Find the best deals on satellite internet.

Viasat and HughesNet are the two main satellite internet providers in the US. Both deliver satellite internet with reasonable broadband speeds to most small towns and rural areas. Although both providers have data restrictions, they do have the advantage of being available in areas where cable, fiber, and even phone lines don’t reach.

Viasat (formerly Exede) offers the fastest satellite internet speeds and the most generous data allowances. If your household streams video or has multiple devices, we recommend Viasat’s Unlimited Platinum 100 plan. Priced at $150 per month (and then $200 after the introductory period), this plan includes 300 gigabytes (GB) of priority data per month, and then unlimited data thereafter at reduced speeds.

Viasat offers faster speeds than HughesNet—up to 100 Mbps in many locations. That’s four times faster than the top HughesNet speed. Viasat also offers much more data than HughesNet plans. With Viasat’s largest plan, you can get 300 GB of data per month, which is six times more data than you can get on HughesNet’s largest plan—although they’re the same price.

Learn more about Viasat here

HughesNet has the lowest prices on satellite internet—although it isn’t the best choice for everybody. HughesNet plans are cheaper because they offer plans with much less data than Viasat plans. If your household doesn’t use much data (such as if you use the internet only occasionally for email and reading the news), you may be able to get by with a HughesNet plan and save money—just keep an eye on your data cap.

Learn more about Hughesnet here

• Viasat: Available nationwide
• HughesNet: Available nationwide
• Starlink: Beta available in select locations
• OneWeb: Expected to launch in 2022 (possibly sooner in Arctic regions)
• Project Kuiper: Expected by 2026 or earlier (based on deadline set by FCC)

Starlink satellite internet (from SpaceX) is available in limited areas during the public beta testing phase, which may extend into 2022. Since Starlink's low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite system isn't fully built out, Starlink has warned customers that service interruptions may occur. Starlink’s coverage area is currently limited to small sections in the UK and North America, including parts of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wisconsin, and Illinois. Although Starlink’s initial setup cost is high ($499 for the router and satellite dish), Starlink’s $99 per month price is reasonable for unlimited data.

OneWeb, which was recently purchased by Bharti Global and the British Government, resumed satellite launches in December 2020 and may offer limited service to Arctic regions by late 2021. OneWeb expects to have full coverage offered sometime in 2022.

Project Kuiper (from Amazon) is also building a satellite internet constellation in low-Earth orbit, although customers may not be able to sign up until 2026.

All satellite plans limit your data—that’s just how they work. Data is precious, since it travels out to space and back. If you reach your data threshold before the end of the month, your data will be deprioritized. That means your connection will be much slower for the rest of the month.

HughesNet and Viasat offer several unlimited satellite internet plans, but bear in mind that even unlimited plans limit the amount of full speed data you can use each month. Once you reach your data threshold, you can keep the internet for the rest of the month, but your download speeds will slow down to 3 Mbps or less.

So, whichever provider you select, make sure you pick a plan that gives you enough priority data to last through the month and then monitor your data usage so you don’t go over your limit. For a more in-depth comparison, check out our Viasat vs. HughesNet review.

Find out what it is and how it works.

Satellite internet solves the problem of how to get internet to small towns and rural areas, where fiber and cable infrastructure aren’t in place.

In urban areas, homes and skyscrapers are wired with cable and fiber lines that bring the internet to people living in cities and areas with dense populations. Installing fiber is cheap in an apartment building, where the cost per customer is minimal. But what about people who live beyond the city limits? Running fiber lines out to each home in rural America would be extremely costly. Yet people in the countryside need internet service to stay connected to education, news, telehealth services, remote jobs, friends, and family. 19% of the US population lives in rural areas—which means that over 60 million people may not have access to urban internet options.

That’s where satellite internet comes in. Unlike most other types of internet service, satellite internet doesn’t need any land-based infrastructure running out to your home. Instead, a home satellite dish communicates with a satellite in space to provide internet service.

Data transfers from your home internet devices to the satellite in space and then to the Network Operations Center back on Earth. All of this happens in about half a second. Thanks to satellite internet, remote workers can work from almost anywhere and enjoy lower real estate prices and a healthier lifestyle away from the city.

There are two main choices for satellite internet: Viasat and HughesNet. Starlink (from SpaceX) is currently in a beta test phase and offers satellite internet service to parts of the US, Canada, and the UK. You’ll need a small satellite dish installed on your home, a modem/router from your internet provider, and a monthly data plan. That’s all you need to get internet service from anywhere with a view of the southern sky—whether you own a small town bed and breakfast, a ranch in Texas, or a sprawling farm in the midwest.

