In the Countryside: What are Your Internet Options?

Living in the countryside definitely has its benefits; low crime rates, clean air, fewer regulations, more privacy and freedom. However, with these benefits comes a clear disadvantage: very few internet options.

In the United States, people living in rural areas and small towns have only two main internet services available to them:

·         DSL internet

·         Satellite internet

Which one is best for you? Let’s find out.

DSL Internet

DSL is a broadband technology that delivers internet services through copper telephone lines. It provides internet coverage to both urban and rural areas. However, in rural areas,its speed tends to be relatively slower.

The slower speed of DSL in rural areas can be attributed to the technology’s sensitivity to long-distance connections.

Often, in rural areas, access points are located farther away from homes and local offices, which makes DSL internet slower. In some cases, depending on the location of the user, the speed of the internet connection can even decrease to 1–5 Mbps.

ISPs that provide DSL internet connection in rural areas include: HughesNet, CenturyLink, Verizon, AT&T, and others.

Satellite Internet

Satellite internet relies on a physical dish installed on a consumer’s property to receive data from a satellite in space. The biggest advantage of the technology is that it delivers the same speed to all users, wherever they might be located.

That being said, users may sometimes experience intermittent service interruptions when using satellite internet during inclement weather.

It’s worth notingthat satellite internet is more expensive than DSL, both in terms of setup cost and monthly plans.

ISPs that provide satellite internet connection in rural areas include: DirecTV, Dish, Viasat, Hughesnet, and Big Bend Telephone Company (only in Texas).

DSL or Satellite?

From the above discussion, it’s clear to see that DSL trumps satellite internet connection in terms of affordability, while the latter has distinct superiority in coverage and service uniformity.

However, there are some other differences as well between DSL and satellite that are worth keeping in consideration:

·         First, a satellite internet connection usually comes with higher minimum contract terms than a DSL internet connection

·         Second, unlike a DSL internet service contract, a satellite internet service contract usually has ETF.

·         Third,a satellite internet connection offers faster internet speed than a DSL internet connection (although, this isn’t always necessary)

·         Fourth, a satellite internet connection has much more limited bandwidth and data cap compared to a DSL internet connection

Considering everything, DSL internet connection is better than satellite internet connection in most aspects. But if you live in an area where DSL connection is “extremely”slow and not fast enough to meet your internet needs, a satellite internet connection could be a better option.

KonectEaze has a complete list of top rural internet providers sorted by zip code to help you conveniently shop for the best internet plan for your countryside home, farm or office. View our database here.