ComplaintsforViaSat, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  04/24/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I called last month to cancel my subscription with them. They said call back on the day the bill for the next 30 days comes do since i had already paid that bill. I called today to cancel they refuse not to charge my bank. They require Auto Pay feom my bank. I explained that I had already called. They said I was a liar and they had no record and that If i would have called yesterday that they would refund me. The bill is due for the next 30 days today. They refuse to cancel. I have not used and unplugged the device awaiting the boxes they will send to return . How can a company Steal like that!!

  Business response

  04/30/2024

  Thank you for bringing Ms. ******************** to our attention.
  
  The Customer Agreement, signed by ************ on October 10, 2014, states that customers are responsible for the monthly fee for the full billing cycle in which the customer requests to disconnect service, and that Viasat will not provide a prorated refund for any prepaid fees regardless of when service is terminated. Therefore, all Viasat residential accounts are disconnected at the end of the customers billing period, regardless of when termination is requested.
  
  On April 24, 2024, ************ was charged and paid $85.52 for monthly service. The same day, ************ contacted Viasat to disconnect her service due, at which time the disconnect order was for May 24, 2024, with disclosures read. ************ disputed her current monthly service charges and was transferred to a supervisor, who stated that they were valid due to the above-stated policy.
  
  Review of ************* account shows that she has not consumed any data in her current billing cycle. As resolution to Ms. ***** complaint, Viasat has applied an $85.52 credit to her account. If ************ has any further questions or concerns, she may contact Viasats 24-hour ************************ at ************.
  
  Thank you for the opportunity to respond.

  Customer response

  05/04/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

• Initial Complaint

  04/23/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  We have had Viasat internet since summer of 2023. When we purchased the service, I explained to the rep that I would be working from home and that we would often have two devices connected and often two devices streaming, and they assured me that the plan I was purchasing was a good fit. The internet has never worked for my wife's computer - either it will not connect or it does but goes extremely slowly - but she put up with it until recently because she was on maternity leave for a while and did not have to work from home much. Now that she does have to work from home, the poor service on her computer is a real problem. The first time I called Viasat about this, roughly a month ago, they were unable to fix the slow internet on her computer. I told them that the installer put the router in a different location than I requested and suggested that maybe moving it would help, and they told me that the installer is 3rd party so it is not a Viasat issue, and that I could pay to have them come correct it. Since that call, the service still has not worked on my wife's computer. Given the many poor Viasat reviews we have begun reading, I decided to cancel Viasat instead of dealing with the ongoing frustration of dealing with the internet and their customer service. While I feel we could reasonably request a refund for at least half of what we have paid monthly, my only request when I called was that they waive the cancellation fee since the service has been poor. They tried selling us more internet, telling us we were using too much data (which was never mentioned when we signed up), and telling us that our VPNs were the issue (which again was not mentioned when we signed up and told them we would be working from home). The service issues my wife is experiencing have been frustrating, but even more frustrating is Viasat's treatment of their customers and refusal to accept any responsibility for the service they are selling.

  Business response

  05/02/2024

  Thank you for bringing Mr. ******** complaint to our attention.  
  
  The Customer Agreement, signed by ****************** on July 15, 2023, commits each customer to a ******** minimum service term, and states that early termination fees will apply if service is canceled prior to the expiration of the minimum service term. Customers are advised of this commitment at the time of sale and are reminded of the early termination fees at the time they elect to disconnect prior to the expiration of the minimum service term.
  
  ****************** is currently receiving Viasats Choice 50 Mbps/100 GB service plan at $99.99 a month plus applicable taxes, a $14.99 monthly equipment lease fee, EasyCare at $9.99 a month, and Shield Premium at $8.99 a month.  The Choice 50 Mbps/100 GB service plan provides unlimited data usage at regular speeds up to 500 Mbps, and a high-speed data threshold of 100 GB.
  
