As cable and telecom providers continue leaving many rural regions unserved in the digital age, satellite internet aims to bridge the broadband gap. SpaceX‘s Starlink and Viasat‘s Exede fight for customers lacking wired connectivity options. This comparison explains their key differences so you can decide which service best fits your needs.
Why Compare Starlink and Viasat?
Historically plagued by sluggish speeds, strict data caps and high latency, satellite internet was long considered inferior to cable and fiber connections – useful mainly as a last resort for remote users.
Starlink represent a new generation, leveraging thousands of cutting edge low orbit satellites, advanced dish antennas and networking to deliver speeds and responsiveness rivaling land based services.
But well established Viasat also continues upgrading its satellites and coverage after entering the internet space 20 years ago. Their flagship Exede branded plans outpace archaic early satellite technology.
For rural residents still lacking wired connectivity, comparing Starlink and Viasat helps determine if innovative new space based networks finally provide internet on par with urban dwellers.
Below we analyze all the key factors satellite shoppers must weigh – availability, speeds, data limits, pricing and customer satisfaction among them.
Starlink vs Viasat Compared
Satellite Network Technology
Starlink operates over 2,000 compact satellites circulating between 340 to 570 miles overhead in low Earth orbit (LEO) to enable broadband connections. Developed in-house by SpaceX, these satellites use advanced phased array antennas and space-based routing.
Viasat utilizes a mix of older satellites parked in geostationary orbits 22,000 miles from earth plus some in distant medium earth orbits (MEO) through partner agreements and their own ViaSat-3 satellites slowly being deployed over the next few years.
LEO satellites like Starlink‘s provide key advantages:
- Faster transmission – Less distance means data travels quicker back and forth to satellites just hundreds of miles overhead rather than 22,000 miles, reducing lag
- Congestion mitigation – The vast swarm of satellites spreads capacity allowing service upgrades by launching more satellites. Viasat‘s few satellites in distant static orbits get overwhelmed by customers in concentrated areas
- Lower latency – Data again travels quicker overall with satellites so much closer to users, enabling smoother online experiences
Insimple terms – Starlink operates a ton of advanced new satellites close to earth while Viasat relies on fewer aging satellites parked extremely far away from users.
Speed Comparison
Thanks to advanced tech and proximity delivering quick data transmissions, Starlink provides up to 7X faster speeds compared to popular Viasat plans according to user tests.
Early beta testers report Starlink downloads commonly reaching 100Mbps-200Mbps during normal usage based on crowdsourced testing.
| Starlink | 100-200Mbps |
| Viasat | 12-35Mpbs |
Viasat advertises speeds "up to 100Mbps" for their fastest plans. But user reported speeds for their popular unlimited data plans average just 15-25Mbps based on FCC and consumer research data. Why the huge gap from advertised peak speeds?
Network congestion on Viasat‘s oversubscribed legacy satellites causes routine slowdowns to a crawl during peak evening hours as capacity tightens from so many customers fighting for limited bandwidth. Most Viasat users get much slower speeds than advertised each night.
Latency Comparison
Latency represents the time delay for data to transmit to satellites and back. Shorter delays enable smoother video chatting, gaming and scrolling since less lag occurs waiting for two-way communication.
Starlink latency averages 20-40ms thanks to minimal transmission times to nearby satellites just hundreds of miles up.
In contrast, a minimum 500ms latency is normal for Viasat users per FCC reports given huge 22,000 mile distances data travels out to distant stationary satellites. That‘s over 12X higher latency than Starlink!
Lower latency makes activities like gaming, VoIP calls and even web browsing much more responsive. Viasat‘s sky high latency causes continual lag across applications.
Availability
Starlink aims to deliver satellite connectivity options to remote users worldwide lacking broadband infrastructure using a massive floating network beaming internet from space.
But with satellite launches ongoing, Starlink‘s network still has limited geographic reach – expected to achieve fairly complete global coverage by mid 2023.
It‘s prioritizing expansions to higher population regions in the U.S., Canada and Europe first. As of early 2022 Starlink reports active service across portions of 45 states plus areas of the U.K., France, Germany, Australia and more, with availability growing weekly.
Viasat has a huge coverage advantage currently, with Exede satellite internet services accessible by businesses and residences across all 50 U.S. states plus much of Mexico and South America. Partnerships expand availability deeper into Europe as well.
Until Starlink completes its satellite network roll out over the next two years, Viasat likely offers services in more regions than Starlink today, especially in southern latitudes.
Data Caps
One common satellite internet frustration are tight monthly data allowances along with costly overage charges for exceeding them. Data hungry video streamers and online gamers struggle undercapped plans or must pay steep penalties.
Viasat‘s unlimited data plans actually still come with hard monthly data thresholds:
| Plan | Data Cap | Overage Fees |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | 40GB | $10/1GB |
| Bronze | 60GB-100GB | $10/1GB |
| Silver | 150GB | $10/1GB |
| Gold | 150GB | $10/1GB |
So Viasat customers get sluggish throttled data past those levels or pay through the nose if they regularly exceed limits each month. Many complain they struggle staying undercaps which heavily restrict usage.
Starlink imposes no hard data caps at all during it‘s ongoing beta testing phase. Technically the acceptable use policy caps usage at 1TB per month. But early testers report using over 2TB some months without issues or speed reductions.
So streaming fans and gamers can binge guilt-free with Starlink. In contrast Viasat customers must constantly monitor usage to avoid penalties.
Also noteworthy – whereas Viasat requires committing to full 24 month contracts, Starlink offers month to month terms allowing cancelation without penalty for added flexibility.
Equipment, Installation & Ownership
Starlink‘s $600 equipment fee provides all necessary hardware to access satellite services:
- Compact circular antenna dish with motors to self adjust angle
- WiFi router for connecting devices
- Cables and power supply
- Mounting tripod (roof mounts also available)
The small profile equipment is designed for fast do-it-yourself installation. Most users reportedly set up their Starlink kit successfully under an hour without issues by:
- Assembling included tripod
- Attaching dish
- Positioning outside with wide view of sky
- Running cable inside to power supply and WiFi router
- Connecting to home devices directly via WiFi or ethernet
No special tools, drilling or cabling work inside walls is required.
Importantly, the Starlink kit hardware is owned outright by users with no lease or rental fees for equipment. So despite higher up front purchase costs, long term costs are often cheaper than competitors since you own the gear with no ongoing lease charges or return requirements if canceling service.
By comparison, Viasat forces customers into pricey equipment rental agreements with mandatory installation by a contracted professional technician sent to set up, properly aim dishes to stationary satellites thousands of miles higher and route cables. Appointments average 4-6 hours.
Add in common multi-month delays waiting for installations, occasionally botched antenna positioning and climbs into attics and crawlspaces to run wiring and many Viasat users find the setup painful. Subsequent service calls also often waste half days waiting at home for delayed technicians when issues arise later needing hands on fixes.
Between long established experience and partnerships, Viasat touts strong equipment reliability once functioning. But the initial and ongoing need for professional installations proves frustrating.
In contrast Starlink lets users skip the hassle and oversight by setting up their owned equipment themselves on their own fast timeframes.
Customer Satisfaction
Few early issues are reported by beta users as Starlink quickly expands, outside occasional brief service drops during extreme weather until passing storms clear.
Overall Starlink satisfaction seems high, with online reviews praising it as life changing broadband for rural users long lacking options beyond phones and sluggish old satellite technology. Even some urban dwellers happily upgrade from cable.
Viasat customers voice frequent complaints and low satisfaction – between delays receiving initially promised service, chronic peak hour congestion slowing speeds to a crawl for many subscribers, costs and commitment avoiding early cancellation, and issues from reliance on installers.
"Our internet data speed was so slow that a simple Google search took 5 mins" – Viasat User Review
"Starlink is a gamechanger if you have no good internet options" – Starlink User Review
So while Viasat beats old satellite technology, growing capacity strains clearly anger many longtime subscribers as more compete for limited bandwidth. Most seem thrilled simply accessing modern speeds and responsiveness from Starlink that were previously unavailable.
Pricing and Plans
When comparing costs, both services require substantial upfront investments – $600 for Starlink‘s hardware kit you own outright or up to $350 installation charges for leased Viasat equipment.
Monthly rates can vary widely depending on data needs, commitment terms and promotional offers.
| Hardware | Monthly | Contract | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starlink | $599 one time equip. purchase | $110 month-to-month ($99 plus tax) | No long term contract |
| Viasat | $0 to $350 install + $10-$15 monthly lease | $50 to $150+ monthly | 2 year contract |
So while Viasat‘s base rates seem cheaper, savings depend greatly on data needs and tenure required by contracts. Typical unlimited data plans run $100 monthly for either after equipment expenses.
But Viasat users wanting streaming friendly plans get socked with hundreds in termination fees avoiding long contracts. Plus overage charges pile up from staying under tight data caps. Starlink offers flexibility skipping contracts and data limits that lock in Viasat users.
Promotions can tilt costs temporarily, but compare terms closely as headline prices often prove deceptive.
Conclusion
For rural residents seeking a truly high speed broadband alternative to sluggish old satellite technology, we recommend trying Starlink first since its newer generation satellite network handily beats Viasat Exede on performance.
Speeds up to 7X faster than Viasat‘s congested infrastructure coupled with much lower latency provide a far superior experience – especially for data hungry streamers and online gamers needing responsive connections.
No long contracts or data caps also make Starlink more flexible and worry free. And user owned equipment avoids leased hardware rental fees down the road.
But Viasat maintains an advantage in geographic availability currently while Starlink expands satellite reach. Viasat also works better than Starlink for lighter internet users on tight budgets.
Overall Starlink clearly provides the the top tier satellite experience for most rural users sitting on wait lists in covered regions. But legacy satellite provider Viasat still fills broadband gaps for many outside Starlink‘s still expanding satellite coverage.
Check Starlink.com to determine services in your area since new regions launch weekly as this exciting race to cover the world with fast space based broadband continues.
