Viasat, a leading global communications company headquartered in Carlsbad, California, designs and operates high-capacity satellite networks that serve commercial, government, and residential customers worldwide. Known for pushing the boundaries of broadband connectivity, Viasat delivers secure, high-speed internet across some of the world’s most challenging geographies.

In an increasingly digital world, satellite communications do more than bridge the digital divide—they fuel economic development, power defense operations, enable remote education, and keep humanitarian missions online. Without the limitations of ground infrastructure, satellites connect people and systems where fiber and towers can’t reach.

Now, Viasat has expanded its satellite coverage footprint to strategically include the Middle East and South America—two regions where demand for reliable connectivity continues to grow rapidly. What changes with this expansion, and who benefits most? Let’s examine the impact of this development on both regional industries and everyday users.

Driving Global Connectivity: Viasat’s Expanding Mission

High-Speed Internet, Without Borders

Viasat pursues a global vision rooted in one goal—connecting people, communities, and markets that traditional infrastructures have long ignored. The company’s satellite-powered networks are built to deliver high-speed broadband where fiber and cellular can’t reach. From remote villages to maritime routes and isolated oil fields, Viasat's technology overcomes geographic and economic barriers with speed and precision.

Expanding Across Emerging and Underserved Regions

Viasat’s international strategy targets areas where digital exclusion creates economic lag. By extending coverage to regions with limited connectivity, the company unlocks pathways for local startups, schools, hospitals, and public services to participate in the global digital economy. The Middle East and South America now stand at the forefront of Viasat’s rollout plans, where new geostationary and low earth orbit satellites are part of a multi-phase deployment strategy designed to maximize both reach and reliability.

• Multi-orbit capabilities allow layered coverage—low-latency LEO and high-capacity GEO systems meet varied user needs.
• Strategic partnerships with regional ISPs increase last-mile efficiency and reduce deployment friction.
• Localized ground infrastructure supports data sovereignty and accelerates service delivery.

The Push for Stronger, More Resilient Networks

Connectivity alone doesn’t suffice. Viasat is engineering network architectures that withstand geopolitical tension, natural disasters, and bandwidth spikes. Through advanced beamforming, adaptive routing, and AI-driven traffic management, the system dynamically shifts load and improves uptime in volatile conditions. This approach safeguards mission-critical communications for public safety authorities, government agencies, and energy operators.

By aligning satellite technology with long-term socioeconomic development, Viasat transforms access into opportunity—at scale, and without compromise.

Innovating the Future of Satellite Communications

High-Capacity Satellites Redefining Global Connectivity

Viasat’s high-capacity satellite systems shift the paradigm of what’s possible in satellite communications. These satellites, including the ViaSat-3 constellation, incorporate next-generation payload architectures designed to deliver over 1 Terabit per second (Tbps) of total network capacity. By leveraging spot beam technology and dynamic bandwidth allocation, each satellite can target specific regions with concentrated data throughput, maximizing spectral efficiency.

Unlike traditional wide-beam satellites, high-capacity systems divide coverage areas into hundreds of narrowly focused beams. This approach reduces interference and allows the reuse of frequencies, multiplying the network’s total capacity. The cumulative benefit: more users served at higher speeds without compromising quality.

How Technological Innovation Translates to Performance

Viasat integrates proprietary adaptive bandwidth systems that respond to real-time usage patterns. When user demand spikes in a region—such as a growing online population in parts of the Middle East or increased business activity in South America—network resources shift intelligently to maintain speed and availability.

In practical terms, this means higher throughput per user. A report from Viasat’s 2023 performance trials showed download speeds exceeding 100 Mbps in rural deployments using ViaSat-2, with latency rates under 100 ms—performance levels that rival fiber in many urban centers.

Viasat’s use of ground-based virtualization and cloud-enabled gateways also changes the game. These control stations eliminate the need for expensive on-premise infrastructure while allowing satellites to be reprogrammed mid-mission. This software-defined networking can localize capacity enhancements to specific countries, neighborhoods, or even industry sectors.

Building a Reliable, Scalable Global Network

Global deployment requires more than just high-powered satellites—it demands architecture that grows with demand. Viasat’s scalable infrastructure accommodates additional beams, payload upgrades, and new ground stations without disrupting the existing network.

In regions previously underserved by broadband, satellites provide leapfrog connectivity. A single high-capacity satellite can serve millions across expansive geographies. For instance, ViaSat-3 aims to connect over 1.5 billion people globally across its three planned satellites targeting the Americas, EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa), and Asia-Pacific regions.

