Best Rural Internet Providers for 2025
Rural internet options can be limited, but you can still get decent connectivity. These are the top choices, according to CNET's broadband experts.
Rural internet options can be limited, but you can still get decent connectivity. These are the top choices, according to CNET's broadband experts.
Article updated on December 31, 2025 at 6:14 AM PST
Our Experts
Written by David Anders
CNET staff -- not advertisers, partners or business interests -- determine how we review the products and services we cover. If you buy through our links, we may get paid.
David Anders Former Senior Writer
David covered broadband providers, smart home devices and security products.
Expertise Broadband providers | Home internet | Security cameras
Our expert staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and evaluates our top picks. The order in which our top picks are presented may be impacted by partnerships, and we may get a commission if you buy through our links.
Why we chose these providers
Sort by
Best rural home internet provider
133-498 Mbps
$55-$75month
Or call to learn more: (877) 519-7610
Featured Deal
What is this?
One month of Residential service free
100 - 350 Mbps
$80 - $120 per month
Or call to learn more: (866) 671-3650
Best wired rural internet provider
10 - 140 Mbps
$55 per month
Provider not available in 90001
Or call to learn more: (866) 671-3650
Best rural fixed wireless internet provider
25 - 50 Mbps
$45 - $65 per month
Provider not available in 90001
Or call to learn more: (866) 671-3650
Fast DSL internet speeds in rural areas
100 - 1,000 Mbps
$40 - $70 per month
Provider not available in 90001
Or call to learn more: (866) 671-3650
BROADBAND DEALS OF THE WEEK
Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article.
- Best Rural Internet Providers for 2025
- Best rural internet providers
- Best rural internet service providers
- Best rural internet providers overview
- Top rural ISP honorable mentions
- How to improve your rural internet speeds
- How we chose the best rural internet providers
- Rural internet FAQs
Best rural internet providers
Getting dependable internet in rural areas is still a challenge. Lower population density and limited infrastructure mean cable and fiber rarely reach many homes. That can leave residents relying on slower options like DSL, satellite or fixed wireless service. Especially at a time when, according to a CNET survey, 63% Americans have observed that they are paying higher prices for unreliable connectivity. Even with the FCC defining broadband as 100Mbps download and 20Mbps upload as a minimum, it's clear that many ruiral communities remain well short of that benchmark.
For most rural households, T-Mobile Home Internet is the top all-around choice. It's got wide availability, and has plans starting at just $50 a month. Add to that perks like unlimited data, free equipment and you can see why it is a practical choice where wired service falls short. Other options that may be worth considering include Ziply Fiber, Mediacom, Centurylink, Kinetic and Rise Broadband. If no wired or fixed wireless options are available, Starlink is your next best option as the best satellite internet provider.
Below are CNET's top picks for rural ISPs based on availability, performance, pricing, data policies and customer satisfaction.
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Best rural internet service providers
8 Internet providers
SORT BY
Connection
Fixed wireless
Speed range
133-498 Mbps
Price range
$55-$75
Our take - According to the FCC, T-Mobile Home Internet has the greatest coverage of any non-satellite internet service provider, available to over 60% of US households. While service isn’t the cheapest or the fastest of any rural internet provider, the unlimited data, free equipment and mobile bundle discounts help boost the provider’s overall value.
Or call to learn more: (877) 519-7610
Compare
Connection
Fixed wireless
Speed range
133-498 Mbps
Price range
$55-$75
Compare
Connection
DSL
Speed range
10 - 140 Mbps
Price range
$55 per month
Our take - Aside from satellite internet providers and T-Mobile, CenturyLink has perhaps the greatest coverage area of any rural ISP, spanning suburban and rural areas across 16 states. CenturyLink, though a DSL service, can meet or beat the internet speeds of satellite internet in most service areas, and the $55-per-month service includes unlimited data and no contracts.
