ViaSat, Inc.

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:  At the end of April 8 period, ViaSat deducted $5,801.05 from the $8,078.03 credit.  Why is it that prior to and after these two periods (March 8 and April 8), we stayed within our monthly allowance or only went over a few GB's.  ViaSat even had one of their representatives tell me that they had never seen anything like this ever happen during their 15 year career...not even some large corporations used this much data.  We did not do anything different than we had ever done before.  During a conversation with another representative, they said the data was being used during the early am when no one was at church.  Data was even being used when we had unplugged the internet.  Clearly, we are being overcharged for data we did not use...we do not agree with ViaSat's response and want to be refunded the difference over 50GB for those two months.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/06/29) */
Thank you for bringing Mrs. [redacted]'s complaint to ViaSat's attention. We apologize for any confusion or frustration this situation [redacted] have caused.
On [redacted] 25, 2015 the ViaSat account XXXXXXXXX was created and a onetime payment of $99.99 was...

collected for the activation fees. However, this account was cancelled in flight, and the refund of $99.99 was issued to the payment method on file.
The following day, [redacted] 26, 2015, a new ViaSat account was created and ViaSat attempted to collect the activation fee of $99.99; however, this payment failed. On June 1, 2015 ViaSat attempted to collect $174.39 ($99.99 activation fee and $74.70 monthly plan), but the payment failed. On June 8, 2015 Mrs. [redacted] made a onetime payment of $64.40; however, this did not bring the account current and left a balance of $109.99.
On June 11, 2015 Mrs. [redacted] contacted ViaSat to discuss their current billing situation. ViaSat's customer service representative advised Mrs. [redacted] that a duplicate payment for the activation had been collected, and a refund of $99.99 was issued back to the payment method on file. However, this information provided to Mrs. [redacted] was incorrect as the $99.99 payment failed. When the $99.99 refund was issued back to Mrs. [redacted]'s account it left a balance owed of $209.98.
Nevertheless, as a gesture of good faith, ViaSat's customer service representative issued a goodwill credit for the past due balance of $209.98 to Mrs. [redacted]'s' account. As no billing errors occurred on ViaSat's end we are unwilling to disconnect Mrs. [redacted]'s account with waiver of the early termination fees. Currently, Mrs. [redacted]'s ViaSat account has an additional credit of $59.99. The next monthly bill will be due on July 1, 2015. We have included Mrs. [redacted]'s monthly bill for review.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 7, 2015/07/10) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
It is a shame that I had to file a complaint with Revdex.com in order to have someone explain my bill. Though I never received the bill that was said to be included, my statement was (standard) mailed to me, and my Exede account has finally been updated.
I do think it is worth mentioning the reason our "payment failed". This was due to the fact that Exede had another customer's payment information on our account, not because we defaulted on our payment. We have paid Exede every penny that has been asked of us.
Exede/Viasat has provided us with the worst customer service experience we have ever encountered. We would not recommend them to anyone.
I would not go so far as to say that no billing errors have occurred on Exede's end, but I have been given my statements as requested. Should this dilemma arise again, I expect to revisit this option to terminate my contract penalty-free. It should not take 10 hours worth of phone calls and a complaint with Revdex.com just to get an explanation for billing.

Thank you for bringing Ms. [redacted]’s rebuttal to our attention. ViaSat is unable to locate a signed Customer Agreement for Ms. [redacted]; therefore, as stated in our previous response, ViaSat has agreed to waive the early termination fees from Ms. [redacted]’s collections balance. As she was actively using the service, however, ViaSat does not agree to waive the monthly service fee of $60.58. She may either pay this through ViaSat directly by contacting our 24-hour Customer Service Department at ###-###-####, or through the collections agency. ViaSat did not report the delinquent balance to any credit reporting bureaus. Thank you for the opportunity to respond.