For more on the ins and outs of satellite internet, check out How Does Satellite Internet Work?

Because of small data allowances and latency issues, satellite internet can’t quite keep up with other rural internet options, including DSL, cable, and in some cases even 4G LTE home internet. But that doesn’t mean it’s miles behind them in every category.

If you live in a rural area and don’t have access to other types of internet service, we recommend satellite internet. But if you can get service through another type of internet service—like cable, DSL, 4G LTE home internet, or fixed-wireless internet—check out those options first.

DSL and cable usually don’t have data caps and may be faster than satellite internet, and fixed-wireless internet tends to offer better prices for the speeds you get.

For a more accurate pricing comparison, let’s look at what a 25 Mbps plan might look like from each provider type. This is a useful speed to compare since it’s a good fit for a household of 2–4 people who need access to Ultra HD streaming.

You may have noticed the price range for satellite internet is much broader than that of DSL and cable. Satellite internet’s wide price range is primarily due to differences in data allowance, unlike cable internet plans that are differentiated by maximum download speed. Satellite internet is a good, workable internet solution for rural areas that can’t  rural areas that can’t get DSL, LTE home internet (through a cellular data plan), fixed-wireless, fiber, or cable internet.

Viasat and HughesNet both offer internet plans for businesses that can keep companies connected to their customers and suppliers. Business plans are more expensive than residential plans, although it’s possible to get a Viasat satellite business plan with unlimited data.

Viasat unlimited plans don’t have a hard data cap but they do have a soft cap, which means that your data may be slowed after you reach a set amount. Customers with business satellite internet plans also get quicker repairs and higher security features than residential customers. For more information about business plans, check out our Viasat for Business Review and HughesNet Business Review.

To use satellite internet, you’ll need an internet-ready device (like a computer, tablet, or gaming console), a modem/router, and a satellite dish. You probably already have internet-ready devices at home, and your satellite internet service provider can set you up with a modem/router and satellite dish.

Download speeds for Viasat satellite internet range from 12 Mbps to 100 Mbps, depending on the plan you choose. HughesNet plans all offer the same download speed of 25 Mbps. But keep in mind those are advertised speeds. The speeds you actually experience may be slower. Starlink speeds (as reported during the public beta test) range from 50 to 150 Mbps, so it’s faster than some plans but slower than others.

No, satellite internet is not faster than cable or fiber internet, although it can be faster than dial-up and some DSL providers. But, it’s fast enough for most online activities— satellite internet service can support email, streaming, social media, and video conferencing. Satellite internet is almost always slower than cable or fiber internet providers. Additionally, satellite service usually caps the amount of full speed data you can get each month, which leads to throttling and sluggish speeds.

Currently Starlink is available in parts of the US, Canada, and the UK during the public beta. As new satellites are launched, additional areas will be added. It may take a year or more before Starlink is available globally. You can sign up on Starlink’s website and get a notification when Starlink internet is available in your area.

In many areas, Viasat offers download speeds up to 100 Mbps. Some beta testers of Starlink report slightly higher speeds for the new LEO service, with download speeds reaching up to 150 Mbps, although speeds vary widely since the Starlink constellation isn’t fully built out yet. Starlink’s advertised speeds are 50 to 150 Mbps.

No, satellite internet is not as fast as cable internet. Satellite speeds top out at 150 Mbps while cable speeds can reach up to 1,000 Mbps. Some satellite internet plans technically offer download speeds as fast as cable internet in some areas, but it likely wouldn’t seem faster because of satellite internet’s higher latency.

Yes, you can stream with satellite internet, but there are a lot of factors to consider before you do—especially data caps. With satellite internet, you’ll be picking a data plan as well as a speed, and your data plan can make a big difference in your speed. If you use too much data, your speeds will be slowed for the rest of the month, which can impact the ability to stream video.

Since streaming can be tricky on satellite, we wrote two guides to help you get the most out of your internet connection: Your Guide to Streaming with Satellite Internet and How to Stop Buffering When Streaming with Satellite Internet.

If you have a choice between satellite internet or fixed-wireless internet, you may get more data for your dollar by opting for fixed wireless. Many fixed-wireless plans offer higher data caps or even unlimited data and are usually cheaper than satellite internet service. Satellite internet typically has more limited data plans (10 GB to 150 GB per month). For more information on fixed-wireless internet, check out the best fixed-wireless providers for rural areas.

