Viasat Customer Care: How to Get Fast Answers, Fix Issues, and Manage Your Account

The essentials: who Viasat is and what customer care covers

Viasat Inc. is a U.S.-based satellite communications company known for residential and business satellite internet. The company launched ViaSat-1 in 2011, ViaSat-2 in 2017, and began deploying the next-generation Viasat-3 constellation in 2023. If you live in a rural or remote area, there’s a good chance your broadband option is Viasat—and that makes efficient, accurate customer care especially important for installation, billing, and technical support.

Viasat customer care typically handles four categories: account/billing questions, technical troubleshooting, installation and service moves, and cancellations/equipment returns. Because service terms and plan availability can vary by ZIP code and by promotion, always verify plan details and fees inside your account portal or the official Help Center before making changes. For current documentation and contact options, use the Help Center at help.viasat.com (look for “hc/en-us” in the URL for English-language articles).

How to reach Viasat support (and what to expect)

The fastest way to current contact options is the official website: start at viasat.com and follow the Internet → Support or Help links. You’ll find up-to-date phone and chat options, outage notices, and step-by-step guides. Hours and phone numbers can change by product (residential vs. business) and region, so rely on the site’s “Contact” or “Support” page for the latest.

If you need a physical mailing address (for formal correspondence, not equipment returns), Viasat’s corporate headquarters is: Viasat Inc., 6155 El Camino Real, Carlsbad, CA 92009, USA. Do not ship modems or transceivers to this address—equipment returns are handled via prepaid kits and instructions issued after cancellation. For legal documents and the Customer Agreement, see viasat.com/legal, which hosts the current terms of service, acceptable use, and network management policies.

What to prepare before you call or chat

Having the right information at your fingertips can cut support time by 50% or more. Most residential inquiries are resolved in a single interaction if you provide identity verification and recent performance details upfront. Gather the following before contacting support and keep it in a single note or email draft.

• Account data: account number (from your bill or online portal), service address, last 4 digits of the payment method, and the primary account holder’s name and phone number.
• Equipment details: modem/gateway model, serial number/MAC (printed on a label), and LED status (which lights are steady, blinking, or off).
• Service context: installation date, plan name and advertised speed, date/time of the last good performance, and any storms or power events in the past 72 hours.
• Performance metrics: 2–3 recent speed tests (down/up/latency) with timestamps and test server location; note whether tests were wired (Ethernet) or Wi‑Fi and how many devices were connected.
• Troubleshooting tried: exact steps and durations (e.g., “power-cycled modem for 10 minutes at 19:40 on 2025-08-26; no improvement”).
• Billing facts (if applicable): last invoice total, date paid, any promotional credits, and whether you’re enrolled in autopay or paperless billing.

Deep-dive troubleshooting that avoids a truck roll

Because satellite broadband depends on precise antenna alignment and a clear sky path to a geostationary satellite, small issues—loose coax, moisture ingress, or foliage growth—can have outsized impact. Many problems can be isolated in 10–20 minutes, saving a service call fee and days of waiting.

• Power and cabling: unplug the modem/gateway for a full 10 minutes (not 10 seconds). Check the coax connectors at the modem and wall plate; they should be finger-tight plus a quarter turn. Look outside for obvious obstructions within the dish’s line of sight or signs of cable damage.
• Modem/gateway LEDs: note which lights are solid vs. blinking. A missing “Receive” or “Transmit” light points to signal or alignment; a missing “LAN” light points to a local device/Wi‑Fi issue. Photograph the LEDs for support.
• Weather checks: heavy rain or snow can cause short-term degradation (rainfade). If speeds recover once weather clears, note the timestamps; support can compare with beam telemetry.
• Isolate Wi‑Fi: run a wired Ethernet speed test to remove Wi‑Fi variables. If wired speeds are normal but Wi‑Fi is slow, change the Wi‑Fi channel, split 2.4/5 GHz SSIDs, or reposition the gateway away from microwaves and thick walls.
• Run controlled tests: use speedtest.net or fast.com to run 3 tests, 5 minutes apart, noting ping and jitter. Typical GEO satellite latency is 600–750 ms; if you see repeated timeouts or <1 Mbps down on a plan that advertises 25+ Mbps during off-peak hours (e.g., 09:00–16:00), include that in your case notes.
• Account status: check your plan’s high-speed data threshold. After you exceed it, speeds may be deprioritized during congestion. Confirm your usage in the account portal before assuming a line fault.

Billing, credits, and plan changes

Satellite internet billing is commonly month-to-month after an initial term, but specifics depend on the Customer Agreement you accepted at install. Promotional pricing often lasts 3–24 months; after that, standard rates apply. Taxes and surcharges vary by state, and some fees (like a technician visit) may be nonrecurring line items. Always read the invoice PDF—look for a “Details” or “Usage” section for clarity on charges vs. credits.

If a network outage or installation defect disrupted service, ask about a pro-rated credit. Be prepared to provide timestamps, case numbers, and the duration of the outage. For plan changes, verify how quickly the new speeds take effect (some changes apply within minutes; others at the start of the next billing cycle). Confirm whether a change restarts any commitment and whether new equipment is required.

Moving, cancellations, and equipment returns

For a move, contact customer care at least 10–14 days in advance with your new address. Satellite beam coverage is location-specific; support will confirm availability and schedule a technician if a dish re-point or reinstall is required. Ask for any move fees in writing and whether your existing plan and promotions carry over to the new address.

To cancel, request the exact cancellation date (same-day vs. end-of-cycle) and confirm whether early termination fees apply based on your agreement. You’ll receive instructions for returning the modem/gateway and any leased transceiver equipment. Returns are typically handled via a prepaid kit—follow the included checklist and keep your drop-off receipt. Missing or late equipment can trigger non-return fees, so ship promptly and save tracking.

Outages, network management, and realistic performance

Satellite networks are shared and capacity-managed. During peak hours (roughly 19:00–23:00 local time), you may see lower throughput. After you exceed your plan’s high-speed data allotment, your traffic may be deprioritized behind customers who have not reached their allotment. This is normal under most satellite acceptable use policies. As a baseline, expect latency around 600–750 ms due to the ~35,786 km geostationary orbit distance.

If you rely on latency-sensitive apps (VoIP, cloud gaming, real-time VPN), set expectations and use optimizations: enable QoS on your router for voice devices, prefer downloads/updates outside peak hours, and consider disabling auto-updates on consoles/PCs. When reporting performance issues, always differentiate between peak and off-peak results; this helps care agents decide whether you’re seeing congestion, deprioritization, or a line-level fault.

Escalation, documented resolutions, and consumer resources

For persistent issues, ask support to open a case and provide the case ID. Request a summary of the agreed action (e.g., “technician dispatch within 72 hours,” “billing credit of $X on invoice dated YYYY-MM-DD”) to be emailed to the address on file. If the first-line agent cannot resolve your issue, politely ask for a supervisor or “escalation/advanced support.” Keep a log with dates, agent names, and outcomes.

If you believe your service does not match disclosures, consult the official Customer Agreement and network management policy at viasat.com/legal. For unresolved disputes after working through Viasat’s process, U.S. consumers can file an informal complaint with the FCC at consumercomplaints.fcc.gov or by phone at 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322). Keep in mind the FCC will typically route the complaint to the provider for a formal response; include your case IDs and documented test results for the fastest resolution.

Useful links you can trust

Corporate site: https://www.viasat.com

Help Center (guides, FAQs): https://help.viasat.com

Legal/Customer Agreement: https://www.viasat.com/legal

FCC Consumer Complaints (U.S.): https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov