ViaSat, Inc.

Thank you for bringing [redacted]’s complaint to ViaSat’s attention. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. At the time of sale customers are made aware of ViaSat’s Data Allowance Policy, the 24-month minimum service term agreement and the early termination fees. Each of these...

points are also addressed in the customer agreement signed by [redacted] on June 11, 2017 and available at exede.com/legal. We apologize if [redacted] feels these points were not communicated to her satisfaction. [redacted] was originally scheduled for installation on June 5, 2017; due to no time slots being available the installation had to be rescheduled. [redacted] was offered a free router and $100 due to the circumstances. [redacted] was contacted and rescheduled for June 11, 2017 and the service was installed with the router that was promised. When the technician left the home the services were working as they should. [redacted] contacted ViaSat on June 16, 2017 stating that the speeds were very slow and that she was having connectivity issues with the service. ViaSat sent the technician back out to [redacted]’s home on a service call on June 23, 2017 and the tech went out and checked system. [redacted] hard wired her TV and they exceeded their data. There was no issue with the system. ViaSat does not offer any unlimited plans for [redacted]. ViaSat does offer higher data packages that [redacted] can check on www.exede.com or can call Customer Care at [redacted]. ViaSat understands that the service may not be meeting [redacted]’s needs or expectations. In order to arrive at a resolution should [redacted] wish to disconnect ViaSat will waive half of the early termination fees. [redacted] can take advantage of this offer by calling Customer Care at [redacted] and referencing ticket number [redacted]. Thank you for allowing ViaSat the opportunity to respond.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 4, 2015/12/11) */
Thank you for bringing Ms. [redacted]'s complaint to ViaSat's attention. We apologize for any inconvenience this [redacted] have caused. At the time of sale Ms. [redacted] selected the Essential 10GB plan which runs $39.99 and there is a charge of $9.99 for...

the lease fee which is for the equipment. ViaSat's corporate office was able to locate the sales call and listened and when the disclosures were read to Ms. [redacted] she was informed that the service was $39.99 plus a lease fee charge of $9.99 making the total $49.98 and this was advised to Ms. [redacted] earlier in the sales call as well. The monthly charge will be $49.98 not including local taxes. ViaSat does not agree to waive any early termination fees should Ms. [redacted] wish to disconnect. Thank you for allowing ViaSat the opportunity to respond.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 6, 2015/12/16) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
This is a lie. The sales associate said it was 39.99, yes true. He also said 9.99 for equipment lease during service agreement spiel. I said, wait (because I knew before we got started that I was not willing to pay more than $40 for 10 gbs) is it 39.99 plus 9.99 or 39.99 total? I asked because the details aren't discussed until closing the sale, upon which the sales people elaborate that no, it's not really 39.99. The only difference is that I asked him to clarify, upon which he conceded and specificied, Yes it is 39.99 total, pause, 29.99 a month, uhh hm. It is on the recording and if they honestly reviewed it then they could not possibly deny what me and the salesman discussed. I know they have a script but I interrupted him to ask questions and in doing so he changed the terms and it was those modified terms that I agreed to. If it was beyond his duties as a sakes man, then perhaps he should have said, no ma'am. Its 39.99 and 9.99 for equipment. He did not, perhaps because he knew full well there would be no recourse for me. If the could prove to me that I simply "misunderstood" and would send the transcript of the conversation, then I would retract my complaint. Mistakes happen, but in this case I know what I said, I know what he responded. He lied and whoever reviewed the original sales pitch is also dishonest.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 8, 2015/12/22) */
Thank you for bringing Ms. [redacted]'s rebuttal to our attention.
Ms. [redacted] is currently receiving the Exede Essential 10GB plan at $39.99 a month, plus applicable taxes and a $9.99 monthly equipment lease fee.
Our review of Ms. [redacted]'s November 20, 2015 sales call shows that, initially, she was offered the Exede Essentials 10GB plan and monthly equipment lease fee at the correct and total pricing of $49.99 a month. Unfortunately, when giving Ms. [redacted] a final overview of the billing, the sales representative advised Ms. [redacted] that she would only be charged $39.99 total: $29.99 for the Essential 10GB plan plus the $9.99 monthly equipment lease fee. When Ms. [redacted] asked if that would be her monthly price, the sales agent confirmed it would be. Ms. [redacted] moved forward with ordering the service; the ViaSat equipment was installed at her home on November 25, 2015.
Ms. [redacted] contacted ViaSat twice via email on December 1, 2015 regarding her bill as it did not reflect what she had been quoted at the point of sale. The responding ViaSat representative educated her on the billing, and advised that her service plan was $39.99 a month, plus applicable taxes and the $9.99 monthly equipment lease fee. ViaSat received a call from Ms. [redacted] on December 9, 2015 regarding her bill, at which time the same information regarding her bill and her monthly service fees was provided to her.
We apologize for any frustration Ms. [redacted] have experienced. In order to come to a resolution regarding this complaint, ViaSat is willing to offer Ms. [redacted] either a discount of $10.00 off her bill per month for 12 months, or disconnection of her account with her early termination fees waived in full, provided that she disconnect prior to January 28, 2016. If Ms. [redacted] chooses to disconnect her account, she will be responsible for returning ViaSat's modem and transceiver within 30 days after her disconnection, or she will be subject to an unreturned equipment fee of $300.00, not including taxes, per the Customer Agreement. A UPS box with a free return shipping label will be delivered to her home address.
If Ms. [redacted] would like to accept the discount of $10.00 off her bill per month of 12 months, or would like to disconnect her account with the early termination fees waived in full, she may contact ViaSat's 24-hour Customer Service Department at X-XXX-XXX-XXXX in reference to ticket no. XXXXXXXX.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond.

Thank you for bringing Ms. [redacted] complaint to Viasat’s attention. We apologize for any confusion or frustration this situation might have caused.   Our records show Ms. [redacted] is currently receiving Viasat’s Unlimited Data Bronze 12 service plan at $70.00 a month, plus applicable taxes and a...

$9.99 monthly equipment lease fee. The Unlimited Data Bronze 12 service plan provides unlimited data usage at regular speeds up to 12 Mbps. The service is optimized for streaming at DVD quality or 360p.   Viasat’s unlimited data service plans do not have a monthly data allowance. Pursuant to Viasat’s Unlimited Data Policy available at www.exede.com/legal, if a customer uses more than 150 GB of data 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 customer’s monthly measurement period, all uploaded and downloaded data transmitted using Viasat Internet service will count towards the 150 GB 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 Viasat’s unlimited data plans, and it is addressed in Viasat’s Customer Agreement and Unlimited Data Policy available at exede.com/legal.   Between December 12, 2017 and December 19, 2017, Ms. [redacted] contacted Viasat on eight separate occasions regarding the connectivity and speeds of her Viasat account. During her conversation on December 12, 2017 with the Viasat representative, Ms. [redacted] was advised that her download speeds of 18.96 and upload speeds of 2.59, within the advised limits.   On December 19, 2017, Ms. [redacted] contacted Viasat to request a service call as she felt the speeds she was getting were not within the advised limits. During this conversation, Ms. [redacted] was advised that a service call was not needed as she was receiving speeds within the limits.   In order to bring this complaint to resolution, and as a gesture of good faith, Viasat will agree to waive the applicable early termination fees of approximately $305.81. However, Ms. [redacted] will be responsible for returning Viasat’s modem and transceiver within 30 days after disconnection, or she will be subject to an unreturned equipment fee of $300.00, not including taxes, per the Customer Agreement.  A [redacted] box with a prepaid return shipping label will be delivered to her home address within a week after her disconnection, and it will include return instructions.   If Ms. [redacted] wishes to disconnect her account with waiver of the early termination fees, please have her contact Viasat’s 24-hour Customer Service Department at 1-855-463-9333 and reference ticket [redacted].   Thank you for the opportunity to respond.

Thank you for bringing [redacted] rebuttal to our attention.
In order to resolve this issue, ViaSat will provide Ms. Provencal with 10 GB of free additional data. This will be our final resolution on this matter.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond.

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. Thank you very much.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Thank you for bringing Ms. [redacted]’ complaint to ViaSat’s attention. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. Ms. [redacted]’ had her account disconnected on July 20, 2016. ViaSat set-up a service call for July 25, 2016 to have the tria removed from the dish so that Ms. [redacted]’ could...

send the tria back. This service call was cancelled and escalated to the home service provider to see why. ViaSat spoke with a [redacted] on July 25, 2016 and explained that the service call was cancelled and a new one would need to be scheduled but we would need to speak with the account holder in order to have this done. The phone call was ended so ViaSat’s supervisor attempted to call back. Once again ViaSat’s supervisor spoke with [redacted] and once again the call was disconnected so ViaSat did not make another attempt to call back. In order to arrive at a resolution ViaSat has waived off the charge for the tria and Ms. [redacted]’ will not need to send it back and ViaSat will not need to set-up a service call. At this time Ms. [redacted]’ will just want to send back the modem so that a charge is not placed on the account. Thank you for allowing ViaSat the opportunity to respond.

Thank you for bringing Ms. [redacted]’ complaint to Viasat’s attention. We apologize for any confusion or frustration this situation might have caused.   The Customer Agreement, signed by Ms. [redacted] on December 12, 2016 and available at exede.com/legal, commits customers to a 24-month 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.   On December 9, 2017, Ms. [redacted] contacted Viasat to discuss the billing of her Viasat account and request the disconnection of the account.  During this conversation, the Viasat representative informed Ms. [redacted] that the monthly service and lease fees are payable in advance. Customers are also made aware of this at the time of the sale. Ms. [redacted] was then informed that she could cancel at any time; however, she would be responsible for the applicable early termination fees. At that time, Ms. [redacted] was responsible for approximately $158.71.   Later this day, Ms. [redacted] contacted Viasat again to request the disconnection of her account. Again, during this conversation Ms. [redacted] was educated on the early termination fees and the effective disconnect date of January 16, 2017.    In response to this complaint, and as a gesture of good faith, Viasat will agree to waive the applicable early termination fees.  However, Ms. [redacted] is responsible for returning Viasat’s modem and transceiver within 30 days after disconnection, or she will be subject to an unreturned equipment fee of $300.00, not including taxes, per the Customer Agreement.  A UPS box with a prepaid return shipping label will be delivered to her home address within a week after her disconnection, and it will include return instructions.   Ms. [redacted] may contact Viasat’s 24-hour Customer Service Department at 1-855-463-9333 and reference ticket 25254998 to have the early termination fees waived.   Thank you for the opportunity to respond.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/12/11) */
Thank you for bringing Mr. [redacted]'s complaint to ViaSat's attention. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. ViaSat shows that Mr. [redacted] contacted our customer service department on September 2, 2015 concerning his email...

issues. At that time ViaSat was in the middle of migrating emails which could have caused the issue that Mr. [redacted] was experiencing. On September 2, 2015 ViaSat shows that Mr. [redacted] did confirm that he was able to login and see his emails at that time; however, Mr. [redacted] soon called back experiencing the same issue. ViaSat did speak with Mr. [redacted] on December 10, 2015 and advised that nothing was escalated to our Synacor team that handles these issues so while on the phone our agent did escalate the issue to Synacor and advised Mr. Buldoc that we should have a response within 24-72 business hours. ViaSat has also escalated this case internally and Mr. [redacted] should have an answer with 24-72 business hours. Thank you for allowing ViaSat the opportunity to respond.

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because: the response from VIASAT does not provide an explanation as to how 25gb of data is utilized in 6 days fo the 28 day cycle when all background usage is set to low / moderate streaming as I was instructed to do so by VIASAT. I stream all day every day on my phone on it's own network and barley use 6GB of data and the streaming quality is High Definition. I am not happy with my service and paying $100.00 a month for a service that can not sustain 2 hours of streaming every other day using low quality streaming at that thru amazon fire tv a day is pathetic. I want to cancel my account with ViaSat and I feel that I should not have to pay $150.00 to cancel based on not having any internet for a month only during the hours of 3am-6am when I am sleeping. Yes there is liberty pass which does not work a circle is on the screen and nothing plays as it is such poor quality. I am more than happy to pay my bill for services utilized but not $150.00 to cancel the piece of crap service for future use.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
Sincerely,
[redacted]  I only get 1 megabyte of speed pr, second most of the time never even close to 25 megabytes I want at least close to 25 megabytes of speed like they said when I purchased the plan, I know they have control of the speed the service text as told me and if they didn't woh can they shut you down to a lower speed when you exceed your monthly allotment .

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
Sincerely,
[redacted]    They left out the date on my statement 5/18 which clearly shows the bank reversing  their provisional credit of $344.00 to me.#[redacted]. Thank You [redacted]

Thank you for bringing [redacted] complaint to our attention. We apologize for any frustration she may have experienced with ViaSat.
[redacted] is currently receiving ViaSat’s Classic Exede 10 GB plan at $49.99 a month, plus applicable taxes and a $9.99 monthly equipment lease fee. This...