  The Customer states that *********************** ************** plans are subject to Viasats ************** Policy.  Viasats ******************* plans do not have a monthly data allowance. Pursuant to Viasats ************** Policy, if a customer uses more than 100 GB of their high-speed data usage threshold during their monthly billing period, Viasat may prioritize their data behind other customers during network congestion, which will result in slower speeds. Starting on the first day of the customers monthly measurement period,all uploaded and downloaded data transmitted using Viasat **************** will count towards the 100 GB high-speed data usage threshold. At the end of the monthly measurement period, the data usage resets to zero. Customers are informed of this information when they select one of Viasats ************** plans, and it is addressed in Viasats ************** Policy available at viasat.com/legal.
  
  On February 28,2024, ****************** contacted Viasat to report intermittent connectivity, and the representative rebooted Mr. ******** modem to resolve the issue.  ****************** stated that the technician did not install the equipment where he asked that it be installed.  The representative offered to escalate the complaint, and ****************** declined.  A clear line of sight to the southern sky is required for the satellite service to work properly. Trees, buildings, flags/flagpoles, etc. must not come between the dish and the southern sky, and as a result, technicians cannot always accommodate requests to install the equipment in specific areas.
  
  On April 22,2024, ****************** contacted Viasat to disconnect service.  All Viasat residential accounts are disconnected at the end of a billing period, regardless of when termination is requested.  As such, the disconnection was submitted to process on May 20, 2024, with disclosures read.  ****************** disputed paying the early termination fees, and the representative advised him that the fees were valid and would not be waived.
  
  Viasat requested a review of Mr. ******** sales call on May 1, 2024, and it was found that the sales representative did not provide ****************** with proper information regarding speed expectations. All Viasat sales dealers are contractually required to make customers aware of such information, and we apologize that this information was not properly communicated to ******************.
  
  As a resolution to Mr. ******** complaint, Viasat has waived Mr. ******** early termination fees.  If ****************** has any further questions or concerns, he may contact Viasats 24-hour ************************ at ************.
  
  Thank you for the opportunity to respond. 

  Customer response

  05/02/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau,

  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and while I do disagree with some of the points in Viasat's response, I appreciate their waiving of the early termination fees and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. Thank you for the time and help with this issue. 

  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  04/23/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  ***************** For the last several weeks I have been experiencing VERY SLOW upload and download speeds ( .4 mps upload and .4 mps download). On 2 occasions a Viasat rep has assisted me in diagnosing the issue without a resolution. I requested a service call but the response was to further investigate the issue. Though the rep were thorough in their attempt to find an issue, I am EXTREMELY disappointed with the lack of Viasat in upgrading this to a service call. If not resolved soon, I will be forced to seek another internet service provider.

  Business response

  04/25/2024

  Thank you for bringing Mr. ******* complaint to our attention.
  
  The Customer Agreement signed by **************** on August 26, 2015, advises that Viasat does not guarantee the ******* to be uninterrupted or error-free. Service may be interrupted from time to time for various reasons, including inclement weather at a customers home or their ******* gateway.
  
  On April 17, 2024, **************** contacted Viasat to report slow speeds. The representative performed troubleshooting and found no issues with his *******, and recommended upgrading to a higher ******* plan. Mr. ******* ******* was transitioned from the Liberty 50 - Boost 25 + Free Zone plan at $110.00 a month to the Choice 25 Mbps/60 GB plan at $84.99 a month.
  
  On April 22, 2024, **************** called Viasat three times to report slow speeds. Each time the representative advised **************** of congestion on the beam that provides his *******. Like most high-speed internet providers,Viasat is a shared network, meaning many people share one large connection.Service speeds can also be affected by overall internet traffic, congestion, and the quality of the servers for the websites or networks to which customers are connecting.
  
  As of April 25,2024, modem diagnostic tools show that Mr. ******* *******s are functioning properly and actively being utilized. If **************** has any further questions or concerns, he may contact Viasats 24-hour ************************ at ************.
  
  Thank you for the opportunity to respond.

