Speed vs. Performance: Understanding the Benefits of Viasat Internet

Internet speed and performance are often used interchangeably, but they actually refer to different aspects of your internet connection. Speed refers to the rate at which data is transferred, usually measured in megabits per second (Mbps). Performance encompasses additional factors like latency, reliability, consistency, and capacity.

Viasat is a satellite internet provider known for delivering high-performance satellite internet across the U.S. Their advanced ViaSat-2 satellite system provides greater bandwidth and coverage than previous satellite internet generations. This enables Viasat to offer plans with download speeds up to 100 Mbps in select areas.

However, Viasat’s performance capabilities go beyond just speed. Their hybrid network blends satellite connectivity with terrestrial internet infrastructure. Advanced technologies like accelerated VPN tunnels, TCP acceleration, and intelligent caching help maximize performance. Viasat also prioritizes high-demand applications to prevent network congestion during peak usage times.

So while speed tests only show part of the picture, Viasat’s high-performance hybrid network is designed to enable fast, reliable internet with the capacity to support data-intensive tasks like streaming, gaming, and video calls. Understanding the difference between speed and performance is key to evaluating internet service options.

Also, Read : What Can You Offer As A Viasat Authorized Reseller?

What is Speed?

When it comes to internet service, speed refers to the rate at which data can be transferred over the connection, measured in megabits per second (Mbps). Specifically, it refers to the bandwidth or throughput that an internet connection can provide.

There are two main components of speed:

• Download speed – This measures how fast you can pull data from the internet to your device. For example, when you are loading a webpage or streaming a video, you are downloading data. Download speed determines how quickly pages and videos will load.
• Upload speed – This measures how fast you can send data from your device out to the internet. For example, when you are sending an email or uploading photos, you are uploading data. Upload speed determines how quickly you can share data from your device.

An internet plan will advertise both the download and upload speeds it provides. For example, a plan may offer “100 Mbps download and 10 Mbps upload.”

The download speed is usually faster than the upload speed for most consumer internet connections. This is because most online activities, like accessing webpages and streaming video, involve downloading much more data than uploading.

So when you see an internet plan advertised as “100 Mbps high-speed internet,” that refers to the download bandwidth it provides. The higher the Mbps, the faster pages and videos will load.

What is Performance?

When evaluating an internet service, performance refers to the overall user experience beyond just speed. Performance takes into account factors like latency, congestion management, and consistency of connection.

Latency, also called ping rate, is the time it takes for data to travel back and forth from your device to the internet. Lower latency results in less lag and delays. Satellite internet historically had high latency due to the distance signals needed to travel to and from space. However, new satellite constellations in lower orbits have reduced latency significantly.

Congestion management is how well an ISP handles network traffic when many customers are online at peak times. Good congestion management means you can still stream, game, and connect without major slowdowns during busy evenings. Advanced technologies like channel bonding and bandwidth prioritization help satellite providers manage congestion.

Consistency of connection considers how reliably you can get online without interruptions or downtime. Satellite internet used to be impacted by weather disruptions. But new resilient satellite constellations and networking protocols provide excellent consistency today.

By optimizing these performance factors, providers like Viasat aim to deliver a great overall user experience, not just higher speed tests. The performance advancements make activities like video calls, streaming, gaming, and web browsing satisfying and smooth.

Why Speed Alone is Not Enough

When shopping for an internet service, many consumers focus exclusively on speed. Providers advertise fast speeds, and speed tests have become a popular way to evaluate internet performance. But speed alone doesn’t tell the whole story. Real-world performance involves much more than raw megabits per second.

Think of speed like the horsepower of a car. More horsepower enables you to go faster, but it doesn’t help you handle winding roads or prevent spin outs. For smooth, reliable driving, you need technologies like all-wheel drive, traction control, and anti-lock brakes. Similarly, robust internet performance requires advanced technologies to optimize the connection across multiple devices and usage scenarios.

