HughesNet® brings the Perfect Satellite Internet Plan for You
HughesNet Plans at a steal price of
$59.99/mo.*
- America’s best satellite internet
- Up to 25 Mbps Download and 3 Mbps Upload Speeds
- Up to 50 GB flexible data plans
- Available in 33,131 zip codes across America
- Exclusive Guest Wi-Fi feature
*Actual speeds may vary. Per month pricing and taxes valid for the length of the contract subject to revision at the provider’s discretion. Additional fees and conditions apply. Requires a 24-month contract.
When we are talking about satellite internet, there are no other options than HughesNet and Viasat. Both these ISPs are providing broadband services throughout the USA via satellites orbiting the earth in space. They are the only ones with enough reach to connect the residents of rural areas to the urban, metropolitan cities.
We will not be recommending any one of them as the choice depends completely upon the customers requirements and their finances. However, we will list down all the pros and cons of both these providers to give you an idea of their services. When choosing between their services, you should keep in mind all that each of these internet service providers offers. You can check online for HughesNet services or go to Viasats official website to check theirs.
Lets highlight their services in comparison with one another.
HughesNet versus Viasat
If you are looking for a budget-friendly deal that doesn’t compromise on quality and you’re a light internet user then HughesNet is the ISP for you. The offered speed isn’t too great but is very consistent and enough for most internet requirements. With 25 Mbps speed, you can get plans that start from $59.99 for 10 GB of data per month. The maximum number of GBs that you can have with their listed plan is 50 GB.
Viasat’s speed reaches around 100 Mbps and the data available is up to 300 GB per month. What you need to remember with this though is the fact that all of their prices are promotional and they end at 3 months into the contract. The prices go through a big hike, which isn’t great. However, if you’re not concerned with prices then Viasat is a good option for you.
We’re going to see a detailed comparison of their prices, plans, and data caps. You will be able to know and select the provider that you think is more suitable according to your needs as well as location.
Pros and Cons for Viasat
You get fast-speed internet that is up to 100 Mbps.
More options with a good price range for more data and high speeds.
With Unlimited plans, you can up to 300 GB of data a month.
Prices go up after the initial three months by $15 to $50.
In case the data limit is exceeded, Viasat will reduce the download speed to 1 to 5 Mbps.
You cannot add more data if you exceed the data limit within the current billing month.
Pros and Cons for Hughesnet
You can add data at any point in time to your existing plan by buying data tokens.
The listed price for all plans remains the same for the two-year contract.
Plans are more affordable with no hard data caps and slow but reasonable speeds.
There is no other speed option except one, i.e., 25 Mbps.
Data speed reduced to 1 to 3 Mbps after the data limit is exceeded.
The prices for higher plans are a tad higher with not enough data.
Viasat vs. HughesNet: Prices
If your finances do not allow it then go for HughesNet plans with fewer data and consistent average speeds. Having said that, HughesNet internet speed is not bad or so slow that you cannot use it. With not enough internet choices available at remote locations, HughesNet is offering reliable services without compromising on service quality.
Viasat on the other hand with its 100 Mbps download speed is offering the fastest satellite internet service. We do wish that the prices were not prone to the three-month jump.
HughesNet plans go as follows:
| Internet Data Plans | Features | Pricing | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 GB |
|
$59.99/mo* | Call to Order |
| 20 GB |
|
$69.99/mo* | Call to Order |
| 30 GB |
|
$99.99/mo* | Call to Order |
| 50 GB |
|
$149.99/mo* | Call to Order |
Viasat plans go as follows:
| Plan Name | Price per month | Download speeds | Data caps | Price after 3mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty 12 | $30 | 12 Mbps | 12 GB | $50 |
| Liberty 25 | $50 | 12 Mbps | 25 GB | $75 |
| Liberty 50 | $75 | 12 Mbps | 50 GB | $100 |
| Unlimited Bronze 12 | $50 | 12 Mbps | 80 GB | $70 |
| Unlimited Silver 25 | $70 | 25 Mbps | 120 GB | $100 |
| Unlimited Gold 30 | $100 | 30 Mbps | 100 GB | $150 |
| Unlimited Gold 30 | $100 | 30 Mbps | 100 GB | $150 |
| Unlimited Gold 50 | $100 | 50 Mbps | 200 GB | $150 |
| Unlimited Silver 12 | $100 | 12 Mbps | 45 GB | $150 |
| Unlimited Silver 12 | $150 | 12 Mbps | 65 GB | $200 |
| Unlimited Platinum 100 | $150 | 100 Mbps | 300 GB | $200 |
Viasat plans are kind of confusing and complicated. We do wish they would simplify them to a reasonable extent. They offer many choices and the download speeds for some are actually quite good. The problem arises when they hike these up during the term of the contract. More data with more speed means a higher price and on it goes.
Which service you choose at the end depends on whether you’re willing to compromise on the price or not. Additionally, your requirements from the internet connection also play a huge role.
Both HughesNet and Viasat have their separate vicissitudes. You can save some cash on HughesNet if you’re a light internet user with limited needs like casual web surfing, checking and sending light emails, and using social media apps. You can call the HughesNet customer service center, talk to a representative and get help regarding plans and deals or you can get online help, 24/7.
However, if you want to be able to stream and surf, or you’re a high-end software geek then Viasat may turn out to be a much feasible option.
Moreover, because of the three-month price hike, making an exact comparison between both their plans becomes tricky. To give you an idea, think about this as a mathematical equation. If you take HughesNet 20 GB plan costing $69.99 and compare it with a similar plan of Viasat, I.e., the Liberty 25 plan, which one do you think will be better. Here’s how you can calculate.
HughesNet plan costs $69.99. Multiply it with the 24-month contract and you get an annual fee of $1,679.76.
Viasat’s plan costs $50 initially. Multiply with the 3 months that the price remains constant. After the price hike, the plan costs $75. Multiply this to the next 21 months left of the contract. Add both numbers and you get $1,725 per year, which is more than HughesNet total price for the year.
HughesNet and Viasat Data Caps
Both these ISPs have data caps even when they do boast about a relaxed data limit, especially Viasat that calls some of its internet plans unlimited. On the other hand, HughesNet calls their data caps data guidelines or soft data caps. If you exceed your set data limit, your services will not terminate. You will keep getting them but at reduced speeds, ranging from 1 to 3 Mbps. Viasat’s also does not cancel its services after data exceeds. Reduced speeds of 1 to 5 Mbps will be available to all customers.
There is a silver lining here for HughesNet customers though. They offer an additional 50 GB of data to all their customers regardless of the internet plan that they have subscribed to. It’s called the Bonus Zone. You can use this data between 2 am and 8 am.
HughesNet and Viasat Customer services
Like every other ISP, both Viasat and HughesNet can do well after some improvements to their customer services. There is room for some positive changes. Customers using Satellite internet services are already at a disadvantage in comparison to those using other wired networks. The service is more expensive, the equipment and related fees are more costly. They require support from their internet service provider in case of a slow or no internet connection.
However, both do offer 24/7 helpline support as well as email and a live chat option.
We hope this basic comparison helped create a better understanding of satellite internet options. Happy hunting.