  Customer response

  04/27/2024

   
  Complaint: 21612165
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  Upload and download speeds are STILL under 2 mps.  These speeds are at ANY time of the day and are unacceptable and I do not agree this is due to 'congestion'.
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************

• Initial Complaint

  04/22/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Viasat *** provided internet services to our rural area and did not disclose any contacts with me, nor did the service technician on the day of service in October 2023. We knew our electric provider was offering fiber optics in Spring/Summer of 2024, which is why I chose Viasat, the advertisements stated no contracts or hidden fees. The service was not good, there are hidden fees like purchasing extra data because there is no "unlimited data" and very seldom could get anything on the *** We finally had the opportunity to hook up with fiber optics and I called to cancel our service on April 9th, 2024, which I was then informed of contracts, fees I had to pay and so forth. I'm tired of getting deceived by these companies as a consumer it's getting out of hand. We are on a fixed income, and I cannot afford these fees and were not told of any contracts until I ended the service. I would like a refund on my credit card, and I've attached photos of their advertising.

  Business response

  05/01/2024

  Thank you for bringing ********************** complaint to our attention.  
  
  The Customer Agreement, signed by ******************** on November 8, 2023, commits each customer to a ******** minimum service term, and states that early termination fees will apply if service is canceled prior to the expiration of the minimum service term. Customers are advised of this commitment at the time of sale and are reminded of the early termination fees at the time they elect to disconnect prior to the expiration of the minimum service term.
  
  ******************** was receiving Viasats Choice 50 Mbps/100 GB service plan at $99.99 a month plus applicable taxes, and a $15.00 monthly equipment lease fee.  The Choice 50 Mbps/100 GB service plan provides unlimited data usage at regular speeds up to 50 Mbps, and a high-speed data threshold of 100 GB.
  
  The Customer Agreement states that *********************** ************** plans are subject to Viasats ************** Policy.  Viasats ******************* plans do not have a monthly data allowance. Pursuant to Viasats ************** Policy, if a customer uses more than 100 GB of their high-speed data usage threshold during their monthly billing period, Viasat may prioritize their data behind other customers during network congestion, which will result in slower speeds. Starting on the first day of the customers monthly measurement period, all uploaded and downloaded data transmitted using Viasat **************** will count towards the 100 GB high-speed data usage threshold.At the end of the monthly measurement period, the data usage resets to zero.Customers are informed of this information when they select one of Viasats ************** plans, and it is addressed in Viasats ************** Policy available at viasat.com/legal.
  
  Customers have the choice to purchase additional data under Viasats Data Boost option on an as-needed basis, but are not required to do so. Purchases made during a billing cycle are charged on the customers next invoice and appear on the invoice as Data Boost. 
  
  On April 9,2024, ******************** contacted Viasat to disconnect service.  All Viasat residential accounts are disconnected at the end of a billing period, regardless of when termination is requested.  As such, the disconnection was submitted for and processed on April 12, 2024, with disclosures read.  ******************** disputed paying the early termination fees, and the representative escalated a request for a waiver of early termination fees.  When an escalation is created for a waiver of early termination fees per a customers request, it is not guaranteed that the request will be approved.  Determinations for early termination fee waivers are made on a case-by-case basis.
  
  ********************** account was disconnected as scheduled on April 12, 2024, and she received an invoice in the amount of $283.04 for early termination fees.
  
  The escalation was reviewed on April 17, 2024, and ********************** request to waive her early termination fees was denied.  ******************* was sent an email with the determination.
  
  On April 22,2024, an automatic payment was made for the balance due of $283.04 using ********************* payment method on file.
  
  At this time,Viasat feels that all appropriate actions have been taken to assist *******************, and Viasat does not agree to waive ********************** early termination fees.  The advertisement ******************** attached to her complaint is for Viasats Unleashed plan, which ******************** was not receiving and was not available to customers until February 2024, four months after ********************** service was installed.  For reference, a copy of ********************** Customer Agreement is included with this response.
  
