Amazon’s Kuiper vs. Viasat: How Do They Compare? Which Is Better?

In the next five years, Project Kuiper, a new low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite internet service from Amazon, plans to deploy 1,500 satellites. If you’re a digital nomad or live in a remote place, you might want to keep a watch on Amazon internet since Project Kuiper promises to bring satellite broadband, or what the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) refers to as internet, that delivers at least 25Mbps. Even while satellite internet has a higher latency, it can reach places where land-based internet, like cable and fiber, can’t. But, if you already use a satellite internet service, like Starlink or Viasat, is it worth looking into or switching to Amazon’s new satellite internet? Let’s talk about Kuiper and Viasat, what they offer, how they rank, and more. Then you can choose which would be the best internet service for your needs.

Satellite Internet Providers: What to Know

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let’s first discuss satellite internet as a whole, including what it is and how it differs from other internet services.

What Is Satellite Internet?

Internet access via satellite is not a new concept. The increase in internet usage makes it crucial to have access to a proper internet connection in your home, and this is where satellite internet comes in.

Though slower than fiber or cable, satellite internet is accessible in all 50 states in the USA. As a result, it works well in rural areas where there aren’t many broadband alternatives. But, because satellite internet is costly and sometimes requires long-term service agreements, you should generally only use it as a last alternative for your home internet requirements. This may change as services like DSL die out, but until then, expect to pay a pretty penny for this type of service.

How Does Satellite Internet Work?

Satellite internet works almost the same as satellite TV — using a satellite in the sky in order to get service in your home. An internet service provider launches satellites into orbit first. Then, the signal is transmitted through the satellites in high or low Earth orbit, and the ISP uses the dish on your home to receive that signal. They will probably install this receiver where there is a clear view of the sky to aid in service. This helps convert the signal from the satellite into a usable internet connection. But keep in mind that you’ll need to use a modem with your dish.

You’ll also need electricity for the reception dish. Satellite internet is not reliant on cable networks, phone lines, or fiber optics. These ground-based technologies are less established in rural regions due to the lower population density, which forces internet service providers to pay more to cover more terrain in order to connect the same number of households. Satellite internet avoids the issue by excluding any ground-based infrastructure.

While technically each satellite is expensive to launch (because they are launching these into space after all), it becomes less expensive to keep up as time goes on. And, as long as you can add a dish to your home and have electricity, you can qualify for it. It’s really that simple.

Amazon’s Kuiper vs. Viasat: Full Comparison

While both Kuiper and Viasat are satellite internet service providers, they are competitors. Both offer low earth orbit satellites and work with rural communities that don’t have access to other types of internet services.

However, there are a few key differences that you should note between the two services. For one, Viasat has been around for almost 40 years and has been in service since May 1986. This gives them years more experience in satellite internet over Amazon, which hasn’t even officially launched its service or satellites yet.

But, Amazon seems to have a bit of a competitive edge in the market and over Viasat. During their testing phase, they got up to 400Mbps, and that performance is expected to continue to improve as the service grows. For comparison, Viasat offers service speeds of up to 150Mbps at the moment. So this will be a significant difference for people in rural areas who need faster internet speeds.

Either way, customers can’t go wrong with either option as of right now, but if you’re looking for more key differences between the two, keep reading.

Amazon’s Kuiper vs. Viasat: Side-by-Side Comparison

Amazon’s Kuiper vs. Viasat: What’s the Difference?

Even though they offer similar services, there are some major differences between Kuiper and Viasat.

Current Availability

First, let’s talk about current availability. Kuiper hasn’t even launched yet, and most likely won’t until the end of 2023 to early 2024, since the service was just approved to launch its satellites by the FCC.

Viasat, on the other hand, currently has five satellites in orbit around the earth. They also work with partner satellites from other companies. These satellites orbit around 22,000 miles above the earth, which is considered low orbit. But Amazon’s Kuiper satellites will be only 391 miles above Earth, much closer. This will mean speeds will be faster and connections will be more reliable, even if the sky isn’t completely clear. This will also allow Kuiper to be in even more remote areas than Viasat.

Download and Upload Speeds

Again, Kuiper hasn’t launched yet, so they won’t announce their true upload and download speeds until their customers can actually utilize their internet services. However, through current testing, Kuiper has upload speeds of 5 to 10 Mbps and download speeds of up to 400Mbps.

