AT&T Fixed Wireless is cheaper than HughesNet and comes with more data each month (at least 300 GB more data). But AT&T’s fixed wireless service may require you to use a VPN if you need to log into secure sites, and it’s not available everywhere. HughesNet, on the other hand, is available nationwide. And it offers 50 GB of “free” data each month if you don’t mind getting up in the wee hours of the morning. So which internet service provider (ISP) is right for you? Let’s dig into the differences between HughesNet, AT&T DSL internet, and AT&T Fixed Wireless to find out. That said, HughesNet satellite internet is more likely to service your area. Since satellite internet doesn’t need cables run underground or along your phone line, it can more easily serve even the most remote locations. And as far as satellite internet goes, HughesNet is more likely to be budget-friendly than other options. Let’s take a quick peek at how HughesNet prices and plans pan out: But if you need to work from home or have a child enrolled in distance learning, those 25 Mbps speeds are going to be painful. As is that data cap. You can add data to your HughesNet plan, but it’ll cost you more on top of HughesNet’s already high prices. (Or you can stay up late and use its Bonus Zone data.) So you can see why AT&T DSL internet is our first choice. Its price is much easier to swallow, it comes with 1 TB of data, and your speeds can go up to 75 or even 100 Mbps. (Though the AT&T Internet 100 plan is a DSL-fiber internet hybrid, and we don’t expect it to be available in truly rural areas.) If AT&T offers only speeds less than 25 Mbps in your area, it’s worth your time to give HughesNet a seriously hard look. Or you can check if AT&T Fixed Wireless serves your area. While AT&T Fixed Wireless doesn’t have very impressive download speeds, it does offer 350 GB of data each month. That’s miles beyond your initial data handout from HughesNet, and you can also add more data to your AT&T Fixed Wireless plan. Not to mention that AT&T Fixed Wireless prices get you more for your money than pretty much all of HughesNet’s plans when it comes to data. And your equipment price is included in that monthly bill—HughesNet charges $14.99 a month to rent its satellite dish receiver. Also, both AT&T DSL and Fixed Wireless come with no contract, while HughesNet requires you to lock-in on a 2-year contract. Talk about a ball-and-chain commitment. You do need a clear line of sight from your antenna to the tower to maintain a fixed wireless signal, but since the tower is a lot closer to your home than a satellite hovering in Earth’s orbit, you’ll experience a lot less lag. Learn more in our fixed wireless internet guide. AT&T Internet is available in 21 different states, mostly in the Midwest and Southern US.
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View HughesNet Plans | Read the HughesNet Internet Review View AT&T DSL Plans | View AT&T Fixed Wireless Plans | Read the AT&T Internet Review All of HughesNet’s satellite internet plans come with 25 Mbps speeds, which is enough to let you browse Facebook, stream a few shows in SD (or maybe HD), and … that’s about it. The same story goes for AT&T Fixed Wireless internet, which says you’ll get anywhere from 10 to 25 Mbps download speeds. Sometimes, though, internet speed is out of your control. So to get an idea of how well (or not so well) these ISPs actually deliver on internet speed, we took a look at several hundred thousand speed test results in our fastest ISPs report. Here’s how HughesNet and AT&T internet speeds fared. Still, the results are telling. HughesNet speeds aren’t all that zippy. (Though it did score better than the alternative satellite internet provider, Viasat.) And AT&T speeds will probably keep your appetite for the latest internet memes and Netflix originals satiated. One potential workaround for this issue is to use a VPN—Windscribe is a free VPN that other AT&T Fixed Wireless customers recommended if you need a dedicated IP address. You can add more data to your HughesNet or AT&T Fixed Wireless plan. But it’ll cost you. Here’s a quick look at data token costs for these two services:
HughesNet data tokens: You can buy 3 to 25 GB of extra data that costs $9 to $75 extra. Data tokens don’t expire—hooray! HughesNet Bonus Zone data: You get 50 GB of extra data to use each month between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m. your time. AT&T Fixed Wireless data add ons: You’ll pay $10 per 50 GB of extra data, up to a maximum of $200 (or 1 TB) of data each month. Sadly, this data expires each month.
View AT&T DSL Plans | View AT&T Fixed Wireless Plans | Read the AT&T Internet Review But overall, customers rated AT&T slightly higher than HughesNet in terms of satisfaction. If you do experience an outage or other issue with either ISP, keep in mind these tips for dealing with customer service. (Seriously, they’ve saved our butts a few times.) View AT&T DSL Plans | View AT&T Fixed Wireless Plans | Read the AT&T Internet Review
Price: AT&T Internet. AT&T’s DSL internet comes at the cheapest monthly price, and it offers the best speeds and data. There’s never been a clearer winner. AT&T Fixed Wireless is our second choice thanks to no equipment fees and lower prices than HughesNet. Internet speed: AT&T Internet. If you can get AT&T DSL internet with speeds of at least 25 Mbps, you’re sitting pretty. HughesNet and AT&T Fixed Wireless cap out at around 25 Mbps each, which isn’t enough speed for any serious internet users or families. Data caps: AT&T Internet. AT&T DSL internet comes with 1 TB of data—and you don’t pay extra to get it. AT&T Fixed Wireless is the runner-up here with 350 GB of data each month and a chance to pay for more in $10 increments. HughesNet offers data tokens that cost up to $75 extra, which is a bummer since its plans don’t come with much data to begin with. Customer service: Both AT&T and HughesNet score in the middle of the pack for customer satisfaction.