To minimize service disruption, Viasat implements layered redundancy across satellites and terrestrial gateways. If one beam or gateway experiences a fault, neighboring systems absorb the load. This design guarantees steady throughput in remote mountain villages, dense urban districts, and everything in between.

• Spot beam architecture: Increases spectral reuse for more efficient transmissions.
• Software-defined payloads: Enable real-time reconfiguration of coverage zones.
• Cloud-integrated gateways: Lower latency and accelerate data routing decisions.
• Redundant layers: Ensure service continuity amid failures or unpredictable demand spikes.

Want to see the future of connectivity in action? The expanding satellite footprint over the Middle East and South America offers a preview. What will your region look like when 100 Mbps becomes the new normal, even off the grid?

Middle East: Improved Connectivity and Infrastructure Growth

Closing the Digital Divide in a Geopolitically Complex Region

Broad sections of the Middle East have long experienced inconsistent internet service, often due to geographic barriers, regional instability, and underdeveloped infrastructure. Remote villages in mountainous terrain, border towns, and sparsely populated desert areas remain disconnected from fiber or mobile networks. This lack of access hinders economic participation and government service delivery, particularly in less urbanized nations such as Yemen, Iraq, and Jordan.

Expanding Rural Broadband Through Advanced Satellite Footprint

By extending the capacity of its high-capacity ViaSat-3 global satellite constellation, Viasat has augmented rural connectivity across key locations in the Middle East. Afghanistan, northern Iraq, and southern Saudi Arabia have seen the greatest rise in satellite broadband availability. These areas often fall into the category of infrastructure grey zones—difficult to serve with ground-based fiber or cable systems. In these areas alone, Viasat’s broadband enables download speeds of up to 100 Mbps, enough to support digital education platforms, telemedicine operations, and real-time communication tools.

Infrastructure Development Enabled by Strategic Partnerships

Public-private partnerships have been central to Viasat’s regional strategy. In the United Arab Emirates, Viasat aligned with local telecom providers to support backhaul for 5G networks in low-density zones. Lebanon’s Ministry of Telecommunications also signed an agreement enabling Viasat satellites to support data overflow during emergency recovery periods. Through cross-border power grid synchronization and shared bandwidth projects, countries like Jordan and Egypt are using Viasat’s infrastructure to leapfrog traditional terrestrial rollouts.

Securing Government and Military Communication Channels

Governments across the region have adopted Viasat’s Link 16 data link and SATCOM systems for encrypted and resilient communication. In 2023, the Royal Saudi Air Force upgraded its airborne C2 (command and control) platform with Viasat’s hybrid MILSATCOM suite. This resulted in a 27% increase in encrypted bandwidth reliability during joint-force exercises. ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) missions have also benefited from expanded Ku- and Ka-band usage across naval and air operations, especially in maritime chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz.

Boosting Speed and Service Consistency in Urban Peripherals

Dense urban centers like Riyadh and Dubai enjoy fast, reliable internet; however, peri-urban zones often suffer noticeable lags in comparison. In partnership with regional ISPs, Viasat has integrated satellite backhaul solutions that smooth out data bottlenecks. In trial zones near Amman and Muscat, customers reported latency improvements from 600ms to under 200ms and throughput gains exceeding 40% in peak usage hours. Viasat achieves this through AI-optimized bandwidth allocation and interference-resistant beam steering.

Stimulating Small Business and Platform Development

Where satellite coverage stabilizes internet access, small business ecosystems activate. In southern Iraq, fiber-inaccessible neighborhoods now host digital storefronts and gig-economy platforms dependent on Viasat's broadband. In rural Oman, three regional startup hubs launched in 2023 with Viasat-enabled coworking labs. As Arabic-language SaaS platforms gain traction, providers report a surge in user onboarding from villages previously offline. This uptick aligns with an average 52% year-over-year growth in local cloud service consumption reported by the MENA Cloud Alliance.

What Happens When Markets Gain Bandwidth They Can Count On?

Lost productivity from intermittent internet becomes a thing of the past. Telehealth becomes viable in clinics beyond major capitals. Students in remote learning environments compete with their city-dwelling peers. Viasat’s expanded satellite communications coverage flips possibilities into active operations across sectors that had long been excluded by geography or infrastructure policy.

Driving Digital Growth: Viasat’s Expanding Presence in South America

Uneven Infrastructure, Isolated Communities

Many regions across South America face persistent digital divides due to rugged terrains, low population densities, and historical underinvestment in broadband infrastructure. In countries like Bolivia, Paraguay, and parts of Brazil, satellite connectivity offers the only viable path to digital access—terrestrial networks simply don’t reach far-flung or mountainous zones. Viasat is changing that landscape with targeted deployments designed specifically for underserved and unconnected areas.

