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Viasat to Offer Telesat Lightspeed LEO Services Starting in 2027

Telesat’s Lightspeed constellation represents a significant advancement in low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite technology. Unlike traditional geostationary satellites positioned 35,786 km above the Earth, LEO satellites orbit at altitudes between 500 and 1,200 km. This close proximity slashes latency, improves throughput, and increases the capacity to service high-demand users. The Lightspeed system will include 198 phase-one satellites equipped with optical inter-satellite links and phased array antennas, designed to deliver fiber-like performance from orbit.

LEO constellations are transforming the architecture of global broadband. By creating a mesh of interconnected low-latency satellites, they bridge the gaps where terrestrial infrastructure fails or cannot be deployed economically. Urban users get redundancy and higher speeds, while rural and remote populations are finally within reach of fast, consistent internet access.

That’s where the Lightspeed constellation stands out. Its high-throughput design, combined with dynamic beam-forming capabilities, directly targets underserved areas—mountainous regions, sparsely populated territories, and far-flung communities where traditional ISPs hesitate to invest. Telesat’s network architecture allows for tailored coverage and real-time adaptability, overcoming the long-standing infrastructure deficits in remote broadband delivery.

Strategic Alliance: Viasat and Telesat Lightspeed Join Forces

Details of the Multi-Year Agreement

In 2023, Viasat Inc. and Telesat entered into a long-term commercial agreement that enables Viasat to offer Telesat Lightspeed low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite services, beginning in 2027. This contract gives Viasat exclusive rights to distribute Telesat Lightspeed capacity to select North American markets, including aviation, maritime, government, and enterprise sectors, along with global rights outside of Canada.

The collaboration is structured under a reseller arrangement, which grants Viasat scalable bandwidth pricing and access to priority satellite beams. This approach allows Viasat to integrate LEO capacity into its hybrid global network, combining geostationary and LEO coverage for seamless connectivity. The agreement is performance-based, aligning cost with demand and ensuring long-term commercial viability.

Mutual Value Creation

For Viasat, the partnership enhances its multi-orbit strategy, adding polar and urban coverage gaps that geostationary satellites alone cannot address. The integration of Lightspeed’s ultra-low latency and high-throughput capabilities strengthens Viasat’s positioning in competitive segments like aero and maritime mobility, where demand is surging for consistent, high-speed connectivity.

Telesat gains a technologically mature and commercially robust distribution partner with global reach. Viasat’s existing relationships in enterprise and mobility markets accelerate Telesat’s route to market, giving the Lightspeed constellation immediate business traction once launched. The deal also validates Telesat’s pivot toward a smaller, software-defined constellation design, optimized for profitability rather than sheer scale.

Deployment Timeline and Service Rollout

The service activation is scheduled to begin in 2027, coinciding with the phased launch of the Telesat Lightspeed satellite constellation. By leveraging MDA’s digital beamforming antennas and a mesh-enabled architecture, Telesat plans to position 198 advanced LEO satellites in polar and inclined orbits, achieving global coverage, especially in high-demand and underserved regions.

Between 2027 and the end of the decade, the customer-facing services offered through Viasat will expand in sync with the constellation’s growth. Expect progressive rollouts across transcontinental air corridors, transoceanic shipping lanes, and remote enterprise installations.

Shifting Market Forces and Strategic Targeting: Who Benefits from Viasat’s Telesat Lightspeed Services?

Strong Demand Drives New LEO Initiatives

Global demand for high-speed, reliable broadband access via satellite continues to rise, fueled by limitations in terrestrial infrastructure, particularly in emerging markets and remote regions. According to Euroconsult’s Satellite Connectivity Market report (2023), the satellite communications market will reach $123 billion by 2032, with non-geostationary satellite systems (NGSOs) accounting for 44% of total satellite broadband capacity. This trajectory reflects a surge in need across multiple verticals for low-latency, high-throughput connectivity solutions—capabilities that the Telesat Lightspeed low Earth orbit (LEO) constellation is built to deliver.

What’s driving adoption? Latency-sensitive applications, such as cloud-based services and streaming, require faster response times. The Lightspeed network, with latency projections around 30–50 milliseconds, will directly compete with fiber and outperform traditional geostationary (GEO) satellites, which typically average 600 milliseconds of latency.

Target Segments for Viasat-Telesat Lightspeed

Sector-by-Sector Uptake Starts in 2027

Initial service delivery beginning in 2027 aligns with infrastructure rollouts and customer onboarding tailored to specific industry needs. In aviation, existing Viasat airline partners—already leveraging Ka-band systems—will see hybrid LEO-GEO integration, improving route coverage and user experiences. Enterprises in isolated geographies will transition from VSAT to LEO terminals to gain mobility and elevate operational capacity.

