DISH is a good option for fast satellite internet if you live in a rural area where cable or fiber optic internet isn’t available. All the plans it offers have 25Mbps download speeds, which is about as fast, or faster than, traditional internet. However, the company doesn’t provide satellite internet service directly – instead, it contracts with HughesNet, our top pick. You get a discount on internet service if you bundle it with other DISH offerings, most notably the company’s satellite TV. Services are billed separately, though.
HughesNet’s satellite internet service plans have data allotments ranging from 10GB to 50GB, though the company promises unlimited data even if you reach your cap each month. Rather than cut off your internet access, it significantly slows your connection speed – when you go over your data cap, your connection slows from 25Mbps to 150Kbps, which isn’t much to work with. However, you get an additional 50GB of regular-speed data you can use each month during off-peak hours, between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m., and it doesn’t count against your plan’s bandwidth.
The biggest difference between signing up directly with HughesNet versus DISH is that if you cancel service before the end of your contract, DISH only charges you $17 per remaining month, which is slightly cheaper than HughesNet’s penalties. DISH typically waives installation costs and activation fees for new customers and reduces them for existing customers when asked.
If you need help with your satellite internet equipment or service, you can call either DISH or HughesNet. There are FAQs on both providers’ websites as well as other support materials. There are also some resources in the online user portal, and you can either access both HughesNet and DISH on the same portal or have separate portals on each site.
DISH is a good satellite TV service, and it partners with HughesNet to offer satellite internet. If you bundle both services together, you can get a discount on your internet service. All the plans offered by DISH include 25Mbps download speeds, 50GB of extra bandwidth each month during off-peak hours, and easy access to both HughesNet and DISH support teams.
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