Delivering New Capabilities Through Advanced Coverage

Powered by its ViaSat-3 satellite constellation, the company’s services are capable of delivering more than 1 Terabit per second (Tbps) of network capacity across the Americas. This bandwidth facilitates high-throughput spot beams that focus signal strength where it's needed most—rural schools, remote clinics, and isolated farms. With these installations, Viasat eliminates coverage gaps that previously hindered digital participation in entire regions.

Public–Private Synergies Strengthen Reach

Viasat partners with local telecom providers, government agencies, and NGOs to accelerate network rollouts and expand long-term usability. In Brazil, for example, Viasat joined forces with Telebras to support the government’s Wi-Fi Brasil initiative. Together, they’ve brought free, fast internet to thousands of public sites—from community centers to health posts—across all 26 states and the Federal District.

Targeting Core Societal Sectors: Education, Agriculture, and Healthcare

• Education: Remote schools connect to cloud-based learning tools, enabling real-time virtual classrooms even in isolated Amazonian villages.
• Agriculture: Farms utilize satellite-linked sensors and data platforms for smarter irrigation, yield optimization, and supply chain connectivity.
• Healthcare: Clinics in highlands and forests gain access to telehealth services, remote diagnostics, and electronic medical records via stable satellite links.

Empowering Businesses Through Consistent Broadband

For regional enterprises, reliable connectivity isn't a perk—it defines operational capacity. Viasat business internet services allow supply chains to run smoother, e-commerce platforms to expand, and digital banking to process transactions in real time. Entrepreneurs in rural Peru and small manufacturers in northern Argentina now operate with the same digital infrastructure as urban firms in Santiago or São Paulo.

Boosting Internet Speeds Where It Matters

Communities previously limited to kilobit connections now experience download speeds of up to 50 Mbps through Viasat’s consumer satellite plans. Small businesses upgraded to these plans see immediate improvements in customer service tools, logistics data, and cloud-based applications. In regions north of Colombia and across the Brazilian interior, users experience stable, low-latency links—reshaping their access to regional and global markets.

Bizjet and Mobility Services in New Regions

Tailored Connectivity for Business Aviation

Viasat's connectivity innovations have reshaped the in-flight experience for business aviation, delivering speeds fast enough to rival what many passengers expect on the ground. Through its bizjet satellite solutions, Viasat provides high-capacity, Ka-band satellite connectivity that supports real-time applications with low latency, high throughput, and uninterrupted coverage.

South America: Strengthening Business Jet Connectivity

In South America, Viasat's network expansion unlocks full-service capabilities for business jet operators across the continent. From São Paulo to Buenos Aires and into remote interior regions, business travelers gain access to streaming video, VPN support, VoIP, and cloud-based productivity apps—all from 40,000 feet. These capabilities stem from Viasat’s ViaSat-2 and Ka-SAT satellites, and will be significantly bolstered by the launch of the ViaSat-3 constellation, set to dramatically enhance regional bandwidth and coverage.

Middle East: Meeting Growing Mobility Demands

The Middle East has emerged as a critical hub for global business aviation. Viasat’s high-capacity satellites now support full inflight connectivity across the region’s major routes—including airspace serving Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Riyadh, and Muscat. This enables uninterrupted video conferencing, live TV streaming, and collaboration tools for executives en route to key financial centers or energy projects. The extended coverage ensures a consistent experience from takeoff to landing, even over remote or desert zones where terrestrial infrastructure doesn’t exist.

European Integration for Seamless Transcontinental Travel

Europe plays a strategic role in connecting the Middle East and South America to North America and Asia. Viasat’s Ka-band coverage spans across all of mainland Europe, providing a seamless transition zone for aircraft flying transcontinental missions. Business aircraft leaving São Paulo or Dubai reach their destinations in London, Paris, or Rome with uninterrupted access to high-speed internet. This network continuity eliminates performance drop-offs commonly experienced when changing satellite zones mid-flight.

In-Flight Productivity Meets Luxury

Viasat’s mobility services for business jets support a high-bandwidth cabin experience, tailored to the demands of executives and high-net-worth clients. Here’s what passengers gain at cruising altitude:

• Streaming without buffering – Services like Netflix, YouTube, and Amazon Prime Video deliver HD content with no interruptions.
• Seamless business operations – Platforms including Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Workspace operate efficiently, even during multi-hour flights.
• Real-time connectivity – Stable VPN connections and cloud-based productivity tools let corporate teams stay integrated during transit.

