The ultimate guide to streaming with satellite internet

• Streaming makes up a growing share of how people watch TV. Streaming captured a record 47.5% of total U.S. TV viewing in December 2025, according to Nielsen’s The Gauge — more than broadcast and cable combined.
• Viasat satellite internet plans support standard definition, high definition and 4K streaming.
• How much data streaming uses depends on resolution, ranging from about 0.4 GB per hour at 360p up to about 9 GB per hour at 4K.
• How many devices you can stream on at once depends on your plan’s available bandwidth and the resolution you’re streaming in.
• Setting up streaming is straightforward: connect your devices during installation, then log into your preferred streaming service.
• Households that stream heavily across a lot of devices at once may benefit from Viasat Unleashed Max, which pairs Unlimited High-Speed Data with network priority for a more consistent experience during busy hours.

Streaming is how most Americans watch television today. In December 2025, streaming accounted for a record 47.5% of total TV viewing time, according to Nielsen’s The Gauge — more than broadcast and cable combined. Viasat satellite internet is built to keep up, supporting standard definition, high definition and 4K streaming across our residential plans.

Yes. Modern satellite internet is well suited for streaming.

You can stream Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video and any number of other services on Viasat satellite internet.

Viasat’s plans provide enough speed for standard definition and high-definition streaming, and many plans can accommodate 4K. See Viasat’s satellite internet plans to find the right fit for your household.

Video streaming is generally the largest user of internet data, and the pace at which it’s used depends on the video quality setting. Higher resolution means greater data consumption, so it’s worth thinking about what you actually watch. For kids’ cartoons or everyday TV and movies, lower settings are usually fine. Higher-end content like sci-fi movies or live sports will typically look sharper in higher definition.

Similar to other internet service providers and cellphone companies, Viasat offers a variety of plans with data options to meet your streaming needs, plus ways to manage that data at peak efficiency.

If your household streams often across a lot of devices, a plan like Unleashed Max is built around exactly that kind of usage — Unlimited High-Speed Data means there’s no monthly allotment to watch, so a heavy streaming night doesn’t come with a data-usage tradeoff.

That depends on your plan and the streaming resolution you’re using. Connecting more devices at once, especially at higher resolutions, uses more data and more bandwidth at the same time. Higher-tier Viasat plans provide more available bandwidth, which can support more simultaneous streams — particularly helpful for households streaming in HD or 4K across multiple screens.

For the fully connected home — several streams running alongside work, gaming and smart-home devices — Viasat Unleashed Max is built for exactly that. It pairs unlimited High-Speed Data with network priority, so busy households get a more consistent experience even when everyone’s online at once.

When you get Viasat satellite internet service, your installer will walk you through connecting your devices. Once that’s set up, log into your favorite streaming service and start watching.

Satellite internet has come a long way, and today it’s a practical option for streaming your favorite shows and movies in SD, HD or 4K. Whether you’re catching up on a series or watching with the whole family, Viasat has a plan built to keep up — including Unleashed Max for the busiest, most connected households.

Explore Viasat’s home internet plans and find the right fit for your household.