How does Viasat handle service outages?

Service reliability is a core concern for any internet provider. When those rare moments come when connectivity drops, customers want to know not only why it happened—but also what the provider is doing to restore service, communicate with users, and minimize disruptions. In this guide, we examine how Viasat handles service outages: from detection and customer alerts to technician dispatch and outage prevention.

1. Understanding Causes of Viasat Outages

Viasat satellite internet can be interrupted for various reasons:

• Severe weather: Heavy rain, snow, hail, or thunderstorms can cause temporary signal loss.
• Hardware issues: Dish misalignment, modem failures, power surges, or disrupted grounding.
• Network faults: Issues at ground stations, satellite anomalies, or uplink/downlink errors.
• Scheduled maintenance: Planned upgrades or maintenance on satellites or ground infrastructure.
• External events: Power grid failures, solar storms, or fiber line damage affecting ground systems.

2. Outage Detection and Monitoring

• Automated systems: Viasat’s network continuously monitors signal strength, latency, and packet loss across beams and ground stations.
• Remote ping tests: When signals drop, diagnostics are run automatically to confirm user impact.
• Home device alerts: Modems report connection disruptions, alerting the network operations center.

This automated detection is often what initiates an outage alert before users even report issues.

3. Customer Notification & Communication

• Account dashboard alerts: "MyViasat" portal displays real-time status including outages.
• Mobile app notifications: Users receive push alerts if outages are detected in their area.
• Email/SMS notices: Sent proactively during widespread or prolonged outages.
• Support team updates: Customer service reps can provide current outage status and estimated resolution.

4. Troubleshooting Steps for Customers

1. Check Viasat’s app or portal to confirm if it’s a system-wide incident.
2. Power-cycle your equipment—unplug and wait 60 seconds before reconnecting.
3. Inspect your dish for obstructions (snow, ice, debris) or obvious damage.
4. Ensure your modem/router lights indicate proper signal; check cables and power connections.
5. Run network diagnostics within the Viasat app or portal if suggested.

If these steps don’t help, contacting Viasat support is the next recommended action.

5. Escalation and Technician Response

When onsite issues are detected, Viasat employs a structured escalation process:

• Level 1 support: Inbound customer queries handled remotely via phone/chat.
• Level 2 technical investigation: Engineers analyze network logs, beam diagnostics, and signal data.
• Onsite technicians: Dispatched if dish realignment, replacement, or wiring repair is needed.

Technician dispatch takes into account customer support tier: residential users may wait longer than those with prioritized EasyCare or business-level service plans.

6. Restoring Service After Outage

• Remote fixes: Adjustments made via satellite or modem reboot to restore signal.
• Hardware replacement: Faulty modems, routers, or dish components replaced onsite.
• Network rerouting: If a ground station is down, traffic is rerouted through alternate stations.
• Post-outage verification: Technicians or network teams run tests to confirm uptime and speeds are restored.

7. Compensation & Service Guarantees

Viasat does not publish a public SLA for residential users, but there is an understanding of service reliability. Customers enrolled in EasyCare or business plans may qualify for faster service and fee waivers.

If an outage was caused by Viasat’s hardware or network, credited fees or waived service charges may be issued—especially in business tiers. Viasat reviews such cases on a customer-by-customer basis.

8. Historical Outage Examples

• Weather-related patches: Brief outages during storms are resolved within 15–60 minutes for most users.
• Hardware emergency repairs: Dish or modem failures fixed during next business day on residential plans.
• Maintenance windows: Notices sent 24–48 hours ahead, with impacts limited and scheduled off-peak where possible.

9. Tips to Minimize Disruption

• Choose EasyCare for priority support and waived service fees.
• Keep your dish location clear and shaded when possible.
• Use UPS/back-up power for modem to ride through brief power blips.
• Track network status via app; sometimes reboots can restore service faster than waiting.
• Document outages diligently; this may help in reimbursement efforts.

10. Comparing Viasat’s Outage Management to Peer Services

11. What to Do During Extended Outages

• Use your phone’s mobile hotspot as a backup.
• Call Viasat support to check for SLA options.
• Consider switching to multi-provider solutions if outages occur frequently.

12. Future Enhancements in Outage Response

• Integration of AI alerting for faster outage detection.
• Expanded EasyCare benefits for residential users (e.g., faster dispatch).
• Upgrade of network redundancy via the Viasat-3 constellation.

Conclusion

Viasat uses robust monitoring, timely communication, and structured escalation to address outages. Though occasional service interruptions do occur—typically due to weather or hardware failures—the provider is equipped to respond quickly. Choosing protection plans like EasyCare or business-level service ensures quicker resolution and potential fee credits. For most rural users, Viasat offers reliable service with proactive handling of outages.