As well as fast speeds the new service offers unlimited data plans to its customers, giving them more freedom and access to more online service, without having to pay overage charges.
“We’ve upped the game for satellite internet by delivering a new service that gives consumers what they want: more data, faster speeds and better entertainment experiences across all device types. Today’s service launch is an important step forward in Viasat’s mission to deliver faster internet anywhere,” said Mark Dankberg, Viasat’s chairman and CEO.
The new offering is powered by the ViaSat-2 satellite system, which is claimed to be the most advanced, highest-capacity communications satellite in orbit today, combined with new innovations in satellite ground infrastructure.
“The innovations we’re making across our satellite system allow us to do extraordinary things, from moving the satellite industry up-market by delivering premium services, speeds and plans that give consumers new choices in their internet service provider, to helping bridge the digital divide in the U.S. today,” added Dankberg.
As the first satellite internet service provider to offer speeds of 100Mbps, it is as much as 10 times faster than typical DSL and surpasses the Federal Communications Commission’s broadband definition of 25Mbps download speeds.
In order for Viasat to offer data without overage charges, the company says it is optimising video streaming, maximizing ground network capabilities and flexing its system’s data consumption capabilities to offer more data and video viewing time at small screen, DVD or better quality. This means that if a customer exceeds its monthly data plan, the service will continue based on availability.
Eventually the company says it will enable ViaSat-2 services for business and government as well as in-flight internet connectivity on both commercial and business aircraft.
Viasat has already begun work on its next-gen high-capacity satellite system, the ViaSat-3, which is expected to enable high-quality, high-speed internet access for billions of people and emerging markets worldwide. The ViaSat-3 system will offer global coverage with only three satellites, each designed to support over 1-Terabit per second of network capacity, further expanding the reach of 100+ Mbps broadband access. The first ViaSat-3 class satellite is expected to go into service in 2020 for the Americas, with the second satellite for Europe, Middle East and Africa expected to launch 6 months after. A third ViaSat-3 class satellite is planned for the Asia Pacific region as well.
In February Viasat signed an agreement to deliver next-gen internet connectivity to a fleet of United Airlines (UAL) aircraft. Viasat’s latest in-flight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC) system will be rolled out to more than 70 aircraft, including at least 58 of United's new Boeing 737MAX aircraft.
