Windstream vs. Viasat Internet Providers Compared

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Windstream Vs Viasat

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Rosslyn Elliott

Written by Rosslyn Elliott - Pub. Jul. 27, 2023 / Updated Oct. 9, 2024

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Windstream Vs Viasat

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Plans starting at: $39.99

Popular Package: 2 Gig

Download speeds up to: 2 Gbps

Connection Types: Fiber & DSL

Call today & find the best Windstream internet deals
1-833-718-3922

Plans starting at: $99.99

Popular Package: Viasat Unleashed

Download speeds up to: 150 Mbps

Connection Types: Satellite

Call today & find the best Viasat internet deals
1-833-440-3543

Windstream Staff rating

4.2

Kinetic by Windstream offers fast, reliable fiber

Kinetic by Windstream currently serves about 1.2 million customers in 18 states [1]. Kinetic provides fiber internet with blazing-fast, symmetrical speeds that will equip you for anything you want to do online [2]. Kinetic’s fiber internet offerings regularly go to speeds  up to 2000 Mbps, which is far faster internet speed than most households need! In select areas, the speeds even rise to 8000 Mbps. Kinetic by Windstream also offers decent prices given the high speeds you will get from their fiber connection. Most customer reviews online indicate that users are pleased with their Kinetic fiber service.

PROS

Fast fiber at good prices No data caps, no contracts Kinetic is building out fiber infrastructure quickly

Cons

Fiber is less available in rural areas Extra fee for equipment rental Prices rise after promotional rates expire
Call today & find the best Windstream internet deals
1-833-718-3922

Viasat Staff rating

3.9

Viasat delivers quality satellite internet with good range of prices and speeds

Viasat is one of three major U.S. satellite internet providers, the other two being HughesNet and Starlink [1]. The chief advantage of satellite internet is its wide availability. If you have an unobstructed view of the southern sky, you can get satellite internet access at your home. People in rural and remote areas have relied on satellite internet for decades. Satellite internet can also be a great backup plan for small businesses in the event of severe outages for cable or fiber internet. Satellite internet service does have some unique characteristics based on its technology. It will be more expensive than most other forms of internet service. Your internet connection with satellite will be slower than with cable or fiber. But with Viasat’s new satellite just launched and more new satellites on the way, you will get faster speeds than satellite has ever offered before. Viasat and HughesNet have dominated the U.S. satellite internet market for years. Starlink is a newcomer from Elon Musk’s SpaceX [2]. Though Starlink shows promise, it is still too new to have a trusted operational track record. There are long wait lists for Starlink in some areas [3]. Viasat, by contrast, will get your internet up and running in an average of 3-5 days. Viasat also offers unlimited standard data and high data allowances for high-speed data.

PROS

Wide coverage means 99% of U.S. households can get satellite internet Unlimited standard data Higher speeds than other satellite providers

Cons

Slower than fiber or cable internet Higher latency or “ping” Can experience temporary “rain fade” during heavy rain or snow
Call today & find the best Viasat internet deals
1-833-440-3543

Windstream Pricing

4.0

Pricing is simple and transparent for fiber plans from Kinetic by Windstream

Kinetic’s fiber internet prices are posted clearly for the whole world to see on their website. As soon as you click through to the state you live in, you will see prices posted, and those prices are consistent across states. We appreciate this transparency in pricing, which is not common among internet providers. Kinetic by Windstream does not set data caps or require you to sign annual contracts for internet plans. That means you will not face unexpected overage charges or early termination fees. The first tier plan starts at 34.99 for 100. Kinetic’s monthly plan prices are not as low as those offered by some other fiber providers, but many customers will be willing to pay for these symmetrical fiber upload and download speeds. There is an equipment rental fee, but you may use your own router instead. You also have the option to purchase an additional advanced internet security plan, but the purchase is not required.
Call today & find the best Windstream internet deals
1-833-718-3922