Thank you for bringing Mr. [redacted]’s complaint to our attention. We apologize for any frustration he may have experienced with ViaSat.
The Customer Agreement, signed by Mr. [redacted] on May 16, 2016 and available at [redacted], advises that ViaSat 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 customer’s home or their service gateway.
Our records show Mr. [redacted] contacted ViaSat’s Sales Department on May 14, 2016, at which time he elected the Liberty 12 GB – Boost 25 + Wi-Fi at $59.99 a month, plus applicable taxes and a $9.99 monthly equipment lease fee. This service plan provides customers with a monthly priority data allowance with download speeds up to 25 Mbps and upload speeds up to 3 Mbps, and a Liberty Pass, which allows customers to continue using more data at download speeds up to 1-5 Mbps once they have exceeded their monthly priority data, and until their priority data resets. Mr. [redacted] also ordered the Exede Voice service at $29.99 a month, plus applicable taxes. The Exede Internet service was installed at Mr. [redacted]’s home on May 16, 2016.
Our review of the account shows that ViaSat received a call from Mrs. [redacted] on May 24, 2016 because she was experiencing a connectivity issue. At this time, a ViaSat representative guided her through troubleshooting, but unfortunately was unable to resolve her concerns. As such, Mrs. [redacted] was transferred to ViaSat’s Technical Escalations Department for further assistance. During her conversation with the Technical Escalations representative, Mrs. [redacted]’s account was escalated to ViaSat’s Network of Operations Center for resolution of her concerns as a technical issue was showing on her account. At this time, it was determined a service call would be required to resolve Mrs. [redacted]’s issues, and she was advised that the next available appointment was on Friday, May 27, 2016. As Mrs. [redacted] declined the service call appointment based on the date, and requested to speak to a supervisor.
During the conversation with the ViaSat supervisor, Mr. [redacted] took over the call, and requested that a technician be sent out that day. Mr. [redacted] was advised that that was not possible, and offered a downtime credit for the inconvenience. Mr. [redacted] declined the offer and requested to speak to a manager. During his conversation with the ViaSat manager, Mr. [redacted] was offered a free month of service for his downtime and for the time he’d have to wait for the service call, at which time he accepted the offer. The ViaSat manager ordered a free service call for Mr. [redacted] for Friday, May 27, 2016, and escalated an internal request to have a sooner date provided for Mr. [redacted].
ViaSat received a second call from Mr. [redacted] on May 24, 2016, at which time he requested the disconnection of his account due to his connectivity issues. At this time, he was reminded of his signed Customer Agreement and the applicable early termination fees for both the Exede Internet and Exede Voice service, and the equipment return requirements. When Mr. [redacted] disputed the early termination fees, he was advised that they would be valid because he was not providing ViaSat a full opportunity to resolve his concerns. Per his request, the account was disconnected.
The Customer Agreement requires subscribers to commit to a 24-month minimum service term for the Exede Internet service, and a 6-month minimum service term for the Exede Voice service. Early termination fees will apply if either service is canceled prior to the minimum service terms. The early termination fee for the Exede Internet service is $15.00 per each remaining month in the minimum service term; the early termination fee for the Exede Voice service is $10.00 per each remaining month in the minimum service term. Customers 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 also advises that customers are responsible for returning ViaSat’s modem and transceiver within 30 days after disconnection. Failure to return this equipment will result in an unreturned equipment fee of $300.00, not including taxes. ViaSat supplies customers with a [redacted] box, free return shipping label, and illustrated instructions for the return of the equipment.
ViaSat collected a payment of $344.75 from Mr. [redacted] for his Exede Internet early termination fees on June 20, 2016. On June 27, 2016, ViaSat was notified that Mr. [redacted] had not returned his modem. Subsequently, on July 20, 2016, ViaSat charged him an additional $217.00 for the unreturned modem ($167.00) plus the early termination fees associated with the Exede Voice service ($50.00). This payment failed. The balance of $217.00 was sent to outside collections on August 9, 2016.
In response to this complaint, ViaSat reviewed Mr. [redacted]’s shipping information, and determined that his modem had, in fact, been returned. As resolution to this complaint, ViaSat will have the balance of $217.00 removed from collections with the balance due waived in full.
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. 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 [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. Ms. [redacted] was charged $160.50 for a non-returned tria as ViaSat did not show that part as returned. ViaSat attempted to collect the payment of $160.50 on October 24, 2016 but the payment failed so ViaSat never collected the money. The balance remained on the account until it was sent to an outside collection agency on November 14, 2016. ViaSat was able to locate the part using a tracking number provided by Ms. [redacted]. In order to come to a resolution ViaSat has adjusted off the balance of $160.50 and had the account removed from outside collections. No refund is due as ViaSat never collected the payment on October 24, 2016 instead it failed. Thank you for allowing ViaSat the opportunity to respond.

Thank you for bringing [redacted] response to ViaSat’s attention. ViaSat understands that the service is not going to meet [redacted] needs or expectations. In order to arrive at a resolution ViaSat is willing to waive the early termination fees from the account when [redacted] is ready to disconnect. [redacted] can call into customer care and reference ticket number [redacted]. Thank you for allowing ViaSat the opportunity to respond.

Thank you for bringing Ms. [redacted]’ rebuttal to our attention.
Due to the nature of satellite-based internet service, there are many variables that can affect speeds, including, weather at Viasat’s facilities or at the customer’s home, network congestion, a misconfigured home network or outdated computer equipment and software. Because of these many variables, Viasat cannot guarantee any particular speed. Viasat discloses at the point of sale and in its Customer Agreement, signed by Ms. [redacted] on January 13, 2018, that speeds may vary and are not guaranteed.
Further review of Ms. [redacted]’ account shows that she called on January 21, 2018 advising that she was experiencing slow speeds. She also advised that she’d attempted to transition her service to an unlimited plan, but was unsure if it had processed through. Unfortunately, the call dropped before Ms. [redacted] could be fully assisted. Ms. [redacted] called back shortly after for assistance; however, the call quality was poor and the line ended up dropping. We apologize for any frustration this may have caused Ms. [redacted] to experience.
Ms. [redacted] called back again the same day, at which time the Viasat representative reviewed the plans available to Ms. [redacted], at which time she elected to transition to Viasat’s Unlimited Data Silver 25 service plan at $150.00 a month, plus applicable taxes and a $9.99 monthly equipment lease fee. As this service plan required a new modem, Ms. [redacted] was informed that one would be delivered to her for self-installation. Due to a backlog in orders, there was a delay in the shipment and delivery of the new modem. We apologize if this was not communicated clearly to Ms. [redacted].
The Unlimited Data Silver 25 service plan provides unlimited data usage at regular speeds up to 25 Mbps. The service is optimized for streaming at DVD quality or 480p.
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.
The new modem was installed at Ms. [redacted]’ home on February 20, 2018. Ms. [redacted] called Viasat on March 12, 2018 because she was experiencing slow speeds. At this time, she was informed that she had reached the 150 GB data threshold and her service had been de-prioritized, as described above and in the Customer Agreement. The Viasat representative also informed Ms. [redacted] that network congestion in her area was impacting her service. The representative guided Ms. [redacted] through troubleshooting to see if her speed of service would increase, but the issue persisted.
Ms. [redacted] called on March 16, 2018, at which time her account was disconnected, per her request.
Regarding Ms. [redacted]’ claim that Viasat was going to charge her $12.99 in service coverage fees, Ms. [redacted] was not charged any such monthly fee, nor was she receiving Viasat’s EasyCare program at $5.99 a month. Viasat does not have a $12.99 service coverage fee.
Per our previous reply, Viasat has issued Ms. [redacted] a refund of $193.77 for a monthly service fee collected on March 16, 2017. Viasat has also waived half of her early termination fees of $328.55, leaving her responsible for early termination fees in the amount of $164.28. Viasat does not agree to waive the full amount of Ms. [redacted]’ early termination fees.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond.

