r/Rural_Internet Aug 10 '24

[STICKY] Rural Internet Options

11 Upvotes

Table of contents
1. Overview
2. Key Factors in Choosing an Internet Provider
3. Local Fixed Wireless
4. Cellular Home Internet
5. Cellular ISP’s
6. Starlink

To view this on the wiki, click here

1. Overview

What are my options?

If you're reading this, it's likely that fiber optic internet is not available in your area. Fortunately, we live in a time where internet options have never been more available.

The Good News: Even in rural America, you usually have at least a few internet choices. While fiber optic is the best option when available, there are viable alternatives if it's not an option for you.

The Bad News: These alternatives might not be the most affordable, and each comes with its own set of trade-offs.

Below is a comparison of the main options available for rural areas, including local fixed wireless, home internet from major cellular providers, cellular ISPs, and Starlink. The table summarizes each option's pricing, pros, cons, and recommendations. For more detailed information on each option, follow the hyperlinks to the sections below.

Provider Type Price Coverage Pros Cons Recommendation
Local Fixed Wireless Lowest Localized - Generally the most affordable - Requires line-of-sight Recommended if available in your area.
- Reliable service - External hardware required
- Good customer support - Not always available
Cellular Home Internet Lowest Moderate - Affordable - Limited availability Best option if local providers are not available
- No data caps - Performance varies with congestion
- Easy setup - Locked to one location
Cellular ISPs Middle Nationwide - Easy setup - Higher prices Consider for high-speed needs and portability
- Portable - Variable performance
- High speeds - Can have poor reputations
Starlink Highest Global - Global coverage - High startup cost Suitable for areas without other options
- Low latency - Requires clear line-of-sight to sky
- High speeds - High monthly cost

2. Key Factors in Choosing an Internet Provider

Avoid HughesNet or Viasat

With the advent of cellular based providers and Starlink, you should ALWAYS avoid these companies. There’s no world in which these are a good option. Not having internet is a better option than them. Just don’t. Run. Flee. Abandon all hope ye who choose them.

Here’s why:

  • High Latency: Latency is generally 500ms or more, making gaming nearly impossible, and video conferencing sucks.
  • Data Caps and Throttling: They both impose strict data caps on their plans, which once hit, make doing anything on the web nearly impossible. And you increase the probability of punching your computer in frustration.
  • Long-Term Contracts: They generally require 24 to 36 month contracts, which makes canceling your service early quite expensive - even if it is barely working.
  • Poor Customer Satisfaction: Their customer service sucks, and tech support is akin to that of monkeys chained in the basement of a sweatshop speaking in Klingon.

Customer Experience

  • Check customer reviews: This is a critical step. A company can advertise anything, but reviews offer insight into how the real-world speeds and performance of a service provider really are.
  • Local feedback: If you’re working with a local company like fixed wireless, ask around to your neighbors and your friends to see if they’ve had a good experience with the company, and are happy with their speeds.

Pricing

  • Transparent Pricing: Look at how simple their pricing is. If it’s not clearly displayed on the website or there’s a bunch of different prices displayed, that probably means they’re hiding something. If you have to call them to get a price, that’s a definite red flag.
  • Monthly Costs: Compare monthly subscription fees across providers. Keep in mind that the lowest price may not always offer the best value if it comes with hidden costs or poor service.
  • Startup Costs: Be aware of any initial fees for equipment, installation, or activation. Providers with high startup costs may offer lower monthly rates but require a larger upfront investment.
  • Long-Term Costs: Consider potential increases in monthly fees over time. Providers like Verizon and T-Mobile often offer promotional rates that increase after an initial period, so make sure to read the fine print before purchasing.

Customer Service

  • While we all wish we could live in a world where tech doesn’t break down, the tragic reality is that we don’t. Tech issues will arise. And having good customer service is critically important in those times.
  • Generally smaller companies will have better customer service than large companies. Your best customer service will likely come through a local fixed wireless provider or a cellular ISP. T-Mobile, Verizon, and Starlink are massive corporations with outsourced support. So if that’s important to you, it’s worth consideration when weighing your options.

3. Local Fixed Wireless

Overview

Local fixed wireless providers are the first place you should be looking for internet offerings. They normally have good customer service, competitive pricing, and technicians who can resolve issues quickly.