service plan provides customers with a 10 GB monthly data allowance, download speeds up to 12 Mbps, and upload speeds up to 3 Mbps. This service plan also comes with a Free Zone from 12:00 AM and 5:00 AM, local time, during which unmetered service is provided at no extra cost. She is also receiving ViaSat’s Exede Voice service at $29.99 a month, plus applicable taxes.
The Customer Agreement, signed by [redacted] on June 26, 2015 and available at exede.com/legal, states that ViaSat may discontinue, add to or revise any and all aspects of the service at its sole discretion and without notice.
ViaSat received notification from [redacted] on July 8, 2016 via online chat advising that her grandson had accidentally transitioned her service plan from the Essential 10 GB ($49.99 a month with a Free Zone from 3:00 AM to 8:00 AM, local time) to the Classic Exede 15 GB plan ($79.99 a month with a Free Zone from 12:00 AM and 5:00 AM, local time). During this conversation, [redacted] requested for her services to be placed back onto the Essential 10 GB plan due to the error; however, as the service plan is no longer available in [redacted] area, the representative was unable to process her request.
ViaSat received an email from [redacted] on Jul 9, 2016 regarding her service plan issues, at which time a ViaSat representative reached out to her to advise the error would be corrected. Unfortunately, due to a misunderstanding, [redacted] was placed onto ViaSat’s Classic Exede 10 GB plan ($49.99 a month with a Free Zone from 12:00 AM and 5:00 AM, local time) instead of the Essential 10 GB plan. When [redacted] contacted ViaSat to advise she’d been switched to the wrong plan, she was once again informed that the Essential 10 GB plan was no longer available in her area. We apologize for any frustration this may have caused [redacted] to experience.
In order to resolve this complaint, ViaSat has escalated [redacted] account to have it placed back onto the Essential 10 GB plan as of July 21, 2016. This request may take 3-5 business days to process. [redacted] should be advised that if she switches her plan from the Essential 10 GB to any other plan in the future for any reason, she will not be able to transition back to it.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond.

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because: it is untruthful and unfair. I contacted them months before and emailed them telling them I was very dissatisfied with the service and wanted to cancel. I am not going to pay an early termination fee on something that I was unable to use most of the time because the data ran out. I have data limits on my cell and never go over those. Also having to remove and return their equipment myself was ridiculous. So my last word on this is a no im not paying it.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. Viasat should have cleared the my account balance but instead issued a a payment as such I will make the payment of $77.50 to Viasat. 
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Thank you for bringing Ms. [redacted]’s complaint to our attention. Our records show ViaSat charged Ms. [redacted] $170.02 in monthly service fees on January 20, 2017, but the payment failed. Subsequently, on January 26, 2017, the account was suspended for nonpayment of service. On January 28, 2017, a credit of $129.99 was applied to Ms. [redacted]’s account for a free month of service off her service plan price, leaving a balance due of $40.03. ViaSat received a call from Mr. [redacted] the same day regarding the account status, at which time he was informed that the free month off his service plan price had been applied earlier that day, leaving a remaining balance due. At this time, Mr. [redacted] disputed the balance due and requested to speak to a supervisor; his call was transferred accordingly. During his conversation with the ViaSat supervisor, Mr. [redacted] was informed that the balance due, and was once again informed that a credit for a free month of service had been applied accordingly. Mr. [redacted] agreed to make a payment for the balance due, after which his account was resumed from suspension for nonpayment. We apologize for any poor service Mr. [redacted] may have experienced. He called back later the same day to advise that he did not have internet service, at which time he was guided through troubleshooting and the issue was resolved. Mr. [redacted] also informed the ViaSat representative of his experience with the ViaSat supervisor. ViaSat does not agree to provide Ms. [redacted] with another free month of service; however, as resolution, ViaSat has applied a credit of $25.00 to her account as of today, January 30, 2017. Additionally, ViaSat has escalated an internal request to have the interaction in question reviewed to ensure ViaSat’s quality customer service standards are met. Thank you for the opportunity to respond.

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because: This is not true!  This company has held me hostage for almost a month with no internet...failing to provide any information  regarding the loss of 150GB of data.  As stated in my complaint my billing cycle ends on the 27th if each month.  On 2/1/2018 I received a notice that all of the data was used; the billing cycle had just began.  I the customer contacted Viasat and asked for an investigation; I wanted a detailed explanation regarding the use of 150GB and have been putting off each time I call.  Please note these companies (Internet providers) are basically allowed to extort money from citizens because unlike water or electric and gas  companies a independent meter is us customer using this type of service has virtually no recourse because their is no tangliable evidence for the customer to that meter servuces validating consumer usage.  With the current system consumers have nothing but the the words of the internet company and oh by the way they have your money too!  Viasat has not explained what happened to my 150GB in two days. I want the relationship to end immediately!!!

