Satellite internet providers

Satellite internet providers in your area

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 05/15/20. **Actual speeds may vary and are not guaranteed.

What are the best satellite internet providers?

Summary: While both providers are largely available throughout the U.S., Viasat is best for speed options while HughesNet is known for its pricing and bonus data.

Best for pricing, speed consistency and bonus data – HughesNet

Available throughout the U.S., including Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, all HughesNet plans come with broadband download speeds up to 25 Mbps and low introductory pricing for the first six months. 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.

Best for speed options and data – Viasat

Available throughout most of the U.S., excluding Alaska and parts of Arizona, Viasat offers speeds up to 100 Mbps, though some areas may only have access to slower speeds ranging from 12 to 50 Mbps. Viasat plans are also likely to come with a higher data allowance, but lack the extra “Bonus Zone” data that comes with HughesNet. 

HughesNet vs. Viasat 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.

How much data am I using?

• Browsing the web/social media for 200 hours – 3 GB
• Streaming 200 hours of music – 0.8 GB
• Streaming 50 hours of SD video – 35 GB
• Streaming 20 hours of HD video – 50 GB
• Downloading a full-length SD movie – 4 GB
• Downloading a full-length HD movie – 10 GB
• Downloading a video game – 40+ GB

Source: AT&T data calculator, Forbes.com

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.