  If ******************** has any further questions or concerns, she may contact Viasats 24-hour ************************ at ************.
  
  Thank you for the opportunity to respond. 

  Customer response

  05/01/2024

   
  Complaint: 21587810
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I never signed any agreement & was not told on the phone upon ordering the service there was an agreement. If my signature appears anywhere, it was done without my consent. This business did not disclose any contract requirement, which is why I contacted for service. We knew our electric provider was offering fiber optics in 2024 at a reasonable rate & better service. These companies want to sign you for services but dont explain upfront conditions. Its only when you cancel do they explain all the fees. I would not have accepted this service in the beginning if this was disclosed. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

• Initial Complaint

  04/22/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Im reporting an Internet scam that involves 2 Companies, All Choice ******************************** Inc.On 02/13/24 I called *************) left message, my call was returned byJames of All Choice Connect . ***** stated they were running a Valentines special for$65.00/a mo. for the 1st 3 months, after 3 mo. it would be $85.00 a mo. There was a $60.00 deposit required up front to pay for the equipment which would be credited back after 6 mo.. I could cancel anytime but if it was before 6 mo. I would lose the $60.00 deposit. I asked about equipment rental or other fees. ***** said there wouldnt be anymore equipment fee charges. My bill would be $65.00 plus tax, if it was more I should give him a call back and he would take care of it. I liked that I could cancel at anytime and if I was unhappy with service and canceled before 6 mo. I would be only be out my $60.00. ***** said if we canceled early someone would come and pickup equipment. I contacted ***** @3:10 p.m. on 2/22/24 and asked to proceed with setting up internet service acct # **********. At 3:32 p.m. a contract was emailed to me and it was completely different than what ***** told me.On 3/19/24 received a bill from the internet provider Viasat, for $69.99 plus $15.00 equipment rental & tax. I called ***** @************ left message, called 5 more times, no response.3/21/24 talked to ***** @Viasat concerning ****, told someone would contact me in 4 days. 4/1/24 talked to ***** ************************ asked to cancel my account, transferred to specialist, was disconnected. 4/5/24 talked to Francisco ************************ said to cancel account, was told I had a 2 year contract, $350. early cancellation fee & $300.00 for equipment. Asked to be transferred as he was hard to understand. Spoke to ******* she repeated the above. Transferred to supervisor ******, I asked to cancel account, told not until 5/3/24, equipment box would be sent 7 days later.Ive reported both companies to OH Attorney General, BBB, Crawford County Sheriff.

  Business response

  05/01/2024

  Thank you for bringing Mr. **** complaint to our attention.  
  
  The Customer Agreement, signed by ********** on March 1, 2024, commits each customer to a ******** minimum service term, and states that early termination fees will apply if service is canceled prior to the expiration of the minimum service term. Customers are advised of this commitment at the time of sale and are reminded of the early termination fees at the time they elect to disconnect prior to the expiration of the minimum service term.
  
  Additionally, the Customer Agreement advises that customers are responsible for returning Viasats modem and transceiver within 30 days after disconnection. Failure to do so will result in an unreturned equipment fee of $300.00, not including taxes. Customers are reminded of this when they elect to disconnect service. Viasat supplies equipment return materials, including illustrated instructions and a prepaid return shipping label, within a week after disconnection.  Viasat does not return to pick up the equipment from the customers residence.
  
  ********** is currently receiving Viasats Choice 25 Mbps/60 GB service plan at $69.99 a month plus applicable taxes, a $15.00 monthly equipment lease fee, and EasyCare at $9.99 a month.  ********** is also receiving a discount of $20.00 off his bill per month for the first three months, and EasyCare at no cost for the same length of time.
  
  On March 4, 2024, ********** received an invoice in the amount of $72.55 for monthly service fees and prorated service fees.  The first bill a customer receives is typically larger than future monthly bills due to the proration of fees for the days of service received before the first bill is generated.  Payment in full was collected via recurring payment on March 14, 2024.
  