Meanwhile, defense customers are likely to be among the earliest adopters. Telesat has already secured a $1.14 billion agreement with the Canadian government to deliver secure LEO connectivity to national agencies, indicating confidence in Lightspeed’s defense-grade attributes. Expect procurement interest from additional NATO members as interoperability tests progress.

Expanding Connectivity: Services Offered Under the New Arrangement

Viasat’s integration of Telesat’s Lightspeed low Earth orbit (LEO) services will launch a new portfolio of advanced connectivity options starting in 2027. These services are engineered to meet evolving demands across commercial, government, and enterprise sectors, leveraging the high throughput and low latency inherent in LEO satellite architecture.

Diverse High-Performance Service Categories

Through this agreement, Viasat will offer a range of end-to-end communication services designed to extend global reach and performance far beyond legacy geostationary infrastructure. Lightspeed’s network design—featuring 198 interconnected satellites in LEO—allows Viasat to offer:

Alignment With Distinct User Needs

Instead of a uniform offer, the service strategy customizes network capabilities to match performance requirements across verticals. Enterprises demanding reliable, high-capacity connections for remote operations will benefit from symmetrical uplink and downlink speeds. Educational institutions and health systems in bandwidth-starved areas gain access to consistent connectivity that supports video conferencing, digital records, and online education tools.

For mobility sectors, the low latency—under 50 milliseconds one-way—transforms passenger experiences and enables real-time telemetry for fleets. Government clients benefit from geo-redundant routing, which ensures continued communications even under network stress or geopolitical limitations.

Performance Benchmarks and Network Innovation

With Lightspeed’s optical inter-satellite links and advanced digital payloads, Viasat targets carrier-grade performance with throughput peaks of up to 15 Gbps per link and total network capacity exceeding 20 Tbps. Every Lightspeed satellite supports multiple Gbps per beam, enabling dense service layering in high-traffic areas without compromising latency-sensitive applications like cloud collaboration or video streaming.

By transitioning to this new LEO constellation, Viasat’s suite of services will move from best-effort consumer-grade offerings to performance-guaranteed solutions with measurable Service Level Agreements (SLAs). This shift stands to redefine satellite internet—not just as a backup option, but as a primary, business-critical utility.

Reshaping Aerospace and Defense Communications with Viasat-Telesat Integration

The integration of Telesat Lightspeed’s low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite services into Viasat’s portfolio, beginning in 2027, directly aligns with the mission-critical demands of the aerospace and defense sector. This alignment comes at a time when military communications, secure data exchanges, and global situational awareness require consistent, high-bandwidth, low-latency network performance across challenging geographies.

Adaptability for Defense Environments

Traditional geostationary satellite (GEO) systems face limitations in latency and mobility — constraints eliminated by the LEO architecture of the Telesat Lightspeed constellation. Operating at approximately 1,000 kilometers above the Earth, these satellites provide sub-50 millisecond latency, enabling near-instantaneous command-and-control functionality. For defense assets operating in contested or remote environments, that delay reduction translates directly into strategic advantage.

Secure, Resilient Infrastructure

Viasat will integrate Lightspeed’s mesh communication architecture — equipped with optical inter-satellite links — into its existing satellite networks. This combined infrastructure creates a globally resilient path diversity for mission-critical data. What does that look like on the ground? Real-time ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) data uploads from unmanned aerial systems. Encrypted video conferencing between deployed units and centralized command. Seamless mobility for aircraft and naval vessels transitioning between theaters.

Driving Real-World Use Cases

Defense agencies no longer cite satellite coverage or latency as bottlenecks. With Viasat deploying Telesat Lightspeed’s infrastructure, the conversation shifts toward AI integration, automation of battlefield networks, and resilient cloud-based mission systems in theater. As space becomes a contested domain in its own right, control of satellite-layered networks delivers more than connectivity — it delivers capability dominance.

Accelerating Broadband Expansion and Bridging Global Connectivity Gaps

Viasat's upcoming integration of Telesat Lightspeed's Low Earth Orbit (LEO) network, set for 2027, reshapes the broadband infrastructure landscape. This collaboration scales global internet coverage beyond current geostationary satellite limitations by combining Viasat’s mature satellite internet platform with Telesat’s agile and high-capacity LEO constellation.

