These days, every person, whether he/she resides in the countryside or an urban center, requires the Internet for one purpose or the other. The problem is that the Internet connectivity and coverage are not that good in the countryside and the rural areas. However, that does not mean that you won’t get an Internet connection when you’re in the countryside or a rural area.
In this case, satellite Internet can come to your rescue. The advantage of satellite Internet is that it can work in any area across the country. You will not have to worry about infrastructure, coverage, and other such problems. The signals travel directly from the satellite, and therefore such providers can provide Internet connectivity throughout the country. Today, we will share the top 4 best satellite providers with you to help you choose the right ISP.
What is Satellite Internet
Satellite Internet involves the dish which is installed on your premises that directly beams information to and from the satellite. There is an uplink and downlink provided to the satellite, allowing you to easily browse the Internet.
You can connect a satellite dish to the Wi-Fi router. Once you do so, you will be able to create a Wi-Fi network in your home. With the help of this Wi-Fi network, you can connect various devices and use the Internet. Since the satellite has coverage over a wider area (almost the entire country), you can get coverage across the country as well.
The only problem can arise in case of inclement weather or extensively cloudy weather. In that case, there might be a disruption for a shorter time. Other than that, the excellent speed and pan country connectivity make satellite Internet a perfect choice.
Best Satellite Internet Providers Plans & price
| Providers | Speed | Bandwidth | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| HughesNet | 25 Mbps | 10 GB | $59.99/month |
| Viasat Internet | 12 Mbps | 40 GB | $99.99/month |
| Big Bend Telephone Company | 500 Mbps | Unlimited | $464.98/month |
| Starlink | Up to 150 Mbps | Unlimited | $99/month |
1. HughesNet
HughesNet has quite a few satellite Internet plans to choose from. Not only that, the equipment cost of these plans is on the lower side as well. Another advantage of ISP is that it provides a minimum speed of 25 Mbps. That is why it is easy for you to enjoy reasonable speeds when going with this ISP.
If you browse the Internet through this ISP between 2 AM to 8 AM, you can enjoy 50 GB of extra data as well. So it means that availing of extra data is certainly easy when going with this ISP. The equipment fee of this ISP is just $10 per month, which is very affordable as compared to other satellite providers. The minimum plan that this ISP provides will cost you $59.99 per month.
In this plan, you get a download speed of 25 Mbps. The bandwidth which you get is 10 GB. In a nutshell, it becomes very easy for you to get a reasonable speed and reasonable bandwidth. Thus, if you’re looking for an affordable ISP that provides ample data as well as good speed, you can go with this one.
Pros
- Affordable equipment cost
- Ample bandwidth
- Free bandwidth between 2 AM to 8 AM
- 25 Mbps speed
- Excellent coverage
Cons
- Customer support can be better
2. Viasat Internet
Viasat Internet is ISP that offers satellite Internet. The advantage of this ISP is that it offers speeds up to 100 Mbps. With data allowances between 40 GB to 150 GB, it offers you more bandwidth as well. You need to keep in mind that there is a 2-year contract. During this 2-year contract, the company promises that the price will not increase in the 1st 6 months.
When having high-speed Internet, you also need proper bandwidth to use it for streaming and various other purposes. The ISP which we are speaking about now offers you that. When you look at the minimum plan of this ISP, it will cost you around $99.99 per month. The plan offers you a 12 Mbps download speed. Along with that, you get 40 GB of data As well. Thus, if you’re looking for higher speeds at higher bandwidth, this is the satellite Internet provider you shouldn’t ignore.
Pros
- Higher speed plans available
- More bandwidth
- Quick installation
Cons
- 2-year contract
3. Big Bend Telephone Company
Big Bend Telephone Company offers satellite Internet on a limited coverage basis. Currently, it only covers 10,000 people. The plan offers a much higher speed than other ISPs. There is a considerable amount of interest in the offerings of this ISP.
The 1st plan which it offers is 500 Mbps download speed, and 500 Mbps upload speed. The excellent speed means that you won’t have to worry about using it for any application. There is no data cap. That is why it will become easier for you to enjoy high-speed Internet.
For this plan, you will have to shell out $464.98 per month. This might seem high, but when you consider the speed, it is compatible with the plans by other ISPs. One of the advantages of this company is that the customer support is excellent. You get a response quite quickly. If you’re in the area where it operates, you cannot ignore this ISP.
Pros
- Excellent speed
- Unlimited data
- Good customer support
Cons
- Limited coverage
4. Starlink
Starlink is one of the most famous providers when it comes to satellite Internet. The company offers much higher speeds than other providers. Not only that, it promises low latency as well. All of this comes with unlimited data. Also, the company claims that you can get satellite Internet connectivity in every nook and cranny. That is why you will not have to worry about the coverage at all.
Currently, the offering of the company is in phases. It means that it is accepting only limited users right now. It is accepting users on a first-come-first-serve basis for the north-western region of the country. You might have to deposit $99 currently to sign up with the company.
