Wildblue Internet

WildBlue Communications was founded in 1995 in Denver, Colorado and served 48 states within the contiguous United States. WildBlue launched their first satellite in 2004 and began providing WildBlue satellite internet service the following year with speeds of up to 1.5 Mbps. This was a huge leap in technological advancement since it made WildBlue satellite internet accessible to rural customers who normally wouldn't have had access to data at fast speeds, or get any connection at all. Since that time, successive launches of newer high-bandwidth satellites have markedly improved the speed and reliability of satellite internet service. This helped WildBlue grow at a rapid pace, and the company grew by as much as 20,000 new customers per month during their peak.

WildBlue Communications was a pioneering internet service provider who provided service via satellite. WildBlue primarily served customers in rural areas of the United States. While early satellite internet service required that users dial-in for uploads via a telephone modem and received downloads via satellite; Wild Blue was one of the first companies in the United States to offer service where the modem handled two-way communication via satellite and a phone line or dial-in was not required.

All services from WildBlue internet are now currently offered under the Viasat Internet brand (formerly Exede Internet) since being acquired in 2009. Viasat was founded in 1986 in Carlsbad, California. Prior to the acquisition, WildBlue served well over 250,000 customers across the United States. Viasat internet plans were branded as Exede internet following the launch of Viasat-1 and then rebranded as Viasat to coincide with the launch of ViaSat-2. Viasat (Exede) satellite launched their Viasat-1 service in October 2011; which enabled Viasat internet to achieve download speeds up to 12 Mbps. Five years later the launch of Viasat-2 increased download speeds to 30 Mbps. Currently Viasat internet can achieve download speeds as fast as 100 Mbps with nationwide coverage.

Most Exede and WildBlue customers have already transferred to Viasat. However, some Viasat customers in the U.S. are still on Exede and WildBlue internet service plans that are still supported to date. New plans with Wildblue or Exede are not available for purchase. Existing WildBlue customers still have access to their billing, payment, email, and other account information. To find satellite and other internet services that are available near you, enter your zip code and other location information in our Service Comparison form.

Regulations require that users of satellite internet have fixed satellite service professionally installed by a technician, though a technician is not required if a specialized self-targeting mobile satellite dish is used. Since satellite equipment can be fairly expensive, subscribers can expect longer term agreements and an additional charge for equipment leases. Early termination fees may also apply.