  On March 21, 2024, ********** contacted Viasat to inquire about the invoice.  ********** stated that when he purchased the service, he was told there would be no equipment lease fee and the cost of service would be $65.00 per month.  ********** additionally stated that he paid a $60.00 deposit when he purchased the service which he was told would be refunded to him if he kept the service for six months.  The representative explained the prorated charges as stated above, and advised ********** that the monthly charge with the promotional discount of $20.00 off per month for the first three months was approximately $65.00 per month.  The representative did not address Mr. **** statement regarding the $60.00 deposit; however, that is not an offer provided by Viasat.  Viasat does not collect a refundable deposit for any service.
  
  ********** contacted Viasat on April 1, 2024, to disconnect service.  ********** disconnected the call prior to being transferred to Viasats ******************** to process the disconnection, and the representative called ********** back to complete the process.  Unfortunately, ********** also ended the second call before the disconnection could be processed.  As a result, Mr. **** account remained active.
  
  On April 4, 2024, ********** received an invoice in the amount of $66.62 for monthly service fees, which remains unpaid to date.
  
  On April 5, 2024, ********** contacted Viasat to disconnect his service and requested that the service be disconnected effective April 1, 2024.  The representative advised ********** that the disconnection could not be backdated, and explained why the service was not disconnected on April 1, 2024, as stated above.  All Viasat residential accounts are disconnected at the end of a billing period, regardless of when termination is requested.  As such, the disconnection was submitted to process on May 4, 2024, with disclosures read.
  
  All Viasat sales dealers are contractually required to make customers aware of the 24-month minimum service term and early termination fees at the time of sale. We apologize if this was not clearly communicated to **********.  As such, Viasat agrees to waive Mr. **** early termination fees.  However, the outstanding balance of $66.62 for service fees is valid and will not be waived.
  
  If ********** has any further questions or concerns, he may contact Viasats 24-hour ************************ at ************. 
  
  Thank you for the opportunity to respond. 

  Customer response

  05/02/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************

• Initial Complaint

  04/22/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We don't have internet and this company are only paying with us they don't fix the problem.

  Business response

  04/24/2024

  Thank you for bringing ************** complaint to our attention.
  
  The Customer Agreement, signed by ************ on July 18, 2023, commits each customer to a ******** minimum service term, and states that early termination fees will apply if service is canceled prior to the expiration of the minimum service term. Customers are advised of this commitment at the time of sale and are reminded of the early termination fees at the time they elect to disconnect prior to the expiration of the minimum service term.
  
  Additionally, the Customer Agreement advises that ********************** does not guarantee the service to be uninterrupted or error-free. Service may be interrupted from time to time for various reasons, including inclement weather at a customers home or their service gateway.
  
  On April 10, 2024, ************ contacted Viasat twice to report no connectivity. After troubleshooting did not resolve the issue, a service call was created, but there were no dates available for scheduling. Viasat uses third-party contractors to service customers for service calls, and thus are subject to their calendar availability.
  
  Between April 11,2024, and April 17, 2024, ************ called Viasat seven times to attempt to schedule the service call. Each time the representative left a note on the work order requesting the vendor to contact ************, as there were no dates available for scheduling.
  
  On April 17, 2024,the technician called ************ to schedule the service call. ************ requested a translator, and the technician stated that a translator would call her back later that day. The translator called ************ back the same day and scheduled her appointment for May 1, 2024.
  
  ************ was charged $141.18 for monthly service charges on April 24, 2024. No payment was collected.
  
  As a resolution to ************** complaint, Viasat has applied a $141.18 downtime credit to her account as of April 24, 2024. Viasat has agreed to waive all early termination fees if ************ chooses to disconnect her account. This offer will be valid through May 24, 2024, and ************ may reference case ******** if she chooses to take advantage of this offer. To disconnect her account, or if ************ has any further questions or concerns, she may contact Viasats 24-hour ************************ at ************.
  
  Thank you for the opportunity to respond.

