Hughesnet satellite internet review

Hughesnet is a key player in the satellite internet services market. It serves over a million subscribers and is essential in rural areas and underserved regions where traditional cable and fiber options are unavailable.

With the help of my team at Cybernews, I’ve been able to research and analyze Hughesnet satellite internet plans and find out what they offer. We did this to help you decide if Hughesnet is the right choice for you. The review will cover Hughesnet pricing, plans, and key features, as well as the brand’s internet-only deals and internet and voice bundles.

About Hughesnet satellite internet

Hughes Network Systems (Hughesnet) is an American telecommunications company that offers satellite-based communication services to both individuals and businesses. It's among the most accessible satellite internet providers, especially in the rural areas of the US. This is largely due to its satellite technology, which is powered by the JUPITER™ network and the world’s biggest commercial communications satellite, JUPITER™ 3.

Satellite technology differs from traditional cable, DSL, and fiber options in that it transmits data between the satellite, your receiver dish, and, consequently, your modem through radio waves. This makes it more widely available, yet slightly slower and with higher latency than standard options.

However, Hughesnet plans still manage to offer satisfactory speeds of up to 100Mbps (as long as you have priority data left). There are no data caps – after this data is spent, you get reduced speeds, but the exact numbers aren’t specified. All Hughesnet internet packages come with a 24-month contract, while equipment has to be leased for a monthly fee or purchased for a fixed price.

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Some of these terms and numbers may not be appealing to everyone, but remember that Hughesnet packages are predominantly for rural and remote users without access to cable or fiber internet.

Hughesnet satellite internet: pros and cons

Is Hughesnet good? The best way to answer this question is to consider the advantages and disadvantages of using one of the available Hughesnet deals. Combine these pros and cons with the rest of my findings, and you’ll get an accurate idea of what Hughesnet offers and whether it suits your needs.

Hughesnet satellite internet plans and pricing

You can check which Hughesnet plans and pricing are available to you by typing in your address on the official website. According to my research, there are three plans available in most areas of the US.

Plans are based on the max download speeds, amount of priority data, and latency. So, how much does Hughesnet cost? Here’s a breakdown of each plan, together with what it offers:

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Hughesnet internet-only deals

As you’ve seen from the breakdown in the table above, Hughesnet offers 3 plans called Select, Elite, and Fusion. The Hughesnet internet cost varies drastically between them, especially when you include the equipment price.

Hughesnet charges for the equipment whether you decide to lease it (monthly fee) or buy it (fixed price). In each case, you also need to pay for the installation. Hughesnet prices for this service are the same across the board, with the lease and purchase setup fees being $99 and $199, respectively.

Every Hughesnet unlimited plan comes with a certain amount of priority data. While you have it, the speeds are as advertised. Once that’s spent, you switch to unlimited data but at significantly lower speeds. The exact numbers aren’t advertised, but users report that they are quite low.

However, Hughesnet also offers additional data tokens, which correspond to different amounts in GB and can be activated at any point since they are stored indefinitely. They will restore your connection to the original faster speed. You can order Hughesnet online data tokens through the brand’s app.

Hughesnet internet and voice bundles

Besides the Hughesnet satellite internet plans, the brand offers Hughesnet Voice, an internet telephony or voice-over-IP (VoIP) service, which you can easily add to your Hughesnet home internet plan.

The cheapest is the Home Voice plan, which is only $9.95/month for the first 3 months and then $29.95. For the same monthly price, you can also get the International 200 service with 200 minutes of call time to 60 countries. If you need to make unlimited calls to these countries, you can get the International Unlimited plan for $22.95/month.

None of these services take data from your internet plan, and there’s no Hughesnet equipment cost to worry about.

If you’re interested in Hughesnet TV and internet packages, the company has that too. There’s the Hughesnet satellite internet and DISH TV, where you get the internet from Hughesnet and satellite TV from DISH. Both companies are part of the EchoStar Corporation. The service starts at only $59.99/month, but bear in mind that this includes savings on both the Hughesnet and DISH plans, which last for the first 24 months.

