Finding the best rural internet for rural areas is a tough job because the options are super limited.
Having high-speed internet in rural areas is like finding water in the deserts of the Sahara. It is that rare!
So, there is nothing like ‘best’ for rural areas. Well, that is subjective because what is best for you might not be best for me. I mean, if you have been used to relying on internet speeds as high as a gigabit, then it is totally OK for you to consider a 100Mbps worse or maybe underwhelming.
I am writing this from a neutral point of view. I will be talking about only the best of the best internet service providers that are available in the rural areas of the US, what speeds do they offer, pros and cons of specific providers, and more, so that you can make the best possible decision for your rural home.
If that sounds great to you, hop on and let us dive into the details.
Kinetic by Windstream
It is one of the very few providers in the US that offers fiber-optic connectivity in rural or suburban areas. And you know, to this date, fiber connectivity is considered the most reliable when it comes to internet.
Having said that, fiber infrastructure is pretty costly to build, and when it’s in rural areas, it gets even more difficult because of the terrain. Even though Kinetic Internet covers only 3% of the US population at the moment, a significant portion of its connectivity is available in rural areas.
It offers fiber, cable, and DSL connectivity. If you are reading this from a rural area through your mobile plan, you will likely find DSL connectivity there from Kinetic. DSL uses the same cables as your traditional telephone to transmit the internet data packets. Is it any good? Yes, it is better than most options you will find in the rural areas.
The lowest possible price of a Kinetic Internet plan that you will find in rural areas will be around 25 bucks for up to 100Mbps. It is a better choice than most other internet. Part of the reason is its no-contract internet plan, and prices being locked for at least a year, and can go up to 3 years.
All in all, it is one of the easily recommendable choices for the internet in rural areas.
· Hughesnet
After Kinetic by Windstream, we have Hughesnet – a brand that has established itself as the go-to connectivity solution for people living in rural areas.
Hughesnet is a satellite internet provider, but it is one of the fastest satellite internet providers to date. In 2017, this was a record high-speed internet offered by a satellite internet provider. It certainly did raise the bar for satellite internet connectivity.
Anyway, since the internet is coming from the satellite, it is pretty costly, and so are the plans. Hughesnet starts at less than $40 a month in most areas, and can go up to 100 Mbps in its higher-tiered plan.
Since it is satellite internet, it comes with its own set of problems. Satellite internet can be fast, but the pings and latency’s stability are highly questionable. It can fluctuate because of bad weather and some external factors.
I always say that satellite internet should be the last resort in case you fail to find a fiber-optic or cable internet provider. So, do keep that in mind.
T-Mobile
This one might just be the best of satellite internet.
T-Mobile has shifted its strategy and is focused on the home internet, specifically the rural areas, with its 5G home internet connection. According to CNET, around 1 million households are utilizing the T-Mobile home internet service.
Another feature to love about T-Mobile’s home internet plan is its contract-free internet plans and promotional pricing. It has been promoting connectivity by dropping the price to just 40 bucks a month for its 5G home internet plan. That is cool, isn’t it?!
However, it is not all rainbows and sunshine, as there are some drawbacks to this as well.
Even though it says that 5G home internet but the speeds are not just there when compared to the actual 5G mobile internet connections. Also, like every satellite internet, it also faces performance issues occasionally, owing to bad weather or congested areas.
With all that being said, T-Mobile is still better than most satellite internet providers available in the remote rural areas.
Let’s cut it short now – which one should you go with?
I would say that try to find the fiber internet first (usually Kinetic by Windstream). If that doesn’t work, then go with a cable or DSL connection, as they are cheaper, and keep satellite internet as a last resort.