By integrating high-capacity Ka-band satellites with advanced onboard systems, Viasat empowers operators to deliver a ground-like digital environment in the sky—irrespective of geography. Whether crossing the Andes, the dunes of the Arabian Peninsula, or the Mediterranean coastline, business jets remain fully connected from gate to gate.

Global Network Expansion and Speed Enhancements

Viasat’s satellite communications network spans the globe, and the company continues to expand both coverage and capacity with every orbital deployment. This scale allows Viasat to deliver dependable, high-speed connections across regions previously underserved by traditional telecom infrastructure. The expansion is not just about broader reach — it’s also about dramatically improving speed, stability, and performance.

Supporting Consistent Speed Through a Global Fleet

Viasat uses a unified global satellite constellation designed to deliver consistent throughput regardless of location. By interlinking different orbital assets — including geostationary (GEO) and upcoming low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites — the network supports seamless handoffs and maintains high data rates across continents. The result: users on opposite sides of the world experience comparable quality of service, whether they’re browsing from São Paulo or Riyadh.

Integrating High-Capacity Satellites

The company’s deployment of the ViaSat-3 satellite constellation marks a major leap in throughput capability. Each of the three satellites in this constellation is designed to deliver over 1 Terabit per second (Tbps) of network capacity. With orbital footprints covering the Americas, EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa), and the Asia-Pacific region, these satellites will drastically increase available bandwidth and reduce network congestion during peak usage times.

By integrating these high-capacity nodes with its existing network, Viasat is also reducing signal hops and improving routing efficiency — a critical factor in delivering low-latency services.

End-User Benefits

• Faster access to cloud platforms: Reduced network congestion and higher bandwidth translates directly into faster transfer speeds when accessing services like AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud.
• Lower latency experiences: Optimized satellite paths and fewer routing junctures decrease latency, enhancing performance in applications that rely on real-time responsiveness — including video calls, remote work platforms, and multiplayer gaming.
• More stable enterprise communications: Businesses depending on satellite connectivity for mission-critical operations now gain more robust uptime and fewer packet losses, creating strong foundations for expanding into new markets.

Does a smoother, faster satellite internet experience mean better productivity and access in remote terrain? Across sectors and geography, Viasat’s network upgrades turn that question into a reality for users who previously faced barriers in connectivity.

Transforming Local Economies: How Viasat Fuels Growth in Emerging Markets

Accelerating Economic and Social Development Through Connectivity

Improved satellite communications from Viasat are producing measurable changes in emerging markets across the Middle East and South America. When previously disconnected regions gain stable, high-speed internet access, the shift triggers a ripple effect across economic sectors, public services, and community life. From increased digital participation to boosted productivity, the infrastructure makes modern commerce and communication not just possible, but sustainable.

E-Commerce: Expanding Market Reach for Local Sellers

Connected communities transact more. In rural Colombia, for example, the launch of high-speed satellite broadband enabled agricultural producers to list their products directly on online marketplaces, bypassing multiple supply chain layers. In 2023, regional e-commerce revenue in Latin America surpassed $125 billion—an 18% year-over-year increase according to Statista. Countries with expanding satellite coverage like Brazil and Peru are contributing significantly to that growth, opening doors for local artisans, food vendors, and service providers to reach both national and international buyers.

Remote Work: Decentralizing the Workforce

As reliable internet coverage extends beyond urban centers, companies are beginning to adopt fully remote or hybrid work models across a wider geographic footprint. In Jordan and Lebanon, employers now recruit talent from rural areas traditionally excluded from digital jobs. Workers gain access to tech-enabled roles ranging from software engineering to virtual assistance. This shift not only addresses urban-rural wage disparity but also increases economic participation across marginalized groups, including women and youth.

Digital Inclusion in Underserved Communities

What happens when a classroom with no Wi-Fi suddenly connects to the global internet? Students in regions like South Sudan or Bolivia now tap into digital libraries, participate in virtual classrooms, and acquire critical 21st-century skills. NGOs and local governments have used Viasat’s coverage enhancements to deploy distance learning platforms, mobile health clinics, and training programs in areas once unreachable by terrestrial infrastructure. According to UNESCO, digital inclusion directly correlates with higher educational attainment and long-term economic resilience.

The SME Advantage: Opportunity Through Infrastructure

Small- and medium-sized enterprises gain a competitive edge with improved connectivity. Faster data flows reduce transaction times, simplify logistics management, and enable digital payment adoption. In Brazil’s interior, a family-run logistics startup used Viasat’s high-speed service to launch a real-time fleet tracking system, cutting delivery delays by 32% within six months. Across the Middle East, similar infrastructure upgrades have helped SMEs enter global supply chains, moving from informal to formalized economic roles with access to a broader customer base, credit systems, and scalable operations.

