ViaSat increased the monthly data cap for its entry-level Exede...
ViaSat increased the monthly data cap for its entry-level Exede satellite broadband service ($49 monthly fee) to 10 GB from 7.5 GB, essentially matching Dish Network’s DishNet. DishNet, which is using ViaSat’s satellite for its service, starts at $39 for…
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a plan with a 10 GB cap. But DishNet’s starter pack is bundled with a Dish Network video plan and has the same 5 Mbps/1 Mbps download/upload speeds as Exede. ViaSat’s Exede is continuing with 15 GB ($79) and 25 GB ($129) data caps on packages with 12 Mbps/3 Mbps download/upload speeds. Exede subscribers that surpass the caps have their service throttled back to 128 kbps for the remainder of the billing period unless an extra $10 per gigabyte is paid. The ViaSat-1 Ka-band satellite at 115 degrees west can support one million subscribers and earn $350 million in annual EBITDA over its 15-year life, B. Riley & Co. analyst Mike Crawford said in a research note for clients. “It is no surprise” ViaSat is increasing monthly bandwidth caps at the entry-level given that it faces increased competition from EchoStar’s HughesNet4, which formally launched its Power high-speed service in late September with a $49 entry-level monthly fee for 10 Mbps/1 Mbps download/upload. Other packages have 10 Mbps/2 Mbps ($79) and 15 Mbps/2 Mbps download/upload speeds. The entry-level service allows downloads of up to 250 MB of data in a 24-hour period before speeds are slowed, while the other two plans are at 350 MB and 450 MB. Unused portions of the daily allowance can be “banked” for future use. HughesNet4 is delivered from the EchoStar 17 satellite at 107.1 degrees west. ViaSat’s Exede has a “late night free zone” from midnight to 5 a.m. that allows users to download data without having it count against their monthly cap. DishNet’s free zone runs from 2 a.m. to 8 a.m. ViaSat’s satellite broadband service, which also includes WildBlue subscribers, had 405,000 customers in late June.