• Initial Complaint

  04/22/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On February 20, 2024, I wrote Viasat telling them that I was a loyal customer and I was experiencing financial hardship. I tried reaching out to customer service regarding my bill but didn't get any help whatsoever. I wrote them on the 20th of February asking someone contact me to discuss any possible way of lowering my monthly bill. They completely ignored my written request.

  Business response

  04/23/2024

  Thank you for bringing Ms. ********** complaint to our attention.
  
  The Customer Agreement signed by ********************** on December 4, 2023, states that Viasats Price Lock Guarantee applies only to the monthly **************** fee and the Equipment Lease Fee (in each case before any promotional discounts) and excludes all taxes and surcharges. This runs for 24 consecutive months from the date of account activation.
  
  ********************** is currently receiving Viasats Unleashed plan at $119.00 a month plus applicable taxes, and a $15.00 monthly equipment lease fee.
  
  Viasat received an email from ********************* on February 20, 2024, requesting a discount on her service. A response was sent back to ********************** on February 23, 2024, stating that there were no valid discounts at that time.
  
  On February 29, 2024, ********************** contacted Viasat to request a copy of her signed Customer Agreement. An escalation was created requesting the contract to be emailed to her.
  
  On March 19, 2024, ********************** called Viasat to discuss options for lowering the cost of her service. Her service plan was transitioned from the Choice 50 Mbps/100 GB plan at $119.00 a month to the above-stated plan, with disclosures read. ********************** also chose to remove EasyCare from her account, which was $9.99 a month.
  
  The escalation was reviewed on March 26, 2024, with the representative sending a copy of Ms. ********** Customer Agreement to the email address on file.
  
  At this time,Viasat feels that all appropriate actions have been taken to assist *********************. If ********************** would like to review alternate service plan options, or if she has any further questions or concerns, she may contact Viasats 24-hour ************************ at ************.
  
  Thank you for the opportunity to respond.

• Initial Complaint

  04/17/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was lied to by a third party viasat customer service rep. **** allow third party companies to sell their service without having them follow the correct protocols. I was lied to about the service by the third party company. I initially thought I was talking to viasat when I made the call. The representative answered the phone saying they worked for viasat. The representative lied and said that viasat service will support online gaming. My son plays games online. Thats the only reason I called them in the first place. No viasat has been charging me ***** a month since December of 2023.Now I had to pay viasat 300 dollars to disconnect my service plus pay a monthly bill until now. I have been battling with them the past 4 months saying I will not pay the disconnect fee but they still charge me monthly. Basically my point of this complaint is that they allow third party companies to sell their service but they do not have them follow the rules. **** lie to get a commission. Please help me.

  Business response

  04/22/2024

  Thank you for bringing **************** complaint to our attention.
  
  The Customer Agreement, signed by **************** on December 20, 2023, commits each customer to a ******** minimum service term, and states that early termination fees will apply if service is canceled prior to the expiration of the minimum service term. Customers are advised of this commitment at the time of sale and are reminded of the early termination fees at the time they elect to disconnect prior to the expiration of the minimum service term.
  
  Latency,which is the time it takes for data to be transferred that occurs with satellite-based internet service, can have an impact on games and virtual private networks. Viasat discloses at the time of sale that some games and virtual private networks may perform very poorly and that some may not work at all. Ping times will vary, but Viasats web acceleration technology compensates for this to make the web browsing experience faster and more responsive. For the vast majority of internet users, latency has no effect. All Viasat dealers are contractually required to make customers aware of these points at the time of sale. We apologize if this was not clearly communicated to ****************.
  
  On December 21, 2023, *************** contacted Viasat to disconnect his account as his service was not working for gaming. As a retention offer, the representative applied an additional 5 GB of high-speed data to **************** account; therefore, his service remained active.
  
  **************** was charged $153.89 on December 24, 2023, for prorated service charges. Payment was collected on January 3, 2024. Monthly service and lease fees are payable in advance beginning with the date their internet service is activated;therefore, the first bill a customer receives is typically larger than future monthly bills due to the proration of fees for the days of service received before the first bill is generated.
  