Or call to learn more: (866) 671-3650
Compare
Connection
DSL
Speed range
10 - 140 Mbps
Price range
$55 per month
Compare
Connection
Fixed wireless
Speed range
25 - 50 Mbps
Price range
$45 - $65 per month
Our take - Rise Broadband is a leading non-5G fixed wireless internet provider with service available in 16 states. Of those, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, Texas and Utah have the greatest serviceability. At present, its fiber network is still very limited. However, select areas might be serviceable for its faster fiber speed tiers, offering gigabit speeds.
Or call to learn more: (866) 671-3650
Compare
Connection
Fixed wireless
Speed range
25 - 50 Mbps
Price range
$45 - $65 per month
Compare
Connection
Fiber
Speed range
100 - 1,000 Mbps
Price range
$40 - $70 per month
Our take - Like CenturyLink, Kinetic by Windstream also received a 6.7/10 in our review, but the provider falls short of CenturyLink in total coverage area. That said, it's a practical choice for rural internet as the provider boasts some of the fastest DSL speeds of any rural ISP.
Or call to learn more: (866) 671-3650
Compare
Connection
Fiber
Speed range
100 - 1,000 Mbps
Price range
$40 - $70 per month
Compare
Connection
Satellite
Speed range
50-100 Mbps
Price range
$50 - $80 per month
Our take - Hughesnet recently introduced a new set of internet plans with increased speeds of 25 to 100Mbps and monthly priority data limits of 100 to 200GB. That’s a big jump from previous offerings (25Mbps and 15 to 100GB of data) but without a significantly big jump in pricing.
Or call to learn more: (833) 347-4265
Compare
Connection
Satellite
Speed range
50-100 Mbps
Price range
$50 - $80 per month
Compare
Connection
Cable
Speed range
100 - 1,000 Mbps
Price range
$25 - $80 per month
Our take - As a cable provider, Mediacom can deliver much faster and more reliable speeds than DSL, satellite or fixed wireless service, but its service reach is more limited. Mediacom is available to just over 2% of US residents, with service areas across much of the Midwest and South, as well as parts of California and Delaware.
Or call to learn more: (866) 671-3650
Compare
Connection
Cable
Speed range
100 - 1,000 Mbps
Price range
$25 - $80 per month
Compare
Connection
Fiber
Speed range
100 - 50,000 Mbps
Price range
$20 - $900 per month
Our take - Ziply Fiber offers multigigabit internet speeds of 2Gbps, 5Gbps, 10Gbps and now 50Gbps (available in select -- and rural -- areas) throughout the Northwest.
Or call to learn more: (866) 671-3650
Compare
Connection
Fiber
Speed range
100 - 50,000 Mbps
Price range
$20 - $900 per month
Compare
Best rural internet providers overview
There's a lot to consider when evaluating rural internet options. To help you sort it all, here's a rural internet comparison chart with significant plan and pricing details, including speeds, data caps and contract requirements.
Rural internet provider details
Provider
Starting price range
Download speed range
Equipment cost
Data cap
Contract
CNET review score
CenturyLink
Read full review
$55
30-100Mbps
$17 (optional) or $200 purchase fee
None
None
6.7
Hughesnet
Read full review
$40-$65
25-100Mbps
$15-$20 a month or $300-$450 purchase fee
100-200GB
2 years
5.7
Kinetic
$25-$100 (varies by location)
100-2,000Mbps
$11 (optional)
None
None
6.7
Mediacom
Read full review
$15-$65
100-1,000Mbps
$15 (optional)
Unlimited
None
6.4
Rise Broadband
Read full review
$60-$90
50-250Mbps
$10 modem rental, $5 router rental (optional)
None
None
6.2
Starlink
Read full review
$80-$120
100-350Mbps
$349 purchase fee ($599 for Starlink Mini)
None
None
6.5
T-Mobile Home Internet
Read full review
$50-$70
133-415Mbps
None
None
None
7.4
Ziply Fiber
$60-$300
300-10000Mbps
$15 router rental (optional) for some plans
None
None
7.2
Show more (3 items)
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
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Top rural ISP honorable mentions
These providers may also be available for internet service in rural areas, but lack the speed, value or customer satisfaction marks to have made our list of the best.