The main advantage of the company is that it provides speeds between 50 Mbps to 150 Mbps. In the future, it is promising that the speeds can increase up to 300 Mbps as well. It means that the speed which it has on offer is much better than many other providers. The low latency ensures that you can use it for gaming, video conferencing needs, as well as, streaming. You will not have to worry about any lag or connectivity issues.
With unlimited data, you can use the plan for whatever you want. You won’t have to worry about upgrading to a higher plan. You can use the plan as much as you want. When you look at the plan details of the company, it currently offers a single plan which will cost you $99.00 per month. In this plan, the speed can vary between 50 Mbps to 150 Mbps. In addition, you get a latency of 40 ms to 60 ms.
The unlimited data Means that you can use this plan for whatever you want. However, you need to keep in mind that besides $99 per month, you will have to shell out $499 one-time equipment cost as well. If you’re ready to pay that, this is certainly a provider which you can go with. Thus, if you’re looking for a satellite internet provider with unlimited data, you can consider this one.
Pros
- Reputed ISP
- Low latency
- Unlimited data
Cons
- Expensive
Thus, when you’re looking for satellite Internet providers in the country, you essentially have these 4 options. Below we will shed some light on what exactly is satellite internet and how to choose between the numerous providers.
Why Only Few Satellite Internet Providers in the U.S
You might have noticed that there are only a handful of satellite Internet providers in the US. Have you ever wondered why? There are quite a few reasons why there are so few satellite Internet providers in the US.
Consolidation
Like in any other industry, there has been consolidation in the satellite Internet space as well. Earlier, more than 4 companies were operating. However, in the past 10 years, there has been a trend of consolidation. It means that the larger companies are acquiring, the smaller ones. With this consolidation, there are currently only 4 operators offering such Internet in the US.
Expensive to rent uplink and downlink
To provide satellite Internet connectivity, companies have to rent the uplink as well as the downlink. They have to rent an ample amount of bandwidth as well. Doing so is immensely expensive. Due to the high cost, the breakeven also takes a long time. Until that period of time, the companies have to consistently pay for rent in the uplink and the downlink.
The high capital requirement does not just limit itself to the uplink and the downlink cost. Companies have to buy satellite dishes, set of infrastructure, and provide connectivity as well. For the same, they need engineers as well. All this costs a lot. The expensive nature of satellite Internet is another reason why there are only a few providers of satellite Internet.
Slow adoption
Initially, when the concept of satellite Internet came to the fore, it was expected that many people would go for it. The problem is that the adoption of satellite Internet has been pretty slow. The reason for the same is the high equipment cost.
The slow adoption means that the industry is not able to sustain quite a few players. That is why the bigger players are not venturing into this type of Internet service. These are the 3 reasons why there are only a handful of players in the United States who offer satellite Internet.
How to Choose the Best Satellite Internet
If you’re wondering how to choose the best satellite Internet provider, there are a few parameters that can help you. We will cover these parameters below.
- Coverage: Theoretically, satellite Internet providers offer pan country connectivity. However, practically this can vary from one provider to another. That is why; you cannot just go with any provider. Firstly, you have to figure out whether they offer connectivity in your area or not. Only when you figure this out can you decide about the providers.
- Speed: If you are just buying satellite Internet for 30 Mbps or 40 Mbps speed, you can get it fiber connectivity as well. As long as you have fiber connectivity, it does not make sense to go with satellite Internet. That is why you have to look at the speed on offer, and only after that, you can choose the right ISP.
- Equipment cost: Some of the ISPs will charge you a significant amount as the equipment cost. The reason for the same is because the instruments which they will install at your premises are very expensive. Some others spread the cost across a few months, which lowers down the monthly cost. That is why you have to take into account the equipment cost as well, and only after that can you decide whether ISP is suitable for you or not.
- Bandwidth: Satellite Internet providers offer you excellent speed. However, the excellent speed is of no use if the bandwidth is pretty small. You will end up exhausting that bandwidth in no time. Needless to say, you have to take the bandwidth into account as well and only then choose the satellite ISP. Once you compare the satellite ISPs on these four parameters, choosing the right one becomes easy.
Recap
So, if you want to take advantage of satellite Internet, these are the four satellite Internet providers near you. With our careful comparison above and detailed analysis, choosing such a satellite Internet provider will certainly be easy for you. Now is the time to enjoy high-speed Internet by going with any of the satellite Internet providers.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
The average speed of satellite Internet is upwards of 30 Mbps. However, if you want to go with the most affordable plans of such ISPs, the average speed will be only around 20 Mbps.
When you do not have any other ISP service in your area and live in a remote area, satellite Internet makes perfect sense.
Yes, there are a few satellite Internet providers that offer unlimited plans. Starlink and big bend telephone company provide such unlimited plans.
Yes, you will need equipment for satellite Internet. Most of the ISPs provide them on a chargeable basis.
Boeing, SpaceX, OneWeb are a few providers which will be offering satellite Internet in the coming few years.