Fueling Global Expansion of High-Speed Internet

The inclusion of the Lightspeed LEO network will significantly increase Viasat’s reach and throughput. LEO satellites, orbiting between 500 and 1,200 km from Earth’s surface, offer latency as low as 30 to 50 milliseconds—over 4 times lower than traditional GEO connections. With over 150 planned Telesat satellites, each delivering up to 15 Gbps of throughput, the network can accommodate high-bandwidth applications across populated and underserved regions alike.

By overlaying this LEO architecture onto Viasat’s existing GEO system, the company will deliver multi-orbit connectivity. This hybrid approach ensures seamless internet access even in regions plagued by terrestrial infrastructure challenges, from sparsely populated deserts to dense, mountainous terrain in Southeast Asia and South America.

Addressing the Digital Divide: Reaching Where Fiber Can't

Connecting remote areas has always posed operational and economic barriers for traditional ISPs. Viasat’s partnership with Telesat will make high-capacity, low-latency internet feasible in previously inaccessible locations. Think of small Pacific islands, Arctic research outposts, or inland rural municipalities with no physical broadband rollout on the horizon.

This network expansion isn’t theory—it follows measurable gaps. According to ITU 2023 data, nearly 2.6 billion people globally remain unconnected. Viasat’s extended capability through Lightspeed changes that dynamic by enabling cost-effective deployment models powered by space-based infrastructure instead of costly terrestrial development.

Enhancing Viasat’s Existing Capabilities

Viasat's current GEO satellites offer broad coverage but struggle with real-time applications that demand low latency. With the LEO layer, the network adjusts dynamically, routing activities like video conferencing, real-time cloud platforms, and HD streaming through LEO while assigning less time-sensitive traffic to GEO. This adaptive routing translates into a smoother, more efficient user experience—irrespective of geography.

By integrating Telesat Lightspeed’s infrastructure, Viasat will unlock scalable bandwidth and modular coverage models. These will be tailored to regional demands, allowing service providers to scale broadband precisely where population growth and economic activity accelerate next.

Shaping the Sky: Viasat’s Strategic Influence in Commercial Spaceflight and Aviation

Positioning for Dominance in Commercial Spaceflight

Viasat has steadily transitioned from a satellite internet provider to a key player in the commercial spaceflight domain. With the integration of Telesat’s Lightspeed LEO constellation planned for 2027, Viasat will gain enhanced access to low-latency, high-speed data transmission capabilities essential for supporting space-based communications infrastructure. This move aligns with Viasat’s broader ambitions to participate in space-based broadband networks critical for Earth observation, launch services, and satellite-enabled telecoms.

The integration of LEO infrastructure broadens Viasat’s delivery capabilities far beyond geostationary orbit, positioning it to support high-throughput missions, onboard satellite communications, and support services for public and private space ventures. Collaborations with aerospace agencies and commercial launch companies will likely intensify as the company’s LEO bandwidth becomes operational.

Redefining In-Flight Connectivity with Telesat Lightspeed

Aviation customers stand to gain directly from the Viasat-Telesat collaboration. Global aviation network demands require persistently reliable, low-latency communication links—something geostationary satellites have traditionally struggled to deliver. LEO satellites radically change that equation by placing satellites in closer orbit to Earth.

Starting in 2027, the Lightspeed network will feed Viasat’s mobility services with multi-Gbps, low-latency bandwidth—transforming the commercial and business aviation experience. Passengers will stream content, attend video calls, and access cloud applications without noticeable lag or throughput constraints. This mirrors terrestrial broadband more closely than previous satellite-based systems ever could.

Accelerating Aviation Sector Growth

The aviation connectivity market is poised for expansion. According to Euroconsult’s 2023 “Prospects for In-Flight Entertainment & Connectivity” report, global in-flight connectivity revenues are expected to reach $2.5 billion by 2032, up from roughly $1.7 billion in 2023. With this partnership, Viasat taps into this growth cycle with added competitive muscle.

Viasat’s move deepens its long-term stake in space and aviation, creating a multi-layered satellite strategy that leverages both GEO and LEO assets. This layered architecture provides service redundancy, higher throughput, and lower latency—enhancing its value proposition across spaceflight and aviation markets.

Bridging the Digital Divide: Expanding Connectivity in Remote Regions

Reaching the Last Mile With LEO

Fewer than 65% of rural households in the world’s least developed countries had internet access by the end of 2023, according to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Even in developed nations, remote and sparsely populated areas struggle with inadequate infrastructure. The upcoming integration of Telesat Lightspeed's LEO services into Viasat’s portfolio aims to change that trajectory starting in 2027.

