HughesNet gives affordable internet to places without wired options like DSL or cable, especially in rural areas. Their pricing is simpler compared to others, and most plans offer the same speed: 25 Mbps.
They also have something called HughesNet Fusion, a mix of satellite and wireless internet. It is good for real-time things like games and video chats, even though it does not always mean faster speeds.
While many HughesNet customers told us they usually get the speed they paid for, our tests sometimes showed speeds lower than the claimed 25 Mbps. Our connection did speed up sometimes, but overall, it was slower than what HughesNet says.
On the other side, when your speeds are low, you do not use up your data too quickly. So, even if the speeds are not super high, you might not need as much data, and that is what you are paying for with satellite internet.
Pros:
- Fusion plans with low latency
- Satellite-only plans at a lower price
- Purchased data does not expire
Cons:
- Slower speeds
- Lower data caps
Our HughesNet Test
We tried out HughesNet to check if it matched what the company promised and what other users said. Setting it up was easy, and the people installing it did a great job (but remember, your experience might be different because HughesNet works with local contractors). We chose a 75 GB satellite-only plan and started testing it out.
Testing HughesNet Speeds
We wanted to check how fast the 25 Mbps download speed of HughesNet really is. We did different online speed tests and got various results, some higher than the promised 25 Mbps. HughesNet has an app that helps you track how much data you use each month.
For a 4K video, you need at least 25 Mbps, so we found one on YouTube. We used a special tool to keep the video quality at 4K, even if there were buffering issues. Sadly, our connection could not handle it well. It struggled with HD videos, too. Without the tool, YouTube would often reduce the video quality to 720p or 480p, which works with speeds below 3 Mbps.
We streamed 4K videos for 12 hours daily until we used up all our monthly data (75 GB). It took 19 days, using around 3.75 GB to 4.5 GB per day. That is about 43 to 45 minutes of video over 12 hours. Not the best experience.
What if you use up all your data
We really wanted to know what would happen if we went over our data limit. Would the internet still work a bit, or would it stop completely? After using all our data, our internet got slower, but not as much as we thought. Like before, it depended on which speed test we used, but a few things were clear:
- Speeds without data were slower than when we had data.
- The test results were still higher than our average speed.
- Speeds were better in the morning and slower in the evening.
The good news is the speed does not drop as much as it does with some other providers. Instead of suddenly making your internet really slow, it seems like they prioritize your internet traffic differently. This means you might get slightly faster internet during quiet times and slower internet during busy times. The bad news is even with these changes, your connection is still pretty slow.
Even though our speed tests showed it was slower, the difference during the day did not seem that big. We could not see exactly how much data we used because the app just said we had zero data left. However, in 12 hours, we managed to watch about 43 minutes of 4K video, which is similar to what we could do before we ran out of data. Even though HughesNet’s pricing is based on how much data you buy, it did not make a big difference in the end.
Testing HughesNet Data Tokens
Getting HughesNet Data Tokens is super easy. The HughesNet app tells you when your monthly data is running low, and you can buy tokens in the app. The cost of tokens is added to your monthly bill, so you do not need to worry about having a credit card on hand or making an extra payment.
When we added data tokens, our speed tests showed faster results than before, and any leftover data from the tokens went to the next month. The app keeps track of data from tokens separately from your regular monthly data. So, if we ran out of data for a second month, we would already have extra high-speed data ready to use.
HughesNet Testing Takeaways
The main thing we learned from testing HughesNet is that even though it can technically reach 25 Mbps, our usual speed was much slower. This means many online things might not work well for HughesNet users.
The good part about these slower speeds is you might not need as much data. Normally, we say go for plans with lots of data because it is easy to use up a bunch, especially with satellite internet. However, with HughesNet, it was really hard to use 75 GB in less than a month. So, it is unlikely regular users would use more than 50 GB regularly.
We have not tried HughesNet’s Fusion plans yet, so we do not know how having a second network would affect speeds. However, with the satellite-only plans, keeping the internet speed consistent was tough.
Important Links
People May Ask
Where can you get HughesNet in the US?
You can get HughesNet anywhere in the contiguous United States, Puerto Rico, and Alaska! As long as you can clearly see the Southern sky, you can enjoy fast satellite Internet, more data, and built-in Wi-Fi.
Does HughesNet have an unlimited plan?
Yes, technically. All HughesNet satellite internet plans have unlimited data. However, they have “soft” data caps ranging from 15 GB to 200 GB per month. If you go over your limit, your speed might slow down.
Which HughesNet plan is the best?
Most plans have speeds up to 25 Mbps, but the Fusion 200 GB plan goes up to 50 Mbps. Depending on the plan, you get 25 or 50 Mbps for downloads and 3 Mbps for uploads.
What kind of internet is HughesNet?
HughesNet uses satellite technology to give you super-fast, always-on internet. It is available everywhere, even in places with slow or no high-speed options. HughesNet is the top choice for satellite internet in the US, with over 1 million subscribers.