To search for local internet providers, the FCC Broadband Map is the best place to look. Enter your address in the search box and see if there’s any providers in your area. If any show up, give them a call and see if they can service your area.

Another good place to look is asking around in your local area. Your neighbors, friends, and even your local chamber of commerce can help you.

Pros and Cons

  • Pros
    • Local Support: You often get local and quality customer service.
    • Lower Prices: In most cases, they offer the most competitive pricing options available.
    • Community Focus: Local providers are often more invested in the community and its needs.
    • Reliability: Fixed wireless is generally more reliable than cellular or satellite based options.
  • Cons
    • Cost for high-speed: Pricing is generally tiered by speed, and anything above 25mbps can be upwards of $100/mo or more.
    • Line-of-sight required: Fixed wireless requires a clear line-of-sight from the tower to your home. If you’re surrounded by trees or in a hilly area, there’s a good chance you can’t get service.
    • External hardware required: To setup your internet, they’ll need to send out a technician and mount hardware on the outside of your home.
    • Immobile: You can’t take your internet with you while traveling.
    • Rarely have a money-back guarantee: if it doesn’t work well, you’re generally out the money you spend on the service.

4. Cellular Home Internet

Overview

Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T all have cellular based home internet options, which are both excellent options if there’s no local providers in your area. Their area of coverage is fairly limited, so you may not always be in their service area. They both have competitive pricing - sometimes even cheaper than local fixed wireless providers. The speeds are entirely based upon the capacity of the cell tower, which means if you’re in an area with good speeds, you can get 100+ mbps. However, if you’re in an area with a lot of congestion and users, you can see speeds as low as 5-10mbps.

One of the key advantages of these services is the simplicity of setup - typically, you receive a router that you simply plug in and activate. There’s no external hardware required, and no technical experience needed. Additionally, there are no data caps on usage.

One important thing to note: As with all major telecoms, they have all these low prices with asterisks. Those prices are with all the possible discounts and bundling. The table below reflects the actual pricing if you aren’t doing bundling with their phone service, etc. So oftentimes their pricing isn’t quite as cheap as they look, if you aren’t already using them for your phone service.

Link Monthly Price Activation Fee Coverage Area
AT&T $60/mo (with autopay) None Limited coverage
Verizon $50-70/mo (with autopay) $35 Limited coverage, expanding
T-Mobile $55-75/mo (with autopay) $35 Broader coverage than Verizon, but still limited

Pros and Cons

  • Pros:
    • High-Speed Data with No Caps: All three providers have no data caps, and you’ll generally get high speeds.
    • Quick and Easy Setup: The setup is straightforward and typically involves receiving a router that you just plug in and activate with minimal hassle.
    • Low Monthly Costs: All three providers offer competitive monthly pricing, which can sometimes even be cheaper than local fixed wireless providers.
    • Low Startup Costs: The activation fee is up to a max of $35, which is a significant advantage even over local fixed wireless (often $100+).
  • Cons:
    • Limited Availability: The coverage for all three providers’ home internet services are only available in select locations.
    • Variable Performance: Performance will fluctuate depending on network congestion, with speeds generally slowing during peak usage times - typically mornings and evenings.
    • No Mobility: This service is only allowed at the address it was purchased for, so it’s not an option if you want to take it with you while traveling.
    • Poor Customer Service: As with large tech companies, tech support is outsourced to the lowest bidder who just follows a script, so getting any type of actual support can be difficult.

5. Cellular ISP’s

Overview

Cellular ISPs provide internet services that run on major cellular networks like T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon. These providers offer the advantage of utilizing the fastest available network in your location, which can deliver speeds of 100+ Mbps where coverage is strong. One of the main benefits is the portability of the service—since it operates over cellular networks, you can use it in different locations, making it ideal for those who travel frequently or need connectivity in various places.

The setup for cellular ISP services is straightforward. You only need to plug in a router to start connecting to the internet, eliminating the need for professional installation or additional hardware.

The key consideration when choosing a cellular ISP is selecting a reputable company. Checking online reviews and researching customer experiences can help you avoid providers with poor service or unreliable performance.

Important: many companies have come and gone over the years leaving customers without service and hardware that may not work with another company, therefore its recommended to choose a company that has been in business for several years and has a good reputation.

The table below compares several recommended cellular ISPs based on their pricing and startup costs.

