Hughesnet is one of the most popular satellite Internet service providers in the United States providing broadband satellite internet through satellites placed in geosynchronous orbit throughout the country. When it comes to getting Hughesnet for your home or business, the first thing that you would want to find out more about is the costs that would be incurred in the initial stages of subscribing to the service. Below is the list of primary costs you are likely to be charged when you contract Hughesnet satellite internet.
Upfront Equipment Fees
Hughes Internet charges other costs that are common with most Internet service providers when it comes to equipment that is required for their service connection and activation. The main hardware you will need includes: The main hardware you will need includes:
- Satellite Dish: Hughesnet provides satellite dishes in 24-inch, 34-inch, and 44-inch depending on the customer’s required Internet bandwidths. Pricing of the dishes starts from zero dollars up to $299.
- Modem/Router: You will also require an external Hughesnet modem and WiFi router in one package which ranges between $99 -$199.
- Cables/Other Accessories: These accessories include different types of cables necessary to finish the installation of the dish and modem which may increase the cost by $50 to $100 bucks.
Therefore, the range of equipment costs you are likely to be charged varies between $150 and $600 if you choose Hughesnet and require equipment for faster speed and premium. However, these first costs accrued on hardware are recovered through limited offers that may involve zero connection fees for new clients.
Installation Cost
Apart from the satellite equipment being used, you will also be required to have the dish and other related parts affixed to the outside of your home and this will require professional assistance. The cost of installation services ranges from $99 and is deducted on a one-time basis when hiring Hughesnet services. The basic installation of dog cameras can cost as little as $50 or as much as $200 or more if your situation calls for added cables, materials, or work throughout the process.
Hughesnet has both the professional installation for customers who want someone else to solve their issues and the self-installation kit for those who do not mind doing it themselves. Remember that since you selected DIY installation, you will not be able to avail of professional help in aligning and connecting your new satellite internet system and ensuring that it operates to the best of its capabilities.
Monthly Service Fees
The main cost that is repeated is the price plan for the internet service that is offered by Hughesnet and the customer selects. Here is an overview of Hughesnet's three main residential plan options and pricing:
10 GB Plan
- It also comes with a reasonable price of $59. 99 per month for the basic package.
- It’s necessary to have download speeds of at least 25 Mbps.
- 10 Gig per month as data allowance
20 GB Plan
- The basic package is available for as low as $69. 99 per month.
- And download speeds of at least 25 Mbps.
- 100 voice minutes and 20 GB data bundle per month
50 GB Plan
- To start, there is the basic hosting package which goes for $129. 99 monthly.
- Upload and download speeds of 25 Mbps
- 5000 new customers per month with 50 GB data allowance each
The first, the 10 GB plan targets clients who seldom access the internet and is offered at a low price, while the 20 GB and the 50 GB options are designed for households with more traffic requirements. This is because some factors such as geographical location, weather conditions, volume of traffic on the network, and other such factors may affect the actual speeds. There are also data-only plans available if required for an additional cost of the amount of data needed.
Hughesnet service plans have no annual contract so you can cancel anytime but you have to pay certain fees for canceling the service. However, some of them are associated with 1 year or 2 years contracts and if one decides to cancel the contract, he or she has to incur early termination fees. Again folks – there’s nothing wrong with free, but always be sure to read the small print!
Total First-Year Cost Estimate
When you add up the potential costs across all the categories - equipment fees, installation, monthly internet subscription, and taxes/fees - you can expect to pay the following range for your first year of Hughesnet service:
Low-End Estimate
$599 - $749
This would include:
- Sometimes equipment can be obtained free of charge or at a very low cost.
- A basic $99 installation
- The second plan is the $75 10 GB monthly plan.
High-End Estimate
$1,349+
This would include:
- It pays $600 for equipment upgrades.
- $200 complex installation
- Top-tier 50 GB unlimited data plan.
Relevant setup, equipment rental, and other charges prescribed by the regulatory bodies
The actual total will reflect on the factored service speeds, the amount of data, the contract duration, and the promotional rates available when subscribing to the service. Extra expenses may also be needed in case of cabling your home more than necessary or may be the need for customized equipment for the mounting of the satellite dish.
on the one hand, Hughesnet does entail considerable initial acquisition cost and installation costs, yet in terms of monthly tariffs, the service can offer fairly cheap and good quality rural internet vs non-cable competitors. A word of caution for them is that they should take their time to read all contracts and seek clarification on any matter before engaging their services. This must be done to come up with an informed decision on whether to go for Hughesnet or not based on the costs in the short run and the long run.