If those speeds are true, they will be significantly better and faster than Viasat, which offers upload speeds of 3Mbps and download speeds at a max of 100Mbps. So technically, Amazon would win this round, but that’s only if they meet their claims.

Costs

Now, let’s talk about potential costs, including installation, monthly expenses, hardware, and more.

First, since Viasat is already available, let’s talk about what you’ll can expect to spend. Unfortunately, Viasat requires at least a 2-year contract. So you won’t be able to switch to Kuiper if you’re already locked in. You’ll also need to pay $15 a month to rent equipment or make a onetime purchase of $300 for the dish. In addition, you’ll pay anywhere from $49.99 and $199.99 per month for the internet service itself. Usually, you can get free installation if you sign up during a promotion, but if not, you’ll spend another $99.99. That means at least $165 to get started, with a max of $600 for the first month.

While Amazon hasn’t listed their prices for Kuiper, experts are saying it will be at least $200 to $400 for a dish. While that seems expensive, they say they plan on being “competitive” with their monthly prices. Again, they’re competing against Starlink, which only charges $100 a month. So you can expect to spend at least that much. This puts Kuiper at about the same price as Viasat, depending on which plan you’ll choose.

Needed Equipment

With both services offering satellite internet, they will, of course, require a dish that you’ll need to connect to said satellite. The company will provide this, but you can expect to pay anywhere from $15 to rent the equipment each month, and upwards of $600 to purchase it.

Amazon will have its own dishes, and there will be three different options. First, according to a statement from Amazon, the “typical customer terminal” — 11-inch square antennas — will cost the business less than $400 per unit and offer users internet speeds of 400 megabits per second. The cheaper and smaller, square-shaped mobile antenna will be 7 inches wide and weigh one pound. This will most likely be the most affordable option. And the largest antenna type will measure 19 by 30 inches and take about 30 seconds to download a high-definition feature-length movie.

Next up, you’ll also need a modem. Many customers already have this if they’ve lived in a rural community for a while, but if you don’t, you’ll want to buy one. Besides these two crucial pieces of equipment, you’ll also want to have an ethernet cable and router. These usually come with your modem, but you may need to purchase them separately.

Best Satellite Modem

ARRIS SURFboard 3.0 Cable Modem & Wi-Fi Router

$199.00

• 2-in-1, Both a Modem and router
• SURFboard's Central App makes setting up your device easy
• Able to support cable internet plans at speeds of up to 800Mbps
• Warranty: 2 years

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06/09/2023 06:51 am GMT

Best Satellite Router

NETGEAR Nighthawk Smart Wi-Fi Route

$122.49

• 1500 square feet of range, maximum
• Can connect to 25 different devices
• 4 ethernet ports (1Gb) included
• Has 3 antennas to help amplify its range to the maximum

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We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

06/09/2023 06:51 am GMT

Amazon’s Kuiper vs. Viasat: 6 Must-Know Facts

• Amazon’s Keiper satellites have not launched yet. They will most likely launch at the end of 2023 or early 2024 (as of right now).
• Amazon plans to have around 3,236 satellites in orbit by the end of 2026, as approved by the FCC.
• Project Kuiper will work with Verizon to bring 4G/LTE and 5G service to underserved places around the world, according to an announcement made by Amazon on October 26, 2021. Verizon will be able to expand its 4G/LTE and 5G networks to rural areas thanks to Kuiper’s satellites.
• Viasat internet has satellites as high as 22,000 miles above the earth, so it will be slower than Kuiper.
• Viasat has added satellite service to over 1,800 aircraft that are in service.
• Military and governmental partners can rely on Viasat. Additionally, they provide tactical data and video linkages, state-of-the-art satellite communication systems, and cybersecurity and information assurance.

Amazon’s Kuiper vs. Viasat: Which One Is Better? Which One Should You Use?

Of course, you can’t use or sign up for Kuiper right now. And even when they do launch, you’ll want to give Amazon time to iron out any bugs. Project Kuiper may be owned by Amazon, but that doesn’t guarantee its success. While we’ll be happy if the service is affordable and works well, it may not. Viasat, on the other hand, has years of proven customer service and reliability. So the question isn’t which one is better, but which one will be better when the two companies can compete on an even playing field.