Speed tests only measure the straight-line acceleration of the connection – the download and upload speeds. But seamless video calls, streaming, gaming, smart devices, and other everyday internet activities depend on low lag, quick loading, and uninterrupted service. Without latency-reducing technologies and congestion management, a user will experience buffering, lag, pixelation, and other performance issues that high speeds alone can’t prevent.

The takeaway is that speed does not directly translate to real-world performance. When evaluating internet options, look for providers using innovative performance-enhancing technologies, not just advertising the highest speeds. Ultimately, it’s the performance, not speed, that determines the quality of the internet experience.

Viasat’s Performance Technologies

Viasat internet uses advanced satellite technology and bandwidth management to deliver fast, reliable performance—even in rural areas. Unlike traditional satellite internet, Viasat leverages modern high-capacity satellites, advanced ground infrastructure, and intelligent bandwidth management to optimize the user experience.

Some key advantages of Viasat’s technology include:

• Next-generation satellite capacity – Viasat operates a fleet of high-powered satellites in geostationary orbit, each with hundreds of Mbps of capacity. Viasat-3 satellites will launch soon with terabits of capacity to vastly expand coverage and performance.
• Ground infrastructure – Viasat has invested heavily in ground infrastructure like large gateway antennas and fiber links to beam internet traffic efficiently between satellites and terrestrial networks. This infrastructure unlocks the full potential of satellite capacity.
• Bandwidth management – Viasat uses patent-backed bandwidth management technologies like Viasat Flexible Use and Site Selector. These prioritize latency-sensitive applications dynamically, ensuring strong performance across many simultaneous users even when capacity is constrained.
• Data compression – Advanced compression maximizes use of available bandwidth, enabling faster page loads, streaming, and downloads. Viasat can compress and optimize traffic flows in real-time.
• Hybrid networking – Viasat integrates satellite connectivity with 4G LTE in a hybrid network. Users get the coverage of satellites with 4G bandwidth for latency-sensitive apps.

By leveraging bandwidth efficiently across its fleet of satellites, focusing capacity to high-demand locations, and intelligently managing traffic flows, Viasat delivers fast, responsive satellite internet service. Their technology innovations enable strong performance that consistently exceeds traditional satellite internet.

Also, Read : Starlink Vs. Viasat: Which Is Best For You?

The Viasat Internet Experience

Viasat’s internet service is designed to provide fast, consistent speeds and reliable performance for today’s most popular online activities like streaming, gaming, video calls, and more.

While other providers may advertise fast speeds, real-world performance often falls short when networks become congested during peak usage times. With Viasat, advanced bandwidth management technologies work to provide an excellent experience even when many users are online at once.

Some key aspects of the Viasat internet experience include:

• Consistent speeds – Viasat prioritizes delivering steady, reliable speeds throughout the day, rather than extremely fast bursts. This avoids slowdowns during busy periods.
• Minimal buffering – Viasat’s fast speeds and congestion management enable smooth streaming with minimal buffering or lag times. Users can stream HD video, game online, and join video calls without frustration.
• Low latency – Viasat systems are optimized to reduce latency, which is the time it takes for data to make a round trip. This results in more responsive, real-time connections for activities like online gaming.
• Reliability – With advanced satellite technology and proven system resiliency, Viasat offers dependable connectivity even in difficult weather conditions or remote locations.

The combination of speed, low latency, reliability, and congestion management results in great real-world performance. Viasat customers can enjoy smooth streaming, gaming, surfing and more, even at peak times when other providers often struggle to deliver.

Speed Tests Don’t Tell the Full Story

While speed tests provide a useful baseline measurement of internet performance, they don’t tell the full story. Speed tests only measure the maximum bandwidth available at a single moment in time. This peak speed may not reflect the consistent speeds you’ll experience throughout the day.

Speed tests also don’t account for a provider’s network management capabilities. Advanced technologies like network optimization, traffic prioritization, and congestion control allow providers like Viasat to deliver fast performance even during periods of peak demand.