Thank you for bringing Mr. [redacted] complaint to ViaSat’s attention.  We apologize for any confusion or frustration this situation may have caused.  Mr. [redacted] called ViaSat on July 9, 2016 to discuss the ViaSat technician and issues with the installation.  Mr. [redacted] also mentioned the...

technician asked for additional money during the installation.  At the time of sale customers are made aware of additional charges for a non-standard installation.  ViaSat’s certified technicians are authorized to offer additional services, such as a wall drop or mounting the satellite dish on a pole instead of the roof, and charge the customer for those optional services. We apologize ViaSat’s service was not installed to Mr. [redacted] satisfaction and for any misunderstanding at the time of installation. On July 13, 2016, ViaSat receive connected from Mrs. [redacted] regarding the installation and additional charge related to the pole mount installed by the technician. As ViaSat’s certified technicians are authorized to offer additional services such as mounting the satellite dish on a pole, the refund request was rejected.  There was no contact to ViaSat regarding the telephone services previously advised to Mr. [redacted] by ViaSat. Mr. [redacted] did purchase the ViaSat Internet and Phone services on June 22, 2016.  In order to bring resolution to this complaint, and as a gesture of good faith, ViaSat will agree to disconnect Mr. [redacted] ViaSat account. If Mr. [redacted] would like to disconnect his ViaSat account, he may contact ViaSat’s 24-Hour Customer Service department at ###-###-#### and reference ticket [redacted]. Please be advised, at the time of disconnection, all customers are required to only return their ViaSat modem and transceiver, per the Customer Agreement available for viewing at [redacted]. Outside of the modem and transceiver, the customer owns all other equipment and is responsible for its removal. Any service call request for the removal of the dish is associated with a chargeable fee for the technician to remove and dispose of the dish. .  A [redacted] box with a free return shipping label will be delivered to Mr. [redacted] home address within a week after his disconnection, and will include return instructions. Thank you for the opportunity to respond.