Viasat Pricing

3.5

Viasat offers a variety of price points and speeds to fit your budget

Viasat offers higher speeds than its longtime competitor, HughesNet. While HughesNet only offers download speeds up to 100 Mbps, Viasat offers download speeds up to 150 Mbps in select areas. For the first-tier Viasat internet plan, you will pay an introductory price of about $99.99/month. These Viasat internet plan prices are slightly higher than HughesNet prices and cheaper than Starlink prices. You will get value for your money, because Viasat features unlimited allowances for monthly high-speed data. If you rely on using a lot of high-speed data, Viasat is the clear choice. Avid streamers or remote workers will benefit greatly from the simplicity of these plans. Be aware that like HughesNet, Viasat requires a two-year contract. If you cancel early, you will pay an early termination fee. You can get a no-contract plan for a non-refundable upfront payment which may work out to be more or less than a cancellation fee.
Call today & find the best Viasat internet deals
1-833-440-3543

Windstream Reliability and Performance

4.5

Windstream offers multigigabit fiber speeds

Fiber internet will give you the fastest and most reliable internet connection on the market, hands down. Windstream even has an 8 Gigabit (8000 Mbps) option available to over 400,000 households [3]. The question is, who exactly needs 8 Gigs of symmetrical internet speed? Right now, 8 Gigs is excessive speed for most residential internet users. 1 Gig will more than supply all the bandwidth that most homes need. Even very large households with multiple devices all streaming or gaming simultaneously don’t usually need more than 1 Gig, thanks to the symmetrical speeds of fiber internet. For now, then, 8 Gigs may not be a speed that gets a lot of takers. But in the future, as virtual reality (VR) and assisted reality (AR) become more common, that massive bandwidth may be more useful.
Call today & find the best Windstream internet deals
1-833-718-3922

Viasat Reliability and Performance

4.0

Viasat delivers fast, reliable internet with ever-improving technology

You’ll get a solid, reliable internet connection from Viasat. Keep in mind that the military uses satellite internet for their operations. That’s because satellite internet survives in circumstances when cable or fiber internet might be out for days or weeks. Satellite internet can’t be harmed by an earthly accident, a weather catastrophe, or an attack on wired infrastructure. So in that sense, satellite internet is more reliable than wired internet. That’s why Viasat offers special “backup internet” plans for small businesses to minimize service disruption from outages. It’s true that heavy rain or snow can sometimes cause “rain fade,” which is a weakening or interruption in the satellite internet signal. But rain fade is only temporary. The one caveat about your Viasat internet speed is that your maximum speed will vary depending on where you live. Your plan options can vary from 25 Mbps to 150 Mbps download speed. That’s a wide range, but your speed will be better than DSL in many instances. Upload speeds from Viasat will remain consistent for all plans but much lower than the maximum download speeds. This asymmetry in upload and download speeds is typical for satellite internet, but will still allow most normal activities on the internet.
Call today & find the best Viasat internet deals
1-833-440-3543

Windstream Equipment, Installation and Bonus Features

4.2

Equipment fee is optional, installation is free

Kinetic charges about $10 a month to rent a Kinetic router, with free installation included. But you can also use your own router if you want to skip the fee. Just make sure that if you buy your own, though, the router is compatible. Be aware that ISPs also cannot provide tech support for customers’ personal routers. Kinetic also offers a Wi-Fi management tool for their own gateway that will allow you to change your settings without all the hassle of logging in to your router online. A Whole Home Wi-Fi tech installation comes free with all the fiber plans.
Call today & find the best Windstream internet deals
1-833-718-3922

Viasat Equipment, Installation and Bonus Features

4.0

Viasat equipment: buy upfront or take option of monthly rental fee

If you want to buy your Viasat dish and modem/router upfront, it will cost you around $300. That will save you some money if you don’t have to pay the monthly rental fee for two years (currently around $15). For customers whose credit scores qualify, installation is free. Others may pay a $100 installation fee.
Call today & find the best Viasat internet deals
1-833-440-3543

