Satellite internet costs vary by provider, and the package/speed desired by the user. However, given the high cost of creating and maintaining a physical satellite infrastructure, there are very few companies that can offer these services. After a year of various deals and consolidations, there are now two companies that control satellite internet prices: HughesNet and Excede.
Not long ago, there were five options to consider when choosing a satellite internet provider: HughesNet, Excede, dishNet, Earthlink and WildBlue. So what happened? Business as usual. HughesNet purchased Earthlink and Excede bought Wildblue. Since dishNet was a subsidiary of HughesNet to begin with, it didn’t make much sense for a company to compete with itself so dishNet was shut down. Now if you want to purchase satellite internet services you have to go through HughesNet or Excede.
While the finer points of satellite companies merging may not be of interest to most consumers around the United States, it does affect them. With so few companies offering these services, Excede and HughesNet have a lock on the market. This means that consumers have fewer options when shopping for services and will likely have to pay a higher monthly cost as a result.
That being said, the costs of satellite internet in 2017 are very reasonable. So reasonable, that for the first time satellite internet can truly be considered a reasonable alternative to cable internet. Let’s take a look at the cost breakdown between HughesNet and Excede.
While the price of satellite internet varies greatly based on the speed and package a consumer chooses there is a range you can rely on. HughesNet packages tend to range from $49.99 a month to $99.99 a month, depending on what you select. The speeds offered range from 15-25 Mbps with 10-50 GB of anytime data.
Conversely, Excede’s prices range from $49.99 a month all the way up to $149.99 a month. Excede’s speed range is similar to that of HughesNet with speeds varying between 12-25 Mbps. However, they offer more anytime data with a range of 10-30 GB or an unlimited option available should you need it.
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