Ben Leavitt loved living in the New Mexico desert and wanted to telecommute part-time, but he was unable to find a rural internet provider that was close enough to his house. After talking to a friend about the advantages of unlimited wireless internet, Ben ordered a starter kit from Unlimited LTE Advanced. However, he couldn't get service until AT&T fixed wireless service at his house. The service tech explained how to research cell towers and discovered that the nearest tower was nine miles away.
3G
It is nearly impossible to imagine unlimited wireless internet in rural areas. While many rural communities are plagued with sluggish connections, 4G technology is making inroads into more rural areas. The result: these rural dwellers can now enjoy high-speed, hassle-free internet. And now they can even play online games. What's more, these rural areas can take advantage of a more affordable and robust internet plan.
Galen Manners, an entrepreneur and former wireless network technologist, needed a solution to his remote location. Because his job required him to stay on the family farm, he couldn't find a rural internet provider near his house. He eventually decided to build a cell tower on his family's land and buy a dedicated phone line for his rural broadband network. Eventually, his rural broadband network expanded to include his home, bringing high-speed internet options to 2,500 neighbors in Labette County.
Satellite
Unlike cable, wireless internet is more reliable and faster in rural areas. It does not experience interruptions caused by obstacles or weather conditions. While it offers high-speed internet, it comes with data caps and can be slower than cable. Streaming videos and playing games on the internet is also possible, but the service can be unreliable and occasionally reboots. So, if you live in an area without a stable Internet connection, you can look for other ways to stay connected.
The best rural internet providers include Viasat, Rise Broadband, Kinetic by Windstream, T-Mobile, CenturyLink, and Verizon. DSL offers limited speeds from 1 to 140 Mbps, while satellite internet is available almost anywhere, as long as there is a clear view of the southern sky. HughesNet and Viasat offer 100 Mbps speeds and Elon Musk's Starlink has 150 Mbps.
Fixed wireless
A fixed wireless internet provider is a provider of high-speed broadband internet access to a single location, using radio waves to communicate with the device. This type of internet is particularly beneficial in rural areas because it can be set up in a wide area without the need for physical cables to each address. A fixed wireless internet provider may also be able to serve a suburban or urban neighborhood. These types of providers are renowned for connecting rural America.
Another form of fixed wireless internet is the Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), which runs on landline phone networks. It offers faster speeds than dial-up and does not interfere with the telephone signal. While DSL is available in rural areas, the cost of laying down cable and obtaining permits is prohibitive. Fixed wireless internet is therefore an ideal alternative in both urban and rural areas. The reliability is on par with fibre connections.
Mobile hotspots
There are several options for mobile hotspots for unlimited wireless internet in rural areas. Most of these hotspots work off the network of your cellular carrier and provide high-speed Internet access. However, if you are in an area where the network is congested or the speed is low, a hotspot can be an excellent choice. Some plans include a free monthly data allowance and others require an additional monthly fee.
The Netgear Nighthawk 5G Hotspot Pro is a pocket-sized device with a display that shows your battery percentage, speed, and how much data you have left on your data plan. The device supports 5G speeds and connects up to 32 Wi-Fi devices to your network. It also includes Wi-Fi 6, has a large battery, and can be used on a regular basis. It's worth noting that AT&T's 5G Nighthawk is currently unavailable.