Are you looking for a carrier that offers rural internet services? Chances are that you are not alone. It’s no doubt that most mobile users are normally worried that only the urban areas are able to enjoy the privilege of good internet connection from different carriers out there. However, this is not always the case. With the increased proliferation of modern tech devices, the demand for good internet connection in the rural areas is on the rise.
As we speak, we have a number of carriers who are able to offer high-speed internet to different users in the U.S. One of those carriers that have managed to penetrate to the rural areas is the AT&T. Users of this carrier are assured of at least 10Mbps which is fairly good for those living in the rural areas. In this article, we shall take a closer look at AT&T and its rural wireless internet plans and price.
What Are The Best Rural Internet Providers
Despite living in the rural area, you can be assured to get some good internet connection, thanks to several carriers. Some of the best rural internet providers include:
- AT&T Fixed Wireless
- CenturyLink
- Frontier
- HughesNet
- Kinetic BY Windstream
- Rise Broadband
- Viasat
- Verizon LTE
Listed States Are Available AT&T Rural Internet
Some of the states where you can enjoy AT&T Rural internet include;
| Indianan | Texas |
| Georgia | Michigan |
| California | Arkansas |
| North Carolina | Kentucky |
| Mississippi | Alabama |
| South Carolina | Ohio |
Type of Internet is Provided AT&T in Rural Area
AT&T provides wireless internet service in the rural areas. Fixed wireless internet normally works like satellite internet in that you must have a dish or antenna so that you can receive internet signals. In addition, you have to live close to a cellular tower so as to get fixed this type of internet from AT&T.
How Do I Get AT&T High-speed Internet In Rural Areas
By using internet services from this carrier, you will literally be accessing the internet through the air. Basically, to get AT&T high speed internet in rural areas, you will have to use antennas that are attached to your home or near your home. Technically, these antennas normally beam your internet signal from your computer to a fixed location, where a fixed wireless hub is usually attached to a tower.
Here, the signals normally travel through radio waves instead of terrestrial lines such as fiber –optic, copper (DSL) or cabling. With a good antenna, you will be able to receive internet signals on your router and consequently, enables you to connect computer or mobile phone to the internet.
AT&T Rural Wireless Plans and Price
When it comes to rural wireless plans, this carrier comes with a myriad of options to choose from, depending on your budget.
- To start with, customers are only required to pay $60 for a monthly data allowance of 160 GB. However, they are bound to incur an average of $10 for every additional 50GB used with a maximum cap of $200.It is imperative to note that an annual contract is required for this price.
- If you opt to pay monthly, without necessarily having to be tired down to a contract, it will cost you $70.The good news is that customers can now extend the service monthly after completing the contract for just $70 a month. If you choose to bundle it with DirectTV, brace yourself to pay $50 a month for a one-year contract.
- Without a contract, the fixed wireless internet can be bundled with either AT&T wireless or DirectTV for just $60 a month. You can also freely extend the service monthly after completing a contract for just $60 a month.
It is important to note that a $99 one-time installation fee normally applies for both wireless and standalone plans. With a higher usage cap of 160 GB, AT&T fixed wireless service has become a preferable choice for many internet users.
Others Internet Service Types You Can Get In Rural Areas
Besides the fixed wireless broadband, there are other internet service options that might become helpful to you if you normally reside in rural areas. Some of the viable options to consider include:
1. DSL Broadband
Also known as Digital Subscriber Line broadband, this wire-line technology normally transmits data over traditional copper telephone lines which are installed to both homes and businesses. Since it operates on a pre-existing phone lines, DSL care generally easy to install if at all the infrastructure is there. In fact, if you have telephone lines to your house, you can readily have access to DSL from providers such as Windstream, CenturyLink or AT&T. Here, speed normally range from 1 to 140 Mbps.
2. Satellite internet
Besides the DSL broadband, satellite internet has proved to be very effective for those living in the rural areas. This is because it’s available virtually anywhere. For you to receive internet signals through this option, satellite internet normally beams data from your internet provider to a satellite present in the space and then back to a dish at a user’s location. Just like DSL, satellite internet option is able to deliver speeds of up to 100 Mbps.
3. Cable Broadband
Cable broadband normally utilizes a modem in order to access the internet through the same coaxial cables which delivers sound and pictures to your television. In most cases, it is used to service residential customers. Besides, cable networks are considered shared circuits.
Since it uses existing infrastructure, it is easy to install. Apart from this, it deemed to be faster than other types of broadband connections such as DSL and satellite.
4. Cellular Mobile Broadband internet
This is another incredible way to achieve a high speed connection especially if you live in rural areas. Here, you will be able to enjoy internet connectivity over a mobile network, the same infrastructure that is used by your smart phone. You can now access mobile broadband through portable wireless hotspots and wireless modems from any location. As long as you are within an area that has a high reception, you can be sure to access the internet with utmost precision.