Thank you for bringing Ms. [redacted] complaint to our attention. We apologize for any frustration she may have experienced with ViaSat.
The Customer Agreement, signed by [redacted], an authorized signer, on March 1, 2012 and available at [redacted] advises that customers are responsible for returning ViaSat’s modem and transceiver within 30 days after their disconnection. Failure to return the equipment results in an unreturned equipment fee of $300.00, not including taxes. ViaSat supplies customers with a [redacted] box, free return shipping label, and illustrated instructions for the return of the equipment within a week after disconnection. Customers may request a service call for assistance with uninstalling the equipment. This service call is typically associated with a $95.00 charge; however, customers who opt into ViaSat’s EasyCare program at $5.99 a month will receive the service call at no additional cost.
Our records show ViaSat received a call from Ms. [redacted] on March 26, 2016 because she was experiencing a connectivity issue and had concerns about her speeds. Per her request, a service call was ordered; however, because there were no dates available for scheduling her appointment, she was advised that someone would contact her to set her appointment date and time.
A member of ViaSat’s Home Service Provider (HSP) reached out to Ms. [redacted] on March 28, 2016 to advise that the technician was in the area that day, and to see if she would be available. Ms. [redacted] advised the HSP representative that Thursdays work better for her schedule, but asked them to call back in case something changed. On March 29, 2016, the service call was rescheduled for April 1, 2016. On April 1, 2016, Ms. [redacted] advised the HSP that she needed the appointment rescheduled for April 7, 2016; however, her appointment was unable to be scheduled for that day. On April 13, 2016, the HSP representative reached out to Ms. [redacted] to inquire if April 14, 2016 would fit into her schedule. There was no answer and a message was left. The HSP did not hear back from Ms. [redacted] until May 25, 2016, when she advised she had no availability and would call back if the service call was still needed. On May 28, 2016, the service call was cancelled because it had been open for over two months.
ViaSat’s Customer service department did not receive any contact from Ms. [redacted] between March 26, 2016 and July 12, 2016. As such, ViaSat was not made aware that Ms. [redacted] may still be experiencing a connectivity issue. During this time, Ms. [redacted] was charged monthly service fees of $36.40 on April 16, 2016, May 16, 2016, and June 16, 2016. Section 3 of the Customer Agreement authorizes ViaSat to automatically withdraw from Ms. [redacted] payment method on file for ViaSat’s services.
On July 12, 2016, Mr. [redacted] called ViaSat to disconnect her account, at which time he was provided with all disconnection disclosures, including the return of the equipment. Per his request, a service call was ordered so a technician could assist him with removing the transceiver. Unfortunately, there were no dates available for scheduling; Mr. [redacted] advised that he would be contacted by the HSP for scheduling.
ViaSat received a call from Mr. [redacted] because he had not received a call for scheduling his appointment, at which time the ViaSat representative attempted to find a date and time for the service call. Unfortunately, there were no dates available. The ViaSat representative left notes for the HSP requesting that Mr. [redacted] be contacted for scheduling; however, they did not escalate this request with the proper process. We apologize for any frustration this may have caused Mr. [redacted] to experience. Our records show the issue was escalated accordingly on July 20, 2016. The HSP acknowledged the escalation the same day, but was still searching for availability for Mr. [redacted] service call.
Between August 2, 2016 and August 9, 2016, Mr. [redacted] called ViaSat four times because his service call had not been fulfilled. On August 4, 2016, a second escalation was issued to the HSP for resolution, and Mr. [redacted] was advised that ViaSat would issue him a refund if he was charged the unreturned equipment fees. On August 9, 2016, Mr. [redacted] advised ViaSat that he was going to hire a contractor to assist with the uninstallation of the transceiver and that he would be sending a receipt to ViaSat for the expense.
ViaSat does not agree to reimburse Ms. [redacted] for the monthly service fees paid on May and June, and does not agree to reimburse her for her perceived time lost or the processing fee she was charged by her bank for blocking her account. However, as resolution to this complaint, ViaSat will agree to reimburse her the $185.00 payment she made to the contractor for the removal of the transceiver. Ms. [redacted] will need to provide a copy of the receipt received by the contractor prior to ViaSat issuing this refund. This documentation can be submitted via email to [redacted] in reference to ticket no. [redacted].
Thank you for the opportunity to respond.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/08/07) */
Thank you for bringing Mr. [redacted]' complaint to our attention. We apologize for any issue he may have experienced with ViaSat's Exede Internet service.
At the point of sale, customers are advised that the service speeds are no guaranteed and...

