It is possible for severe weather, such as some thunderstorms or some snowstorms, to affect Viasat internet connections, but normal amounts of clouds, rain, or snow do not typically have any effect.  If heavy storms cause an internet outage, it will usually last for less than half an hour, and your connection will be restored automatically without you having to do anything.  When it is restored, it’s possible you will experience some slower speeds for a short time, but everything should return to normal when the storm is over.
Other types of weather interference are rare and minor.  Viasat equipment should be completely unaffected by any winds below 60 miles per hour.  Moisture may affect the signal strength and thus cause your internet to slow down, but only with very high amounts of moisture.  On particularly cloudy days, Viasat’s TRIA technology (Transmit Receive Integrated Assembly) boosts the satellite signal to push through the clouds and guarantee your internet is uninterrupted and always fast. 
Clear skies and beautiful weather at your location does not always mean perfect internet.  Your satellite dish sends a message to the satellite, and then the satellite must forward your requests to the gateway station on the ground.  Because this station also requires a clear connection to the satellite, severe weather at this location may also result in an outage in your area.  Such an outage is usually short but may affect many customers.

Why do Severe Thunderstorms and Snowstorms Affect Viasat Internet?

Viasat satellites and satellite dishes communicate with microwave radio frequencies that must have a straight, unhindered trajectory between the two.  These satellite beams are often trying to pass through moisture, clouds, and other hindrances in the atmosphere.  This is usually not a problem, but if the cover is too dense, the signal might be weakened enough to cause an internet outage. 
Viasat satellite equipment is designed with all kinds of weather in mind.  Engineers have made Viasat satellites and satellite dishes knowing that internet service will be needed in windy, snowy, and rainy conditions.  That said, abnormally harsh conditions can influence satellite internet just as they do with satellite TV.  Trees fallen and bent by snow, wind, or lightning strikes may block a satellite dish’s view of the satellite and cause internet service to be blocked.  Heavy snow or ice accumulated on a satellite dish may cause it not to be able to send strong signals and thus influence the strength of your internet connection.

What if I Live in an Area with Lots of Trees?

Your satellite dish will work fine if it has an unhindered view of the satellite it is pointed at.  When your Viasat internet is installed, the Viasat service technician will make sure the line between your satellite dish and the satellite is not being blocked by trees or anything else.  That said, it is possible that a tree could grow into the line of sight or that a fallen limb could block the connection.  For this reason, it’s important to monitor the trees around your satellite dish and make sure the view of the sky isn’t getting blocked.  It is also important to trim limbs near your satellite dish so that they don’t fall and mess up your internet connection.  If this happens, you will need to call a Viasat service technician to come out and fix the situation.
If weather and trees are a concern for you, then consider signing up for the Viasat Easy Care Plan.  With the Viasat Easy Care Plan, getting help with your Viasat internet is easier and cheaper.  If weather or growing trees are causing internet outages, the Viasat Easy Care Plan makes all service calls absolutely free.  Without the plan, such service calls could set you back $95.  Additionally, the Viasat Easy Care Plan allows you to have a service technician move your satellite dish to somewhere else on your property once per year for free. Growing trees and other obstacles won’t be a problem anymore.  For those concerned about tree and weather-related internet problems, the Viasat Easy Care Plan is a great way to make your fast, reliable satellite internet worry-free. 

Can Viasat Business Internet be Affected by Weather?

Satellite internet, whether installed at a business or a home, can be affected by severe weather.  However, this is not a common occurrence.  Satellite internet is built to be robust against everything but the strongest of storms.  Because of this reliability, many businesses choose Viasat satellite internet as a backup for when weather or other phenomena cause their internet and SD-WAN connections to fail.  Business Fiber, cable, and DSL contain miles of infrastructure that can be taken down by ice, thunderstorms, hurricanes, tornadoes, and other disasters.  When this infrastructure fails, it could cause irreparable damage to businesses that rely on a constant internet connection for their retail checkout systems, data services, heating and cooling systems, logistics services, and so many other necessary business functions.  In order to prevent this, businesses must have an alternative set up and ready to go to keep their businesses running and bringing in profit.  That reliable alternative is Viasat satellite internet.  When the miles of landline infrastructure are being hit by extreme weather, meanwhile Viasat satellites are sitting safely in space 22,000 miles above the storm.  Unless a satellite dish experiences direct obstruction, its ability to keep a business running with unhindered connection is what makes Viasat satellite internet the perfect backup internet solution for businesses across America.

Viasat Business Internet Support

Whether Viasat business internet is your main internet service or your backup internet service, whenever you experience weather related outages, Viasat’s Business-Class Support will always be available to give you the service you need.  Viasat service technicians and networking specialists are ready and available seven days a week to get your business back up and running whenever an outage is experienced. 

 



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