...
Home / Business Internet / HughesNet Business Internet Review โ€“ Updated Guide 2023

HughesNet Business Internet Review โ€“ Updated Guide 2024

If you live in a rural area and youโ€™re thinking of starting a home-based business then you may be considering HughesNet business internet options.

HughesNet Business Internet review

You may have bumped into HughesNet small business Internet plans and wondered what the reviews were? In this article, we did all the hard work and put HughesNetโ€™s Business Internet to the test to see how it compares to other rural internet providers.

Watch our latest Documentary

Historical Events That
Almost Bought Down The Internetโ€ฆ

If you are looking for reliable satellite internet for your business then you are not alone; many people in rural areas have the same ideas for satellite connection. However, the major challenge you are likely to experience is the lack of Cable and Fiber internet in your area. If that is the case, you donโ€™t have to give up completely on this idea; you can turn to HughesNet for all your Internet needs.

Hughesnet had one of the largest Satellite networks in America that serve more than 1.2 million Americans. The company has wide coverage in South and North America. With this, you can rest assured that now your Business has an ISP for the Broadband Satellite technology and services.

HughesNet is popularly known for its flagship high-speed Internet service. Though, this doesnโ€™t make the company better than other Satellite Internet service providers. I assume that choosing between two satellite ISPs is like drawing a clear line between two evils where the lesser evil wins.

Besides that, there are a lot of improvements in the Satellite Internet service over the years. The Internet is now more reliable than ever with high download and upload speeds, which are ideal for small and upcoming businesses. If your business is set in a remote area where the only satellite is available then thereโ€™s a need to consider any of the available alternatives.

To help you make a good decision, I have researched and put together this HughesNet review article with all the information about the company.

Where is HughesNet Business Internet available?

One main reason why most businesses adore HughesNet Satellite Internet in rural areas is that it doesnโ€™t have any location limits. It is widely available to businesses regardless of where they are established.

HughesNet says on their website that as long as your Business has a clear view of the sky, you can get the signals. HughesNet is also available in limited options in Puerto Rico, Brazil, Columbia, and Alaska.

HughesNet Satellite Internet speed

For all the plans available for businesses, the internet speeds are the same. The speed is 25Mbps download and 3Mbps upload speed for all the plans. This is an improvement from the previous yearโ€™s download speeds, which were 5-15Mbps download speeds and 1-3Mbps upload speeds.

The company has also released a disclaimer saying that thereโ€™s a possibility of getting lower internet speeds than those advertised on the website. This depends on a number of factors, including the weather, cable quality, and how clear the view is.

HughesNet, just like other Satellite Internet providers, doesnโ€™t guarantee the speeds. The download and upload speeds are going to vary with each of the providers. The case with HughesNet, their internet speed was measured by FCC, and they found out that their internet speed was 152% of what they advertised on their website. This is good news and a surprise because very few Internet service providers would give their customers Internet speeds higher than the ones they pay for.

HughesNet Plans and costs

The amount of money you will pay for HughesNet services depends on the package you choose. You can opt for 50 GB per month for only $150 or 10 GB per month at $59.99. There are another two plans between these, which are 20GB plan for $69.99 every month and 30GB plan at $99.99 per month.

Regardless of the plan you choose, you will be offered 25Mbps download speeds. This makes me believe that the internet speed is enough for normal operations of a business. Itโ€™s also important to note that after three months of paying 50 bucks for Liberty 25, the price will skyrocket to $75 per month for the rest of the contract period. If you choose the HughesNet 20GB plan, then you would save $5 every month for the remaining part of the contract on Viasat Internet.

See alsoย  Trying Hughesnet Trial Period

Is HughesNet Worth It?

To bring you reliable information, I had to check what other people are saying about HughesNetโ€™s monthly pricing. On my search, I realized that many users are not happy about the pricing and the speed of the Internet. Unfortunately, this is the case with many Satellite Internet providers, but now you have to cope with it, especially if there are no other internet alternatives in your area.