may vary. This point is address in the Customer Agreement, signed by Mr. [redacted] on July 30, 2015 and available at exede.com/legal. 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. Speeds can also be affected by programs that are running in the background, the router, and day-to-day activity. Speeds can also be impacted if customers exceed their monthly priority data, pursuant to ViaSat's Data Allowance Policy.
Mr. [redacted] was receiving ViaSat's Liberty 30 GB plan at $149.99 a month, plus applicable taxes and a $9.99 monthly equipment lease fee. This service plan offers 30 GB of monthly priority data, download speeds up to 12 Mbps, and upload speeds up to 3 Mbps. The Liberty service plans are subject to "Priority Data" usage limits which are also described in the Data Allowance Policy. If a customer exceeds their Priority Data usage limits, they will receive "Liberty Pass" for the remainder of their monthly billing period. Liberty Pass speeds will be slower than Priority Data speeds (between 1-5 Mbps download), do not support video streaming on multiple devices and may not support streaming of high definition video. Liberty Pass speeds will vary based on the time of day and a customer's geographic location and may be extremely slow when the network is busy, typically in the evening hours (about 5:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m. local time), which may greatly impair your ability to use the internet. Liberty Pass users will receive lower priority on our network than subscribers who have not exceeded their data allowance or other data threshold, which may result in Liberty Pass users experiencing slower speeds when the network is busy than subscribers who have not exceeded their data allowance or other data threshold. Heavier users of Liberty Pass may be slowed to a larger extent than lighter users.
Our records show Mr. [redacted] called ViaSat on July 7, 2015 because he was experiencing slow speeds, at which time he was educated on network congestion in his area. On July 21, 2015, Mr. [redacted] exceeded his monthly Priority Data usage limits and was placed on the Liberty Pass. Mr. [redacted] contacted ViaSat on July 22, 2015 regarding the speed of his service, at which time a ViaSat representative guided him through troubleshooting. As Mr. [redacted]' speeds continued to be slow, the ViaSat representative offered him a free service call and 1 GB of free additional data. Mr. [redacted] accepted these offers. The free service call was cancelled on July 23, 2015 by ViaSat's Home Service Provider prior to the completion of the service call because the values from Mr. [redacted]' modem were in working order.
Mr. [redacted] called again on July 23, 2015 because his speeds were slow. During this conversation, Mr. [redacted] was guided through troubleshooting and a ViaSat's Exede Expert assisted him with cleaning his computer of any junk files or malware. Mr. [redacted]' modem software was also updated at this time to the current version.
On July 24, 2015, Mr. [redacted] called ViaSat again about his speeds. During this conversation, the ViaSat representative ran three speed tests on ViaSat's end, all of which showed that the speed going through Mr. [redacted]' modem was within or above the advertised range. Mr. [redacted] requested the disconnection of his account, at which time he was reminded of his signed Customer Agreement and early termination fees. As a gesture of goodwill, however, the ViaSat representative escalated a request for the early termination fees to be waived. This request was rejected on July 28, 2015 because ViaSat's records showed that his speeds were within range. Mr. [redacted] was advised of this on July 29, 2015.
The Customer Agreement requires subscribers to commit to a 24-month minimum service term, and early termination fees will apply if service is canceled prior to the minimum service term. Customers are reminded of the early termination fees at the time they elect to disconnect prior to the expiration of the minimum service term. On August 1, 2015, ViaSat charged Mr. [redacted] $364.01 in early termination fees, plus a charge for 2 GB of additional data; however, the payment failed.
As Mr. [redacted]' service was in Liberty Pass at the time of his disconnection and, thusly, working as advertised, ViaSat does not agree to waive his early termination fees in full. However, in order to come to a resolution regarding this complaint, ViaSat will waive half of the early termination fees plus the charge of the 1 GB of free additional data that should have been waived, leaving Mr. [redacted] responsible for a balance due of $182.00. ViaSat does not agree to refund Mr. [redacted] for his first month of service as he was actively using it.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/08/17) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
At the point of sale, customers are advised that the service speeds are no guaranteed and may vary. This is not addressed by your Sales Team. (If I was told that Up to 12 mbps meant that 3 - 4 mbps was the norm, I never would have ordered the service!)
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. Speeds can also be affected by programs that are running in the background, the router, and day-to-day activity. (All of the items listed above were checked by YOUR EXEDE EXPERTS and installers, and the speeds were in the 2 - 4 mbps range)
Liberty Pass [redacted] will vary based on the time of day and a customer's geographic location and may be extremely slow when the network is busy, typically in the evening hours (about 5:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m. local time), which may greatly impair your ability to use the internet. (it didn't matter what time of day I used the service. It never ran 1 speed test at 12 mbps. This included over the phone with your Help Deck, Tier 2 support, and Exede Experts. They could get it from their end, but never to my modem.)
Our records show Mr. [redacted] called ViaSat on July 7, 2015 because he was experiencing slow speeds, at which time he was educated on network congestion in his area. Mr. [redacted] contacted ViaSat on July 22, 2015 regarding the speed of his service, at which time a ViaSat representative guided him through troubleshooting. As Mr. [redacted]' speeds continued to be slow, the ViaSat representative offered him a free service call and 1 GB of free additional data. Mr. [redacted] accepted these offers. The free service call was cancelled on July 23, 2015 by ViaSat's Home Service Provider prior to the completion of the service call because the values from Mr. [redacted]' modem were in working order.
Mr. [redacted] called again on July 23, 2015 because his speeds were slow. During this conversation, Mr. [redacted] was guided through troubleshooting and a ViaSat's Exede Expert assisted him with cleaning his computer of any junk files or malware. Mr. [redacted]' modem software was also updated at this time to the current version. (Throughout this whole time I never received one speed test that was close to 12 mbps. They typically were from 2.93 to just over 4. Where is the advertised 4 mbps?)
On July 24, 2015, Mr. [redacted] called ViaSat again about his speeds. During this conversation, the ViaSat representative ran three speed tests on ViaSat's end, all of which showed that the speed going through Mr. [redacted]' modem was within or above the advertised range. (again, this is not flowing through the YOUR modem. I ran the test to 2 different laptops Once was connected by Ethernet and the other by wireless. I tried different Ethernet cables. Only one would be connected at a time. I never got 2 tests run back to back to ever get above 4.6. I'm paying for service I get, not what you get!)
Mr. [redacted] requested the disconnection of his account, at which time he was reminded of his signed Customer Agreement and early termination fees. As a gesture of goodwill, however, the ViaSat representative escalated a request for the early termination fees to be waived. This request was rejected on July 28, 2015 because ViaSat's records showed that his speeds were within range. Mr. [redacted] was advised of this on July 29, 2015.
Early termination fees will apply if service is canceled prior to the minimum service term. On August 1, 2015, ViaSat charged Mr. [redacted] $364.01 in early termination fees, plus a charge for 2 GB of additional data; however, the payment failed. (you were charging for 2 GB of data that YOU needed to test everything out since your equipment doesn't work as advertised. Per your Customer Service Reps, I wasn't to be charged for this! I was also told by my Legal group not to pay this bill.)
ViaSat will waive half of the early termination fees plus the charge of the 1 GB of free additional data that should have been waived, leaving Mr. [redacted] responsible for a balance due of $182.00. (Per my Legal group with Wells Fargo, the entire amount must be waived, or we'll let a judge decide on if 3 - 4 mbps and never getting close to 12mps is what is advertised to the consumer )
Final Consumer Response /* (4200, 11, 2015/08/27) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
at no time during the 1 month did the speeds ever come close to 12 mbps download or the stated upload. This was also the during the time when the gave the additional 2 Gig for testing. The question is whether I was able to get the speed EVER during a speed test with the Exede Experts on my end. The answer is no. At no time during the month of service did your equipment ever deliver close to 12 mbps. It never hit half that speed. Please remember this is Exede's router, satellite dish, and installation. Exede Expert also spent hours cleaning up my laptop and the speeds got worse, not better. On Exede's end they were getting speeds that were acceptable to the, but never did me, the consumer, get these speeds. Waiver of the Early Termination is the only acceptable answer.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 13, 2015/08/28) */
Thank you for bringing Mr. [redacted]' rebuttal to our attention.
As a gesture of good faith, ViaSat has waived the balance of $364.01 in full.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond.

