Hughesnet is a top Satellite internet provider in the United States that provides internet connections through satellite to millions of people in rural areas. Since many of these regions lack cable and fiber optic internet connectivity, satellite internet from providers such as Hughes Net is the only option. Nevertheless, satellite internet has its disadvantages which are the limitations of data usage compared with cable and fiber broadband internet. This makes many people ask questions such as – does Hughesnet have the unlimited data plan offer?
What is Hughesnet?
Hughesnet is a communication service company that specializes in providing satellite-based internet service to its consumers. They target their services to the rural citizens who do not have access to the standard broadband connections. Hughesnet is available in almost all the states that are found in the mainland of America.
The company was originally established in the year 1971 under the name of the Digital Communications Corporation (DCC) by Dr. Sidney N. Topol and scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It was called Galaxy Communications up to 1987 when it was bought by Hughes Aircraft Company and later assumed the current name of Hughes Communications in 2012 after rebranding from Hughesnet. Hughesnet has over 1. 3 million subscribers as of the time that this research paper was being prepared.
How Satellite Internet Works
Satellite internet operates in a different manner than cable or DSL where the service relies on physical terrain structures. In satellite internet mode, information is sent from the consumer’s abode to an orbiting satellite through an outdoor antenna procured by the provider. This satellite has a physical link with a ground station, where the data is forwarded to its intended recipient on the internet and vice versa via this two-way channel.
This satellite system enables Hughesnet to offer internet in areas where they cannot lay cables for the physical connection of the internet. However, the distance data needs to travel incurs latency as compared to a wired connection. The term latency is related to the time taken between issuing a request on the internet and the time of receiving the response. Satellite latency is normally between half a second to seven hundred milliseconds while the cable lag is much below one hundred milliseconds.
Hughesnet offers several plans where some of them are limited by data caps.
Hughesnet satellite internet services of cable/fiber internet service are one main disadvantage has strict data limits. Hughesnet offers its broadband services in packages that have data allowance varying from 10GB to 50GB monthly. It is important to know that when you go over your plan data limit, your speeds will be reduced for the rest of your monthly plan.
But even the top-end 50 GB per month offering is quite restrictive for a home’s typical internet needs nowadays. As internet usage spreads through video and music streaming, gaming, video conferencing, and other activities, this means that users can easily exceed their allocated bandwidth limits. Most of the subscribers proposed that their “anytime” capped data get used up before the billing cycle week.
Unlimited Data Plans?
Due to these strict data caps set even on their premier plan, many consumers wonder, does Hughesnet offer truly limitless plans?
As for a more detailed answer, the answer is negative, for now, Hughesnet does not provide its consumers with a plan that does not involve severe data constraints. Their Gold plan which offers 50GB per month also has charges for any data consumption above the provided limit.
For a certain price, you can buy other 10GB tokens to enable data usage above the limiting 10GB. However, there is no unlimited data plan through which one can opt for an instant subscription. Even for all the levels of service, one has to be very careful and vigilant not to incur extra costs.
The Free Zone that runs during the Late Night Restriction has limited data that restricts most of its functionalities.
Although the company does not advertise an unlimited data plan, it has introduced features they call the ‘Free Zone’ through which users can download as much as they want during specific late-night hours.
For instance, if one is subscribed to a plan that provides a monthly allowance of data usage, any data usage between midnight and 5 AM is free in terms of the monthly allowance granted. If you require to download large files, arrange software upgrades, watch videos, etc., it is better to do this within the time slot of the free late-night connectivity to save the high-speed connection. It’s good however to remember that it is still somewhat slow so large files will still take time to download.
The catch is that despite video streaming services, these may have time limitations on the availability of some content, particularly at night. Activities that use bandwidth, such as gaming or video calls, will still experience slowed speeds during the short window of unlimited data, even when the data itself is unlimited. But this means that being able to take advantage of the late night hours can be of benefit to the consumer, especially in the same way in which they would preserve their data.
This possibility of having unlimited data in the future is the next topic that we will explore.
Indeed, Hughesnet currently lacks unlimited data, as seen in other companies like Viasat, though some analysts suggest that they might have to address this threshold sooner or later. Especially as homes have HBB access and use more and more high-bandwidth applications for work, school, and entertainment.
Hughes had in the past provided an unlimited data plan a couple of years back before the company was compelled to cease the service attributed to network pressure. But satellite technology and capacity remain an important and growing factor. But, consumer internet usage is not ceasing and rural areas are also not left behind in this race. It would be possible to again introduce truly ‘unlimited’ data plans in the future both from business and practical perspectives.
For now, there is still a need to reduce data usage to preserve the available data allowance that users of Hughesnet have. However unlimited data could come back one day with the help of the satellite network as well as the competitive pressure. Hoping for unlimited data plans for satellite internet, rural Americans expect these plans to become a reality shortly as reliance on the internet increases.