Thank you for bringing Ms. [redacted] complaint to our attention.
The Customer Agreement commits each customer to a 24-month 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. The Customer Agreement is electronically signed by customers during the service installation process. An account cannot be established without the customer’s electronic signature. Our records show the electronic signature of Mr. [redacted], an authorized signer, on the Customer Agreement dated February 1, 2018.
Our records show the service was ordered on February 1, 2018 through a local Viasat dealer in Ms. [redacted] area and installed the same day. Viasat received a call from Ms. [redacted] on February 2, 2018 requesting the disconnection of the account. During this conversation, Ms. [redacted] advised that she believed she had been signed up with internet service through [redacted], and had been unaware that the Viasat service was being installed. At this time, the Viasat representative informed Ms. [redacted] of the disconnection disclosures and the early termination fees, and processed the disconnection. The Viasat representative also escalated an inquiry so Ms. [redacted] point of sale concerns could be reviewed.
On February 4, 2018, Viasat charged Ms. [redacted] $344.14 in early termination fees, but the payment failed. She called in regards to the charge on February 5, 2018, at which time she was advised that the early termination fees were valid, but that a request to see if they could be waived would be escalated. Ms. [redacted] agreed.
On February 5, 2018, a representative from Viasat’s Corporate Resolution Team (CRT) determined the early termination fees were eligible to be waived; however, the waiver was not processed properly. On February 6, 2018, the Viasat dealer responded to the point of sale concerns and advised that Mr. and Ms. [redacted] had approved the position of the satellite dish at the time of installation.
Viasat successfully collected a payment for $344.14 on February 9, 2018.
We apologize for any frustration Ms. [redacted] may have experienced. As resolution to this complaint, Viasat has issued a refund of $344.14 to Ms. [redacted] payment method as of February 12, 2018.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond.

Thank you for bringing Ms. [redacted]’s complaint to ViaSat’s attention. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. It is our goal to provide Ms. [redacted] with the best internet experience possible. However, due to the nature of satellite-based internet service, there are many variables that...

can affect speeds, such as, weather at the gateway or customer’s home, network congestion, as well as the customer’s computer equipment. The customer’s internet speeds can also be affected by programs running in the background of the customer’s devices, the use of virtual private networks, the router and the activities a customer engages in on the internet. Because of these many variables, ViaSat cannot guarantee any particular speed to the customer.   ViaSat discloses at the point of sale and in its Customer Agreement signed by Ms. [redacted] on December 9, 2016 that speeds may vary and are not guaranteed.      Ms. [redacted] has contacted ViaSat numerous times starting on March 7, 2017 regarding her speed concerns. ViaSat’s Customer Care agents went through troubleshooting with Ms. [redacted] and it was determined that the internet speed issue Mr. [redacted] was experiencing was due to congestion during peak hours. ViaSat has also performed two service calls at Ms. [redacted]’s home and replaced the modem and tria. ViaSat understands that Ms. [redacted] may still be experiencing speed issues due to congestion during peak times. We apologize for the inconvenience. If Ms. [redacted] feels that the service is not going to meet her needs or expectations ViaSat is willing to let Ms. [redacted] out of the remaining 2 year contract at no charge. She can contact Customer Care at [redacted]. Thank you for the opportunity to respond.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 6, 2015/08/28) */
Thank you for bringing Mr. [redacted]'s complaint to ViaSat's attention. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. At the time of sale customers are made aware of ViaSat's Data Allowance Policy, the 24-month minimum service term...

commitment, and the early termination fees. Each of these points are also addressed in the customer agreement signed by Mr. [redacted] and available at exede.com/legal. We apologize if Mr. [redacted] feels these points were not communicated to his satisfaction. ViaSat understands the service will not meet Mr. [redacted]'s needs or expectations. In order to arrive at a resolution ViaSat is willing to let Mr. [redacted] out of his contract with no early termination fees. Mr. [redacted] will need to call customer care and reference ticket number XXXXXXXX so that the disclosures can be read. Mr. [redacted] will be responsible for sending back two pieces of equipment using a prepaid shipping label and box supplied by ViaSat once the account is disconnected. Thank you for allowing ViaSat the opportunity to respond.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 8, 2015/08/31) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
Thank you,
We do accept the response. To avoid future complaints of this nature, you should make sure that all of your sales agents are thoroughly explaining terms of service. There was absolutely no mention of data in the call, I know that for a fact because had I heard the word "data" we would not have had the call proceed any further than it did. Thank you for waiving the termination charge. The Satellite dish has been removed and once we receive the boxes, we will send back the 3 pieces of equipment explained in the disconnect call.
Regards,
[redacted]