Satellite internet providers

The best satellite internet providers

There are only two nationwide satellite internet providers: HughesNet and Viasat. Both have different options for households of various budget, speed and data needs.

Satellite internet service from HughesNet and Viasat 

*Pricing per month plus taxes for length of contract. Additional fees and terms may apply. Pricing varies by location and availability. All prices subject to change at any time. May or may not be available based on service address. Speeds may vary. As of 08/19/20. **Actual speeds may vary and are not guaranteed.

What about WildBlue, dishNET, Exede and EarthLink?

Though there are only two main satellite internet providers now, that wasn’t the case a few years ago. WildBlue was purchased by Viasat (formerly Exede) in 2009, DISH ended its dishNet services in 2017 to focus on its TV services, and EarthLink simply discontinued their satellite internet services. 

Will there always be just two satellite internet options?

No. Starlink, developed under the SpaceX umbrella headed by Elon Musk, is a new type of satellite technology that uses low-orbit satellites. However, as of 2020, the internet service is still in its beta testing phase. 

In June 2020, MarketWatch reported that “Amazon.com Inc. has won approval from the Federal Communications Commission to build a $10 billion satellite-internet network that would rival SpaceX’s Starlink network.”

HughesNet satellite internet plans

Take a closer look at HughesNet plans, pricing and data limits.

*Pricing per month plus taxes for length of contract. Additional fees and terms may apply. Pricing varies by location and availability. All prices subject to change at any time. May or may not be available based on service address. As of 08/19/20. **Actual speeds may vary and are not guaranteed. ***If you exceed your monthly plan data, you will experience reduced data speeds, which are typically in the range of 1-3 Mbps, until your next billing period.

Why choose HughesNet?

If you live in a rural area and need a simple and less-expensive satellite option, HughesNet internet is your best bet. Their prices start $10/mo. less than Viasat. Keep in mind that price point will come with less data and lower download speeds. Another perk? HughesNet customers can also take advantage of “Bonus Zone” data – an extra 50 GB of data/mo. available from the hours of 2 a.m. to 8 a.m. – a feature that Viasat doesn’t have.

What you should know about satellite internet data caps

Both HughesNet and Viasat plans have monthly data allowances. Viasat plans tend to offer a higher monthly data allowance than HughesNet. To give you an idea of how much data you’ll need with your satellite internet plan, here is an estimate of data consumption for various online activities.

Why does satellite internet come with such low data allowances compared to other internet types?

Where a single fiber-optic node or cable internet hub may serve a dozen or more houses in a neighborhood, a single satellite may serve thousands of satellite internet customers all across the U.S. Consequently, available bandwidth capacity is limited with satellite internet, and providers use data caps to help ensure there is enough bandwidth for all.

HughesNet and Viasat both offer “unlimited” data

Fortunately, both HughesNet and Viasat plans come with no hard data limits. Once you reach your data limit, you will experience reduced, or throttled internet speeds, but not an interruption in service or fees for going over your data limit. Your regular speeds will resume after the billing period in which you’ve gone over your limit ends.

Both providers also give you the option to purchase additional data “tokens” if you don’t want the speed reductions. Price and data amount for data tokens varies by satellite internet provider and plans.