HughesNet Satellite Internet Review 2019
Picking a satellite internet provider may seem like choosing between the lesser of two evils, but truth be told, satellite internet has improved a lot in recent years. While you still have only HughesNet and Viasat to choose from, each has its own perks for rural internet users.
We like HughesNet’s easy-to-understand internet plans that don’t come with a price that spirals out of control after your first year.
That said, HughesNet’s speeds lag behind the only other satellite provider, Viasat (formerly Exede internet). And we’d love to see HughesNet (and Viasat, for that matter) ditch its two-year contracts.
Monthly price | Download speeds | Data cap | Learn more | |
![]() | $59.99–$149.99* | 25 Mbps | 10–50 GB | View Plans |
Pros
- No mid-contract price hikes
- Clear and transparent plans and pricing
Cons
- Only one 25 Mbps speed option
- Low data caps
HughesNet prices and plans
HughesNet costs more than cable or fiber internet, but at least its prices stay the same for your entire contract.
Satellite internet almost always costs more than other kinds of connections, like DSL or fiber. What can we say? Satellites are expensive machines. Still, you might feel some sticker shock.
If you just moved to the country from a city, don’t be surprised to see a higher monthly bill, even if you feel like you’re getting slower service now than you did at your old place.
Plan | Price | Download speed | Data cap | Details |
10 GB | $59.99/mo.* | 25 Mbps | 10 GB | View Plan |
20 GB | $69.99/mo.* | 25 Mbps | 20 GB | View Plan |
30 GB | $99.99/mo.* | 25 Mbps | 30 GB | View Plan |
50 GB | $149.99/mo.* | 25 Mbps | 50 GB | View Plan |
We mentioned that HughesNet’s plans are transparent and easy to understand. Each plan is named for the data cap it comes with. How simple is that?
Maybe too simple for some. Those data caps are all that changes from plan to plan—you won’t see a boost in speed if you pay more.
How much does HughesNet cost?
HughesNet internet plans range from $59.99 a month for 10 GB of data to $149.99 a month for 50 GB of data. You can also find two plans between those: a 20 GB plan for $69.99 a month and a 30 GB plan for $99.99 a month. All HughesNet plans come with 25 Mbps download speeds.
HughesNet internet speed
HughesNet’s 25 Mbps download speeds can’t compete with Viasat.
Satellite internet providers often change their offerings based on your location. For example, Viasat changes its prices and speeds depending on where you live.
But you don’t have to deal with that with HughesNet. HughesNet gives you the same 25 Mbps speed regardless of your address.
Download speeds | Learn more | |
HughesNet | 25 Mbps | View Plans |
Viasat | 12–100 Mbps | View Plans |
For some, that may not be a good thing. But 25 Mbps is more than enough to comfortably check your email and scroll through Facebook without waiting forever for pages to load.
Of course, you might still face some slowness with certain types of activities, like streaming videos or playing online games. Sadly, that’s just the nature of the satellite internet beast.
You see, satellite internet has higher latency than other internet connection types. That means it takes longer for your computer to send information to that satellite orbiting the Earth about 22,000 miles away, then to the website you’re visiting, and back.
How do HughesNet data guidelines work?
Even though HughesNet plans list data caps, those aren’t set in stone. You don’t have to worry about your data being cut off or paying overages if you use more than your set amount.
That said, your speeds will slow down if you go over the data amount on your plan. We call these soft caps, or “data guidelines.” They’re not hard-and-fast limits, but you will feel like they are if you use more than what’s on your plan.
HughesNet also lets you buy extra data in the form of data tokens. (And hey, its data token prices are cheaper than Viasat’s.) Here’s a quick look at HughesNet’s data token prices:1
- 3 GB: $9
- 5 GB: $15
- 10 GB: $30
- 25 GB: $75
Contracts, equipment, and fees
HughesNet’s still stuck on that two-year contract, and its equipment fees can be pricey.
Just like Viasat, HughesNet locks you into a two-year service contract. Your price does stay the same for all 24 months, with no surprise price hikes—which is nice.
But we still dislike contracts and wish HughesNet (and Viasat) would either stop using them or limit them to just one year.
That said, satellite internet is a pain to set up and a pain to return, so you probably won’t want to switch it out too often anyway. And if you don’t plan on moving anytime soon, then two years isn’t a terribly long time to keep your internet service.
Equipment
HughesNet’s broadband internet service requires a satellite antenna and a modem. You can buy this equipment from HughesNet, or you can just lease it. Either way, it’s going to be pricey.
Leased antenna and modem | Purchased antenna and modem |
$14.99/mo. (for 24 mos) | $449.99 |
Data effective 10/14/2019. Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change.
If you’re sticking with HughesNet for only two years, the leased equipment option will save you some money.
At the end of two years, the $14.99 monthly fee adds up to $359.76, which is delightful compared to the $449.99 purchase fee.
However, those totals don’t take into account the $99 activation fee, which is waived if you purchase your equipment. If you lease, you’ll end up paying that activation fee, bringing your two-year rental fee total to $458.76. So at that point . . . maybe just purchase it outright.
