I was just wondering why satellite internet requires data caps? Times are changing we need net for school devices and new computers requires updates we need videos and live streams to take a college course and I'm pretty much stuck with internet I'm afraid to use. I'm just curious as to why, is the technology limited? Is it greed?
Posted 4 years ago
Bev, Champion
Alex, Viasat Corporate Communications
Benjamin: Thanks for your question. Bev did a good job answering it by noting that satellites do, indeed, have a fixed capacity. That capacity is growing with each new satellite, and the new one we're launching early next year will significantly increase our capacity and ability to offer more generous data plans. You can read more about data here.
Alex, you stated ".and the new one [satellite] we're launching early next year..."
Please let me know why it is not being launched this year, as previously stated?
" When we launch our next satellite in 2016, we’ll have substantially more flexibility in terms of usage and bandwidth across the country. ( http://www.exede.com/freedom/)
Bev, Champion
Viasat was planning to use SpaceX to launch the satellite but, before that could happen the type of rocket Viasat needed them to use had a RUD (Rapid, Unexpected Disasembly) In other words, it blew up. Space X was out of commission with that type of rocket for a long time.
Viasat decided to go with a different launch company and, had to take the earliest launch date that company had so, we all have to wait.
Viasat decided to go with a different launch company and, had to take the earliest launch date that company had so, we all have to wait.
Brad, Viasat Employee
yeah more or less. This new carrier is the quickest we can get a satellite up following that. We will be using SpaceX in the future but for ViaSat 2 we opted for another carrier. Unfortunately rocket launches take months to plan out (Rocket science and such) and we're looking at a launch by the end of the year and having the satellite operational shortly after.
I'll be gone by then.......
Thank you both for clearing it up and I understand. I guess meanwhile I'll have to think of a plan b
Benjamin, YOU are an IDIOT!!!! YOU can get unlimited internet from OTHER COMPANIES!!!
Bev, Champion
Bev, Champion
Data caps irritate me to no end. I was told by EXEDE that from 12am till 5am You can use your computer to record movies to wacth later and anything else that requires a lot of bandwidth.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that's when companies use the least amount of bandwidth, However my elderly mother has Green Light provider and she watches movies and Youtube all day with no data caps and her payments are much cheaper than EXCEDE. There's something strange about this.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that's when companies use the least amount of bandwidth, However my elderly mother has Green Light provider and she watches movies and Youtube all day with no data caps and her payments are much cheaper than EXCEDE. There's something strange about this.
IMHO, nothing strange about it at all. A satellite's capacity is fixed at the time of launch. ViaSat-1 was touted as having a total throughput capacity of 140 Gbps. That's a shared resource by 600,000 plus subscribers and it cost some $300 million dollars to build, launch and put it into service. Additional costs are associated with the gateways and continued operation but the satellite itself is the bottleneck. During peak periods that capacity is being taxed to its limits on some spot beams. The only way to expand capacity is by launching a new satellite. The only way to give the illusion of greater capacity would be to summarily start dropping customers so that there's more to go around for the remainder.
Satellite internet is a last resort for those of us having no other viable options. Anyone choosing satellite over a reliable land-based alternative has chosen poorly.
Satellite internet is a last resort for those of us having no other viable options. Anyone choosing satellite over a reliable land-based alternative has chosen poorly.
Brad, Viasat Employee
Old Labs is hitting the nail on the head. If we had the ability to routinely expand our satellite's capability like DSL or Cable does, we would. However once it's floating around in space the only thing we can do to increase our capability is by launching more satellites. We happen to be doing just that at the end of the year with ViaSat 2.
Seems to me Customer dedicated satellites should be put up for that one purpose only. Corporations need satellites let them foot the bill. Considering how many people get their TV and internet from a dish pointed at satellites and the high premiums each customer pays it's a doable project. And I'd be willing to bet after the startup period the premiums will come down considerably. Meeh....that's if greed doesn't get in the way.
Steve Frederick-VS1/Beam314, Champion
Jeff, you can have your own dedicated personal satellite, with all the
data you could possibly use. Al you would have to do is put up in excess
of $60,000.00 and coordinate all the setting up the ground station,
interface with the internet, the company to launch the satellite, and
you would be there.
600,000 subscribers at approx. $80/mo. is 48 million/mo. or 576 million/year/ Not bad money ..............
You're a little light on the ViaSat revenue... it's approximately 1.4 billion per year as of the last official SEC filing. The cost of generating that revenue is approximately 980 million yielding a gross profit of approximately 430 million. Now factor in other operating expenses and income, and you're now down to approximately 43 million in earnings before interest and taxes. After that you're left with approximately 21 million.
The good news is you can share in all of this "greed" by buying stock at around $70 per share and your portion of the earnings would come out to somewhere around 43 cents per share - don't spend it all in one place. Of course you won't see any of it since they don't pay dividends, but you might be fortunate enough to find someone who'll pay more for your shares than you did. But I'll pass with a P/E ratio that's in the stratosphere.
The good news is you can share in all of this "greed" by buying stock at around $70 per share and your portion of the earnings would come out to somewhere around 43 cents per share - don't spend it all in one place. Of course you won't see any of it since they don't pay dividends, but you might be fortunate enough to find someone who'll pay more for your shares than you did. But I'll pass with a P/E ratio that's in the stratosphere.
(Edited)
Lots of Golden parachutes and retirement plans built in..... somebody has to pay for them in monpoly...
Steve Frederick-VS1/Beam314, Champion
