Choosing Between Satellite Internet Providers
Users living in rural areas where cable or fiber is only available sometimes will often use satellite internet providers. Satellite providers usually charge more than cable or fiber providers, and data caps may be smaller. That being said, nationwide availability still makes such an internet service popular in rural areas. When considering different satellite providers, users must look at factors like speeds, pricing and overall value.
What is Satellite Internet?
Satellite internet is wireless internet. A satellite in space connects to a satellite in a home. This satellite in the home translates the signal through a router/modem to the rest of the home. Satellite internet is slower than cable or fiber but can reach over 100Mbps and even up to 250Mbps. At least 25 Mbps is the minimum to be considered as broadband internet.
With 40Mbps to 100Mbps, it is possible to stream 4K video on one to two devices, play multiplayer games online, and download large files at moderate speed. With over 100Mbps, users can run smart-home devices, stream 4K video on three or more devices, and download large files quickly. For whatever internet speed users choose, an internet service plan will come with a data cap.
What are Satellite Internet Service Providers?
Satellite internet service providers have many positives, such as widespread availability. Besides bandwidth and download speed, which mean more or less the same, latency is another factor to consider. A disadvantage of satellite internet is low latency. This is the time it takes for a signal to travel from a computer to a server and back again. Users will experience more latency with satellite than they do with cable or fiber internet.
A provider like Starlink tends to have fewer latency problems than other services because it has many satellites that circle the Earth at a low altitude. A provider like Viasat has four satellites that give worldwide coverage. HughesNet operates using the highest-capacity broadband satellite in the world.
How to Choose a Satellite Internet Service Provider
Factors to look at when choosing a provider include the following:
- Download speed is important and will vary depending on the provider and the plan.
- Most plans don’t come with a lot of data. Users have to watch their data usage, especially when streaming.
- Latency can be an issue with satellite internet. This varies according to the provider. For example, Starlink has less of a latency problem because its satellites are closer to Earth.
- Equipment and installation can be costly. Users need a satellite dish and may need a professional installer to set it up. They can rent the dish monthly or buy it outright.
- Plans or prices may only be available in some areas.
3 Best Satellite Internet Providers
HughesNet
HughesNet is one of the best satellite internet providers for affordable plans. It has the largest customer base of all the providers. Speeds only reach up to 50Mbps, which is not much. However, it is still enough for tasks such as surfing the web, paying bills and streaming a little. The service also has great coverage despite the affordable prices.
HughesNet has smaller monthly max data caps than other services. It does offer a Bonus Zone for using high-speed data with no limits in off-peak hours. Prices start at $49.99 per month for 15Mbps of data. The Fusion 200GB plan offers 50Mbps at $149.99 per month. Prices do not go up after three months as they may do with other plans. They are stable over the full two-year contract. Users can also buy tokens that don’t expire at reasonable prices if they want more data.
Viasat
Viasat has data allowances of up to 500GB per month. If users use all their data, the speed will get slowed but only when internet traffic is high. For those who want a fast satellite internet connection with more data, Viasat is a good option. Its plan offers a good range of download speeds and large data caps. These plans are more expensive due to its GEO satellite restrictions. Plans differ due to geostationary satellite beams having differing capacities depending on where a home is located.
It’s probably better to go for the higher-end plans such as Choice 75 and above. This allows you the real benefit of the service in terms of speed and data caps. Viasat deals usually offer great pricing in the first three months, but after this, they can go quite steeply. It does offer a two-year price lock guarantee after this.
Starlink
Elon Musk’s Starlink is available to the whole U.S. It is one of the fastest services, although it’s still rolling out and may be less consistent and predictable than other services with changing policies and plans. Officially, basic access caps out at 100Mbps. Some users report higher speeds, but the Starlink network can become overtaxed, so this shouldn’t be expected.
Users in low-capacity or high-capacity areas pay a different monthly fee for Starlink Standard. The regular monthly cost can be from $90 to $120. Starlink offers unlimited standard data, which can make it very attractive. It has a business plan which offers speeds of up to 220 Mbps. However, the upfront installation fee is $2,500. There is no contract when using Starlink. The fact that Starlink has lower latency can make a difference, and it's hoping to reduce latency even further. Starlink does not have rental equipment options like HughesNet and Viasat.
Starlink is an up-and-coming provider to watch and still has to reach its potential. Further disruption may come from another multi-billionaire, Jeff Bezos, as Amazon’s Project Kuiper gets ready to make its appearance.
Time to Pick Your Provider
Satellite internet providers can play a key role when internet access is vital and there’s no cable or broadband. HughesNet offers value for more. Viasat offers fast speeds and large data caps. Starlink offers high speeds and unlimited data. It brings some new features, such as lower latency. Users must decide which provider offers the best value for them when considering all the above factors.