Windstream Experience & Support

4.0

Kinetic by Windstream improves its customer experience

Kinetic scored just lower than average for customer satisfaction on the 2023 J.D. Power Residential Internet Service Provider Satisfaction Study [4]. However, the five-year trend for Windstream shows a general upward trend in customer reviews and scores. It’s not completely surprising that Kinetic by Windstream would rise rapidly in the ratings since they switched their technology to 100% fiber internet. In general, fiber providers rank highest in customer satisfaction. Kinetic by Windstream also offers all the usual amenities of a major ISP for customer service. Customers can chat online with a rep or call by phone for billing or technical support. Phone hours are open six days a week for billing support and seven days a week for tech support [5]. Overall, we recommend fiber internet from Kinetic by Windstream. This provider will give you a reliable, strong, and super-fast connection.
Call today & find the best Windstream internet deals
1-833-718-3922

Viasat Experience & Support

4.0

Viasat’s customer satisfaction average, but 24/7 customer support is strong

On many popular online review sites, Viasat tends to score slightly above average for customer satisfaction. When customers are not satisfied, their comments are often related to the innate differences of satellite technology. It’s true that satellite speeds cannot approach the speeds of cable or fiber. But satellite is often the only technology that can reach rural or remote areas. That’s why it’s not too surprising that Viasat has some customers online who are not happy that their speeds are not fast enough. But it’s hard to get a more objective read on overall customer satisfaction, because Viasat does not appear in the J.D. Power Survey of Residential Internet Service Customer Satisfaction. Viasat does provide extensive online and phone support, with live reps available 24/7 to help with any issues. The online resource library is clear and on target with common types of information that customers might need. Viasat also has a convenient online portal called My Viasat to manage any aspect of your service. My Viasat also works through an app that you can download on your smartphone. Their optional EasyCare service may also be worth the low monthly fee you will pay to have all your service calls covered ($95), a dish relocation covered ($200), and premium customer support with the dedicated EasyCare line.
Call today & find the best Viasat internet deals
1-833-440-3543

Windstream FAQ's

To order or learn more, call the number on this page or visit WindstreamOffers.com.
You can get Kinetic fiber internet in 18 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Texas.
No, Kinetic does not place data caps on their internet plans.
Yes, you can use your own router. Just check in advance with Windstream to be sure your specs are compatible with your planned service.
Windstream is a large company, and Kinetic is the brand for Windstream’s high-speed internet service. When you are talking about internet service, Windstream and Kinetic could describe “the same thing” because Kinetic is a Windstream brand.
Call today & find the best Windstream internet deals
1-833-718-3922

Viasat FAQ's

To order or learn more, call the number on this page or visit ViasatDeals.com.
Viasat internet uses a modem and dish system to transmit user requests to satellites, which then connect to a gateway station on the ground network.
Viasat internet covers all 50 states of the United States as well as Canada.
Viasat internet frequently offers faster speeds compared to DSL or LTE services.
Yes, Viasat’s data plans and speed will allow you to stream HD videos.
Viasat internet now includes unlimited high speed data for all plans.
Gaming is possible on Viasat internet, but performance may vary depending on the game and latency issues. Real-time games are not recommended due to their high data consumption and issues with latency.
Call today & find the best Viasat internet deals
1-833-440-3543

Windstream Internet Plans

PlanService TypeDownload SpeedMonthly Price
$200 rewards card
2 GigFiber InternetUp to 2,000 Mbps Only $69.99
*Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
$100 rewards card
1 GigFiber InternetUp to 1,000 Mbps Only $39.99
*Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
300 MbpsFiber InternetUp to 300 Mbps Only $39.99
*Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
High Speed InternetDSL InternetUp to 100 Mbps Only $44.99
*Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Call today & find the best Windstream internet deals
1-833-718-3922

Viasat Internet Plans

PlanService TypeDownload SpeedMonthly Price
$20 OFF for 6 months. $100 Gift Card! Free Professional Installation!
Viasat UnleashedSatellite InternetUp to 150 Mbps Only $99.99
*Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Call today & find the best Viasat internet deals
1-833-440-3543