- AT&T Internet Air: Where available, AT&T Internet Air customers can get download speeds up to 300Mbps for no additional fees or data caps. Plus, if you bundle with an eligible AT&T wireless plan, you can save 20% on your monthly bill. Your speeds will vary depending on location and network congestion: CNET's Joe Supan tried out the service himself and barely saw speeds faster than 10Mbps down.
- EarthLink: EarthLink employs existing networks from providers including AT&T, CenturyLink and Verizon to deliver service, which makes for high availability. However, speeds, connection quality and pricing can vary widely by location. Plans start at around $40 per month for up to 100Mbps.
- Frontier: Frontier Internet, a DSL service, reaches select rural areas in 25 states, but speeds are inconsistent and are likely to not reach broadband speeds in many areas. DSL service starts at $65 per month and includes unlimited data and equipment rental at no extra cost.
- Verizon LTE Installed: Another fixed wireless service, Verizon LTE Installed, uses Verizon's 4G network and can deliver speeds around 25Mbps starting at $40 a month for Verizon mobile customers. Verizon's 5G home internet service isn't as widely available as its LTE service in rural areas yet, but it's a decent option if you can get it.
- Viasat: Pricing is a bit higher than rival satellite provider Hughesnet, but Viasat may offer a higher data allowance and faster max speeds, depending on where you live. If satellite internet is your only option, be sure to compare Hughesnet and Viasat closely before deciding on which is best for your home.
Fixed wireless and satellite internet are most common in rural and suburban areas, because providers can cover a large area with a single antenna tower, or with a constellation of satellites, and without needing to run cable to each home address.
Wireless Internet Service Providers Association
How to improve your rural internet speeds
Internet speeds tend to be slower in rural America. Here are some ways to help boost your home internet speeds in rural areas.
- Switch providers or plans. A surefire way to improve your speeds is to switch to a provider with faster speeds or upgrade your plan with your current provider if you can. Faster providers or plans aren’t always available, but the search tool further up the page will give you an idea of what’s available in your area.
- Used a wired Ethernet connection. It’s common to experience slower speeds when using a Wi-Fi connection. If you have a stationary device with an Ethernet port, such as a desktop computer, gaming console or smart TV, plug it directly into your modem or router via an Ethernet cable for a faster, more reliable connection.
- Upgrade your equipment, or move closer to it. When only Wi-Fi will do, a high-quality router will help to keep your speeds as fast as possible throughout your home. If your connection is spotty, try moving closer to the router or adding Wi-Fi extenders to your network.
- Limit the number of connected devices. The more active devices you have on your Wi-Fi network, the slower your speeds can be on each device. When running a particularly demanding task, such as streaming in HD or downloading a video game file, try disconnecting other, less-used devices from your network.
- Watch your data usage. Some rural internet providers do enforce data caps. Going over your limit could result in significantly slower speeds for the remainder of your billing cycle, so keep an eye on your data usage if you have a cap.
How we chose the best rural internet providers
Availability is an important consideration for CNET when evaluating home internet providers, but it plays an even larger role when it comes to rural areas where there are fewer practical broadband options.
Using the most recent FCC data, I determined which wired and wireless providers had the largest coverage areas, particularly in regions with low population densities. I then compared advertised speeds, pricing and service details of each to determine which providers may be the best option for rural households.
Rural ISPs tend to be slower for roughly the same monthly costs as ISPs in urban areas, which means they tend to have a higher cost per Mbps. If you can qualify for a low-income plan, you can shave some money off your internet bill, and you can also save by buying your own internet equipment instead of renting. Ultimately, the best plan for your household comes down to your budget and how much internet speed you actually need.
For more information about our review process, see our guide to how CNET reviews internet providers.
Rural internet FAQs
What are my options for internet in a rural area?
Satellite internet from Hughesnet, Starlink or Viasat is almost always going to be an option because of the wireless delivery, but satellite comes with a few downsides, not least of which is the high pricing. Other wireless internet options for rural areas include fixed wireless service from providers such as Rise Broadband and AT&T and 5G home internet. T-Mobile offers the greatest 5G coverage in rural areas with max speeds of 133 to 415Mbps starting at $50 a month.
