How to Add Data to Viasat Internet for Faster Speeds

Viasat Unleashed is the provider's flagship plan that ditched data caps. However, it does have a soft cap of 850 gigabits. If you go over this allotment within 30 days, Viasat may slow your internet down to conserve bandwidth for other customers.

Viasat doesn’t charge a fee to change your internet plan to one with more data, so you can upgrade or downgrade whenever you want. You can change your plan by calling Viasat customer service or by accessing your account online.

If you’re not sure how much data you need, log in to My.Viasat.com to check on your data usage throughout the month. Viasat helps you to easily track your data usage and will let you know if you're using too much within a month.

Here are the steps to changing your Viasat plan online.

1. Login to your account on My.Viasat.com.
2. Go to “Plan” (across the top menu).
3. Click “Change my plan.” This will show you all other Viasat internet plans available in your area.
4. Select the plan you’d like to change to.
5. Review changes on the summary page, including details about your monthly rate changes.
6. Click “Confirm” or hit “Cancel” to keep your current plan.
7. After changing your plan, your modem will be offline for a few minutes while your modem resets to the new plan.
8. Once your modem has reset, you’re up and running with your new plan and data package.

Customers in rural areas are much more likely to have data limits on their internet services. However, new technologies and government programs are working to improve services. So, it’s a good idea to check periodically to see if you have better options than your current plan.

You may have plans in your area that offer more data, faster speeds, or lower rates. For tips on finding the best plan in your area, check out Best High-Speed Internet In Rural Areas. 

Most satellite internet plans have a limited amount of data. Even “unlimited” plans aren’t really unlimited—they have a limited amount of full-speed priority data and an unlimited amount of slow data. If you exceed your monthly data threshold, your speeds will be throttled to drastically slow speeds between 1 and 3 Mbps until the next billing cycle begins. 

Viasat's service is virtually unlimited, but it may slow your speed down if you exceed the average usage limit of 850GB in 30 days. This is well beyond typical internet usage, so you shouldn't worry about hitting that ceiling.

Typically, satellite internet download speeds are fast enough for streaming, video conferencing, and gaming. But if you reach that data threshold, all that activity will grind to a halt. With throttled speeds, you can’t even watch YouTube. And if you’re working from home, you can’t use Zoom either. Throttling is a big problem for many satellite internet users. 

Log into your Viasat account to find out when you’ll get back to full speed. Your monthly data usage will appear on the home screen. This screen will also tell you when the new billing cycle will begin and when you’ll return to full speed.

If you’ve maxed out your full-speed data allotment, the only way to increase speed on a Viasat Unlimited plan is to upgrade to a plan with more data.

All Unlimited Viasat plans have a limited monthly allotment of full-speed data, although if you exceed that amount, you can keep using the internet at reduced speeds. If you’re on an unlimited plan, you can’t add extra full-speed data if you go over your allotment. 

If you’re experiencing slower speed because you’ve used up your allotment of full-speed data, you can try accessing the internet during off-peak hours for slightly higher speeds. But there is no guarantee that you’ll have faster speeds in the middle of the night. You might have to wait until your usage resets to zero at the end of the billing cycle.

Running out of data on a satellite internet plan is frustrating. Whether you’re getting kicked off the internet or throttled to slow speeds, it’s not a pleasant experience. Rural areas are much more likely to have data limits on internet services, even though customers are in rural areas. 

Streaming with Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Disney+, and other services uses far more data than almost any other online activity. Minimizing streaming activity is the best way to reduce your data usage. Getting satellite TV or watching live TV with an antenna is worth the price if it means you don’t run out of data mid-month. If you use live TV for your daily dose of the news and evening entertainment, you can enjoy occasional streaming without worrying about running out of data.

To prevent running out of priority data before the end of the month, take steps to manage your data usage so it doesn’t happen again.

6 Tips to maximize your data plan

1. Use the Viasat app to keep track of your data usage.
2. Watch live TV or satellite TV instead of streaming services most of the time.
3. When you are occasionally streaming, keep the video set to the lowest quality (DVD).
4. Turn off auto-play features and disable pop-ups on social media and news websites.
5. Rethink smart devices and security cameras if you’re low on data.
6. Turn off your video camera in video calls.