What Are My Rural Internet Options?

When it comes to rural internet you essentially have three options: satellite internet, mobile broadband through a cellular carrier, and as a last resort—dial-up. Everyone deserves better than dial-up but a lot of people in rural areas think there are no other options. I live in a rural area with no access to broadband through cable or DSL and when I was investigating my rural internet options for high-speed access I wasn’t sure which would be best or what information I could trust. This website is designed to be a comprehensive resource to help you evaluate and compare your options for rural broadband and decide which is best for you.

What is Satellite Internet?

Satellite internet is an always-on high-speed internet connection with speeds ranging from 10x to 50x the speed of dial-up. It’s available everywhere in the U.S. with a clear view of the southern sky including rural areas. The necessary equipment includes a small satellite dish and a satellite modem that connects to your computer or wireless router. A professional technician will install the necessary components and hook up your computer leaving you with nothing to worry about. The service works with both Windows and Mac computers. The major satellite internet providers are HughesNet, WildBlue, StarBand and SkyWay. View our guide to Satellite Internet for a detailed comparison of the best providers.

What is Mobile Broadband?

Mobile Broadband is a high-speed wireless internet connection delivered over the air usually from a cellular carrier like Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, or T-Mobile. This is a popular option for accessing the internet on a smartphone, netbook, or tablet computer. Many people don’t realize that you can use mobile broadband on your computer too. All you need is a special modem plugged into your computer via your computer’s USB port. Alternatively you can get a mobile hotspot modem that your computer can connect to wirelessly using the wireless networking capabilities of your computer. Mobile broadband is a good option for many but is not available in all rural areas. View our guide to Mobile Broadband for a comprehensive comparison of the major providers.

Which is the Right Option for Me?

	Satellite Internet	3G Mobile Broadband	4G Mobile Broadband	56K Dial-Up
Always On Connectivity
Availability	Available everywhere	Coverage varies	Very limited	Available everywhere
Peak Download Speed	1 – 2 Mbps	1.2 Mbps	12-40 Mbps	0.05 Mbps
Monthly Download Allowance	5GB to 17GB	2GB to 10GB	2GB to Unlimited	Unlimited but very slow
Download Large FilesWithout counting against allowance	During HughesNet Download Zone
Monitor Bandwidth Usagewith a dedicated desktop app	With HughesNet
Signal LatencyDelay in loading web pages	800-1200 milliseconds	120 milliseconds	35 milliseconds	20 milliseconds
Set-Up Costs	FREE to $300	FREE to $150	FREE to $150	FREE
Professional Installation	Professionally Installed	Simple Do-It-Yourself Install	Simple Do-It-Yourself Install	Simple Do-It-Yourself Install
Contract Commitment	2 years	2 years (prepaid available)	2 years (prepaid available)	None
Monthly Price	$50 to $110	$25 to $90	$40 to $90	$10 to $25

Let’s discuss some of the comparison points from the chart above to help you decide between satellite internet and mobile broadband.

Always On Connection

Both satellite internet and mobile broadband have a persistent connection to the internet that is always on. Since you aren’t using your phone line there is no busy signal, no more missed calls, no dialing-in, and no need for two phone lines. Plus you don’t have to worry about getting bumped off and you can talk on the phone and surf the web at the same time.

Availability

Since many rural areas are not serviced by 4G or even 3G service from the mobile broadband providers, satellite internet is your only option for high-speed internet. If you are considering mobile broadband over satellite be sure to review our mobile broadband comparison page and check the service coverage maps to make sure you can get data access where you live.

Speeds and Download Allowance

Both mobile broadband and satellite internet offer fast broadband access to the internet that is significantly faster than dial-up. Mobile broadband has a lower signal latency which means that a page will begin to load faster when you click a link. For normal browsing signal latency isn’t a very big deal.

An area where they differ significantly is in their download allowance. With the exception of Sprint’s 4G service, there are no mobile broadband or internet satellite plans that allow unlimited downloading like traditional cable or DSL broadband service provides. In general, most satellite internet plans have higher data allowances than mobile broadband plans for a similar price.

It can be difficult to estimate how many gigabytes (GB) of data you will consume each month. Checking your email and casual web browsing is likely to only use a few hundred megabytes a month so that is not much of a concern. One of the biggest drains on your data allowance will be software updates. Operating system updates can often be hundreds of megabytes (MB) or more. For most people the next largest usage of bandwidth will be watching videos. An average 3-minute YouTube clip is about 12MB in standard quality and 50MB in HD.

I recommend that most users go with a plan that offers at least 5GB a month in download allowance. If there is going to be multiple computers or several users accessing the internet connection I recommend a plan of 10GB or more. It’s also important to monitor your bandwidth usage to ensure that you don’t go over. Be careful because mobile broadband providers will let you exceed your plan without notice, sticking you with a large bill at the end of the month. Satellite internet providers will not charge extra if you go over your bandwidth but they will limit your connection speed for a period of time based on each company’s Fair Access Policy.

Upfront Costs and Monthly Price

Upfront costs are usually less with mobile broadband plans as there is less equipment needed to get started. The monthly service costs are similar between mobile broadband and satellite internet, but mobile broadband does offer the cheapest plans if you don’t need much data allowance. See our mobile broadband guide to find the cheapest plan that offers service in your area. With Mobile Broadband still not reaching many rural areas, for most folks the best and only option for rural broadband is satellite internet. It gives you a fast, always-on connection with plenty of bandwidth. Read our detailed comparison of satellite internet providers to help you decide which provider is best for you.

Are You Sick of Dial-Up?

With a broadband connection you can get so much more done online that would take you hours or not even be possible with a dial-up connection. Free up your phone line and do more with your time. Check your email instantly, upload photos and quickly catch up with friends and family on Facebook, pay your bills online, watch YouTube videos, browse and bid on eBay auctions, save yourself a trip to the store by making your purchases online, start your own website blog and much more. Everyone deserves better than dial-up. Ditch your slow connection and get satellite internet or mobile broadband today.