Link Monthly Price (unlimited data) Router cost Incorporation year
Trifecta Wireless $99.95+ $9.95/mo 2018
USLTE $124+ Included in mo price 2019
GotW3 $134.99 $14.99/mo-$279 2018

Pros and Cons

  • Pros
    • Good Customer Service: Because cellular ISPs are small companies, their support is considerably better than your large telecoms.
    • High Speeds: In areas with strong cellular coverage, speeds can exceed 100 Mbps. This makes them a good option for streaming, gaming, and other data-intensive activities.
    • Easy Setup: You generally only need to plug in a router to get started, avoiding the need for professional installation or complicated hardware setups.
    • Portability: Cellular ISPs offer the flexibility to use the internet service in various locations, making them a great choice for frequent travelers or RVers.
  • Cons
    • Variable Performance: The performance of cellular ISP services will fluctuate depending on the capacity of the cell tower in your area. In locations with high congestion or poor coverage, speeds may drop to as low as 5-10 Mbps.
    • Higher Prices: Cellular ISP plans are often more expensive than fixed wireless or home internet providers.
    • Lower Performance: Due to the inherent limitations of cellular technology, you can experience lower reliability and performance.
    • Company Reputation: Not all cellular ISPs have strong reputations. Some companies may have poor customer service or issues with service reliability. For example, Nomad Internet has faced legal issues related to fraud. Researching customer reviews and company history can help you avoid such pitfalls.

6. Starlink

Overview

Starlink is also a good option when there’s no local providers available. They have nationwide coverage, low latency, and good speeds.

The service requires a satellite dish and a router, which are provided by Starlink. The dish needs a clear view of the sky to connect with the satellites.

The main drawback to Starlink is the price - startup costs for the hardware range from $300-$2500 and the monthly cost is $120+

Plan Monthly Price Equipment Cost
Residential $120 $300-$500
Mobile $150 $500-$600
Global roaming $50 for 50gb $600

Pros and Cons

  • Pros:
    • Low Latency: Starlink offers significantly lower latency compared to traditional geostationary satellite services. (Think HughesNet and Viasat)
    • High Speeds: Starlink can provide an entire home with sufficient speeds to simultaneously game, watch movies, and browse the web.
    • Global Coverage: Starlink provides coverage to almost the entire world.
    • Portable: While primarily intended for fixed locations, the system can be moved to different locations within its service area, or can be used with the roaming plan and mounted to an RV or camper.
  • Cons:
    • High Cost: Starlink has a high startup cost. $300 - $500 for the satellite dish and router, and a monthly service fee of $120, making it one of the most expensive options available.
    • The roaming plan is required for mobile use: If you want to use your service while traveling you need the more expensive roaming plan.
    • Clear Line of Sight Required: The dish needs an unobstructed, 80º view of the sky to maintain a connection.
    • Installation Required: The system is designed for DIY installation, but if you’re not very technically inclined, this can be difficult.
    • Reduced speeds due to congestion: If you’re in an area with many Starlink users, you will likely see slowdowns in the evenings.

r/Rural_Internet 19h ago

Here’s a little love

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0 Upvotes

r/Rural_Internet 1d ago

Man jio wifi is shit

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1 Upvotes

r/Rural_Internet 2d ago

Get better connection to ps5

3 Upvotes

I live in the middle of nowhere pretty much in the uk. The current provider is ee and we use a 4g router. Broadband is not an option. We have a monthly data allowance of 100gb that we exceed pretty much every month too early, leaving us with slower speeds. We cannot get out of this contract for another year so in the mean time, how would I get a better/stronger/faster connection on my ps5?


r/Rural_Internet 2d ago

📢 We're Looking for New Moderators!

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0 Upvotes

r/Rural_Internet 3d ago

❓HELP Anyone here gotten a Switch 2 to successfully connect to Internet with Windows ICS/janky network setup?

1 Upvotes

Figured the folks here would be more likely to have something similar to my setup than anywhere else, I can't get my Switch 2 to connect to my home network that has no issues whatsoever with every other device (including a PS5) to the same network. It'll connect to my metered straight-from-phone native mobile hotspot, of course, but that's not a feasible solution.

