UPDATE: Hello Frontier Fiber! [Goodbye Viasat satellite internet. Goodbye Starlink internet!]

We have had Viasat satellite internet for over six years.

Our internet has not worked properly since November 24th, and Viasat has not helped us with our problem in the least.

(Their customer service is absolutely atrocious.)

Pretty soon, we'll see if we can get Spectrum cable internet.

We have tried to get them before, so it might not happen.

If that doesn't work, we will try to get Pacific Lightwave internet, which is a local company that serves the Coachella Valley.

I'm not sure what technology they use, but we hear their service is better than satellite internet.

If that doesn't work, we might go with HughesNet satellite internet.

But, whatever we choose, we will probably not have Viasat all that much longer.

Goodbye, Viasat.

We probably won't miss you.

Not sure if you can still get in on the beta, but you might want to keep Starlink in mind as well if you can’t get reliable wired services. Should be much lower latency compared to traditional satellite due to the low earth orbit and supposedly broadband level throughput.

KuoH

I have Viasat(through Dishnet). I don’t really have a problem with it. I mean….it is what it is. Satellite internet is slow compared to true broadband and I’m stuck with a measly amount of bandwidth. Up in the boonies where I live, there just are not any other choices. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for the Space-X Starlink Elon Musk creation that hopefully will soon be coming to my neighborhood. Until then…….its kind of like living on internet welfare.

We didn't have that many problems with Viasat until our modem/router started to go out on November 24th.

I would make service appointments with Viasat, and they would either stand me up or cancel the appointments.

All they would have had to do was come out and replace the modem/router, at our expense mind you, but apparently that's impossible for them to accomplish.

Yeah, that’d suck. I’ve been lucky with my hardware—few problems. It also helps that the local dish installer guy is really a square-shooter. Dug around through his stuff to get me back online a few times. Last time, my LNB was blown and since it was obsolete, all Viasat would do was upgrade my entire system. My local guy had an LNB on the shelf at his shop and swapped it to me for a case of Coors Lite. I love the barter system. :smiley:

Starlink looks promising, though it's in early stages right now.

We won't be getting Spectrum.

They want $5051 to connect to our house.

I contacted Pacific Lightwave, and we're hoping we can get their service.

They "operate multiple fiber optic and gigabit microwave rings."

I don't really know what gigabit microwave rings are, but I believe it's way better than what we have right now.

It's going to take at least a couple of weeks before we can get Pacific Lightwave, if it's even possible.

If that doesn't work, we may just stick with Viasat if they can fix our defective equipment.

I just found out that we cannot get Pacific Lightwave.

I'm going to look into Starlink more seriously now.

Why not buy your own router/modem? Our ISP lists compatible units. Some are found on Amazon rather inexpensive. The equipment rental fee savings will pay for it in no time.

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You cannot do that if you have Viasat.

Check out r/cordcutters on Reddit if you are looking for options. You might look into 4g if you have good cell signal.

We use a lot of data.

We need a plan that has no data caps.

Is that even legal? New law last week, kinda related but not exactly, ISPs can’t charge a equipment fee if you don’t use their equipment. Pretty obvious, right? Everything needs to be spelled out nowadays.

Found this with quick google:
“The FCC’s rules are clear: cable companies must let customers use their own equipment (including modems) unless it isn’t compatible with the network or unless it would cause some kind of harm or was designed to let customers obtain services they didn’t pay for.”

I'm not saying that it's legal.

I'm just saying that with Viasat, they have to provide your modem/router, and you cannot get it from anywhere else.

Your account information is stored in their equipment and will only work with your account.

Another google found this
“Can I use my own router with Viasat?
Yes. You can use your own, or get the new Viasat WiFi Modem or Gateway with built-in Wi-Fi when you order Viasat Internet service. If you don’t have the Viasat WiFi Modem/Gateway or would prefer to use a different router, any modern router will work with Viasat Internet service”

They provide a 2-in-1 modem/router.

You can use your own router, if you want, by not using their router, but you have to use their modem.

Our router doesn't work very well with their modem, so we use both their modem/router.

Try this read

How much for a new Viasat unit?

Can I use my own modem with Viasat?
You can use your own, or get the new Viasat WiFi Modem or Gateway with built-in Wi-Fi when you order Viasat Internet service. If you don’t have the Viasat WiFi Modem/Gateway or would prefer to use a different router, any modern router will work with Viasat Internet service.

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The router that Viasat provides works fine.

It's the modem that doesn't work, and you have to use their modem.

Sounds like they should make it work if it doesn’t. If service isn’t at the curb, it usually isn’t economically feasible to extend service to your house. Stuck with what you have.

They should, and maybe they will on Wednesday.

If not, maybe we'll try HughesNet.

Good luck and I hope they show. Utilities are a pain in good times and now Covid has made it worse.