Key features of Hughesnet satellite internet

While this provider offers just about all of the same features as its competitors, the Hughesnet monthly cost covers a few other services you’re unlikely to find elsewhere. Here’s what you get:

• Data-saving mode: The Video Data Saver mode Hughesnet offers can reduce the quality of the video you’re streaming to save data. In most cases, it gets reduced to standard definition (SD) or 480p.
• Built-in Wi-Fi: You don’t have to get a separate router when you sign up for the Hughesnet Elite plan or any other satellite internet plan, as the equipment comes with it.
• Data tokens: As you’ve already seen, Hughesnet offers extra data you can purchase when you spend your monthly allotted GB. The tokens offer data at the same maximum speed as your priority data.
• Nationwide coverage: Hughesnet offers satellite internet, which covers the entire country, including Alaska and Hawaii. It’s also available in rural and remote areas where cable and fiber internet are unavailable. This is the main feature that makes Hughesnet one of the best internet providers on the market.

Hughesnet satellite internet contracts, equipment, and fees

Every Hughesnet satellite internet plan comes with a 24-month contract requirement, meaning you must use the service for at least two years before canceling for free. If you cancel before that, you’ll have to pay up to $400 in early termination fees.

Moreover, it’s worth noting that the Hughesnet package prices advertised on the site are for the first 12 months; after that, you must pay the full price.

The Hughesnet cost per month does not include the equipment or lease price. The Select and Elite plans have a $299 purchase cost or a $14.99/month lease fee. The Fusion plan has equipment costs of $449 or $19.99/month if you lease it. Regardless of the plan, you must also pay $99 to have the leased equipment set up or $199 to install the purchased equipment.

How to get the best deal on Hughesnet internet

As the Hughesnet cost is far from low with any of the plans, it’s always good to look for ways to save some money. Here’s what you might be able to do:

• Purchase equipment instead of leasing: Leasing is cheaper, sure, but not in the long run. For instance, on the Select plan, the lease fee is $14.99/month for the first 12 months and then increases to $79.99/month. The purchase cost is $299, meaning leasing will become more costly after barely 14 months. If you add the setup costs, it becomes more expensive after less than 16 months.
• Bundling is always a good option: If you need satellite telephony or DISH TV, using the bundle Hughesnet offers is a wise choice, as you usually get discounts on all the featured services.
• Look for Hughesnet promotions: Look for seasonal promotions and signup discounts and take advantage of them. If nothing is available, you can always contact Hughesnet customer service and ask for a discount or promotional offer.
• Use priority data prudently: Since all Hughesnet internet plans and pricing cover a definitive amount of priority data, after which you get an unlimited amount at a reduced speed, it’s best to keep an eye on how much you spend. After you've used up the allocated GB at high speed, the unlimited data might not be good enough if you want to game or stream, so you may want to consider purchasing data tokens.

Hughesnet satellite internet user reviews

Users have different opinions of Hughesnet satellite internet, so I’ve decided to share the most common praises and complaints you can find on sites like TrustPilot and Reddit.

Common praises:

• Reliable rural coverage: People commonly praise Hughesnet for offering reliable internet connection nationwide, especially in more rural or underserved areas.
• Easy installation: Even though the setup is costly, the whole process is rather simple because Hughesnet people do everything for you quickly and efficiently.
• Great support: Hughesnet has excellent customer service, according to many users. For instance, one user on TrustPilot praised the assistance they got with changing their payment method, while another spoke highly about the agent, noting their friendly and professional approach.

Common complaints:

• Slow speeds: Many people have complained about the lags, mostly when they start using unlimited data at a reduced speed. One user even said it was like dial-up.
• High costs: Some users have voiced their disappointment at the Hughes Net prices, usually stating that they are too high for what you get. One user also had complaints about a high $150 price for a technician’s visit.
• Limiting data caps: Although you get unlimited data on all plans, only the limited priority data comes at fast speeds. Even with 200GB on the 2 more expensive plans, you’ll quickly get through it if you like to game or stream. For instance, just an hour of streaming on Netflix is 3GB in high definition, so if you like to watch many shows or movies, 200 GB is unlikely to be enough if you’re using the internet for other purposes, too.

Hughesnet satellite internet: our verdict

Hughesnet satellite internet plans are great for people from rural and remote areas who want a stable connection. The biggest advantage of this ISP is that the connection is stable and very fast – as long as you have priority data.

However, all of this comes at a price. The Hughesnet plans are generally more expensive than what many are used to, especially when you factor in the separate equipment costs. Also, the speeds for unlimited data are very low, which might be a problem for streamers and gamers.

All in all, my team and I conducted extensive research, which revealed that Hughesnet is best suited for people in rural areas who use the internet primarily for browsing and other lighter activities. It’s not suited for gamers and streamers, and it's especially not intended for heavy users in major cities, where other faster and cheaper options are widely available.

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