Who Offers the Best Rural Internet for Streaming and Gaming?
Whether you’re moving to a rural community or live there already, you likely know that finding fast internet can be challenging. Internet service providers are expanding into non-urban areas, but your Netflix nights and Twitch streams may lag more often than you’re used to. Explore who offers the best rural internet for streaming and gaming to compare your upgrade options. You’ll get instant access to all your favorite online activities, regardless of where you live.
Companies Offering the Best Rural Internet for Streaming and Gaming
Many companies provide rural internet, but only a few lead the industry. Finding the brands people rely on for their internet access will reveal how many options you have to consider. Get up to speed on these 15 options, which are among the best in the business.
1. Point Broadband
People in rural areas love the fiber internet available with Point Broadband. The company offers multiple fiber-based network solutions so everyone gets exactly what they need. Point Broadband customers never deal with data caps, either. The fiber internet provides 2 gigabits per second (Gbps), 25 times faster than traditional cable connections. You’ll enjoy every moment you spend online without lags, caps or outages.
If you’re not close to fiber cabling, don’t worry. Point Broadband also provides Air Connect internet, which is a wireless signal derived from the nearest fiber feeds. You’ll still get faster internet with 200 megabits per second (Mbps) than satellite alternatives. Get either kind without a credit check or contract and enjoy instant service.
| Point Broadband | ||
| Download Speed | Pricing | Coverage Area |
| Fiber: 2 GbpsAir Connect: 200 Mbps | Contact for pricing | New York Ohio Michigan Maryland Virginia Tennessee Georgia Alabama Florida Texas |
2. Hughesnet
Hughesnet customers get high-speed satellite internet through the world’s most advanced commercial satellites. If you sign up, you’ll get whole home Wi-Fi with reduced latency to avoid video lagging. The secret is in the three included mesh Wi-Fi nodes that extend internet coverage throughout your property. Every customer plan also includes unlimited data. When your internet connection falters due to a storm, you’ll have endless online access with your included data connection.
| Hughesnet | ||
| Download Speed | Pricing | Coverage Area |
| Up to 100 Mbps | Contact for pricing | Nationwide |
3. Rise Broadband
Residential fiber and fixed wireless internet are available with Rise Broadband. The company uses mesh technology to prevent dead zones in your home, and customers can connect up to 150 devices without compromising their Wi-Fi speeds. Free installation and no-contract arrangements make signing up simple. See if the company’s fiber connectivity is available near you for seamless streaming experiences.
| Rise Broadband | ||
| Download Speed | Pricing | Coverage Area |
| Fiber: 1 GbpsFixed wireless: 250 Mbps | Contact for pricing | 16 states, primarily in the Midwest |
4. Starlink
Starlink provides high-speed internet with low-orbit satellites operating worldwide. Customers install a hardware kit on their roof that includes a mini satellite dish shaped like a flat panel that taps into the wireless network. People enjoy consistent low latency while streaming and gaming. Use the Starlink app to find the best installation point and you’ll have internet connectivity in a single afternoon.
| Starlink | ||
| Download Speed | Pricing | Coverage Area |
| Between 25-220 Mbps | Hardware kit: $349 Residential Lite: $80 per month Residential: $120 per month | Nationwide |
5. Viasat
If you’re looking for satellite internet, see if Viasat is available where you live. The company provides internet connectivity without any contracts or data caps. Its team installs everything customers need for fast Wi-Fi, but that’s not the last you’ll see of its experts. Live customer service representatives are always available, so you’ll never have to fight a machine to troubleshoot connection issues.
| Viasat | ||
| Download Speed | Pricing | Coverage Area |
| Between 25-220 Mbps | Contact for pricing | Nationwide |
6. Verizon
You might know Verizon as a phone provider, but the company also offers the best rural internet for streaming and gaming. New customers don’t pay anything for their equipment and never deal with data caps. You’ll also get your internet price locked in for at least three years, making a considerable budgeting difference. Choose the plan that fits your internet speed requirements — you may even bundle your new favorite streaming services with your contract-free deal.