Thank you for bringing Mrs. [redacted]’s rebuttal to ViaSat’s attention. Upon receipt of her rebuttal, ViaSat contacted Mrs. [redacted] to discuss the issues she was experiencing regarding contacting ViaSat’s Customer Service. At that time, Mrs. [redacted] performed a three way call and was able to successfully get through ViaSat’s Interactive voice response (IVR). As of today, October 26, 2016, Mrs. [redacted] should be able to contact ViaSat through our IVR. Additionally, during this conversation, the Consumer Affairs specialist reviewed with Mrs. [redacted] her usage and transitioned her account from her current plan to Exede12 – 15 GB. Also, the Consumer Affairs specialist agreed to apply a credit to Mrs. [redacted]’s account for November’s bill in the amount of $127.98. As of today, October 26, 2016, ViaSat is actively reviewing Mrs. [redacted]’s account and her usage. She now has ViaSat’s Consumer Affairs direct contact information. Should she have any additional questions or concerns, please have her contact the Consumer Affairs department directly. Thank you.

As stated in ViaSat’s previous reply, Mr. [redacted]‘s Exede Liberty service plan provides 25 GB’s of monthly Priority Data allowance for use at regular speeds of up to 12 Mbps download and 3Mbps uploads.  Pursuant to ViaSat’s Data Allowance Policy, once the customer goes over the Priority Data allowance the customer receives Liberty Pass, (at no extra cost) which allows them to continue using more data at download speeds of up to 1 to 5 Mbps when the network is not busy until their monthly Priority Data allowance resets.  When the network is busy, customers in Liberty Pass will receive significantly slower speeds which may greatly impair their ability to use the internet.  Customers are told this information at the time of sale and it is incorporated into the Customer Agreement signed by [redacted] on May 25, 2016.   At the time of sale, ViaSat’s sales agents recommend service plans based on information provided by the customer regarding the household’s Internet usage, as well as based on the service plans available in the area.  Customers may have the option to upgrade their service to a plan that offers a higher monthly data allowance, depending on the service plans available in their area.   ViaSat created the data usage meter for customers to monitor their monthly data allowance and provide them the information necessary to manage their data usage and stay within the data limits of their service plan. ViaSat consistently measures customer’s data usage and provides customer’s access to view his or her data usage through ViaSat’s data usage meter available at www.myexede.net.   As of today, August 11, 2017, Mr. [redacted] has used 25 GB of his 25 GB plan. Majority of this usage was consumed by web browning, and media. If Mr. [redacted] continues to experience issues with his usage we advise him to look into the programs that are running in the background, whether his router is secure, and to check his day to day activity.   In response to this complaint, and as a gesture of good faith, ViaSat agrees to disconnect Mr. [redacted]’s account with waiver of half the applicable early termination fees. ViaSat does not agree to waive these fees in their entirety. If Mr. [redacted] wishes to disconnect his account with waiver of half the early termination fees, please have him contact ViaSat’s 24-hour Customer Service Department at [redacted] and reference ticket [redacted].   Thank you for the opportunity to respond.

Thank you for bringing Ms. [redacted] complaint to our attention.The Customer Agreement, signed by Ms. [redacted] on March 1, 2018 and available at exede.com/legal, advises that Viasat does not guarantee the internet service to be uninterrupted or error-free. Service may be interrupted from time...

to time for various reasons, including inclement weather at a customer’s home or their service gateway.Due to the nature of satellite-based internet service, there are many variables that can affect speeds, including, weather at Viasat’s facilities or at the customer’s home, network congestion, a misconfigured home network or outdated computer equipment and software.   Because of these many variables, Viasat cannot guarantee any particular speed to you.  Viasat discloses at the point of sale and in its Customer Agreement that speeds may vary and are not guaranteed.The Customer Agreement provided to each new customer 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.Ms. [redacted] contacted Viasat on March 2, 2018, the day after her installation, in order to request the disconnection of her services. She stated that the technician had not installed the service correctly. The Viasat representative assisting her attempted troubleshooting, finding that her speeds were concerning, and transferred Ms. [redacted] to Viasat’s technical support team. At that time, it was revealed that Ms. [redacted] was experiencing network congestion, which can slow customer’s speeds. Ms. [redacted] requested the disconnection of her services, and after proper disclosures were read, the disconnection was processed that same day. On March 4, 2018, Ms. [redacted] bill cycle date, she was charged $346.66 for early termination fees and for services used before the disconnection. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused Ms. [redacted]. In resolution to this complaint, Viasat will agree to refund the full amount of $346.66 charged to Ms. [redacted]. This has been completed as of March 6, 2018, and Ms. [redacted] should see the funds returned in the next three to five business days. 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 [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] has any further questions or concerns, she may contact Viasat’s 24-Hour Customer Care department at 1-855-463-9333. Thank you for the opportunity to respond.

