If you are living in a remote location, with no wired internet options then HughesNet is a very good option. It provides broadband services via satellite, which means connectivity throughout the United States. They offer consistent bandwidth with easy plans that are suitable for most households. To find out more about their internet plans and services, you can check here.
HughesNet has upgraded its services with the new Gen5 technology with the recent launch of their Satellite EchoStar XIX. They claim it as the highest possible capacity internet satellite up until now. It means all customers get high-speed internet, regardless of their location. They do bind you in a two-year contract but once you think about your options for other types of the internet in rural areas, you end up with the mantra that some internet is better than no internet.
Pricing for HughesNet
Satellite internet providers charge a much higher fee than the rest of the internet service providers. You can blame it on the expensive equipment that these wireless broadband companies use. Moreover, because satellite internet is your only option in a remote location, these ISPs can set any price that they find is more suitable for them.
You cannot handle or justify this price difference instantly. It will time, rather decades for other internet service providing companies to deploy relevant infrastructure to rural areas for networks other than satellite. The government and related institutions will have to come up with plans and subsidies to help bring wired networks to rural areas.
Plans
There are four concise, transparent plans that HughesNet offers its customers. The download, as well as the upload speed, remains the same, which is 25 Mbps and 3 Mbps, respectively.
- The standard plan is the 10 GB plan, which costs $59.99 per month. The price remains the same for the whole contract tenure. Therefore, no surprises on bills.
- The second one is the 20 GB plan, which costs $69.99 per month. No price hikes with a two-year contract.
- The third one is the 30 GB plan, costing $99.99 a month. They put you in a contract but there are no increments in price and the speed is consistent.
- The last one is their 50 GB plan, which costs $149.99 per month.
- There are customized plans for their Business customers depending on the number of users and their usage needs.
What is great about HughesNet is that the quality of services remains the same regardless of the plan that you are on. If you cannot afford their higher-priced plan then you don’t need to worry about compromises. All internet plans are at the same speed for the same contract tenure.
Soft data caps/data guidelines
Let’s talk about what it actually means when HughesNet claims unlimited data. There are soft data caps with every plan. They remain the same with every package regardless of its price. HughesNet will not terminate your internet service if you exceed your set/listed data limit. You will instead start receiving reduced speeds, ranging from 1 to 3 Mbps.
You do not have to pay any extra fees for going over your data limit. Your listed plan will start with the usual speed after you have paid your monthly bill, which is a good option for HughesNet customers. To keep your data usage in check so that you do not end up using all of your monthly data too soon, you can take care of a few things:
- You can track how much data you use by installing the HughesNet app, available for download on Android as well as iOS systems.
- HughesNet offers an additional 50 GBs of data free with every internet plan. This data is available for use during the Bonus Zone, which is from 2 am to 8 am. Try downloading heavy files or movies during this time.
- Try to limit your video viewing to SD or DVD quality to save up on data.
- Additionally, you can add data to your account anytime during the month by buying a HughesNet data token.
Equipment and installation
You need a satellite dish for receiving signals from outer space for satellite internet. Every HughesNet comes one already added. You will have to buy a modem though. It has in-built Wi-Fi technology, which means no need for a router. The monthly lease for the modem is $14.99 for two-years. You can also buy the device outright in the beginning for $449.99.
There is a $99 activation fee if you end up leasing the equipment. However, the installation is free if you have bought everything. The installation of HughesNet is a technical procedure so you cannot get any self-installation kit with HughesNet. Someone over 18 should be present for the installation and it is better to pre-book it for a day to ensure a smooth process.
While all this may seem much pricey than other networks and their fees, you cannot ignore the fact that rural areas do not have many opportunities for advancements. Services and innovation take time and effort in reaching remote locations. Even when they do, it is usually a costly deal. Therefore, HughesNet, with its two-year contract and fees isn’t such a bad idea at all.