  **************** was charged $91.20 on January 24, 2024, for monthly service charges. Payment was collected on February 3, 2024.
  
  On February 13, 2024,**************** called Viasat to inquire about disconnecting his service. The representative advised him of the above-stated early termination policy, which **************** disputed. No further action was taken as **************** ended the call.
  
  **************** was charged $73.13 on February 24, 2024, for monthly service charges. Payment was collected on March 5, 2024.
  
  On March 24, 2024, *************** was charged $136.58 for monthly service charges, and payment was collected on April 3, 2024.
  
  On April 17, 2024, *************** contacted Viasat to disconnect his service. All Viasat residential accounts are disconnected at the end of a billing period,regardless of when termination is requested. As such, the disconnection was submitted to process on April 24, 2024, with disclosures read.
  
  At this time, Viasat feels that all appropriate actions have been taken to assist ****************, as the early termination fees have been deemed valid. If **************** has any further questions or concerns, he may contact Viasats 24-hour ************************ at ************.
  
  Thank you for the opportunity to respond.

• Initial Complaint

  04/16/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  4.2.24 Called and order internet service the first thing I said to the rep was I have 3 major gamers in my home that play online gaming, I was advised that there would be no problem this internet could handle this and handle online movie streaming with work. This rep talk to me for a long time asked why i had to call them for internet found out that xfinity didn't service my area in **** which that another issue, **** said no that they don't service my area in **** and ****** said that same thing, Thats why I had to call dish and this company is a 3rd party. this rep asked question as to why i couldn't stay in my home and had to move after my dad passed away and I advise him, than sale rep found out that my dad died on 8/6/23 and said that he knew how it was to loss a parent he's lost his 1yr ago. Was told that i could cancel anytime I want without being penalize and not contract fee's on 4.4.24 called to cancel the services and found out that I have to wait until 5.4.24 and that when they will shout off the internet. Was advised that I could have other internet set up at the same time as this companies internet while waiting for a whole month to store this company c*** internet equipment in my home. Well guess what no one will hook up until this company get their stuff gone( funny side note was advised that people use this company as backup internet yeah right the internet doesn't work) Oh placed an complaint with the corporates and was told it would take 5 days to get a decision on this and not have to pay fir the ******. well that was wrong I found out today that no they would give me back my money and not that are not waving anything no they won't come take there stuff away and yes I did threaten to send their stuff back in amazon boxes. I am a single mother who has to work from home sometime and I can't get other internet to my home until this company get gone. they are penalizing me canceling even though they say it not a punishment. (by they way this is how they stay in business they comet fraud use you personal tragedies against you to get you to buy their internet that doesn't work for gaming doesn't work for working from home can't stream movies oh and now I have to store their equipment at my home for 30 days u till they decide to send me a box to return their c*** and disconnect even though other companies are there witching a week and send out their boxes for return in a week of cancelation but this is not they way they do it. OH by they way I am deaf too so when the sales rep was saying his closing bit he said it so fast and so low that I asked what he said he said it's okay just closing comments and went on to speak about my rebate and how to get ****** off plus my 10% off on and I was told I had to get a phone put in for the internet to work Problem is I didn't have phone line to the home, so I thought they were going to input a phone no they use phone connection that already there and there is none so I'd have to pay for that too.

  Business response

  04/22/2024

  Thank you for bringing Ms. ****** complaint to our attention.
  
  The Customer Agreement, signed by ************** on April 2, 2024, commits each customer to a ******** minimum service term, and states that early termination fees will apply if service is canceled prior to the expiration of the minimum service term. Customers are advised of this commitment at the time of sale and are reminded of the early termination fees at the time they elect to disconnect prior to the expiration of the minimum service term.
  