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Thank you for bringing Ms. [redacted]’ complaint to our attention. The Customer Agreement provided to each new customer, and signed by Mr. [redacted] on January 30, 2018 and also available at exede.com/legal, 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 also advises that Viasat does not guarantee the internet service to be uninterrupted or error-free. Service may be interrupted from time to time for various reasons, including inclement weather at a customer’s home or their service gateway.Due to the nature of satellite-based internet service, there are many variables that can affect speeds, including, weather at Viasat’s facilities or at the customer’s home, network congestion, a misconfigured home network or outdated computer equipment and software.   Because of these many variables, Viasat cannot guarantee any particular speed to you.  Viasat discloses at the point of sale and in its Customer Agreement that speeds may vary and are not guaranteed.The Customer Agreement states that monthly service and lease fees are payable in advance.  Customers are also made aware of this at the time of the sale.  Pursuant to the Customer Agreement, customers are given the opportunity to terminate service by giving Viasat written or telephone notice.  The Customer Agreement states that Viasat does not accept notice of termination via email. Our records show Ms. [redacted] purchased Viasat’s Unlimited Bronze 12 Mbps service plan through an authorized Viasat Dealer.  All Viasat dealers are contractually required to make customers aware of these points at the time of sale. We apologize if these points were not communicated to Ms. [redacted] at the point of sale.Ms. [redacted]’ services were installed on January 30, 2018. On February 1, 2018, Ms. [redacted] was charged $65.84 for services billed in advance. The payment was successfully taken. However, on February 15, 2018, Viasat received a dispute for the charge, and systematically refunded the monies to Ms. [redacted]’ payment method. After it was determined that the charge was valid, it was replaced on Ms. [redacted]’ account as a past due balance. On February 26, 2018, Ms. [redacted] contacted Viasat to advise that she had cancelled her account through her Viasat authorized dealer and that she was informed her account was terminated. We apologize for any misinformation Ms. [redacted] may have received. A Viasat representative attempted to assist Ms. [redacted] in disconnecting her account, but was unable to process the request due to being unable to read the legal disclosures necessary to disconnect the account. Ms. [redacted]’ services are currently active, though they are suspended due to the past due balance. In an offer of goodwill, Viasat will agree to waive the past due balance of $65.84. Viasat does not agree to waive any early termination fee balance should Ms. [redacted] choose to disconnect her services, as Viasat has not been allowed to troubleshoot Ms. [redacted]’ services as required per the Customer Agreement. If Ms. [redacted] has any further questions or concerns, she may contact Viasat’s 24-hour Customer Care department at 1-855-463-9333. Thank you for the opportunity to respond.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 12, 2015/12/28) */
Thank you for bringing Mr. [redacted] complaint to ViaSat's attention. We apologize for any confusion or frustration this situation may have caused.
At the time of sale Customers are made aware of ViaSat's 24-month minimum service term...

commitment and if service is canceled prior to the minimum service term, early termination fees will apply. They are also informed that speeds may vary and are not guaranteed. Each of these points is also addressed in the Customer Agreement and available at exede.com/legal. We apologize if Mr. [redacted] feels these points were not communicated to his satisfaction.
Mr. [redacted] contacted ViaSat's customer service department on December 3, 2015 to discuss the disconnection of his ViaSat account. During his conversation, Mr. [redacted] was advised of the early termination fees that would apply should he wish to move forward with the disconnection of his services. Mr. [redacted] services were disconnected on December 3, 2015.
ViaSat attempted to collect $344.52 from Mr. [redacted] payment method on file on December 20, 2015 for the early termination fees; however, this payment failed. As a gesture of good faith and in order to bring this complaint to a resolution, ViaSat will agree to apply a credit to Mr. [redacted] account for the full $344.52 to bring the account to a zero balance. Mr. [redacted] has returned his leased ViaSat equipment; therefore, no further charges shall occur. Should he receive any charges, please have him contact ViaSat's customer service department at XXX-XXX-XXXX and reference ticket XXXXXXXX.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 14, 2015/12/30) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
first..the credit card viastat tried to collect on was cancelled after its use in london england and I was in georgia. I refute their claim that I was made aware ofa contract originally. as a matter of fact the selling employee and I specifically discussed no contract I am happy for me to owe nothing and to be at the point of not having to deal with this organization. thank you

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 4, 2015/12/08) */
Thank you for bringing Ms. [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, and the 24-month minimum service term...

