Hughesnet offers satellite internet services to rural customers who want to surf the web and stay connected to friends and family.
6 min readHughesnet is your ticket to an internet connection out in the boonies. The provider offers a range of plans with steeply discounted promo deals to ensure you get started without breaking the bank.
As with most satellite internet providers, Hughesnet has widespread availability across the nation, so even those who live in the most rural areas can sign up and get online. However, it’s good to remember that satellite internet can’t hold a candle to cable or fiber internet in terms of speed because of the long distance between the satellite above the Earth and your home devices.
Read on to see what customers say and whether the satellite provider is worth it.
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Our breakdown of Hughesnet Internet
For all our internet reviews, we give a rating based on three main criteria—speed and reliability, dollar value, and customer experience—which we then average to make an overall score.
Want to know how Hughesnet stacks up? See our full take below.
Speed and reliability
3.3/5
Hughesnet is a satellite provider, so it delivers slower speeds than cable or fiber providers. For context, Hughesnet only offers speeds up to 100Mbps, whereas Google Fiber offers plans that are 10 to 80 times faster. This is the plight of all satellite internet providers, not just Hughesnet. That means even if you go for the much-touted Starlink, your speeds aren’t significantly faster, since Starlink’s speeds max out at 300Mbps.
The launch of Hughesnet’s JUPITER 3 Satellite means that the provider can offer up to 100Mbps* download speed, which the Federal Communications Commission defines as high-speed internet. This speed can support a small household using social media, streaming, and some simple games. Although it is fast enough, since all Hughesnet customers get a data cap, it’s most suitable for day-to-day browsing, and not for streaming Netflix every evening.
Hughesnet gets 650ms latency or ping for its Select and Elite plans. Latency measures the time it takes for data to reach its destination and then come back. Satellite providers have higher average latency because it takes a while for data to be sent and received between your home and the provider’s satellite above the Earth.
High latency makes any scenario where you need time-sensitive responses such as multiplayer games like Apex Legends or Zoom calls more challenging, because your connection is more likely to buffer and cause glitches. On the other hand, customers who live in areas that can get the Fusion plan get reduced ping at 100ms. Most serious gamers should stick to a fiber or cable connection.
*Stated speeds are not guaranteed
Dollar value
2.8/5
Hughesnet is the budget-friendly pick for satellite internet. The provider offers a $10 to $25 monthly discount for the first 12 months (Lite plan) or 24 months (Select, Elite, and Fusion plans). This is the steepest discount offered by a satellite provider. Even though your prices increase after a year or two, the Select and Elite Hughesnet plans are still cheaper than Viasat or Starlink.
The satellite provider has multiple options available for equipment: You can lease your equipment for $10 per month (Lite plan) or $15 per month (Select, Elite, and Fusion plans) and get free professional installation, or you can purchase your equipment outright for $299.99 and pay $199.99 for the professional installation. If you plan to stay for more than two years, it might be worth forking over the cash for the equipment purchase. Otherwise, the month-to-month rental is actually quite economical.
All plans come with unlimited data, but after you hit your plan’s priority data threshold, speeds will decrease during times of high-traffic. After this point, you can make do with slow internet or buy extra data tokens. Thankfully you don’t have data overage fees so you can ride out the rest of the month with standard-speed data.
It’s not an ideal replacement for truly unlimited data, but there is a “Bonus Zone” between the off-peak hours of 2am until 8am where your internet usage doesn’t count against your priority data limit. You can schedule your computer to download large video files, perform system updates, or anything else that takes up a lot of data. Find more tips for lowering your Hughesnet charges.
Hughesnet fees for modem and installation
Equipment lease
$9.99-$19.99/mo.
Equipment lease setup fee
$99.00/mo.
Standard professional installation
Free with equipment lease or $199.99 with equipment purchase
Property tax recovery fee (lease only)
$0.75/mo.
Equipment purchase
$299.99-$449.99/mo.
Early termination fee
Up to $400.00
Customer experience
3/5
Customers have mixed experiences with Hughesnet. “I come from New York, where everyone has access to fiber for $60 a month, and it's pretty much perfect. [Hughesnet] was double that [price] at least.” says Joseph Talbot, a former Hughesnet customer and business owner in North Carolina. Talbot feels that satellite companies charge too much for the quality of their service and advises that customers should consider 5G connections as an alternative.
We wanted to see what Hughesnet’s live chat was like, so we initiated a conversation about Hughesnet’s Fusion plan. On Tuesday morning, it took about seven minutes before we could connect to a live agent, who was unable to answer my question unless I provided my phone number. On the second try, also with a seven minute wait, the live agent promptly and politely answered the question.
Beyond the chat and 24/7 customer support phone line, customers can download the myHughesnet mobile app to keep track of their data usage, billing cycle details, and the Wi-Fi signal within their home.
How long it took to get a real human on the phone: About 30 seconds
How the chat service is: Varies in helpfulness
Overall quality: 3/5
Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change. Data verified as of the article's publication date.
You don’t get the most reliable speeds with Hughesnet, but it’s a viable option for households that can only access satellite internet and want the cheapest price possible. Hughesnet’s Lite, Select, and Elite plans are cheaper month to month than Starlink’s Residential plan.