Buying your equipment outright is starting to sound like a smart move by now. And if you plan to keep your HughesNet satellite internet service for at least 31 months, you’ll end up spending less than if you rented—not counting the activation fee.
Once you’ve decided between renting and leasing your equipment, you should get the option to schedule installation. And this is definitely a job you want the pros to take care of, no matter how handy you are.
HughesNet uses third-party contractors to install your satellite antenna and modem. That means the contractors don’t work directly for HughesNet, so the quality of your customer service is a bit of an unknown. But your installer will be able to find the right spot, angle, and height for your dish to catch the best signal.
Remember: Installation can take around four hours, so block out at least half your day.
Service fees
HughesNet charges a $99 activation fee if you lease your equipment. Depending on how long you plan to keep your service, that could be another reason to buy your equipment outright.
- Installation fee: If you lease your equipment, there’s a $99 activation fee. If you buy your equipment, installation is included and the activation fee is waived.
As for early termination fees, if you cut your HughesNet contract short, expect to pay out the wazoo for it.
- Early termination fee: You’ll pay $85 minimum if you cancel your service early, and depending on when you cancel, you could pay up to $400.
The early termination fee decreases the longer you keep your service. But the lowest you’ll possibly pay to cancel is $85, which is still a decent chunk of change.
If you cancel before your equipment is installed, HughesNet says it’ll refund what you paid when you placed your order. But if your equipment is already installed and you decide to cancel your internet service only 90 days or less into your two-year contract, there’ll be a big honkin’ $400 cancellation fee heading your way.
This is one of the reasons we dislike contracts so much. Who can know for sure they won’t need to end their service early? Life happens.
And even if you cancel after those first 90 days, you’ll still owe a hefty amount: $400 minus $15 for each month you’ve kept your service. Ugh.
Customer service
We’re giving HughesNet’s customer service our best look of disapproval.
Read a HughesNet review or two and you’ll find some unhappy campers.
Sadly, the same is true for pretty much every internet service provider (ISP). In the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) report, the highest-rated provider, Verizon Fios, scored only 70 out of 100—and the industry average was 62 out of 100.2
That’s a C and D grade, respectively.
HughesNet itself didn’t receive a rating, but instead was rated in the category of “All Others” by the ACSI. Take that as you will—we think there’s a good chance HughesNet has work to do on the customer service front.
ACSI 2019 rating |
64 out of 100 |
If you’re stuck with no other solution but to call HughesNet customer service, here are three tips that might make the situation a little more bearable:
- Get it all in writing—and we mean everything. If you’re told you’ll receive a refund, ask if the representative can email the details to you. Even if they can’t, write down their name, the date the promise was made, and the amount you were told would be refunded.
- Hop on live chat or use email. These make it easier to get everything in writing, and you won’t end up glued to the phone while you wait on hold.
- Advocate for yourself. If your current customer service rep isn’t helpful, ask if you can speak to their manager. We don’t advise getting mad, though. Instead, remember the old adage that you “catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.”
Our picks: The best HughesNet plans
Best for casual web surfers: 20 GB
Who it’s best for: Casual video streamers or anyone who downloads a few files a month
Why we picked it: The 20 GB plan gives you just enough data to do a little video streaming along with your web browsing. We recommend watching your videos in SD (480p), which uses about 1 GB of data per hour. HD videos (up to 1080p), on the other hand, gobble up 3 GB of data an hour.
Data effective 10/14/2019. Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change.
Best for families who stream together: 50 GB
Who it’s best for: Kiddos who love to stream Disney movies—and their parents too
Why we picked it: While this is HughesNet’s most expensive plan, it comes with 50 GB of data. That’s enough to keep some of the most demanding kids entertained with hours of family-friendly flicks and TV shows. (Plus there should be enough data left over for mom and dad to watch their shows after the kids have gone to bed.)
Data effective 10/14/2019. Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change.
Recap: Is HughesNet good?
HughesNet is a good pick if you don’t need lots of speed and want to avoid price hikes.
Satellite internet is never mind-blowing, but HughesNet offers consistent speeds across the country. Plus, it won’t throw any mid-contract price gotchas your way.
If you live in an area where satellite internet is your only option and price is more important to you than download speed, HughesNet is a great choice. Otherwise, we think Viasat’s speeds make it the better pick.
- Prices and plans: HughesNet scores points in our books for transparent plans and pricing. You’ll pay a higher price for more data, and can always pay for extra data tokens too.
- Speed: We wish HughesNet offered more than one download speed of 25 Mbps. Still, this is enough speed to take care of business online, and even stream a little too.
- Contracts, equipment, and fees: HughesNet plans come with a two-year contract, which is pretty standard. And depending on how long you plan to keep your service, it may be worth forking over the money to buy your HughesNet equipment.
- Customer service: No internet provider earns a gold medal for customer service. We’d love to see HughesNet and others improve.
Monthly price | Download speeds | Data cap | Learn more | |
![]() | $59.99–$149.99* | 25 Mbps | 10–50 GB | View Plans |
Sources
- HughesNet Community, “Token Prices . . . ?”
- American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), “Telecommunications Report 2018–2019”
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