5. WiMAX
If you normally reside in a rural area that has 3G or 4 G connectivity, you will be able to achieve high speed internet connection using WiMAX. WiMAX normally stands for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access. Compared to DSL, this internet option is quite faster. The good news is that WiMAX is available through a variety of wireless carriers such as AT&T, Sprint and so on.
When it comes to its configuration, it actually consists of a tower and receiver and usually functions similar to a cell tower. However, the only difference is that the WiMAX tower is capable of providing internet to a larger area. This way, it is able to cover a large area.
6. BPL
The above-mentioned internet option is another potential option for accessing the internet for those living in the rural areas. Here, you will have an opportunity to connect your PC to an electrical outlet in your home and access high speed internet on all your devices.
To start with, BPL normally stands for Broadband over Power Lines. It utilizes conventional power lines in order to establish a high speed internet connection through the AC outlets present in your home. Here, an adapter is usually plugged into any available AC outlet in order to achieve high speed internet access within any room of your home.
As we speak, BPL is an emerging technology and is now used in a number of areas to provide the much-needed high speed internet to residents in the rural areas. Initially, this concept started in the European countries and is now being introduced in several rural areas of the United States.
7. Google internet balloons
Currently, this project is on its initial stages of testing. However, Google has been working around the clock in order to launch internet-beaming antennas so as to provide the much-needed high speed internet access to the rural areas of many countries out there. It aims at providing high-speed internet to the entire planet earth.
This project is known as Project Loon and it involves the creation of balloons that are capable of flying around the world. Here, antennas are placed inside a big balloon that is shaped like a jellyfish. These balloons usually fly high in the sky, consequently providing internet to both urban and rural areas in the US and other countries all over the word.
8. Long range Wi-Fi antenna
The above-mentioned internet option is equally able to provide the much-needed high internet connection in the rural areas. Although this concept is relatively new, it has proved to be very effective especially to those living in the rural areas. It actually involves placing an antenna on the outside of your home in a bid to achieve high speed access to a connection that is miles away from your current location.
It is imperative to note that this technology runs on 802.11/b/g/n and usually varies in range according to the transmission of power and the type of antenna you have in your current environment .Initially, this concept was developed for those businesses that operate from a remote site and homeowners who have bought homes in remote locations. However, this concept has started being appreciated and is now a good alternative for accessing high speed internet in the rural areas.
How to Improve Rural Area Internet Speed
It is not secret that we would all want high speed internet connection. Sometimes, you might experience some buffering when you are streaming your videos on platform such as YouTube. Such scenarios are very rampant in the rural areas. Slow internet is the last thing that you would wish to experience. The good news is that you can now avert this problem by considering the following ideas;
1. Reposition or upgrade your router
Where you have placed your router can affect the performance of your internet and Wi-Fi in your home. For instance, if you place it near or behind other devices such as your microwave and TV, the performance of your internet might be compromised. Ideally, you should determine where you need most of you wireless network coverage .This could be your living room, home office and so on. In this case, you can open the router in an open space for optimal internet connection.
Better still, you can consider looking for a newer router and you will increase the intent speeds in your rural home. Your current router might not be able to support the current technology and consequently, your internet connection might be highly affected. However, if you if you upgrade it to a modern one, you will be able to improve the internet connection in your home.
See more :
- Best Router Under 100 With High Functioning & Signal Strength
- Best WiFi Router For Multiple Devices With Comparison
2. Diagnose the internet connection problem
Sometimes, your home might be receiving a stable internet connection but still, you are having issues with internet connection in your home. If this happens, the problem might be with the wireless signal not performing well. As a result, it might decrease the internet speed. Therefore, it is important that you test the internet speeds in your home using an Ethernet cable first. If there are issues, you can now call the internet service provider to diagnose the problem for you.
3. Check your bill
It is imperative that you check your bill and find out if you are getting value for money. Sometimes, it does not hurt if you upgrade your internet package so as to improve the internet connection in your rural home. Chances are; you will get a better plan that will enable you have a better internet connection in your home.
4. Go Wireless
With a wireless connection, several people can go online at the same time and still enjoy high speed internet connection. All you need is an antenna and a modem set up and you will be good to go. The wireless router in your home will be able to convert incoming signals from the internet service provider’s antennal and then broadcast them. Later, the signal will be picked up by the wireless-enabled device such as the computer or tablet. Consequently, you will enjoy high internet connection in your rural home.
5. Do not hit the reset button just soon
If you check keenly, you will note that most routers normally have a reset button. This button is normally located at the back of the router and can be pushed using a pushpin or a paper clip. By pushing this button, you will reset the router back to its default factory settings.