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See all Hughesnet plans and deals
Customer Reviews
always outages
Billie | Patriot, IN
Submitted 8/10/2025
Hughesnet Review
I love that it provides high speed Internet even in remote areas.
Jennifer | Dunn, NC
Submitted 8/27/2025
slow down
Glen | Paradise, UT
Submitted 8/25/2025
Too expensive
Melanie | Summersville, WV
Submitted 8/9/2025
Knocked out with any inclement weather.
Hughesnet is very sensitive to any weather problems. It goes off any time it rains and stays that way until it's dry out. They also require this dish on a pole for signals. I DON'T recommend them at all. I⁶
DENE | Rolla, MO
Submitted 3/20/2025
Hughesnet vs. the competition
Starlink, another satellite provider, gets the most positive reviews from rural dwellers. Starlink has more expensive monthly plan fees and equipment, but you don’t have to deal with data caps, cancellation fees, or contracts.
Viasat is a close competitor, but it has more expensive rates and only offers 50Mbps more download speed.
Starlink and Viasat aren't the only options for those in rural areas. T-Mobile’s 5G cellular network via 5G Home Internet or through mobile hotspot is available widely across the United States and makes a worthy alternative. “I’m able to use the internet on my cell phone and tap into that for the household,” says former Hughesnet customer, Joseph Talbot. “The service is not quite where we need it to be, but that’s the nature of the wireless connection.” Alternatively, some folks might be able to get AT&T Internet Air, which also provides 5G wireless services to rural areas.
Hughesnet at a glance
Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change. Data verified as of the article's publication date.
*
Service plans require a 24-month commitment. Pricing not available in all areas.
Other internet providers
Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change. Data verified as of the article's publication date.
†
Offer available to new qualifying customers. One-time standard installation fee may be due at checkout. Minimum 24-month service term required. Equipment lease fee is $12.99/mo. Taxes apply. Service is not available in all areas. Offer may be changed or withdrawn at any time.
‡
Plus hardware, shipping & handling fees, and tax. Fully refundable. Depending on location, some orders may take 6 months or more to fulfill.
^
w/ Auto Pay. Regulatory fees included in monthly price for qualified accounts. See full terms.
What we learned from real customers
Hughesnet doesn't score very highly amongst its customers. Here's a breakdown of users' experiences:
- Customer service can be difficult
- Data can strangely disappear
- Reliability is spotty
Several customers told Reviews.org that Hughesnet customer service could be improved. “Once, while gone on vacation with everything powered off, all my data was mysteriously gone,” writes user Frntwe on a Reviews.org Reddit post. The former Hughesnet customer knew that their priority data was limited, so they unplugged their TV and made sure that appliances were turned off while they were gone. “Hughesnet’s excuse was our TV updated or some smart appliance updated and used the data,” they recall. This was not possible considering they didn’t own any smart appliances.
Joseph Talbot also had a difficult experience with customer service. “I would ask them questions about how the high-speed data plan is non-functional, and then I would frequently get forwarded to a call center to someone who barely understood me,” says Talbot, who resides in Kittrell, North Carolina, with his fiancée.
“I would frequently get forwarded to a call center to someone who barely understood me,” -Joseph Talbot, a former Hughesnet customer in North Carolina.
Rural residents have fewer options
Hughesnet customers usually choose the provider because they can’t access fiber or cable providers, so they look to satellite internet as the next best option. “My main issue is that there is not a lot of service available in rural areas,” says Talbot, who moved to North Carolina after living in New York City, and is disappointed with both Hughesnet and Viasat in Kittrell. “There’s no reason why they’d be charging $120, $150 a month for service that is essentially from 1994.”
“Just because you don’t live in New York City or California, doesn’t mean you deserve to be left out of the modern world.” -Hughesnet customer Joseph Talbot
Reddit user Frntwe noticed that they would have multiple issues with reliability, such as laggy Wi-Fi that disrupted FaceTime calls. “I had it for years. There were no alternatives,” says the Reddit user. Since they live in a rural region of Michigan’s upper peninsula, satellite internet is the only option.
Need to contact Hughesnet?
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Call 24/7 Customer Service: 866-482-1777
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Customer Service and Chat: hughesnet.com/support
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App: App Store or Google Play
Our fact-based research process centers on interviews with internet customers across the country, helping us understand how internet services hold up against diverse needs and challenges.
To put together this review, we spoke with customers via Facebook and a dozen others on Reddit. We also interviewed a couple of former customers over the phone who shared their personal experiences and insights about the provider. We looked over all the details of Hughesnet pricing and speed offerings, checked data from our speed test, examined public surveys and customer-satisfaction reports, and contacted customer service to understand plan details. For a deeper look at our review process, check out how we test internet providers.
Hughesnet internet review FAQ
Yes, Hughesnet's satellite internet packages are fast enough to stream Netflix. With download speeds ranging from 50Mbps to 100Mbps*, Hughesnet is fast enough to binge episodes from any of your favorite streaming services.
Hughesnet costs $50 to $95 monthly for the first 12 months of service, depending on your plan.
Yes, new Hughesnet customers sign up for a two year contract. An early termination fee up to $400 applies if you cancel early.
*Stated speeds are not guaranteed
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Silvia | Avilla, IN