test →Expected speeds during your monthly priority data period: Viasat Essential (~12 Mbps), Viasat Unleashed (~30 Mbps), Choice Plus (~100 Mbps). If speeds are significantly below your plan tier during the priority period, it may indicate dish alignment issues, obstructions (snow, debris), or indoor cable connection problems — restart your modem and check for physical obstructions on the dish before calling Viasat support at (978) 723-5746.
Viasat is available in all 50 U.S. states via geostationary satellite. Service requires a clear view of the southern sky from your property. Coverage maps show universal availability — the main constraint is physical dish placement, not geographic footprint.
Before you commit — call (978) 723-5746 to check if T-Mobile 5G Home or another fixed broadband option is available at your address first.
Data sources: Availability from the FCC National Broadband Map (2025). Customer satisfaction from the J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Residential ISP Satisfaction Study. Speed benchmarks from the Ookla Speedtest Global Index Q1 2025. Pricing verified June 2026.