Rural Internet

What internet options are available in rural areas?

Finding a quality internet connection can be a challenge in many rural areas of the United States. Only 80% of rural residents have a home broadband connection, compared to 76% in suburbs and 65% in cities.

Extending internet infrastructure to rural areas is costly for internet providers, and despite federal incentives, in many places the slower satellites HughesNet and Viasat and now Starlink internet are the only options.

Over the next few years, this lack of availability is expected to improve as the U.S. government and major Internet service providers invest millions of dollars. Some of the most promising changes include the deployment of Starlink satellite internet, the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program and, most recently, a $30 discount on Affordable Connectivity plans

To make it easier for you to find rural internet, we've researched the top provider prices and speeds available so you can make an informed decision about the best rural internet options in your area.

Rural Internet Providers

• Viasat

• HughesNet

• Starlink

Other rural internet providers

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

AT&T Fixed Wireless

AT&T Fixed Wireless is an affordable internet option with plans starting under $100/month. But only up to 50 Mbit/s

T-Mobile Fixed Wireless

T-Mobile is another fixed wireless option for rural residents T-Mobile offers speeds of up to 250 Mbit/s for $50 per month with no contracts or data caps

Types of rural internet connections available

As long as the digital divide between non-rural America and rural America needs to be bridged, internet options available in rural areas are expected to remain limited providers with few providers, limited availability, slower speeds and capped data means fewer options. Rural life may not depend on the availability of high-speed internet as much as urban lifestyle. But it's still a utility that can't be eliminated in this day and age, making sure dial-up internet access is still around in rural areas, and it's cheap and cheap, but dial-up speeds are outdated and slow

If you are looking for a faster internet connection then here are your options

• DSL

• satellite

• wireless internet

Rural Internet Packages