HughesNet knows that when the demand for the Internet by small and large businesses is high, and the supply options are fewer, most business owners will be willing to pay more for the same services. This, however, doesnโ€™t justify HughesNetโ€™s high prices.

If you had another alternative in your area, you wouldnโ€™t even think of choosing satellite Internet. HughesNet pricing is comparatively higher and cannot compare to the speeds of Fiber and DSL internet. In the case of satellite ISPs, thereโ€™s no huge difference between their pricing. If you take a good look around, you will only realize that the prices differ by only a small margin.

Equipment requirements

To install HughesNet satellite internet in your Business, you need a HughesNet Gen 5 modem and a small satellite antenna. The antenna is not different from the typical Satellite TV dish. As their customer, you have the alternative of leasing or buying your own internet equipment. If you choose to lease the equipment, you will pay $10 every month. For the people that choose to buy their own Internet equipment, they have a chance to save that $10.

Before you make the decision, just know that the amount of money you will invest in this equipment is also very high. You will end up paying $450 in equipment fees all at once. Buying the equipment is a good idea for businesses that are looking to maintain the contract for more than two years.

The Gen 4 modem was a little cheaper compared to the Gen 5 modem. Though, the latter has a Built-in WI-FI which is an added advantage. The difference is $5 which I think is equally significant. I know this feature can be interesting and wonโ€™t make you feel the pain. Though, bear in mind that this is a feature that other Satellite Companies give you for free.

HughesNet Installation and Installation fees

As stated earlier, you need a Modem and a satellite dish to enjoy the satellite internet services. Installation of the Satellite is more involving than it is with other internet types. While some people choose to set things up on their own to save significantly on installation fees, thereโ€™s a lot of technical knowledge needed. You will also need to test the Internet, which is not a simple thing.

The good news is that if you rent the equipment, the company will do the installation for free. If you choose to buy the equipment, be ready to pay $450 in equipment cost all at once. I know this seems expensive for someone who is not sure whether HughesNet will be the option for many years.

For leased equipment, the company team will be at your service in case of anything. The maintenance and upgrades will also be facilitated for free. On the other hand, when you choose to buy the equipment, you will have to pay for such services. So, where are you, Buy or Lease? Check the below table to compare:

HughesNet Equipment cost Buy Lease
Dish and Modem $249.99 $14,99 every month
Installation fees $199.99 Free
Lease Activation N/A $99.00
Early Termination Fee <$400> <$400>

HughesNet Business Internet Bundles

Unlike DSL and Fiber internet providers, HughesNet doesnโ€™t offer bundle packages. This, therefore, means that you have to choose another company such as Dish or DirecTV if you want to add satellite TV. The most unfortunate thing here is that it will require a separate dish and other equipment.

Which is the best value package?

For a business that is starting from scratch and one with little internet needs, the HughesNet Gen5โ€™s 20GB plan is the best available option. It is also a wise investment when your Business can work with the morning hour Bonus zone.

As your Business grows and internet needs go up, you can opt to go for higher internet plans according to your needs and what your business is willing and able to pay. Fortunately, HughesNet Internet plans and prices are competitive and in line with the other companies in the same industry.

Data Caps

Sometimes itโ€™s really hard to predetermine the data your Business will use in a month. You may decide to go with the 10 GB per month plan and end up paying more for additional data used. Limited data can be eaten up in a few days, especially if your Business provides free Wi-Fi to the customers.

See alsoย  Satellite Internet With Unlimited Data

Additionally, HughesNet data is not the best for video conferencing and online streaming. If you plan to do any of those with this Internet, you are likely to experience some serious problems. Video conferencing uses a lot of resources and may drain most of your data simply because HughesNet offers limited data plans.

One great thing about HughesNet is that they offer a Bonus Zone that starts from 2 a.m. to 8 a.m. This is when every customer gets an extra 50GB each month for use during these times. For people that are considering HughesNet for Home-Based businesses, this can be a good addition to your monthly data uses.

