With its usages in every sector, the internet plays a vital role in today’s life. The need for having an internet connection increased extensively, especially during the wake of Covid when everyone started working from home & kids were shifted to distance-learning instead of going to learning institutions.

Whether you are living in a big city or on a remote farm, it is now essential to have a good internet connection. Metropolitans are good from that perspective because there are usually several options available, each better than the other. However, rural areas are still facing problems in this regard because a majority of the territorial internet services are limited to the cities and big towns that are in between cities.

If you are looking to have internet services in a rural area or the countryside, finding a reliable provider is going to be quite difficult. The only options that you will get to see would include fixed wireless, dial-up, DSL, and Satellite. So, to help you with the research and make things easier for you, here are some of the best internet service providers for rural areas.

  • Hughesnet

When it comes to internet services for rural areas, satellite internet is given priority because of availability and reliability in such areas. And among satellite internet connections, Hughesnet is indeed the best. It has been ranked as no. 1 satellite internet in America and is currently offering services to millions of customers. Moreover, Hughesnet offers a download speed of up to 25 Mbps – which is sort of a dream for the people in rural areas due to lack of options.

It offers four internet plans with varying amounts of data per month. Although there are no hard data limits and customers can use it as much as they want, Hughesnet manages speed as per its fair usage policy once the customer goes over the specific data limit according to their plan. Moreover, there is an option of Hughesnet Voice that is available for customers who are interested in getting phone service along with an internet connection.

These plans start at $59.99 per month and go up to $150 based on the choice that the customer makes. Besides that, qualified customers also have the option to lease the equipment instead of purchasing it and paying everything upfront.

  • Century Link DSL

The second option that is available to America’s countryside for internet services is Hughesnet. It offers a download speed of up to 100 Mbps which is the maximum download speed offered by a DSL connection. Along with that, the starting price for internet services through CenturyLink is $49 per month which is affordable and cost-effective.

The best part about this is that almost all the plans are available with a price for life guarantee so that the customers do not have to worry about frequent price changes and pay more just because their promotional period is over. On top of that, there is no contract with CenturyLink, offering customers the peace of mind that they have always been looking for.

CenturyLink currently offers services in over 36 states and millions of active customers. It also offers services through Fiber Optics, however, it is currently not available everywhere.

The only problem with CenturyLink DSL is that not every area can get the maximum download speed and you might have to pay the same amount for a connection speed of up to 3 Mbps just because that is the only one available in your area. Moreover, equipment costs about $15 per month if customers lease it from CenturyLink.

  • Viasat

Another option for internet service that is good for people in rural areas is Viasat. It offers services through a satellite connection as well and is worth giving a shot.

With Viasat, customers can get a download speed of up to 100 Mbps while the minimum download speed is up to 12 Mbps. So, customers get a variety of options to choose from regarding speeds. Moreover, there are several data plans that Viasat offers to give customers different options to choose from and go for the one that perfectly meets their requirements.

Regarding prices, Viasat internet plans start from $30 per month and go up to $150. However, these prices are only good for the first three months. After three months, the price increase can be $20-$50, based on the plan that you choose.

Other than that, you should also be prepared for getting different speed options based on the area of the services as it is not possible to get all internet speeds in all the areas. Above all, you might also face the issue where you are paying the same price as your friend in another part of the city but getting the speed that is not even half of what they are getting.

Final Verdict

Among these options, Hughesnet is certainly the most sensible choice unless CenturyLink or Viasat are offering a download speed of more than 25 Mbps for a lower price in your area. So, before signing up with any service provider, consider all the factors, your needs, and the available options, so that you can make a better choice.