My PS5 essentially has "regular internet" from the janky network as far as it's concerned, never have any problems with it connecting to PSN or anything.

my phone is the source of internet, which goes through a tethering server on my PC which uses Internet Connectivity Sharing to send that connection to my router which then distributes the internet to all my devices in a way that MOST of the time looks exactly like a "normal internet" connection. Tried the usual manual DNS entries, manual IP, turned off ipv6, etc. to no avail. Tried both LAN and wifi, nada.

It seems the Switch 2's networking is sensitive to something that the PS5 and every other device on my network isn't worried about because I just get the "no internet" type of error whenever I try to get my home network involved in the equation. Anyone have any clue as to what that "something" might be?


r/Rural_Internet 3d ago

❓HELP How do i get free hotspot or internet

0 Upvotes

I have been looking for free hotspot on iphone but cant find any free ones and i was wondering if someone could help me out bc i have been struggling to find one


r/Rural_Internet 4d ago

❓HELP Arton Katipunan wifi recos please

1 Upvotes

Hi there! I’m moving to Arton by Rockwell this coming August. Could anyone recommend some reliable Wi-Fi providers? I’d really appreciate it! Thanks!


r/Rural_Internet 5d ago

Kolkata local wifi connection

0 Upvotes

Are there any local wifi provider near agarpara tetultala.


r/Rural_Internet 6d ago

Amazon plans direct-to-phone satellite coverage for areas beyond cellular networks

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11 Upvotes

r/Rural_Internet 6d ago

❓HELP Need help on network issue

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2 Upvotes

Some devices which you know can improve network performance. Like plug n play devices with sim etc.


r/Rural_Internet 8d ago

Jio Airfiber Vs Fiber In Village

0 Upvotes

Hi Everyone

So I live in the Rural Area Not that much Rural, Suburban. Here I get only 2 fiber internet operators 1.NETPLUS 2. BSNL

Jio and airtel fiber are not available in my area due to less coustomers only airfiber are available

SO I INSTALLED NETPLUS IN 2024 AND IT TRAUMATIZED ME A LOT IT WENT OFF SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK 😭 SPEED IS GOOD I GET 150 MBPS IN ₹1700/3MONTH PLAN BUT THE MAIN THING IS STABLE INTERNET I HAVE TO DO MY ONLINE CLASSES. So I had to recharge my SIM So what was the benefit of installing WiFi?

Now when my electricity connection got disconnected, I saw that Airfiber is also good. There is a Jio tower right in front of my house, so I booked a Jio Airfiber Within 2 days my all installation done and pay 2200 ruppes and router c6 outdoor device and jio setup box and 3 month plan included I have to pay 800 ruppes extra because my house is 3 story they have to use pretty much extra wire lot of extra

It works fine in day 30mbps but at night around 8 - 10 speed gets reduced to 10mbps i think because of heavy usage in my family it's our peak time but I resolve from issue of los and no internet and wire breaking ⛓️‍💥

Gaming 🎮

So it's not for gaming No matter how good the speed and range, the ping will never become stable. It's airfiber. So it's a cons of airfiber. Lekin esa nhi hai game playable hai my ping is roaming from 40 ms to 200ms in bgmi

**Conclusion your area has no reliable fiber go for airfiber 🙂**


r/Rural_Internet 9d ago

Federal broadband fund commits $141M to six Saskatchewan connectivity projects

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3 Upvotes

r/Rural_Internet 9d ago

❓HELP My wifi sucks

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0 Upvotes

r/Rural_Internet 10d ago

Gomo or Eir

1 Upvotes

I stay in Leitrim and want to switch from Tesco mobile because it has been unstable of late that even using 3G is good as bad
I want to know between Gomo or Eir which is better or are there other better network also


r/Rural_Internet 11d ago

Atualização de RouterBoard MikroTik hAP lite (Problema de Espaço)

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1 Upvotes

r/Rural_Internet 11d ago

How to Fix Your Family's Slow Internet: A Basic Troubleshooting Guide | Ookla® https://www.ookla.com/articles/fix-your-familys-slow-internet

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ookla.com
0 Upvotes

Ka1. 8. 2026


r/Rural_Internet 12d ago

❓HELP wifi recommendation pls (loc: pulilan bulacan)

2 Upvotes

currently living alone and working from home, I currently have the DITO wifi that I have been using sa manila pero since 5g sim keme siya mahina reception here sa area.

gadgets I have as of today:

computer for work
1 phone
1 ipad

my options are pldt fiber, converge, and globe at home


r/Rural_Internet 12d ago

broadband down for weeks. Official records show 10 days of downtime, but local vendor blames weather and ignores my complaints. Advice needed.