In case your Business hits the data cap, there is no need to worry because there are no overage fees. The Internet also doesnโ€™t stop working altogether, but itโ€™s not going to be great. Most people would choose to ignore the service after hitting the data cap because the speeds can go as low as 1Mbps or even below.

When you hit your data cap, your Business is going to suffer drastically. In such a situation, you can go for data tokens. These tokens come at increments from 3 to 25GB. However, you must be prepared to pay $9 to $75.This is another reason why I think the Internet with data caps can be frustrating for businesses.

How good is HughesNet Customer Care?

According to my observation, HughesNet faces a huge critic because of their Customer service. This is not news because ISPs are the most complained about companies in terms of customer service in the United States. These companies have an average customer rating of 50%. Unfortunately, HughesNet customer service fell below that.

Most people that whined termed data caps and low internet speeds as the main issues. A good number of other people say that HughesNetโ€™s customer care and services are good, but they are not exceptional.

If you want to contact the company, you can use their websiteโ€™s support for online chatting or call: (866) 347-3292.

Customer satisfaction

Many people have a good experience with the company and the services offered. Likewise, all ISPs get a lot of complaints mainly because of their unresponsive customer care, prices, and speeds.

In our case today, I think HughesNet has some room for improvement. The company needs to up its customer care services and promise what they can deliver. Another thing is this company contracts with third-party companies to facilitate the installation process, which I also term as a waste of money process. Using third-party installation companies also increases the chances of inconsistent services and uncertainty about what someone is going to get.

Furthermore, their customer care doesnโ€™t provide solutions to some technical issues. This is another challenge that would mean you have to patiently wait with no internet until a third-party company comes to fox your issues.

While thereโ€™s a number of people that claim they havenโ€™t faced any issues with HughesNet customer care, I believe they need to do a lot in terms of fixing these bugs and offering technical support whenever thereโ€™s a problem.

Moving on from the bad, the company has achieved a major milestone after upgrading from HughesNet Gen 4 to Gen 5. This is a great improvement from the previous service provider. Additionally, HughesNet offers better services than most companies in the same industry.

HughesNet Customer reviews

HughesNet business internet has been providing satellite Internet services for businesses and home across the US for a long time. This is an indication that they already have a lot of customer reviews, testimonies, and customer comments online. Check below for some of the complaints and praises I found online.

One customer says that HughesNet is not a speedy or reliable service. He added that their Internet seems to do okay during the day and gets worse with time. Downloading and uploading pages goes round and round as the computer struggles to load the documents.

Another person complaining said that the company has a very slow Internet and itโ€™s very hard to get help. He goes on to say that most of the time, the connection is minimal. Though he agrees that once in a while especially during the day and on clear weather, the internet speed is as promised.

Another review posted on Dec 29, 2019 by Donna P shows that this Internet is for people that like buffering. She stated that sheโ€™s a current customer waiting for the contract to end and disconnect from this company for good.

On the other hand, HughesNet satellite Internet has attracted a lot of users who are satisfied and swear to renew their contract after expiry. One person states that she switched to HughesNet in January 2020 and believes that the company has seen a vast improvement over time.

See alsoย  Cheapest Satellite Internet

Another person states that the company has excellent customer care. Though, the user says he noticed immediately that Satellite Internet is not for him. He explains that he switched to HughesNet recently, and within 30 days, he had started facing low and unstable connections.

Lastly, another person claims that he has found satellite Internet and VoIP that works where the family lives. The customer explains that he had to ditch Verizon for HughesNet after switching locations. Over time, he didnโ€™t expect to find an Internet that works for them in the area, but he finally came to know HughesNet, and thatโ€™s how their life changed.

