Best Rural Internet Providers of 2024 - Broadlink Data Services, LLC.

Our picks

Why we chose these providers

Best rural home internet provider

$60 per month

Best wired rural internet provider

$55 per month

Best rural fixed wireless ISP

$45 – $65 per month

Fast DSL internet speeds in rural areas

$40 – $70 per month

Best satellite internet provider

$50 – $80 per month

Best cheap rural internet provider

$25 – $80 per month

Fastest satellite internet provider

$90 – $120 per month

Fastest rural internet provider

$20 – $900 per month

8 Internet providers

Speed range

72 – 245 Mbps

Price range

$60 per month

Our take – T-Mobile Home Internet has the greatest coverage of any non-satellite internet service provider, available to nearly 60% of US households, according to the Federal Communications Commission. While service isn’t the cheapest or the fastest of any rural internet provider, the unlimited data, free equipment and potential mobile bundle discount help boost the provider’s overall value.

Or call to learn more: (855) 758-2133

Speed range

72 – 245 Mbps

Price range

$60 per month

Speed range

10 – 140 Mbps

Price range

$55 per month

Our take – Aside from satellite internet providers and T-Mobile, CenturyLink has perhaps the greatest coverage area of any rural ISP, spanning suburban and rural areas across 16 states.

Or call to learn more: (855) 292-6560

Speed range

10 – 140 Mbps

Price range

$55 per month

Speed range

25 – 50 Mbps

Price range

$45 – $65 per month

Our take – Rise Broadband is a leading non-5G fixed wireless internet provider with service available in 16 states. Of those, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, Texas and Utah have the greatest serviceability.

Or call to learn more: (877) 215-6970

Speed range

25 – 50 Mbps

Price range

$45 – $65 per month

Speed range

100 – 1,000 Mbps

Price range

$40 – $70 per month

Our take – Like CenturyLink, Kinetic by Windstream also received a 6.7/10 in our review, but the provider falls short of CenturyLink in total coverage area. That said, it’s a practical choice for rural internet as the provider boasts some of the fastest DSL speeds of any rural ISP.

Or call to learn more: (877) 758-2133

Speed range

100 – 1,000 Mbps

Price range

$40 – $70 per month

Speed range

50-100 Mbps

Price range

$50 – $80 per month

Our take – Hughesnet recently introduced a new set of internet plans with increased speeds of 50 to 100Mbps and monthly priority data limits of 100 to 200GB. That’s a big jump from previous offerings (25Mbps and 15 to 100GB of data) but without a big jump in pricing.

Or call to learn more: (833) 217-7369

Speed range

50-100 Mbps

Price range

$50 – $80 per month

Speed range

100 – 1,000 Mbps

Price range

$25 – $80 per month

Our take – As a cable provider, Mediacom can deliver much faster and more reliable speeds than DSL, satellite or fixed wireless service, but its service reach is more limited. Mediacom is available to just over 2% of US residents, with service areas across much of the Midwest and South, as well as parts of California and Delaware.

Or call to learn more: (844) 382-5416

Speed range

100 – 1,000 Mbps

Price range

$25 – $80 per month

Speed range

20 – 250 Mbps

Price range

$90 – $120 per month

Our take – A satellite newcomer, Elon Musk’s Starlink promises to boost satellite internet speeds while reducing latency thanks to a massive constellation of low-orbit satellites. For a satellite internet service, speeds aren’t bad (25 to 220Mbps), and the unlimited data and low latency is a nice bonus, but initial and ongoing costs are high.

Or call to learn more: (855) 874-8909

Speed range

20 – 250 Mbps

Price range

$90 – $120 per month

Speed range

100 – 50,000 Mbps

Price range

$20 – $900 per month

Our take – Ziply Fiber offers multi-gigabit internet speeds of 2Gbps, 5Gbps, 10Gbps and now 50Gbps available in select (and rural) areas throughout the Northwest.

Or call to learn more: (877) 242-1290

Speed range

100 – 50,000 Mbps

Price range

$20 – $900 per month

How to improve your rural internet speeds

Life can be slower in rural America, as can the internet speeds. Here are some ways to help boost your home internet speeds in rural areas.

Switch providers or plans. A surefire way to improve your speeds is to switch to a provider with faster speeds or upgrade your plan with your current provider. Faster providers or plans aren’t always available, but the search tool farther up the page will give you an idea of what’s available in your area.

Used a wired Ethernet connection. It’s common to experience slower speeds when using a Wi-Fi connection. If you have a stationary device with an Ethernet port, such as a desktop computer, gaming console or smart TV, plug it directly into your modem or router via an Ethernet cable for a faster, more reliable connection.

Upgrade your equipment, or move closer to it. When only Wi-Fi will do, a high-quality router will help to keep your speeds as fast as possible throughout your home. If your connection is spotty, try moving closer to the router or adding Wi-Fi extenders to your network.

Limit the number of connected devices. The more active devices you have on your Wi-Fi network, the slower your speeds can be to each device. When running a particularly demanding task, such as streaming in HD or downloading a video game file, try disconnecting other, less-used devices from your network.

Watch your data usage. Select rural internet providers enforce data caps. Going over your limit could result in significantly slower speeds for the remainder of your billing cycle, so keep an eye on your data usage if you have a cap.

How we chose the best rural internet providers

Availability is an important consideration for CNET when evaluating home internet providers, but it plays an even larger role when it comes to rural areas where practical broadband options are fewer.

Using the most recent FCC data, I determined which providers, wired and wireless had the largest coverage areas, particularly in regions with low population densities. I then compared the speeds, pricing and service details of each to determine which providers may serve as the best option for residents of rural areas.

For more information about our review process, see our guide to how CNET reviews internet providers.