Windstream Customers Review

4.0
Pricing
4.0
4.5
Reliability & Performance
4.5
4.2
Equipment, Installation & Features
4.2
4.0
Customer Experience & Support
4.0
4.2
Overall Rating
4.2
James Chester
3.0
from Dawson, GA on March 2025
Price went from 29.99 to 102.00
FRANCES DiBenedetto
2.0
from Bloomingdale, OH on March 2025
The price here is NOT what I am billed. I pay $98.91/month.
Beverly Day
1.0
from Lexington, KY on February 2025
Horrible service, horrible connection, horrible prices, horrible customer service! Will be cancelling asap! A rip off!
Sally Sturgeon
1.5
from Mayport, PA on February 2025
Very slow
E P
3.8
from Portland Mills, PA on January 2025
I have had windstream, now Kinetic for most of 24 years, the last 15 or so consistently. The big frustration is that they keep downgrading our service. I finally got what was supposed to be permanent highest speed with automatic transitions, only to be told, once again, that I had to change... this time to fiber even though I was very clearly told that I would automatically be switched when it became available without any change in pricing. This dishonesty is my biggest issue, though the actual service is OK until they create a new program and wind up downgrading existing customer. Unfortunately, the only other provider is Comcast/Xfinity or even more expensive and poorer quality satallite service. I tried going to Comcast Xfinity but had an even worse experience with their technician. I paid $40 for a new installation, only to find out the technitian had just plugged us into our existing system. Had I cancelled before realizing this, I would have lost ALL our connections, including our phone! Luckily, there had been a delay in porting our home number over and so I was able to just cancel. However, their idea of "just dropping off the equipment at the nearest Comcast store" meant driving over an hour away. Even so, I was told I was fully responsible for both properly packing and shipping the equipment. Worse, the technitian had taken all the boxes, so I did not have proper boxes. They refused to send me them, even if I paid, but made clear that I would be responsible for any damage!. Worse, the nearest UPS store was 45 minutes away and was only open when I worked. It took a complaint to the trade commission and FCC, over 2 months of complaining to get any kind of refund and they still did not fully refund me all the fees. Other people have had good experience with Xfinity and Comcast, but their lack of integrity, poor response are permanent deal breakers for me. Windstream is far from perfect, also a bit dishonest in their pricing/polices my book, but their technicians are nice and responsive. Outages rarely occured and when they do, they are dealt with quickly and efficiently.
Call today & find the best Windstream internet deals
1-833-718-3922

Viasat Customers Review

3.5
Pricing
3.5
4.0
Reliability & Performance
4.0
4.0
Equipment, Installation & Features
4.0
4.0
Customer Experience & Support
4.0
3.9
Overall Rating
3.9
Regina F
4.0
from Inez, KY on March 2025
I love Viasat but the price I'm paying is ridiculous.
Shawn Pewitt
4.5
from Hartselle, AL on December 2024
Their customer service is a five star compared to Verizon that I would give a one and a half star.! After a negotiation of a $60 rebate it’s still $99 a month. 100% more than what I could get it for.! I use a couple cell phones and a 32 inch Roku TV and they tell me I’m running in the top 20% of usage and they keep slowing me down! I’m at 5 GB for 5 MB today and yesterday I was at 10??? But their service over the telephone is top-notch! There is no lies. There is only the attempt to help! I can’t get their apps to work on my cell phone very well so I can’t keep up with security. And they don’t offer a full security package in my area! They’re just stopped slowing it down I would overlook the price. That’s how bad the service is with those big T-Mobile and Verizon! Just horrible customer service.
Amanda A
1.0
from Chadbourn, NC on December 2024
No good
Anju Yadav
4.0
from Mabank, TX on August 2024
Internet speed is not that great.
tiffany W
4.0
from County Line, AL on August 2024
Great
Call today & find the best Viasat internet deals
1-833-440-3543