Pros

  • Clear and transparent plans and pricing
  • No mid contracts
  • Rural availability
  • Safety of a massive company
  • Free professional installation

Cons

  • Early termination fees
  • No Bundle Offers
  • Low data caps
  • Fixed Internet speed option

HughesNet early termination and fees

In case you find that the Internet plans, speed, and other dimensions of this ISP are not for you, you can always terminate the contract. This is prudent of the people that have already found better packages such as DSL or Fiber internet in the area.

The HughesNet termination fee is very steep, especially if you cancel the contract at 90 or below days. For instance, when you cancel the contract, you are required to pay $400. For each of the months, you continue to use their services, the fee goes down by $15.

Additionally, when you terminate the contract, you have to return the leased equipment in due time. If you donโ€™t return the equipment within 45 days, the company automatically charges you $400 on top of the cancellation fees. Before you make any decisions, itโ€™s very important to read over papers and ask any questions you have from their customer care.

HughesNet vs. competitors

HughesNet internet for business faces strong competition from Exede Viasat business. To compare the alternative you will realize that both companies have something that sets each of them apart. One thing I noticed is that Viasat leaves HughesNet in the dust when speeds are a concern. Viasat would also be a good option for companies with small business budgets.

HughesNet, on the other hand, is best suited for companies with low internet usage per month. For that reason, most consider HughesNet when your business monthly data usage is not more than the set GBs unless you are ready to pay more.

HughesNet Frequently Asked Questions

Is HughesNet Reliable?

HughesNet is praised for its excellent performance, customer service and several other features. I noticed that this ISP has super-fast download and upload speeds which is enough for normal business operations. You should know that other cheap Satellite Internet Providers contract with HughesNet to offer services.

Is HughesNet fast?

From my own experience with HughesNet, the download and upload speeds are superb depending on the package you choose. This is courtesy of their Gen5 Satellite updates. Most businesses can now access 25Mbps download speed and 3Mbps upload speed. I believe this is enough speed for most startups.

Why is HughesNet so bad?

If you have experienced any issues with HughesNet satellite internet, this is probably because of the poor quality of cables or damaged network cables. These often cause a major shortage which might force you to down your tools. If you are experiencing long download times please check the antenna, the HughesNet Modem and the cables.

Is HughesNet good for Netflix?

For you to have seamless online streaming on Netflix, you only need download speeds of as low as 1.5Mbps for low quality, 5Mbps for HD quality. HughesNet offers up to 25Mbps download speeds which we can all assume is enough for streaming on Netflix.

Is HughesNet worth it?

To answer this question, ask yourself whether there are other alternatives available for you. If you can get access to super speed Fiber Internet or cable Internet, then itโ€™s alright to choose them over Satellite Internet. This is mainly because satellite internet can easily be affected by weather and obstacles. However, if you live in an area where Satellite internet is the monopoly, then there are chances HughesNet will be good for you.

Conclusion

Before you make any decision, weigh in on what your business needs and preferences carefully. Itโ€™s also advisable to take time researching the competition and if you can get a better alternative, well and good. Though, if you cannot access any other alternative in your area, HughesNet is the perfect match.

Hughesnet business internet may not bo the best option for your small business or startup, after all its expensive for any net startup that needs to maintain a low overhead cost to make it through their first year.

If you are looking for satellite internet for your business then scroll below and click on the state you doing business in to get all the latest deals on HughesNet deals and business internet alternatives near you.

Was this helpful?

Yes
No
Thanks for your feedback!
John
John
A tech maestro with a penchant for Android systems, John is also a self-proclaimed Mexican food critic. When heโ€™s not exploring the latest tech trends, heโ€™s likely binging on the newest series on Netflix.
ThemeScene Team

Themescene.tv is Guss, Jenny, Vanessa, Ursula, and John, lead a team of tech experts who are here to assist you with all of your streaming, internet, and Wi-Fi connection questions and make sense of the complex tech world.
Get to know the Themescene Gang

Have an issue or a question then first use the search function, and if you need additional help then don't hesitate to contact us