Hughesnet is one of the most famous people in the satellite internet and will now be able to deliver faster speeds. Many Americans in rural areas rely on satellite internet according to where they live. For many, especially in remote rural areas, satellite internet is the only way to access the internet. Availability is almost the only advantage of satellite internet, but customers usually have to be at higher prices, lower speeds, limited data allowances and high latency (communication delays between houses and satellites when sending and receiving data) (communication delays between two points) compared to other Internet connection types.
However, Hugsnet hopes to mitigate some of the shortcomings of the satellite Internet by introducing a faster layer that includes more data. Pricing is relatively low, starting from $50 to $95 per month, but the speed and data increase is faster than the previous Hughesnet plan. Thanks to Hughesnet’s Fusion Technology, it also has the potential for low latency, enough to support online gaming, which combines satellite Internet with low latency fixed wireless connectivity.
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The launch of Jupiter 3, a geostationary satellite the size of a bus, makes these new service layers possible. It offers up to four times the download speeds of previous standard Hughes Network plans, jumping from 25Mbps to 100Mbps. Upload speeds will see impressive spikes, rising from 3Mbps to 5Mbps. Meanwhile, the data allowance has increased from 15GB to 100GB per month to between 100GB and 200GB.
The new product won’t let anyone switch from their fiber-optic connections or wired internet services. But for people who are beyond the scope of cable and fiber services, they can have a big impact on the quality and capacity of rural Internet. These faster speeds make it possible for rural residents to do more things on the internet, such as connecting more devices or streaming TVs at higher image quality and less buffering, while the added data means they can do more online before reaching the data cap.
Hughesnet has an excellent record of delivering ad speeds and has been praised by CNET as the best satellite ISP for reliable speeds. It’s an encouraging sign that it will also deliver new, faster speed layers. These are the plans.
New Hughesnet plan and pricing
| plan | Start every month | Maximum download speed | Maximum upload speed | Priority data | Equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| choose | $50 ($75 after 12 months) | 50Mbps | 5Mbps | 100GB | Purchase fee of $15 or $300 per month |
| Elite | $65 ($90 after 12 months) | 100Mbps | 5Mbps | 200GB | Purchase fee of $15 or $300 per month |
| Fusion | $95 ($120 after 12 months) | 100Mbps | 5Mbps | 200GB | Purchase fee of $20 or $450 per month |
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Source: Hughes Network System.
Elite and Fusion promote the same speed and data, so why the price difference?
Select and Elite Program to use satellite only connections. The long time it takes to communicate with satellites (delays) can affect browsing, streaming and video conferencing, and online gaming is nearly impossible.
Fusion, on the other hand, plans to communicate with local fixed wireless towers, creating satellite/fixed wireless hybrid services. The maximum speed and data are the same, but the latency is low, which is said to be enough to support online gaming.
So the main advantage of the Fusion program and why it costs more is that the technology reduces the distance required for your data, resulting in a better experience in many applications, while also making online gaming possible.
Speed improvement position
In the new Hughesnet satellite internet product, the jump from 3Mbps to 5Mbps is not particularly impressive, but it is worth noting that typical families can use download speeds more than upload speeds.
Download Speed Determines how fast you can download data, such as extracting comments from your latest iPhone, browsing social media or streaming TV and music. Upload speeds come into play when sending information to the internet, such as posting to social media or jumping on video calls (although both activities usually require upload speeds below 3Mbps).
Therefore, it makes sense that download speed will get a greater improvement, while upload speed remains relatively unchanged. This is the internet we use the most, so it is a welcome improvement to increase from 25Mbps to 50Mbps or 100Mbps.
Again, 100Mbps isn’t very fast, especially when it offers up to 10,000Mbps and higher compared to New Wave’s multi-target program, but it has been wisely pointed out that speeds are relative. For people in rural areas with painful DSL speeds or satellite speeds, 100Mbps can unlock new ways to use their connections.
Upgrading from 25Mbps to 100Mbps may mean the difference between standard definition or HD streaming and possibly 4K image quality. Faster speeds also allow you to add more smart devices to your network, such as streaming sticks, security cameras, or new Alexa speakers without compromising the connection quality of other devices.
Faster speeds require more data
Suppose you put the new speed into practice and then convert Netflix streaming quality from standard to HD. Your streams range from about 1GB of data per hour to 3GB. Recognizing the data demands brought by faster speeds, Hughes added its monthly priority data allowance to help adapt to new and increased internet activity that faster speeds allow.
Hughesnet Tiers offers 100GB or 200GB of data per month, while the 15GB to 100GB limit planned in the past is a big data, but many households may meet and exceed that limit, with an average monthly usage of about 652GB.
Exceeding your priority data allowance will not increase the fees – the Hughes Net plan has been and remains unlimited – but using standard unlimited data can lead to slower speeds in the rest of your remaining billing cycle. If you can’t handle slower speeds, you can buy additional data “tokens” for $3 to $50 in the 2GB to 50GB block.
New Internet before the New Year?
Hughesnet introduced new plans in early 2024. The speed available and access to the Hughesnet fusion service varies by location. Existing Hughesnet customers may be eligible to upgrade their plans, but changes to the service are carried out with the performance of a new 12-month contract or current term agreement, whichever is longer.
Read our full Hughesnet review to learn more about its satellite home internet service and see availability in your region. On the page, you can use our service checking tools to discover nearby programs and providers, including Hughes.com.
