Best rural internet providers

Top rural internet providers

What fast internet options are available in rural areas?

Finding a quality internet connection can be challenging in many rural areas of the U.S. According to the Pew Research Center, 99% of rural residents in the U.S. have access to an internet connection, compared to 97% of suburban residents.

Satellite internet is often one of the only connection types available for rural customers and it can be more expensive than other alternatives like DSL and fixed wireless.

Expanding internet infrastructure to rural areas is expensive for internet providers, and despite federal incentives, there are many places where slower satellite and DSL connections are the only options.

Over the next few years, this lack of availability will hopefully improve as both the U.S. government and major ISPs invest billions of dollars to close the digital divide. Some of the most promising changes include the deployment of Starlink satellite internet and the recently passed infrastructure bill that includes $65 billion for broadband expansion.

Internet service is based on your address, so even if your neighbor has access to a certain provider, you may not. Check your address to see what internet options are available to you.

To make finding rural internet easier for you, we’ve researched the top providers, prices and speeds available so you can make an informed decision on the best internet options in your area.

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Hughesnet: Best availability

Hughesnet is a solid choice for a rural internet provider due to its availability. With its Fusion plan, Hughesnet also has less latency than other satellite providers.

**Video streaming services with minimum speed requirements may not operate properly. During high-traffic periods, you may experience reduced speeds.

Learn more about Hughesnet internet

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Verizon: Best for high speeds

Verizon offers two 5G plans: 5G Home and 5G Home Plus. You’ll get a discount if you have a Verizon cellphone plan, but it’s still a solid deal even without one at $50 – $70/mo.

*For existing customers with a Verizon mobile plan of $30/mo. or greater.
*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. As of 04/18/24.

Learn more about Verizon 5G internet

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Starlink: Best for travelers

Starlink internet is the most promising option for high-speed satellite internet in rural areas. It is also a service you can take on the road. There are no contracts and speeds can reach up to 500 Mbps. Although Starlink is one of the fastest internet services available in rural America, it doesn’t come cheap, with pricing starting at $120/mo.

*Prices without Autopay and Paperless Billing. Per month for 12 mos. One-year agreement, early termination fee, and one-time charge apply. Max speeds are wired. Wi-Fi, actual & average speeds vary. Last updated 04/18/24.

Learn more about Starlink

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T-Mobile Home Internet: Best for simple pricing

T-Mobile’s 5G Home Internet service is one of the most affordable internet plans available at just $50/mo. with AutoPay, with taxes included. 

Learn more about T-Mobile Home Internet

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CenturyLink: Best for DSL rural availability

CenturyLink internet offers simple pricing and added features such as unlimited data and free self-installation with select plans. It also has options for rural internet like DSL.

Learn more about CenturyLink

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How we evaluated rural internet providers

Shopping for fast internet is a much different experience in rural areas than in cities and suburbs, so we modified our usual approach when evaluating rural providers. We still used cost and speed as two of the major factors, but we also added data caps and latency to the mix.

Most internet plans these days don’t come with data caps, but that’s not the case with many rural providers. The average American household used 652 GB of data per month in 2023 — well above the data caps on many rural plans.

Latency is also more of an issue for rural customers. This refers to the time it takes for data to be transferred between its source and destination, and it’s extremely important for activities like online gaming and video calls. Unfortunately, many rural providers struggle with this metric, so we wanted to make sure we highlighted plans where it wouldn’t be an issue.

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Additional rural internet providers

In addition to the providers listed above, there are other providers that offer internet service in more rural parts of the country.

AT&T 5G home internet – AT&T’s new 5G home internet, Air Internet, is an affordable option, as plans start at $35/mo. Speeds reach up to 140 Mbps.

Nomad Internet – Nomad Internet is a 4G LTE high-speed internet service for rural residents and people on the go. Nomad Internet doesn’t impose data caps and doesn’t require a contract; however, the service is expensive, with plans starting at $99.95/mo.

Viasat – Viasat is a satellite provider with similar pricing and speeds to Hughesnet. Speeds go up to 100 Mbps and data caps up to 300GB, but you’ll pay as much as $299.99/mo. for Viasat’s top plans.

