Best rural providers
Many nationwide providers offer internet solutions in rural areas. Here’s a list of some of the best high-speed internet options for rural areas.
Provider | Type | Min. speed | User rating | Get it |
---|---|---|---|---|
Viasat | Satellite | 12 Mbps | N/A | View plans |
HughesNet | Satellite | 25 Mbps | 3.75/5 | View plans |
AT&T | Fixed Wireless | 10 Mbps | 3.83/5 | View plans |
Windstream | DSL | 15 Mbps | N/A | View plans |
Verizon | 4G LTE | 25 Mbps | 3.96/5 | View plans |
Data as of 1/10/21. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Rural internet service types
There are many different types of internet services that cover rural areas, and each has its pros and cons. Not all types are available in all areas, and internet service providers (ISPs) use different types of connections in different places. So the most you can do is find the service in your area that best meets your needs. Enter your zip code at the top of the page to find out what providers are available in your area.
The most important differences between internet types in rural areas are availability, cost, speed, and latency. Not all of these factors matter to everyone, so there is no single “best” option. The best rural internet is the plan fits your needs the closest.
DSL
DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) internet uses copper phone lines to carry its signal just like dial-up internet, but DSL offers much faster speeds and more reliable connections than dial-up. DSL gives you up to ten times faster speeds than dial-up and doesn’t tie up the phone line when it’s in use. And because it uses existing phone lines, DSL is relatively cheap and extends farther into rural areas than any other type of wired network.
The downside of DSL is that it’s an older technology that’s already pushing the limits of what copper wires can do. Many companies are beginning to phase out their DSL networks while others, like AT&T, are no longer offering DSL plans to new customers.1 If your house is already wired for DSL, it might be what you need in a pinch, but we don’t recommend DSL as a long-term internet solution.
Satellite
Satellite internet is the only internet option that’s available almost everywhere in the United States. This means that for many people who live in remote areas, satellite might be their only option for internet.
Satellite sends you an internet signal via a satellite in Earth orbit. It can offer reasonable download speeds but has the highest latency due to the distance the signal has to travel. Satellite plans also have more restrictive data caps and are much more expensive than other plans offering similar speeds.
While there are definite downsides to satellite internet, things could be changing with the introduction of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations like Starlink and OneWeb. Instead of having a single large satellite in a high, geosynchronous orbit that is always visible, these providers operate constellations of thousands of tiny satellites that zip around the earth in formation, ensuring that there’s always at least one visible above you. LEO satellites could provide lower latency, faster speeds, and lower costs, but these technologies are still in the early stages.2,3 It remains to be seen if they will actually live up to the hype.
Fixed wireless
Fixed wireless internet broadcasts a signal from a central tower to the surrounding community. It offers faster speeds and lower latency than many other wireless technologies. Fixed wireless is most common in larger communities and near urban areas, where it often fills in the gaps between other providers’ coverage areas. Many fixed wireless connections are offered by smaller, local ISPs, which allows you to support local businesses when choosing your internet provider.
Fixed wireless is less common than other technologies, but don’t forget about it when shopping for a new internet plan. Even if you don’t recognize the ISP, fixed wireless might be the upgrade you’re looking for if it’s in your area.

5G
5G is the fifth generation of cellular technology, and it promises to be a huge leap forward from 4G. It will be up to ten times faster than 4G (and even faster compared to some 4G LTE connections), it will have low latency, and it will be able to handle huge amounts of internet traffic without slowing down. Unfortunately, the higher frequency signals that allow for these improvements are also much shorter range, which means there need to be far more 5G towers to broadcast a signal to the same area as one 4G tower.
Despite the inherent challenges with extending 5G infrastructure into rural areas, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has made rural 5G a priority and set aside funding specifically for bringing this technology to rural areas.4 If successful, 5G would allow rural customers to enjoy the benefits of a connection on par with those in urban areas.

4G LTE
4G LTE internet uses the same cellular network that your phone uses to deliver an internet connection. The advantage of this technology is that phone companies have already built out nationwide 4G infrastructure, so if you can get cell reception, you can get internet service. This makes it a good alternative to satellite internet in rural areas.
You can connect devices to the internet using your phone as a hotspot or by buying a dedicated mobile hotspot. Many ISPs—like Verizon—are also offering 4G LTE home internet, which uses a more traditional router. Although you can’t take it with you wherever you go, 4G LTE home internet plans are generally cheaper and offer higher data caps (or unlimited data), which makes them better suited to the needs of a whole household.