Dish Network Internet Review – Worth The Money in 2024?

Wondering if Dish network satellite internet services are worth it in 2024? We put their services to the test and you may be surprised like we were, read on to see if they are worth switching providers..

Some of us are still curious about Dish Net and Internet services from Dish Network.

We still remember the name Dish Net or occasionally spot a neighbor with their equipment.

That aside, many want to know whether Dish still offers Satellite Internet Services or whether you can get any Internet service from them at all.

To cut a long story short, Dish no longer provides satellite internet.

Rather the company collaborates with HughesNet to provide satellite Internet.

This indicates that you can still get the Internet through Dish, sometimes as a stand-alone plan or a bundle with Dish TV and other services.

Dish Internet Overview

In early 2017, Dish’s parent company restricted and simplified its business.

Previously, Echostar offered two Satellite internet plans, which included DishNet and HughesNet.

It seemed unreasonable to offer the same satellite internet and still compete with the sister company.

For that reason, Dish got out and only offered DSL based Internet known as DishNet Wireline.

Consequently, people could also get Satellite Internet through HughesNet.

In the same year, DISH dropped its DishNet Wireline, and for that reason, Dish started to focus more on its TV service.

But you can still collaborate with Dish to get the Internet from HughesNet and at the same time bundle that with Dish TV service.

Pros

• High-speed Internet service with Viasat
• Reasonable Prices
• Good Internet for streaming
• Best Bundle packages

Cons

• High data caps
• Medium Internet speeds
• Comparatively high Internet prices

Dish Prices and Internet plans

As I had stated earlier, Dish partners with a couple of ISPs to provide Internet to you.

First of all, Dish offers Satellite Internet through the sister Company, HughesNet.

But you can still get the Internet via Spectrum and Viasat.

The prices are also very likely to vary depending on the ISP you picked and the plans you’re opting for.

Before I check the specific Internet plans for specific ISPs, allow me to state that Satellite Internet is a specialty service, and for that reason, it’s more expensive than DSL.

On the Dish Internet, the prices vary from $50 to $125.

New Customers always qualify for lower introductory prices.

Dish Internet Partners for Internet and Bundle packages

Frontier FiOS

Dish partners with Frontier to offer cheap Internet in the rural areas.

Thus, the Dish and Frontier internet bundles have different prices from the Viasat Internet plans and bundle packages.

We all know that Frontier offers Fiber and DSL internet.

For that reason, you can choose Frontier FiOS or Frontier DSL to bundle with Dish TV.

Pros

• High speeds of up to 940Mbps
• Highly reliable signals
• Tons of devices connected at once
• Highly reliable Internet
• Plenty of sports coverage

Cons

• It’s expensive
• Low availability.

Dish Network Partnership with Viasat

Viasat is a provider of Satellite Internet.

They send signals to the satellites orbiting the planet direct to a dish in your residence.

These companies partner to provide satellite Internet as well as TV to people living in rural areas.

Consequently, you can choose DISH internet via Viasat for all your operations.

Pros

• Speeds of up to 100Mbps
• Wide availability
• Wireless signals
• Unlimited rural Internet data plans

Cons

• Comparatively lower speeds
• Speeds can be lower than advertised

Dish Internet via HughesNet

Satellite Internet is comparatively more expensive than DSL and Fiber in some cases, but HughesNet is a good option for their affordable Internet plans.

Dish Network partners with HughesNet to offer satellite internet with speeds up to 25Mbps.

The only challenge is that you have to pick a data limit, which equally affects the monthly cost.

Pros

• Transparent and clear plans and pricing
• No mid-contract prices
• High data caps

Cons

• Low Data caps
• Only 25Mbps internet speed Options

Should I choose HughesNet or Viasat for Satellite Internet?

The type of ISP that Dish partners depend heavily on the location and the options you have on the ground.

This indicates that you will probably not have a choice as to which ISP to partner with when you want to bundle Internet and Dish satellite TV.

But it’s good to opt for HughesNet if their Internet plans are sold in your area and if you need internet-only service.

This is because of the low cost, better customer service, greater coverage area, and more diverse plans.

Dish Internet speeds and data caps

Dish is a good Satellite Internet option for people living in rural areas.

It offers Internet plans with download speeds of up to 25Mbps.

This is good enough Internet speed for Satellite options.

As we all know, satellite Internet is slow and inconsistent, especially when the weather is bad.

But 25Mbps is faster than the traditional Internet.

As explained above, Dish doesn’t provide Satellite Internet on its own.

It can partner with Viasat or HughesNet to provide Internet plans to people in rural areas.

This way, you’re likely to get a discount if you bundle HughesNet Internet with Dish Offerings.

Unfortunately, HughesNet Satellite Internet service has a data allotment of 10GB and 50 GB.

This is not enough data for serious online streamers and gamers.

The good news is that nothing is likely to happen even after reaching the monthly data limits.

HughesNet promises unlimited data even after surpassing this data allotment limit.

Rather than disconnecting you, HughesNet will only reduce the download speeds but still maintain the connection.

