Since Wildblue was launched around late summer of 2005, these failures existed:
1. TRIA - The outdoor unit failed on a large scale due to a sealing screw not being tightened down at factory. This issue was rectified by late-fall or winter of 2005.
2. Power Supply - At least one production batch had an issue where, iirc, there was not enough current being supplied. Some failed completely, and others sort of worked like an intermittent problem.
3. Cable - In those days, some installers installed the wrong cable, and some installed shorter length cable, which needed to be >50' for those within/around beam's bullseye.
4. SMTS (Satellite Modem Termination System - controls Tx power levels on users' TRIA) - When installers used less than 50' cable, and when an user was within/around beam's bullseye, this "overpowered" their equipment, and the SMTS equipment would have to reset, which meant all users on that beam lost service. Their ground unit was software upgraded to accommodate these stronger signals, and iirc, installers had to rectify those users' short cable issue.
5. Ethernet SNAFUs - Numerous firmware updates were required to deal with glitches in different Ethernet routers/cards.
Since Exede launched:
1. Installation - Wrong cable, wrong mounting, etc....installer issue.
2. Extreme Cold Weather - I had a cable connector issue, »
[Exede] Modem/IFL Cable Status , which is not an issue in regards to ViaSat's equipment.
3. Firmware Updates - It seems they keep on twitching/updating, and hopefully, this will end. Otherwise, some folks might have to buy another modem; so if your modem fails when they update, make sure ViaSat eats the cost, all costs, including truck roll to fix it.
4. Ethernet SNAFUs - Firmware updates were required to deal with glitches in different Ethernet routers/cards.
5. Telco Routing - Exede uses »
AcceleNet servers, which are not located at your gateway, so Telco lines are leased so traffic can be routed to AcceleNet server used. In earlier days, there were issues in this setup, due to various reasons, no doubt.
6. Equipment Failure - Not on a large scale, but we don't hear much on this topic. In my case, I'm on beam's outer edge, which means the TRIA is outputting more Tx power, but after two years, not an equipment issue in my hot/cold environment, just dish re-alignment.
7. Future Installs - Since ViaSat demands equipment back, this raises the question of are they recycling it on new installs. So far, I'm not aware of equipment failures (TRIA/MODEM/POWER-SUPPLY), but on newer installs, this might be a valid question to ask the installer if new equipment is being installed.