By leveraging the multi-terabit capacity and low latency of Lightspeed’s network, Viasat will extend broadband-grade satellite connectivity to regions that remain underserved by terrestrial ISPs. Communities located in mountainous terrain, isolated islands, and tundra zones will no longer need to depend on dial-up speeds or unreliable microwave links.

A Game-Changer for Digital Equity

Unlike GEO satellites limited by their high orbital altitude, Lightspeed’s LEO constellation orbits at 1,000 - 1,300 kilometers. This significantly reduces signal delay—delivering latency below 50 milliseconds—and enables real-time applications such as video conferencing, VoIP, and remote learning in rural districts.

With Viasat as a global integrator, these capabilities will become accessible to public institutions, SMEs, farms, and individual households far from urban centers. Schools in the Andes, clinics in remote regions of Alaska, and emergency operations in the Australian outback will execute critical functions without dependency on overburdened 3G or 4G networks.

Economic Catalysts in Off-Grid Areas

Connectivity does more than close communication gaps—it stimulates local economies. Reliable broadband attracts e-commerce, supports telehealth, and opens markets for digital services. According to the World Bank, every 10% increase in internet penetration in low- and middle-income countries associates with up to 1.4% GDP growth. Viasat’s upcoming deployment thus supports a broader economic agenda.

Once operational, the Viasat-Telesat collaboration will turn isolated communities into active digital participants. Expect a ripple effect: population retention, job creation, and improved quality of life driven by consistent, high-throughput connectivity.

Redefining Space-Based Connectivity: Technological Advancements Powering Viasat’s Telesat Lightspeed Services

LEO Innovation: A Break from Geostationary Limitations

Viasat’s upcoming integration of Telesat Lightspeed LEO services represents a fundamental shift in orbital communications architecture. Unlike traditional geostationary orbit (GEO) satellites that operate around 35,786 km above Earth, LEO satellites function at altitudes typically ranging between 500 and 1,200 km. This proximity reduces data transmission latency to under 50 milliseconds—comparable to terrestrial fiber networks—whereas GEO latency can reach up to 600 milliseconds.

This low-latency performance enhances real-time communication capabilities, critical for latency-sensitive industries such as finance, defense, and autonomous transportation systems.

Technical Features That Set the Lightspeed LEO Network Apart

The Next Frontier: Technologies to Watch Beyond 2027

Ongoing advances in machine learning, quantum encryption, and antenna miniaturization are poised to define the next phase of satellite communications. Satellite networks that autonomously manage bandwidth allocation through AI-based traffic analysis will enhance efficiency under fluctuating network loads.

On the hardware front, expect deployment of flat-panel user terminals with electronically steerable arrays—offering mobile users continuous connectivity without mechanical tracking. Additionally, energy-efficient propulsion systems such as electric ion thrusters in compact form factors could extend operational lifespan and precision maneuverability in LEO environments.

Quantum key distribution (QKD) experiments onboard next-gen LEO platforms also point toward ultra-secure, encryption-resistant communication systems tailored for defense and financial sectors.

Viasat’s involvement in developing these capabilities ensures the Telesat Lightspeed constellation will evolve in parallel with, or ahead of, terrestrial telecommunications. Ready for what comes next?

Navigating the Future: Viasat and Telesat Lightspeed’s Role in Shaping Global Connectivity

The alliance between Viasat and Telesat Lightspeed marks a deliberate leap forward in satellite communications. By committing to deliver low-Earth orbit (LEO) services starting in 2027, Viasat has secured a scalable solution for high-throughput, low-latency connectivity across commercial, defense, and underserved markets. The agreement positions both companies to fill gaps left by geostationary constellations and to serve data-intensive sectors that demand resilient links in real-time environments.

This partnership won’t just alter technical operations—it will redefine competitive benchmarks. As the LEO constellation activates, businesses, governments, and global carriers will gain alternatives to legacy terrestrial networks. Market expectations for speed, availability, and cost-efficiency will rise accordingly, pushing the industry toward innovation benchmarks that reflect the network performance enabled by LEO architecture.

Looking ahead, this initiative opens the door to expansive transformations in the space economy. In-orbit demonstrations of Lightspeed’s performance could invite follow-on investment, trigger next-generation application development, and stimulate workforce shifts toward satellite service management and systems integration. As latency thresholds drop and real-time data access becomes ubiquitous, sectors like autonomous transport, precision agriculture, and logistics automation will accelerate.

Curious about how Viasat’s LEO deployment could affect your region, vertical, or enterprise infrastructure? Ready to explore partnership options or gain early access to pilot programs?

Expect regular updates as the 2027 service window approaches. The satellite connectivity paradigm is shifting—and Viasat is anchoring the transition.