Is HughesNet and Viasat the Same?
What is Peacock Streaming?
Is Starlink Good For Gaming?
Is Starlink Internet Portable?
Will Starlink Be 1Gbps?
Will Starlink Replace Cell Towers?
Will Starlink Prices Drop?
What Is The Viasat Browser?
Does Viasat Own Trellisware?
Do You Have To Install Starlink Yourself?
Is Satellite Internet A Good Option?
What Is The Disadvantage Of Satellite Internet Connection?
Can I Move My Starlink Receiver?
Does Starlink Require A Router?
What Frequency Does Starlink Use?
What Direction Should Starlink Dish Face?
Will starlink make internet cheaper
is 75 ms latency good
is 63 ms latency bad
is a 60 ms latency good
is viasat fast
is a 25 mbps download speed good
is 100 gb of data enough for a month
how long is the wait list for starlink internet
jupiter 3 broadband satellite launch is moved back to 2022
what services does viasat offer
what direction does a viasat dish point
how can i tell if i am being throttled
how do i stop viasat throttling
how much does a viasat modem cost

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Viasat vs GotW3
Can You Get Internet Through Directv?
Is Starlink Available To The Public?
Starlink Availability In Texas
Starlink Availability Schedule
Starlink Availability Map
Starlink Waiting List
Will Starlink Work With Cell Phones?
Can I Pause My Starlink Subscription?
Can You Cancel Starlink Internet?
Does Viasat Offer A Trial Period?
Does Viasat Have A Grace Period?
Is 25 Mbps Enough To Work From Home?
Is Starlink Affected By Rain?
What Are The Disadvantages Of Starlink?
Does Cloud Cover Affect Starlink?
Hughesnet Vs Starlink Internet
Will A Rusty Satellite Dish Still Work?
How Long Will 2Gb Of Data Last On Youtube?
Viasat Upload Speed
4 Steps To Fixing Your Windstream Internet Connection
Is Anyone Happy With Hughesnet?
Xfinity Satellite Internet
What Airlines Use Viasat Internet?

Choosing a Satellite Internet Service Provider

You may be moving or just ready for some new internet, but either way you’re faced with the huge decision of choosing a new internet service provider. Your future internet experience is dependent on this decision you're making right now, and as much time as most Americans spend on the internet every day, it’s a very important decision.

If you live in a small town or rural area, you may only have one or two options when it comes to internet. Not a great situation but an easy decision. However, if you live in a more densely-populated area, the number of options you have might be overwhelming.

If it were as simple as comparing prices, that would be one thing, but you also have to compare a host of other numbers, along with various features, lists of pros and cons, reviews of customer service, and the list goes on. On top of this, you start running into so many tech questions that take an entire investigation each just to get a simple answer. What broadband type is the most reliable? Can I get fast speeds with satellite internet? What about latency? Can DSL compete with cable internet services? Will I actually get the speeds advertised?

These questions and more make choosing an internet service provider a complicated task. That’s why third-party websites that detail the differences between the providers in your area are a great place to begin looking.

Where Do I Start?

You start with availability. If you start with the providers with the best speeds, or the best reliability, or the cheapest prices, you might be getting hyped for nothing. Not all providers, and not all plans, are available in all locations. So start by finding out what is offered where you live.

This might be the entirety of your searching. Depending on where you live, you might only find one option, or maybe only one decent option. If you live in a rural (or semi-rural) area, there probably aren’t going to be a lot of internet providers, if any, who have invested in the necessary infrastructure to provide internet in your area. Your only options may be satellite internet or mobile. On the opposite end of the spectrum, you may live somewhere where there are a lot of options, but where one option is clearly better than the rest, for example if you live somewhere that offers Verizon FiOS.

Checking availability goes beyond searching for internet service providers that service your city. It’s possible their infrastructure only reaches part of your area, and maybe not the part where you live. This is why it’s important to search very specifically for the ISPs that are available at your exact location.

Wherever you live, this has to be your first step. This will eliminate a lot of options that were never actually options to begin with. Once you know all the internet service providers available to you, you are ready to begin comparing. By finding what is actually available, you have built a foundation on which to look at prices, packages, and performance to find what internet service is best for you.

Can I Trust the Numbers ISPs Give Me?

So an ISP says you can get up to 200 Mbps. What does “up to” really mean? 180 Mbps? 100 Mbps? 50 Mbps? If one internet service provider is more honest than another, is it possible that their 100 Mbps plan could give me better speeds than another provider that promises “up to” 200 Mbps? How much of these numbers is actual performance and how much is just advertising?

These are great questions, and it makes it difficult to compare numbers directly. Download speeds vary frequently not just from different ISPs but also due to location and current network traffic. One way to get a more accurate idea is to ask friends and family members who use various internet providers. Ask them what plan they have and what kinds of speeds and reliability they get on a regular basis. They may even be willing to run a speed test to provide you with more accurate information.

One of the best ways is to do your own research. Find a third-party website that will give an unbiased comparison of the internet service providers and plans available in your area. This is a great way to get accurate, trustworthy information that will help you make this important decision.