Starlink causes Viasat US subscriber base to plummet 6x

American satellite operator Viasat has lost the majority of its fixed broadband customers since SpaceX began offering Starlink services to the general public in 2020. The company now retains about 100,000 subscribers in the US, down from 603,000 in September 2020.

• Dramatic subscriber drop: Viasat's US user base fell from 603,000 in 2020 to roughly 100,000 today.
• Ongoing quarterly losses: in the third quarter of 2026 alone, Viasat lost another 15,000 users, averaging a loss of 5,000 subscribers monthly.
• Network infrastructure differences: Viasat relies on massive geostationary satellites, while Starlink uses thousands of low-Earth orbit satellites.

Technological differences between Viasat and Starlink

Viasat and Starlink are direct competitors in the satellite internet sector, but their network architectures are fundamentally different. Viasat utilizes large geostationary satellites positioned at an altitude of 35,786 kilometers, specifically operating the ViaSat-3 series. In contrast, Starlink deploys thousands of small spacecraft in low-Earth orbit at roughly 550 kilometers.

Low orbit allows Starlink to achieve a minimal signal latency of 20 to 40 milliseconds, making it suitable for online gaming and video calls. Viasat features a significantly higher ping of around 600 milliseconds, which limits its appeal for latency-sensitive consumer applications.

Market position and corporate focus

Viasat is a major international telecommunications corporation as well as a satellite television and pay-TV brand operating under various structures globally. While consumer broadband numbers have suffered, the company maintains strong capabilities in other sectors.

The company's high-capacity channels remain a valuable asset for specialized markets. Viasat continues to secure strong contracts in aviation, maritime fleets, and government orders, compensating for its declining residential broadband customer base.

What this means for the satellite internet industry

The steep decline in Viasat's subscriber numbers illustrates a monumental shift in the global telecommunications landscape. The commercial success of low-Earth orbit satellite constellations has permanently altered consumer expectations for wireless internet speed and availability.

For the industry, this trend marks the definitive triumph of low-latency satellite architectures over legacy geostationary systems in the consumer space. Traditional operators are forced to pivot toward niche enterprise and transportation markets where high bandwidth outweighs the disadvantage of high ping.