commitment. Each of these points are also addressed in the customer agreement signed by Ms. [redacted] on December 2, 2015 and available at exede.com/legal. We apologize if Ms. [redacted] feels these points were not communicated to her satisfaction. Customers are informed that speeds are not guaranteed and may vary. This point is also addressed in the customer agreement. 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. Speeds can also be affected by programs that are running in the background, the router, and day-to-day activity. The early termination fees are a valid charge should Ms. [redacted] wish to disconnect. Thank you for allowing ViaSat the opportunity to respond.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 6, 2015/12/09) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Hello, at all time sales person was talking about 12gb as of it was the internet speed. They never explained that 12gb was my monthly allowance and that after that speed will decrease. Information over the phone was very misleading and confusing! If I have known that I have a cap of 12gb per month I woulndt agree with the instalation in the first hand. I feel That I was not properly informed of all the aspects of the contract and the 12GB monthly allowance. This is trully a scam, I didnt even have a full week using this internet and the Modem is already malfunctioning. A tech is supposed to come today to my house at 11am, is already pass ** and no one is here or had call. I have been without internet for 4 out of the 7 days I have had the product. I wish to cancel the service and have the termination fees waived! You should start treating people with respect! I feel totally scamed!
Final Business Response /* (4000, 8, 2015/12/11) */
Thank you for bringing Ms. [redacted]'s response to ViaSat's attention. As stated in the previous response ViaSat explains the Data Allowance Policy and the limitations at the time of sale. Included in the disclosures the customer is advised of the minimum 24-month commitment and the early termination fees should the account be cancelled prior to the end of the term. ViaSat did agree to send a technician out to Ms. [redacted]'s home on December 9, 2015, we apologize that the technician was running behind for the scheduled appointment. ViaSat does show the technician did arrive and tightened all the fittings and completed the service call. Ms. [redacted] can refer back to her 24 month contract that was signed on December 2, 2015 should she have any questions regarding the contract term or the Data Allowance Policy. ViaSat apologizes that the service will not meet Ms. [redacted]'s needs or expectations and is willing to waive half of the early termination fees leaving Ms. [redacted] responsible for the other remaining half should she wish to disconnect. Thank you for allowing ViaSat the opportunity to respond.
Final Consumer Response /* (2000, 10, 2015/12/14) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
Thank you,
Please provide me with a Reference number for this agreement, I need to make sure when I call in to cancel the contract the waiving of half of the cancellation fees are notated in my account.
Thank you,

Thank you for bringing Ms. [redacted]’s response to ViaSat’s attention. As stated in the previous response ViaSat is willing to let Ms. [redacted] out of the 2 year agreement with the early termination fees waived. When she is ready to disconnect she can contact Customer Care at [redacted] and reference ticket number [redacted] to have the service disconnected. Thank you for allowing ViaSat the opportunity to respond.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/09/30) */
Thank you for bringing Ms. [redacted]'s complaint to ViaSat's attention. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. . Per ViaSat's Customer agreement signed by Ms. [redacted] on December 23, 2014, the customer represents that...

there are no legal, contractual or similar restrictions on the installation of the equipment in the location (s) the customer has authorized. It is the customer's responsibility to ensure compliance with all applicable building codes, zoning ordinances, homeowners' association rules, covenants, conditions, and restrictions related to the service, to pay any fees or other charges, and to obtain any permits, or authorizations necessary for the service (collectively "legal requirements"). The customer is solely responsible for any fines or similar charges for violation of any applicable legal requirements. The customer acknowledges and agrees that ViaSat or its designated service provider will be required to access your premises and computer to install and maintain the equipment, including the antenna and its components. This will include attaching the equipment to your computer, installing software on your computer and configuring your computer to optimize the performance of the Internet service. The customer confirms that they have reviewed the installation plan and agreed to any associated charges. If the customer approves a roof mount, they acknowledge the potential risks associated with this type of installation. By signing this agreement, scheduling a service or installation visit, and permitting us or our service provider to enter the customer's home, you are authorizing ViaSat and its service provider to perform all the above actions. The customer is responsible for backing up the data on the computer and we highly recommend that you do so prior to permitting access to us or one of our designated service providers. Neither ViaSat nor its service provider shall have any liability whatsoever for any losses resulting from the equipment or any installation, repair or other services associated with the equipment, including without limitation, damage to the premises, or loss of software, data or other information for your computer. This limitation does not apply to any damages arising from gross negligence or willful misconduct of us or one of our designated providers. Time frames for installation, if any, are not guaranteed and may vary depending on the types of services requested and other factors.
The above information is located in the customer agreement signed by Ms. [redacted] in section 2.3 under Installation of equipment. ViaSat will not be responsible for any damages caused to the home as Ms. [redacted] the tenant agreed to the location of the installation and signed off on the agreement. ViaSat's technicians are not responsible for searching property taxes or websites to see who the owner of the home is. This will be an issue you will want to address with the landlord of the home moving forward.
ViaSat does not agree to waive the early termination fees from this account as Ms. [redacted] decided to disconnect her account on her own without fulfilling her 24-month minimum service term commitment. Thank you for allowing ViaSat the opportunity to respond.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/10/05) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
I never signed anything. Show me where I signed this.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2015/10/07) */
Thank you for bringing Ms. [redacted]'s response to ViaSat's attention. At the time of installation ViaSat requires all customer's to sign our electronic customer agreement in order to have the services installed. The services cannot be provisioned and will not work until that agreement is signed. Ms. [redacted] electronically signed the agreement on December 23, 2014. ViaSat has attached a copy of the electronic customer agreement signed by Ms. [redacted]. Thank you for allowing ViaSat the opportunity to respond.

40 bucks for a so call late fee there was no late fee I requested the sateleitte to be move on june 10 which they had record but was never done they install new service on the 28 with an new account  there records and mine prove that in which they charge my cc for and old account we worked that out they credited my new account now they charged me a late fee for what