For example, Viasat prioritizes high-bandwidth applications like video streaming over background downloads to minimize buffering. This keeps your internet experience smooth and responsive. While you may hit 100 Mbps on a speed test, in practice Viasat’s performance optimization means you can stream HD video at 6 Mbps without interruption—that’s optimized performance.

The speed test number does not reflect how advanced technologies improve real-world performance. You need consistent speeds and low latency for activities like video calls, online gaming, and streaming. This level of optimized performance provides a better internet experience than occasional speed test spikes.

So while speed tests have some utility, true internet performance depends on consistent speeds, low lag, rapid loading, and minimal buffering. Viasat uses intelligent network management, not just raw bandwidth, to deliver fast, responsive internet you can rely on.

When Speed Does Matter

Even though consistent performance is more important than raw speed for most internet uses, faster download speeds can still provide advantages in certain situations. Here are some examples of when speed is beneficial:

• Large Downloads – Downloading very large files like movies, games, and software can be quicker with faster speeds. With Viasat’s high-speed plans of up to 100 Mbps in select areas, download times for large files can be significantly reduced.
• 4K/HD Video Streaming – Streaming high bandwidth 4K or HD video can benefit from faster speeds. Buffering is minimized and video starts instantly. Viasat’s fastest plans provide enough bandwidth capacity to stream multiple HD videos simultaneously.
• Multiplayer Gaming – Fast speeds help provide lower latency for real-time multiplayer gaming. Minimizing lag is crucial for competitive online gaming. Viasat’s Premium 100 plan was designed with gamers in mind to deliver an optimal gaming experience.
• Large Households – For households with many connected devices like laptops, tablets, TVs, phones, and gaming consoles all being used concurrently, faster speeds allow everyone to enjoy smooth performance at the same time. Viasat’s highest speed plans can easily support the demands of large, busy families.

So while Viasat’s advanced technology prioritizes consistent performance and reliability over speed alone, increased speeds still benefit certain use cases. Viasat’s expanding satellite capacity offers several speed options to suit any household’s needs and budget. The key is choosing the internet that provides the right balance of speed and performance.

The Takeaway for Consumers

When shopping for an internet provider, it’s easy to get caught up in advertised speeds and think that faster is automatically better. However, speed doesn’t tell the whole story. Performance matters more than simple speed tests.

Viasat internet provides a high-quality overall experience thanks to advanced technologies that optimize performance. Things like video streaming, downloads, gaming, and web browsing are all designed to work smoothly and reliably. Focus on the performance and quality of service when comparing providers, not just the speed numbers.

Viasat’s satellite technology plus their proprietary acceleration technologies deliver great performance, even at the highest resolutions. You can count on having enough bandwidth when you need it, with the level of responsiveness you’d expect from a high-quality internet connection. Viasat handles data intensive activities while providing a robust internet experience.

Don’t assume that the highest advertised speeds automatically translate into the best performance. Look at the whole picture of consistent speeds, low lag, strong signals, and optimized technologies. Viasat internet provides great real-world performance that enhances and enriches day-to-day internet use. When comparing internet providers, look beyond speed tests alone to the all-around experience and performance.

Conclusion

Viasat Internet aims to provide the right balance of speed and performance to meet customers’ needs. As we’ve discussed, speed alone doesn’t tell the full story. While fast speeds sound appealing, factors like latency, congestion, and network capacity also impact your internet experience.

Viasat leverages innovative technologies like bandwidth throttling, congestion management, and data compression to optimize performance. This means pages and videos load quickly, streaming is smooth, downloads are fast, and you can connect multiple devices without buffering or lagging. Viasat also prioritizes speed for essential activities like loading pages, while balancing performance for bandwidth-heavy uses like video streaming.

The key takeaway is that Viasat Internet is engineered for real-world performance and not just speed test results. Viasat customers enjoy a high-quality internet experience for work, entertainment, and communication apps. So while Viasat may not top speed tests, their advanced network delivers where it matters most – enabling customers to get the most out of their internet service.