• Market accessibility: Satellite internet removes location as a barrier to digital transactions.
• Operational efficiency: Real-time communication tools increase responsiveness and reduce overhead.
• Financial inclusion: Connectivity enables digital banking, microloans, and payment gateways for unbanked populations.

Markets once considered peripheral are becoming centers of innovation and growth. Viasat’s expansion doesn’t just connect devices—it activates economies, enabling local businesses to participate in and shape the digital marketplace on their own terms.

Viasat in the News & Future Roadmap

Strategic Developments Making Headlines

Viasat continues to attract attention with bold moves in global satellite communications. In February 2024, the company finalized the acquisition of Inmarsat, a pivotal action that unified two major satellite networks. This integration established one of the largest commercial satellite fleets across geostationary and low-Earth orbit constellations. With enhanced assets in play, Viasat is recalibrating its service delivery to support data-heavy applications and transcontinental coverage zones more effectively.

One of the key publicized developments also includes the deployment of ViaSat-3, a high-capacity, ultra-flexible satellite system. The first satellite in the constellation—ViaSat-3 Americas—was launched in May 2023, with the next installments for EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) and Asia-Pacific slated for completion by end of 2024. Once operational, each ViaSat-3 satellite will provide more than 1 Tbps of network capacity, enabling seamless global connectivity for commercial, governmental, and mobility customers.

Looking Ahead: Launches, Upgrades, and Market Penetration

Viasat’s roadmap charts steady progress into underserved and economically dynamic regions. The company plans to activate expanded services in Europe by Q3 2024, leveraging its combined terrestrial and orbital network infrastructure. This will include enhancements to commercial aviation connectivity, maritime broadband, and high-throughput data services for defense clients.

Future launches aim to complete the triad of ViaSat-3 units, with the EMEA satellite entering full service shortly after deployment. Anticipated upgrades include software-defined networking capabilities that allow dynamic bandwidth allocation—an essential feature for fluctuating demand across sectors. Viasat’s path is clear: modular scalability, latency reduction through ground station optimization, and next-gen encryption protocols as standard operating features.

Implications Beyond the Middle East and South America

While current expansion efforts in the Middle East and South America are in full swing, ripple effects stretch globally. European telecom operators are preparing to integrate Viasat’s network redundancy into their offerings. Aviation clients in Asia-Pacific are aligning with Viasat to retrofit aircraft, maximizing high-speed inflight access. Multinational corporations now factor Viasat’s bandwidth and geo-diversity into their cloud infrastructure strategies, adding resilience against regional network outages.

• Global mobile connectivity is projected to expand by over 65% through 2027, a timeline Viasat’s roadmap directly feeds into.
• Joint ventures in Africa are under negotiation to build localized teleport infrastructure, enhancing regional coverage layers.
• New licensing agreements in the European Union enable deeper penetration into enterprise and municipal markets.

Which regional market stands to benefit most from Viasat’s next move? How will EMEA deployment reshape digital architecture from Berlin to Beirut? These are no longer theoretical debates—they’re unfolding in real time, powered by satellites that now span entire continents.

Delivering the Future of Global Connectivity

Viasat has solidified its position as a pivotal force in satellite communications by significantly boosting coverage across the Middle East and South America. In both regions, infrastructure investments and expanded orbital capacity have created new possibilities for secure, high-speed connectivity that extend far beyond traditional urban centers.

In the Middle East, Viasat’s advancements have enhanced government networks, supported defense coordination, and enabled commercial operators to meet surging bandwidth demand. Across South America, connectivity has reached rural and underserved populations, empowering local economies, improving remote education, and supporting precision agriculture. By integrating satellite technologies with existing ground infrastructure, Viasat has helped transform regional connectivity ecosystems.

Improved coverage directly influences global telecommunications by eliminating blind spots, supporting low-latency applications, and enhancing resilience in critical sectors. As bandwidth requirements grow exponentially in aviation, maritime, and enterprise markets, Viasat’s investments in high-throughput satellites and adaptive network services are reshaping expectations for speed, availability, and affordability.

Interested in what these advancements mean for your organization, government agency, or innovation strategy?

• Explore Viasat’s enterprise and mobility solutions: discover how tailored satellite services scale with your mission-critical needs.
• Investigate partnership opportunities: Viasat collaborates with local carriers, infrastructure developers, and municipalities to deliver regional impact.
• Stay informed: review Viasat’s recent announcements, upcoming launches, and network expansion plans shaping the next decade of communication.

Unprecedented reach, low-latency performance, and a growing range of applications—Viasat is not upgrading yesterday’s systems. It is delivering what’s next.