But I didn’t like the fact that your Internet speed will be reduced from 25Mbps to 150Kbps.

This speed isn’t enough to work with.

Fortunately, you will get another 50GB with regular speeds to use between 2 a.m.

to 8 a.m., and this will not count against your plan’s bandwidth.

I have to state that Dish will charge you $17 for the remaining months after canceling.

This is slightly lower than what HughesNet will individually penalize you when you want to cancel the contract.

Another important thing is that you can always call either of the companies when you have problems with Dish TV or HughesNet Internet.

Any of these companies will be in a position to help you significantly.

Dish Fees, contracts and Equipment

You have to sign a two-year contract with Dish for their services.

This is very common with Satellite Internet providers.

Additionally, you will have to pay $17 for the remaining months in case you want to opt-out of this contract.

Signing this contract has some benefits but I feel like a two-year contract is too much for Satellite Internet provision.

It can actually save you $10+ every month which may translate to about $360 for the length of the contract.

Additionally, Dish allows you to live without the contract and cancel any time you want.

The only challenge is that you are required to pay an additional $15 every month for the time you’ll be using its services.

Dish Fees

I know you are equally wondering whether Dish has any fees.

So, yes, Dish has some fees but they’re not too horrific.

The installation is free but there are several others that will accrue.

The professionals will mount your Satellite Dish and DVR system for free but the hopper Duo that is included will cost you anywhere between $5 and $15 every month.

The DVR equipment fees will be $5 per month.

Late payments will also attract a $7 fee and in case you want to terminate the contract, you’ll be required to pay more than $17 for the remaining months.

Dish Internet Outages and Service Uptime

Satellite Internet has a couple of challenges.

First of all, the connections can be interrupted by the weather and how clear the sky is at specific points in time.

With such information, you can expect that there are consistent outages with Dish Network that result in a comparatively lower uptime.

I’ve personally come across a couple of people complaining on the Internet about the Dish satellite Internet outages.

Some people say that the Internet connection is not stable and the download speeds may not come as advertised.

Expect outages of as long as hours in some days especially during those rainy and windy seasons.

Though, if you don’t have a DSL or Fiber option, you’ll have to bear with all this.

Another thing, I will provide some alternatives at the end of this brief that you can consider.

Dish Network Every Day Use

The people living in rural areas equally want stable and high-speed Internet for the basic applications such as Streaming, Gaming, and Browsing.

Businesses established in these areas also want stable Internet for business daily internet needs.

Let’s now see whether Dish internet through HughesNet and Viasat is good for some basic applications.

Best for Streaming

Satellite Internet is not the best for streaming Movies and TV shows but if you don’t have another option, this will be the way to go.

For basic streaming, someone would just need less than 5Mbps.

That is enough download speeds for Streaming on Netflix and other platforms.

Inopportunely, Dish Internet comes with a low data cap of 50GB.

I feel like serious Internet streamers can reach this data cap within two weeks.

The worst of all is the fact that the download speeds will be lowered to 150Kbps after reaching this limit.

150Kbps would take a minute or so to download a photo size content.

If you’re lucky enough to combine DISH TV with DSL and Fiber internet, then you shouldn’t hesitate.

Best for download and Upload

Download speed of 25Mbps is not top-notch but its standard for Satellite Internet.

So, if you operate a home-based Freelancing business that needs download speeds of up to 100Mbps and consistent, stable connection, Dish satellite Internet is not for you.

The Upload speed for Satellite Internet is slower than 5Mbps which would not be the best for uploading heavy files.

Best for Gaming

Yes, DISH internet is good for gaming but not the best alternative for the unified gaming experience.

I bet you’ve already noticed that most game console manufacturers recommend as low as 3Mbps for the games.

This indicates that 25Mbps is more than enough speed to play DOTA 2, Hearthstone, and League of Legends.

Best for speedy Web Browsing

You need less than 1Mbps to browse and get information from Quora, WordPress or your favorite Blog.

Internet speeds of more than 25Mbps are perfectly fine for all sorts of browsing and web access.

Though, I wouldn’t recommend Satellite Internet for people operating eCommerce stores and digital marketing.

The speeds are probably lower than the needs of the business.

Dish Internet TV

DISH provides reliable satellite TV that you can get after partnering and bundling with any of the providers listed on the official website.

If you Bundle Dish TV with HughesNet satellite Internet, you will probably get a significant discount on your monthly bill.

All the Internet plans you get through DISH will come with 25Mbps speeds.

Bundle Offers

You probably need rural Internet plus Satellite TV to follow your favorite league, International news or watch your favorite shows.

That way, DISH offers some awesome deals on bundle packages.

You just have to bundle Satellite Internet from HughesNet, Viasat, or any other provider with DISH TV.

You can get up to 100Mbps from a Satellite provider that understands the bandwidth needs of a rural business or household.

What Customers think of DISH Services?

DISH is losing customers daily which is an indication that a good number of them are not contented with the services offered.

To give you a clear picture in that regard, I had to spare enough time and check on DISH user reviews and comments.