  Additionally, the Customer Agreement advises that customers are responsible for returning Viasats modem and transceiver within 30 days after disconnection. Failure to do so will result in an unreturned equipment fee of $300.00, not including taxes. Customers are reminded of this when they elect to disconnect service.Viasat supplies equipment return materials, including illustrated instructions and a prepaid return shipping label, within a week after disconnection. The Customer Agreement is provided to each new customer,and is available at ************************/legal.
  
  Latency, which is the time it takes for data to be transferred that occurs with satellite-based internet service, can have an impact on games and virtual private networks. Viasat discloses at the time of sale that some games and virtual private networks may perform very poorly and that some may not work at all. Ping times will vary, but Viasats web acceleration technology compensates for this to make the web browsing experience faster and more responsive. For the vast majority of internet users, latency has no effect.
  
  On April 4, 2024, ************** contacted Viasat to disconnect her service as the service was not working her gaming. The representative reminded ************** of the above-stated gaming policy. All Viasat residential accounts are disconnected at the end of a billing period, regardless of when termination is requested. As such, the disconnection was submitted to process on May 4,2024, with disclosures read, including the above-stated policies. ************** disputed the early termination fee and was transferred to a supervisor who created an escalation to determine if they were valid to be waived.
  
  The escalation was reviewed on April 12, 2024, with the representative waiving all early termination fees.
  
  On April 16, 2024, ************** called Viasat to inquire about the equipment return box, to which the representative reminded her that the equipment return box would be delivered within a week after disconnection.
  
  At this time,Viasat feels that all appropriate actions have been taken to assist *************. If ************* has any further questions or concerns, she may contact Viasats 24-hour ************************ at ************.
  
  Thank you for the opportunity to respond.

• Initial Complaint

  04/13/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  First, the internet service they provide is not reliable and has too high latency. I was unable to conduct work from home and my ********* ate am meetings were always having issues. I attempted to call and disconnect my service the day before my billing cycle started not knowing I had to speak to a specialty department. They do not give the option to disconnect online. I was informed the specialty department was closed and that I would probably be charged a full months bill because I wont be able to cancel before the next billing cycle. He then informed me they could probably waive it since I tried to call in on the 11th. I attempted to call on the 12th after work but was only given the option to receive a call back the following day. On the 13th I called to cancel my service and was told they couldnt disconnect until the end of my billing cycle and I would be charged a full month. They informed me I had only used 5 GB of my 150 GB but couldnt pro-rate or waive the day of use. They first tried to tell me they didnt have any record of me calling in on the 11th but later was able to verify the phone call. When speaking to a supervisor, he was immediately defensive and annoyed he had to speak with me. When I voiced my frustration, he began reading disclosure statements and didnt even try to understand. Their service is unreliable and the customer service is awful. Do not recommend Viasat to anyone. They are not transparent with how to cancel the service and are very deceptive to try and trap you into paying for unused days/data. Unacceptable! Now I have to pay ****** on the 22nd when I tried to cancel before the billing cycle began.

  Business response

  04/18/2024

  Thank you for bringing Mr. ******* complaint to our attention.
  
  On April 11,2024, **************** contacted Viasat to disconnect service.  The representative advised **************** that Viasats ******************** was closed for the day, and requested that *************** call back the next day to speak with them to disconnect.
  
  On April 12,2024, **************** received an invoice in the amount of $164.80 for monthly service fees.  No payment was collected.
  
  **************** contacted Viasat on April 13, 2024, to request disconnection of his service.  All Viasat residential accounts are disconnected at the end of a billing period, regardless of when termination is requested.  As such, the disconnection was submitted to process on May 12, 2024, with disclosures read.  **************** requested that the invoice he received on April 12, 2024, be waived, and the representative advised *************** that the charges were valid and would not be waived.
  
  As a resolution to Mr. ******* complaint, and a gesture of goodwill, Viasat has waived the balance due of $164.80.  The credit will reflect on Mr. ******* account on the next bill cycle date of May 12, 2024.
  
  If **************** has any further questions or concerns, he may contact Viasats 24-hour ************************ at ************.
  
  Thank you for the opportunity to respond. 

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