Frequently Asked Questions about ViaSat's Recovery Act Product Offering
What is the RUS and how does it work with the Recovery Act?
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 is a direct response by Congress to address the economic crisis that started in the fall of 2008. The Department of Agriculture Rural Utilities Service (RUS) has provided grant funding to develop infrastructure that includes roads, energy, communications and broadband. Internet service providers like ViaSat have been granted funding to connect rural Americans with affordable broadband service.
How do I qualify for the Recovery Act Program?
The requirements for eligibility are:
- Your residence is in a rural area.
- Your residence cannot receive service from wireline Internet service providers such as the phone company, the cable company or any other wireline broadband service, and is not covered by another RUS or NTIA loan or grant award.
- You are not a current satellite broadband customer.
To determine if your address is eligible for the program, please call us at 1-888-578-7772 or check with you local ViaSat dealer.
Who determines which areas are eligible for the Recovery Act program?
Eligibility requirements are determined by the Federal Government. ViaSat has developed a software program to determine eligible addresses. In addition, ViaSat's participation in this program is limited to the western half of the U.S. as awarded by RUS.
What money do Recovery Act customers pay in advance?
Recovery Act customers do not pay an installation charge, a shipping and handling charge or a monthly lease fee. Thus, the only upfront payment is for the first month of service.
Is the WildBlue or Exede ervice that comes with the Recovery Act program any different than regular WildBlue or Exede service?
No. The service is the same great WildBlue service and new Exede service that all ViaSat customers receive. The only difference is the price.
How long is the warranty on ViaSat equipment for customers who choose the Recovery Act program?
Recovery Act customers will have a 24 month warranty on their ViaSat equipment, the same as the warranty all other ViaSat customers receive.
Is there a contract for the Recovery Act program?
Yes. The Recovery Act customer agreement requires a 12 month commitment for our "Basic" package. This is different than other ViaSat packages which require a 24 month commitment.
Will the price of the Recovery Act program increase once my contract is fulfilled?
No. As long as you remain at the same address, your price for the ViaSat Recovery Act program will remain the same for as long as you remain a ViaSat customer.
What happens if I cancel during the first 12 months of service?
If you cancel your service after 30 days from the date of your installation and before the end of your 12 month agreement, you will be responsible for Recovery Act Early Termination Fees (ETFs). These fees are $20 per month for each month left on the agreement. In addition, you will be required to return your equipment in order to avoid paying an unreturned equipment charge.
Why are ETFs lower for your other packages than they are for the Recovery Act packages?
Recovery Act customers have a shorter contract term than our standard 24 months and are not charged any upfront installation fees or shipping and handling fees. In addition, they do not pay monthly lease fees. Should a Recovery Act subscriber decide to disconnect prior to the end of their term, ViaSat needs to recover a portion of the costs incurred to install and set up the service.
Will disconnected Recovery Act customers be eligible for the Recovery Act package and rate if they choose to reconnect?
No. If a Recovery Act customer disconnects their service for any reason, including nonpayment, they are no longer eligible for Recovery Act pricing and products, with the exception of disconnects due to ViaSat errors.
Can Recovery Act customers purchase their equipment?
No. There is no equipment purchase option for Recovery Act customers.
Why does my neighbor down the street qualify for the Recovery Act program, but I do not qualify?
Qualification and availability are determined by each specific address. Eligibility will vary by address and the government's mapping of availability.
The ViaSat salesperson or dealer I spoke with told me I didn't qualify for ViaSat's Recovery Act service, but I'm sure I do qualify and I still want it. What can I do to get it?
ViaSat uses information directly from the federal government to determine eligibility of your residential address. If you think your address qualifies, we ask that you fill out the FCC's Broadband Dead Zone form to notify the federal government that you cannot receive terrestrial broadband.
Does a ViaSat Recovery Act customer who moves from an eligible Recovery Act location to a non-eligible location get to keep the Recovery Act package and pricing?
No. If a customer moves from a Recovery Act location to a non-Recovery Act location, they would need to terminate their Recovery Act customer agreement and sign a new 24 month customer agreement at the time of the new install. They would be only eligible for ViaSat's standard, non-Recovery Act packages. Any ETFs from the original Recovery Act contract will be waived upon signing the new 2 year agreement for the regular product.
Where can I find more information about ViaSat's Recovery Act program?
Go to viasatresidential.com, select either Wildblue or Exede service, and click on the Recovery Act banner.
