HughesNet is one of the leading satellite Internet service providers serving in the United States that provides users with high-speed Internet access through satellite in rural and hard-to-reach areas where it is impossible to provide cable and fiber optic Internet service. Some of the common questions that people have include – Is HughesNet offering an unlimited data plan? If they are, how much will it cost me? In this article, HughesNet has been discussed in terms of its unlimited data packages and costs.
Introduction to HughesNet
HughesNet has been offering satellite internet since the year 1996, a time when it could barely be said that even half of the households possessed an internet connection. They exploit geosynchronous satellites to ensure that they cover the entire continental region of the United States. Therefore, makes it an excellent choice for individuals in rural areas who do not have any other way of getting access to the fast internet.
HughesNet satellite internet remains popular in the United States, with over 2 million users accessing the internet for their homes or businesses. It has also progressively raised its services, with the most recent offering speeds of 25Mbps in some of the packages. This is a big boost in speed and connectivity for those households that used to have Dial-up connections earlier.
All the same, consumers should note that though HughesNet internet service providers offer a fast download speed there are some cons associated with it. The first and the most important one is higher latency as compared to cable or fiber optic internet services. They have to cover a distance of about 45,000 miles to reach satellites and then return to the surface of the earth. This can result in slight hitches and latency issues, and when it is used while gaming or during video calls, for example. There are also specific limitations concerning the amount of traffic that can be transmitted per day to ensure that the company does not overwhelm its network.
HughesNet: Data Plans Which You Can Never Run Out Of Data
HughesNet initially introduced its first-ever unlimited data plan in November 2011, dubbed HughesNet Gen4. This was in response to one of the major issues with satellite internet regarding its stringent limitations on data. It means that now customers can use data without any restrictions and with no possibility of reaching the limit and facing service restrictions
HughesNet Gen5 is the latest 2021 unlimited plan of this company that has been designed to meet the needs of consumers. It offers the base plans’ speed and data priority but at a higher level compared to the previous plans. There are two options within the unlimited plan as outlined below
1.25 Mbps Unlimited Plan
This is an unlimited plan that comes at an entry level and offers 25Mbps downloading speed and 3Mbps uploading speed. Users can attach up to 10 devices and consume as much data as they wish.
The monthly allowance for this plan is $149. 99 per month. However, new subscribers are expected to pay an activation fee of $99. 99 and get the satellite equipment at a one-off cost of $299. 99. This provider also has an Early Termination Fee of $400 if the contract is terminated before the first 2 years.
When spread over the first two years of service, the total price of HughesNet Gen5’s 25 Mbps unlimited package sums to $4,039. 75.
2. 50 Mbps Unlimited Plan
For $30 extra per month, customers can opt for a faster package which has a download speed of 50 Mbps and an upload speed of 5 Mbps. This is not the case because most of the attributes such as the number of connected devices, activation fee, equipment charges, and the early termination fee remain constant.
The package for 50 Mbps is unlimited and can be availed at a monthly cost of $179. 99. Thus, in this case, you would have paid $4,359. 75 over 2 years to subscribe to this faster-unlimited data.
Additional HughesNet Plans
Aside from the unlimited data plans, HughesNet also offers metered plans for lighter data users:
- This monthly plan comes with a 10 GB data allowance and costs $59. 99 per month.
- 20 GB monthly data plan is available at $69. 99 per month.
- Internet Plan 2- 30GB Monthly Data Allowance- $99. 99 per month
- 50 GB Monthly Data Plan – $139. 99
The allowance is flexible and this can be used within 30 days at the client’s discretion. Additional charges attract $10 for each GB over the subscribed amount for a particular package. As you can see, the unlimited plans offer much more value when the amount of monthly usage surpasses 20GB.
HughesNet Internet does not burden its customers with contract obligations or credit checks. It’s just like the way you pay for usage on cell phones or cable television where you are only charged every month. No early termination charges after the initial 2 years except in cases where the plan subscribed is unlimited.
Pro Tip: In an attempt to optimize the use of available resources, there should be an effort made to use free overnight data.
Thus, every HughesNet plan offered to consumers comes with a special provision of a Bonus Zone or free data usage at night. These free service offers include every single day from 2 am to 8 am local time, customers get to experience unthrottled high-speed data that is not measured by any monthly data caps or ceilings.
Thus, if you have the option of when to use the connection, downloading and streaming such activities as software updates or videos at night would help you save a lot of your data allowance during the day. Bonus Zone is one of the positive aspects of HughesNet that can be of benefit to the clients to set their internet usage to the best.
The Bottom Line
HughesNet Gen5 Unlimited is currently the only plan that is unlimited satellite internet plan that does not come with a restriction such as a monthly usage cap. However as seen in this article the equipment cost, activation fee, early termination fee, and the monthly charges may not be pocket-friendly in the long run. Customers are willing to pay a premium for saturated data that is not metered compared to what they are willing to pay for metered plans.
But, for the rural Americans who do not have cable or fiber broadband, HughesNet unlimited service would remain the only possible way to get a high-speed internet connection capable of supporting voice, data, and video at these prices. To businesses located in remote places, the connectivity and the availability of uncapped data in particular can offer entirely different opportunities that were not available at all before.