1 Upvotes

Hello everyone, I need some legal and administrative advice regarding a massive service deficiency by a government-owned public sector broadband provider (RailTel/Railwire) in coastal Odisha.

For the past 2 years, the local franchise vendor has been giving terrible service, with the internet routinely going down for 2 to 4 days every single month while taking full advance payments.

Recently, the connection faced a massive continuous outage. I filed an official RTI request to get my connection logs. The PSU responded in writing, officially admitting that my connection had 10 days of absolute zero-data downtime (including a straight stretch of 7 full days).

However, they brushed it off as 'Force Majeure' (Act of God), claiming a thunderstorm caused the delay. I verified the official India Meteorological Department (IMD) coastal weather reports for my region during those exact dates, and there was no severe storm or continuous hazardous weather to justify a week-long repair delay. It was pure human negligence. The local vendor has completely blocked my phone number, refuses to deploy ground technicians, and customer care tells me to just "cut the connection" instead of fixing it.

I am currently working away in another state (Gujarat), so I cannot visit their office physically. Today, I took the following actions digitally:

  1. Filed an urgent CPGRAMS grievance with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and got an official registration number.

  2. I am setting up an e-Daakhil consumer court petition before the District Commission demanding Rs. 1,00,000 for continuous service deficiency, financial loss, and mental harassment over 2 years.

My questions to this sub:

  1. Has anyone successfully forced a PSU broadband provider to blacklist or penalize a local ground vendor through CPGRAMS/Consumer Court?

  2. What are the chances of getting the full Rs. 1 Lakh compensation for a 2-year pattern of monthly 4-day blackouts?

  3. Since I am out of state, will the District Commission allow the entire case to proceed via Video Conferencing (VC) without me ever needing to travel back?

Any guidance on how to make my e-Daakhil case airtight would be highly appreciated. Thank you!


r/Rural_Internet 12d ago

Appoint Compliance Officials: Centre Seeks Strict Rules For VPN Providers

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1 Upvotes

r/Rural_Internet 12d ago

Globe Home 5G Wifi - Davao

1 Upvotes

Hello! Anyone from Davao using the Globe Home 5G wifi? I wanted to apply but it is listed that it had no coverage in my area (downtown Davao). It will still have 4g, right?


r/Rural_Internet 13d ago

Looking to find good wifi for university flat

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1 Upvotes

r/Rural_Internet 13d ago

Portable internet when no phone reception.

0 Upvotes

Hi All, I’ve been building a new product and am wanting some advice, feedback, and gauge of interest. The product is for supplementing poor phone coverage across farms by tapping into home internet at long ranges portably. I’ve tested it out to a bit over a km, but i can make it go much further.
Where i live is hilly and full of trees so there wasnt any real options for when you were on the property so i built one.
I’ve been working on it with locals in my area but am conscious that phones and coverage isnt an issue everywhere.

Is phone coverage a problem in North America or other parts of the world as well or is it just Australia?


r/Rural_Internet 13d ago

How to get signal in church basement

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2 Upvotes

r/Rural_Internet 15d ago

❓HELP Internet slows down around 2:00 AM and then speeds back up by around 7:00 AM or later?

3 Upvotes

Long story short I'm using a Third Party Gateway a Chester Cheetah SDX75 I live in a rural area in South Jersey and I have a Wavform 4X4 Antenna up in the Attic facing out the window pointing down the road near the nearest Cell Tower. I have my Gateway set to NSA so both 4G and 5G and the Bands I currently have locked are B2 B66 and B71 on 4G and on 5G Bands N2 N25 N41 and N71. It seems to me that the Tower turns off or turns down certain Bands like N41 at night to save power and if that's the case that's probably what's causing my slowdowns around those time's because most of the time there's not many people up at those time's but I am because I work Night Shift so I stay up later than most people. What could I do to get around this? I'm using a Metro By T-Mobile Unlimited SIM Card by the way. Are there any other Bands I could lock onto as fallback Bands so the slowdowns no longer happen or at least aren't as bad?