What Is Viasat Unleashed? All Your Satellite Internet Questions Answered

Viasat Unleashed is Viasat’s new satellite internet plan. It was announced on February 29, 2024, and it makes for a competitive offering against its main rivals, Starlink and Hughesnet.

Viasat Unleashed is a lot different from previous Viasat plans. Unlike Viasat’s other packages (which are now available to only a small subset of customers), Unleashed doesn’t require a two-year contract and doesn’t have price hikes after three months of service. The plan costs half or even a third of the price of previous Viasat options, while delivering speeds that are just as fast—if not faster.

According to Viasat, the speeds you get vary based on: “Location, time of day, and network congestion.” Expect bandwidth in the range of 25Mbps to 150Mbps. There are potential downsides to the new plan, though. The installation fee is based on your credit score—so while it’s possible to get installation for free, you may be on the hook to pay as much as $300.

Viasat Unleashed seems to be an improvement over the old Viasat plans. For instance, the lack of a contract makes it possible for customers to sign up without worrying about long-term commitment. The unlimited data is also big, considering that satellite internet traditionally comes with strict data caps.

“We don't know how the simplified plan structure will impact customers yet, but we like that customers won't have to worry about paying for priority data,” said Chili Palmer, a staff writer at HighSpeedInternet.com, who covered the details on Unleashed in time for the plan’s official unleashing on Thursday, February 29.

The fine print states that data slows down after residential "typical usage," which is approximately 850GB, but that’s still generous for a satellite customer.

Viasat Unleashed is available to 93% of current Viasat customers, and it isn’t an addition to current Viasat plans—it’s meant to replace them. Viasat’s satellite service is available widely across the country. In fact, the Federal Communications Commission puts Viasat’s nationwide availability at a miraculous 100.9% on its provider maps.

Satellite internet’s ubiquity makes it the go-to option for rural internet users who live in remote areas and don’t have any other internet infrastructure available. Want to know if you’re eligible for Unleashed? Run a search with your zip code below.

“We like that tech upgrades Viasat is making in the background are making faster speeds available to more customers,” Palmer said, speaking in an interview with Reviews.org. 

Viasat compares favorably to its main satellite competitors, Starlink and Hughesnet. It's cheaper than Starlink and faster than Hughesnet, and it offers contract-free signups plus unlimited data.

"I would say that the main value you get from Viasat Unleashed is flexibility," said Peter Christiansen, a writer at HighSpeedInternet.com who follows the satellite internet industry closely. "There are no long-term contracts, and you get unlimited data with basically no restrictions."

However, the value of Viasat compared to Hughesnet and Starlink also depends (once again) on your credit score. Your installation fee may be lower than HughesNet's $99 if you have good credit. (Starlink installation is technically free, though its $599 equipment fee replaces an installation fee.) If your score is low and you don't want the financial penalty, you're better off with another satellite internet company.

If you have your pick of internet providers, don’t go for satellite internet, period. It’s often slower and more clumsy than other internet connection types.

But if it’s satellite internet or nothing, then yes, Viasat Unleashed is worth the money for the flexibility of both a no-contract plan and unlimited data at a lower price.