The Lifeline program offers a $9.25 per month discount on internet service with Viasat, HughesNet, or dozens of other internet providers. If you live on Tribal Lands, you may qualify for a monthly internet discount up to $34.25.

Many Tribal Lands are underserved in regards to high-speed internet services. NPR reported that only 50% of individuals on Tribal Lands had access to high-speed internet.

If you live on Tribal Lands, your internet options may include some of the following.

• Satellite internet from Viasat, HughesNet, or Starlink.
• DSL or dial-up internet (through CenturyLink , AT&T, or your local landline phone company)
• LTE home internet (from T-Mobile, Verizon, Ladybug Wireless, and other providers)
• Fixed-wireless internet (from Rise Broadband and local providers)
• Cable internet from companies like Xfinity or fiber internet from companies like AT&T, Google Fiber, or Frontier Fios are often not available on Tribal Lands.

Satellite communication relies on having a clear view of the sky, so people living in heavily wooded areas or narrow canyons (where there isn’t a clear view of the sky overhead) may not be able to get satellite internet.

You can find out more about bringing internet service to your area (or your home) by checking into the FCC’s internet assistance programs for tribal lands. Recognizing that rural areas are more likely to not have access to the internet, the FCC offers Enhanced Lifeline Benefits for Tribal Lands.

Satellite TV works in a relay system similar to satellite internet, but it uses a set-top box and a TV instead of a modem and internet-ready device. Live satellite TV does not use internet data, so it’s a good choice for customers who have internet plans with data limits. For tips on picking a satellite TV provider, check out our guide to the best satellite TV providers.

Satellite internet is available in almost every rural area in the US. Satellite internet plans come with download speeds from 12 Mbps to 100 Mbps. Any internet plan with download speeds above 25 Mbps is considered broadband (high-speed) internet by the FCC.

In many rural areas, satellite internet isn’t the only option anymore. Many areas have additional options that offer more data and lower prices. Check out our guide to the Best Internet for Rural Areas to find out about 4G LTE home internet, fixed-wireless, and other options that work away from the city.

It is possible to equip an RV with satellite internet, but this isn’t currently practical for most people. VSAT (very small aperture terminal) equipment is the only type of satellite internet equipment that is transportable, but this type of mobile satellite internet equipment is expensive ($5,000 and up) and delivers a really slow internet speed (less than 1 Mbps).

Still, satellite internet for RV can be the best option for people who work in extremely remote locations or in marine vessels on the open ocean. For more information, check out our guides to internet for RV and best internet for boats.

For most people who are planning to use the internet recreationally while traveling, we recommend using cellular internet in your RV and adding some equipment to make the signal stronger. You can strengthen your mobile phone signal by using a booster made for RVs, using a mobile hotspot, getting a portable 4G LTE home internet plan that isn’t tied to your location, or hotspotting off your phone (with a mobile plan that has a generous hotspot allowance).

Satellite internet is a great option when DSL, cable, or fiber internet aren’t available. In some areas, satellite service offers speeds up to 100 Mbps. Other parts of the country may have slower speeds of around 12 Mbps available in their area. Data caps and latency issues take some getting used to, but satellite internet service can effectively connect people who live away from city services to online school, jobs, news, entertainment, and more.

Satellite internet is available in more remote areas, but DSL internet sometimes has higher data caps. That means that DSL internet customers won’t be as likely to experience throttling. You can check out Satellite vs. DSL to determine which internet type is best for you.

WildBlue is a discontinued satellite internet service that’s been replaced by Viasat. Other discontinued satellite internet companies include the following:

• dishNet: No longer available, but you can bundle DISH TV service with internet from other providers
• EarthLink: Discontinued satellite internet
• Exede: Changed branding to Viasat
• WildBlue: Now Viasat (acquired in 2009)

Yes, most satellite internet plans allow for some video streaming. But, you will need to carefully monitor your data usage because streaming uses a lot of data.

The problem with streaming on satellite internet has more to do with data caps than with speed, since nearly any satellite plan will deliver fast enough speeds for Netflix, Hulu, or other streaming service. But, if you binge watch all weekend and exceed your data cap, your satellite providers will throttle speeds down to 1 to 3 Mbps, which will cause problems with streaming and many other internet activities.

HughesNet and Viasat have options to help you save data when you stream so you don’t use up your data allowance as quickly. We recommend you stream in the lowest quality when possible, since this will save data.

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