Additional rural ISPs: Pricing and speeds

*Pricing per month plus taxes. 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 04/18/24.

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Rural internet technology types

To help you find the best broadband providers in your area, we’ve ranked the various internet service types available in rural areas based on pricing, speed and reliability. While fixed wireless internet and 5G Home Internet are the best options for rural residents overall because it gets you the fastest speeds for the best price, they are not as widely available as other options, such as DSL and satellite. DSL and satellite are not ideal options for working from home, which is why fixed wireless and home internet are better options if available. 

Fixed wireless and 5G Home Internet – Lower latency makes online gaming possible

5G Home Internet requires you to live close to a cell tower to receive a signal. There are a couple of types of technology that allow for fixed wireless internet for rural areas, including focused point-to-point wireless technology (Rise Broadband and AT&T) and 5G home internet (Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile). You’ll need to live close to a cellular tower to get fixed internet from providers such as Rise Broadband, AT&T, Verizon or others. Internet speeds can range from 1 to 1,000 Mbps.

DSL – Affordable and high monthly data allowances

Unlike cable or fiber optic internet, DSL internet uses existing phone lines to carry service. If you have telephone lines to your house, you might have access to DSL from providers such as AT&T, CenturyLink or Windstream. Internet speeds can range from 1 to 140 Mbps.

Satellite – Available virtually everywhere and usually unlimited

Satellite internet is a great option for rural-area residents because it’s available virtually anywhere. All you need is a clear view of the southern sky to be eligible for satellite internet from Hughesnet, Viasat and, currently, in some areas, Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite company. Internet speeds can range from 12 to 100 Mbps with the typical satellite providers but up to 150 Mbps with Starlink (and soon to be faster).

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How to get internet in rural areas

Getting home Wi-Fi to your rural address may be a challenge. ISPs tend not to build costly infrastructure unless many potential customers are in a certain area.

When you are considering moving to a new rural home, double-check that the internet is actually available. Start your internet search by entering your address to see what options are available to you. Compare providers for speed and price, checking for data caps that can limit your use.

Satellite internet is available to nearly 90% of the country. If you are near a cell tower for Verizon or T-Mobile, you can access their 5G home internet plans, faster than satellite options like Viasat and Hughesnet.

How rural internet will improve in coming years

The FCC acknowledged the digital divide in the broadband progress report, noting that one-fourth of those living in rural areas (around 14.5 million people) lacked reliable access to broadband internet. In reality, that number could be much higher, closer to 42 million, according to a study by Microsoft. 

SpaceX, Boeing and even Amazon are investing in low-flying satellites, which won’t offer the expansive coverage traditional satellites can but will be able to deliver faster speeds and lower latency.

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Alternative options for rural internet service

Explored the rural internet options near you and still not finding what you’re looking for? Don’t worry, there’s still a few more tricks up our sleeve. Here’s some more outside-the-box options for rural broadband. 

• White space internet — A new use for old technology, white space internet uses the vacant radio waves “between” TV broadcast channels to carry internet signals. This is a relatively new internet service type, so not many providers or plans are currently available, but more could emerge in the near future.
• Dial-up — Yes, dial-up is still around and a viable option for rural areas, and it’s a decent and cheap internet option for those in rural areas needing the internet for little more than checking email. You’ll need a home telephone line and likely a compatible modem for service from AOL Online, People PC, EarthLink or other dial-up providers. Keep in mind, internet speeds top out at a humble 56 Kbps (0.056 Mbps).
• Mobile hotspots — Some smartphones can be used as a mobile hotspot within your home, for an added fee, of course. Check with your cellphone provider to see what hotspot options are available for you. This can be a flexible option but make sure your wireless carrier supports the rural areas. You can also purchase standalone hotspot devices, such as a Verizon Jetpack or Skyroam Solis. While mobile hotspots are generally intended for temporary internet use, they could serve as a home internet option for users who don’t connect too often.

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Rural internet FAQs

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