DSL is another popular internet option in rural areas, but speeds can vary significantly by location and provider. For the fastest rural DSL speeds, look to ISPs CenturyLink and Kinetic. Cable internet is will likely be your best option for speed variety and connection reliability, but availability is limited in rural areas.
Show more
Why aren't there more rural internet options?
Installation and operation costs are the main factors preventing ISPs from expanding their networks into rural or suburban markets with low population density. Satellite and fixed wireless services are common in rural areas because providers can broadcast internet signals over a large area without having to run physical cables to each address. DSL service is also common since the technology largely makes use of existing phone lines, which are readily available in many rural areas.
Coaxial (traditional "cable") and fiber-optic lines are less accessible in rural areas as the cost of installing lines is often much more than the provider will get in return. This means major cable internet providers like Cox, Spectrum and Xfinity, as well as fiber providers such as AT&T, Google Fiber and Verizon, are less inclined to expand service into rural areas.
Show more
What internet connection type is best for rural areas?
Wired connection types, such as DSL (copper), cable and fiber-optic internet, typically offer faster speeds and better reliability than wireless, although 5G wireless home internet could prove to be a better option than DSL. Although fiber-optic internet is difficult to come by, especially in rural areas, cable internet is available to 82% of US households, according to the FCC, and is capable of download speeds of 250Mbps or higher in nearly all service areas.
In rural areas where wired connections are unavailable, fixed wireless or 5G home internet are the top choices. You'll likely get faster speeds, more data (possibly unlimited) and lower latency with fixed wireless or 5G compared with satellite internet. As a last resort, satellite internet is available virtually everywhere. Prices are high for the speeds you get, and data restrictions can make it difficult to use your internet for streaming, but it's an option for rural internet if no others are available.
Show more
Who has the fastest rural internet?
Ziply Fiber is the fastest rural internet provider with maximum download speeds of up to 50,000Mbps (50Gbps) available in rural parts of Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. Ziply Fiber also offers a 5Gbps and 1Gbps plan. Aside from Ziply Fiber, the fastest rural internet providers include Kinetic, Rise Broadband and Mediacom, all of which offer maximum download speeds of around 1Gbps.
Show more
Is rural internet fast enough for streaming?
Speeds of up to 10Mbps, which are available to nearly all US households, will support light streaming activity such as streaming in standard definition on a single device. Faster speeds, such as CenturyLink's 100Mbps plan or Mediacom's 100Mbps plan, will support streaming in higher resolution and on more devices.
The primary issue with streaming in rural areas isn't speed but data. Streaming typically consumes more data than anything else we use the internet for, so you'll want to look for a rural internet option with a high data cap or unlimited data if you typically do a lot of streaming. Try to avoid satellite internet and its strict data limits that, once exceeded, may result in restricted or reduced speeds that cannot support streaming.
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Is Viasat or Hughesnet better for rural areas?
Viasat has faster maximum speeds -- over 150Mbps in select areas compared with Hughesnet's maximum of 100Mbps -- and possibly higher data allowances, but Hughesnet is cheaper and likely to be the better value. The choice between Hughesnet and Viasat comes down to whether Viasat's higher price is worth the potentially faster speeds and higher data allowance. For more details, check out our Hughesnet versus Viasat comparison.
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Will internet service in rural areas get any better?
It's doubtful that cable or fiber providers will significantly expand into rural areas unless a driving force like population growth or development occurs, but emerging 5G and satellite technologies could help close the digital divide in the coming years. While AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon are actively deploying 5G service across the US, Elon Musk and his satellite service Starlink are ramping up to completely disrupt the satellite internet market. Stay tuned for updates regarding these technologies and others that could impact your home internet service, rural or otherwise.
Show more
When will 5G be available in rural areas?
T-Mobile is already available to approximately 60% of US households, according to the most recent FCC data. Not all addresses within T-Mobile's service areas are eligible for 5G service yet, but the provider's rapid expansion, along with that of Verizon and now AT&T, shows promise that 5G home internet could be available in more rural areas in the near future.
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