Here, any information that you have entered during the configuration process will be gone. Such details include the IP address, ISP usernames, ports, security keys and so on. If you have to rest the router, you should have the above-mentioned information to avoid losing anything as this might affect the internet performance of your home for quite some time.
What to Look For When Buying Rural Internet
When considering whether to invest in rural internet or not, there are a number of factors that you should consider. Some of these factors include:
Price
When it comes to rural internet options, you will note that they are not that cheap. You have to set a budget for them. However, as you purpose to do this, you should consider a few ideas. First, you should not buy more data that you need. For instance ,if you need only 60 GB of data, you should to look for a top-tier plan with 300 GB of data.
Better still, you should watch out for price hikes. Finally, you should compare the cost of either renting or buying internet connection equipment. If you are rational enough, you will make a wise decision and keep the internet connection costs at the bare minimum.
Internet Speeds
We all want high and fast speed internet connection in all our rural homes. However, this is not always the case. If you have many users at home, the internet speeds might be relatively low. Therefore, you should choose an internet option that comes with a large bandwidth so that all of you can surf the internet seamlessly.
Remember that how you use the internet will affect the overall internet speeds. For instance, if you are using the internet for gaming, you might need an internet option that offers 3 to 4Mbps.However, if you are using the internet for social media and basic browsing, 1Mbpsinternet speed might be ideal for you. Finally, the more internet devices you have at home, the more internet speed you will need at home.
Data caps
Different internet options normally have different data caps. Ideally, you should choose a rural internet option that has a high data cap for convenience purposes. Although you might not necessarily hit the data cap all the time, it does not hurt to look for an option with a higher data cap. With a higher data cap, you will be able to stream shows on Netflix or on YouTube and still have a good and stable internet connection.
Availability
It is unfortunate that there are a few internet provider choices in the rural areas. Therefore, you should be keen to check the coverage of internet from a particular carrier. Ideally, the provider should offer rural internet to many places. Besides this, rural internet should have downloads speeds of at least 25 Mbps and upload speeds of at least 3Mbps for efficiency purposes.
What to Expect from Rural Internet in the Coming Years?
Although rural internet has started to gain popularity in the recent years, it is expected that there will be more rural internet options in the coming years. This can be attributed to the fact that more people are now working from home and are now investing more on high tech devices such as modern smart phones, tablets and even laptops. With this in mind, be sure that the existing internet option will have better internet coverage and fast internet speeds. Generally, the future looks bright as far as rural internet is concerned.
FAQ
Why Is It So Hard To Get Fast Internet Access In Rural Area?
For many reasons, getting fast internet access in rural areas is scarce. This is because service providers normally see rural areas as a threat in terms of profit, thus don’t invest so much in them. Since most carriers concern is to maximize on profit, they overlook rural areas and leave them un-served. Also, the government has really ignored internet as a basic utility. Therefore, you might have issues with internet connection if you live in the rural areas.
What Is AT&T Fixed Wireless Internet?
This is basically a high-speed internet access service provider whose download speeds are at least 10Mbps.In most cases; it is available in many rural areas in the U.S only. It comes with a 350 MB data bucket per month and requires you to install an AT&T outdoor antenna and indoor Wireless Gateway.
Can I Get Better Wi-Fi In Rural Areas?
Yes. However, you have to find a service provider who provides wireless internet for the rural areas. The good news is that there are many service providers who offer good and stable internet connection to the rural areas.
What If I Don’t Have Any Rural Internet Options?
If you do not have any rural internet option in your home, you can consider satellite internet .This option is more available in many rural areas and does not need hard wiring through roads and neighborhoods in order to make work. All, you need is a dish mounted on your roof and you will be good to go.
Is Fixed Wireless Internet Better Than Satellite?
Yes. You will note that fixed wireless is not affected by weather as satellite. Besides this, internet is faster when using fixed wireless connection compared to Satellite as speeds with the former can reach up to 1000 Mbps; thereby making is comparable to fiber optic internet.
What Are the Upload and Download Speeds Provided With AT&T Rural Internet?
When using AT&T rural internet, you can expect speeds of at least 10 Mbps download and 1Mbps when it comes to upload.
Does AT&T Rural Internet Include Wi-Fi?
Yes. Their 1000 Mbps internet connection has strong entire home Wi-Fi for reliable internet experience. Here, you will be able to stream your favorite videos on Netflix and even YouTube.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to rural internet, AT&T does not disappoint. Here, you will be able to enjoy fixed wireless internet connection and thereby be able to surf the internet from the comfort of your home. The good news is that it is more available in most of the states in the US and therefore residents living in the rural parts of those states can greatly benefit from this service provider. Consider AT&T rural internet today and you will enjoy the results.
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