One DISH customer claims on Customeraffairs.com that he has been a DISH customer for 11 years.

He had multiple problems with DISH especially because of the strange and fraudulent billing practices and for that reason, he canceled the service.

The company came back to this customer with a promise that they never kept.

DISH TV deleted two of his best channels that he frequently watched.

Another reviewer feels like DISH keeps on raising their rates even when someone is on a contract with them.

She called on May 2020 and DISH said that they had to bill the charges in advance.

This way, they would stop the services sometime before the real date.

The only positive review I saw was from Lisa Rossi of Stamford, CT on Customeraffairs.com.

This customer claims that the customer service is very helpful in case someone needs any technician.

They can as well give discounts when they are contacted.

However, he also complains that some of his issues have never been resolved despite complaining about that for years.

From the three examples shared above, it’s easy to notice that DISH and its partners have the worst customer service.

The reps don’t offer reliable solutions and instead keep on throwing blames.

Another thing is that the DISH billing department has an issue in a situation where you want to cancel Dish Network services.

I have come across a couple of people complaining from all dimensions.

How to Cancel Dish Internet

What if you’re saying enough is enough and wants to cancel the DISH contract for a better alternative?

What is the process and what steps do you need to take?

Please read on for the step-by-step guide on canceling dish contracts.

Terminating the Dish services is pretty simple.

You just have to call 888-283-2309 and tell them you don’t want to hold on anymore.

But be sure DISH will go the extra mile to ensure you remain their customer.

So what other alternatives do you have?

Gear Up before making the call

This is the first step to make.

Ensure you’re 100% sure you want to cancel the DISH services.

If you still have second thoughts, it’s better to negotiate than canceling the contract.

Take your account information, a pen, and paper and write all the reasons you want to cancel the services.

May it be because of poor customer service, high bills, or Inconsistent download and Upload speeds.

Termination

Understand the early termination terms and requirements.

In case you want to exit the Bus in motion, you have to pay $20 for every remaining month on the contract.

So make sure you’re ready for that.

Call the number I provided above and ask the Customer rep to forward you to the Customer Retention Team.

Explain all the reasons to cancel the contract and if possible don’t give them room for convincing you to stay.

(You already made up your mind to cancel)

Return the equipment.

The next step is to seal the victory by returning DISH equipment.

Package the equipment well and ship them back and start shopping for alternatives or a better option.

Need an Alternative?

In case you need an alternative in Satellite Internet, there are plenty of service providers in the market.

Here are my top two recommendations for people that want an alternative to DISH Satellite Internet.

EarthLink

EarthLink will provide satellite Internet through HughesNet but you’re likely to score a discount if you consider going through EarthLink to HughesNet.

Other services you get on this is Norton Security which is a good protection program.

The Download speeds will be similar to those offered by HughesNet Stand-alone Internet plans.

Viasat

Viasat is a viable alternative to EarthLink and HughesNet Internet.

As a matter of fact, this comes with unlimited data, maximum download speeds of 30Mbps, and fees that are lower than those of HughesNet.

The good news is that DISH also partners with Viasat to provide Satellite Internet.

You should always contact DISH customer service to check whether this service is available for you.

FAQs

What is the best Satellite Internet?

Dish Internet is the best for the value of your money.

The speeds are consistent and high yet the prices are reasonably low.

It’s the best for businesses and homes that are established in the rural areas.

It’s a good Internet for people with Limited DSL and Fiber Internet options.

What Internet Provider Does Dish Network Use?

Dish will offer satellite Internet through a partnership with the sister company known as HughesNet.

It’s important to note that Dish offers multiple Internet services and not just satellite Internet.

The prices will change according to the service and the bundle you pick.

Can you still Bundle Internet with Dish TV?

Yes, Dish gives you options to choose some bundle packages from HughesNet Internet and Dish TV.

Dish also offers people a chance to get Internet from Frontier and bundle it with Dish TV.

For people living in areas where Frontier Internet is available, just get in touch with Dish TV to get a one-price Package to save monthly on your utility bills.

Additionally, you can bundle Dish TV with any Internet Service Provider in your area.

Is Dish Internet any good?

Dish promises to offer the best Satellite Internet in terms of speed, consistency, and prices.

Although that is not what we get, the company tries its best to provide Internet to our brothers and sisters in the rural areas.

Besides the satellite Internet, you can combine TV and Internet to save on your utilities.

How much does Dish Internet cost?

You are probably going to like Dish for the reasonable prices and the high-speed Satellite Internet.

You will be required to pay just $19.99 for Internet but you can still Bundle with TV to save on the monthly bills.

Final verdict

DISH is a good option for Satellite Internet.

But, there are a few disheartening things about it.

Firstly, I don’t like their two-year contract and the early termination fees which I presume are too high for someone canceling in the first year.

I recommend DISH TV and HughesNet Internet for people with standard Internet and TV needs.

It’s also perfect for small families.

Furthermore, you don’t need more than 25Mbps to browse and stream two or three movies in a month.