How to Get High Speed Internet in Rural Areas

For those who live in rural areas or areas where dial up is one of the few options available, it can be difficult to find high speed internet services. Widely available and traditional high speed internet options such as cable internet may not be available in sparsely populated towns or in rural areas.

Often times in rural areas, Cable and DSL internet lines are not available. When they are available, the service provider may charge the user for the cost associated with running a line to the home. Even when a line is run, some forms of high speed internet such as DSL is affected by distance. The longer the distance from the central hub, the slower the internet will be. 

WiFi or wireless networks are often not available in rural areas due to the distance between buildings and homes. WiFi is limited to around a 300 foot range from the nearest wireless router.

A few types of alternatives exist when Cable and DSL are not available. One type is Satellite internet. This type of internet works by connecting a satellite dish to a modem and signals are transmitted between the service provider's satellites and the user's dish.



Another type is Cellular internet. This type of internet works over available cell phone tower networks and can be used by connecting a data ready cell phone to the computer to serve as a modem. Third party companies also exist that provide equipment to connect to cellular based networks.

Both cellular and satellite internet options offer faster connection speeds than dial up internet. Cellular is between 2 to 4 times faster than dial up and satellite can be 10-20 times faster. It is important to note that data upload speeds may be slower than data download speeds. That is receiving data over the connection is faster than uploading files and data.

Cellular internet connections can work with a data ready cell phone or equipment issued by a cellular internet provider. For those with a cell phone plan that includes unlimited data transfers, the phone can act as a modem connecting to the internet over the phone network. You should consult your cell phone provider to determine specific set up and data limits.



Satellite offers the benefit of accessing high speed internet without risking expensive data overages on your cell phone plan. The benefit of satellite is that it is an "always on" connection; as long as the dish can receive from the satellite, the connection is on and ready to go. There is no "dialing in" to connect.

Cellular internet is prone to dropped signals much like cell phone calls are sometimes dropped. Also if you go over your cell phone data usage plan, you can face high costs. Also if cell phone reception is poor in your area, the internet speed will be affected. 

Satellite's primary disadvantage is that bad weather such as rain and snow can disrupt the internet service and even keep it from functioning at times. This is similar to the problems experienced with satellite TV. Even with these disadvantages, both options offer faster internet connections than dial up.