| Verizon | ||
| Download Speed | Pricing | Coverage Area |
| Between 100 Mbps to 1 Gbps | LTI Home: $60 per month LTE Home Plus: $80 per month | Nationwide |
7. T-Mobile
T-Mobile provides 5G internet through its national cell tower network. Customers add a gateway device to their homes, which doubles as a modem and router. You won’t have to sign a contract to get the five-year price lock on your service, either. Rural communities can access the internet through the same reliable towers generating their cell service, so it’s an option for anyone who already has great T-Mobile experience where they live.
| T-Mobile | ||
| Download Speed | Pricing | Coverage Area |
| Between 134-415 Mbps | Rely: $35 per month Amplify: $45 per month All-In: $50 per month | Nationwide |
8. CenturyLink
Midwestern homes often rely on CenturyLink for fast internet. The brand offers fixed wireless and a digital subscriber line (DSL), which turns existing phone lines into internet access. The wireless option connects with a CenturyLink tower to access the online world through an antenna on your roof.
Fixed wireless is the primary option in rural communities. Fiber plans are available, but only for people within or close to major cities within CenturyLink’s coverage map. Otherwise, you could enjoy the Simply plan’s month-to-month contracts and the option to purchase your hardware instead of leasing it.
| CenturyLink | ||
| Download Speed | Pricing | Coverage Area |
| Simply Unlimited: 100 Mbps Fiber: 940 Mbps | Simply Unlimited: $55 per month Fiber: $75 per month | 15 states |
9. AT&T
Numerous internet options are available through AT&T. Customers relying on the company for residential internet can choose from 4G, 5G, fixed wireless connections and a hybrid fiber-copper network called IPBB. IPBB exists wherever AT&T’s fiber lines run, which may not be available in rural communities yet. However, the fixed wireless and wireless options can reach anywhere in the country. Plans without data caps are available, though the wireless internet does require a contract.
| AT&T | ||
| Download Speed | Pricing | Coverage Area |
| Wireless: Up to 100 Mbps Fiber: Between 300 Mbps and 1 Gbps | Contact for pricing | Most states except New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Vermont |
10. Windstream Kinetic
The DSL internet from Windstream Kinetic creates fast online access for southern and middle America. You won’t deal with data caps or contracts with this service provider. Households can even use their existing routers if they have one or don’t prefer to rent one through Kinetic. Wi-Fi extenders and management systems are available for people who want to customize their network. Fiber plans also exist if you live closer to the major cities within Kinetic’s coverage map.
| Windstream Kinetic | ||
| Download Speed | Pricing | Coverage Area |
| Wireless: Up to 200 Mbps Fiber: Between 100 Mbps and 2 Gbps | $44.99 per month | 18 states in the South and Midwest |
11. Spectrum
Spectrum is one of the biggest names in the telecommunications industry. The company is developing a fiber network but primarily provides cable internet. You might also find it’s one of the few internet providers in your area because it works with the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund to reach places without coverage. Spectrum customers never sign a contract and don’t deal with data caps. If you sign up, you can even add cellphone and TV packages to your internet service.
| Spectrum Rural Internet | ||
| Download Speed | Pricing | Coverage Area |
| Between 100 Mbps and 1 Gbps | Starting at $30 per month for one year | 24 states, but not every address within them |
12. Frontier Communications
Frontier Communications offers wireless internet connections in numerous states. While the company does provide fiber plans, they’re limited in rural areas. Customers get 24/7 assistance after Frontier experts install the Eero mesh router you’ll need for streaming and gaming anywhere in your house. Data caps won’t fall into place until after your first year of service ends, so you can figure out what speeds you need and adjust your internet plan accordingly.
| Frontier Communications | ||
| Download Speed | Pricing | Coverage Area |
| Wireless: Around 100 Mbps Fiber: Between 846 Mbps and 5,000 Mbps | Wireless: Starting at $64.99 per month Fiber: Starting at $44.99 per month | California Florida Texas North Carolina Indiana New York |
13. Consolidated Communications
Keep an eye out for fiber internet with Consolidated Communications. The brand is trying to cover 70% of its network map with fiber access by 2026. In the meantime, you may have the fastest internet connection with the company’s DSL service. Customers don’t have to deal with data caps or contracts but pay a monthly fee for their wireless hardware.
| Consolidated Communications | ||
| Download Speed | Pricing | Coverage Area |
| DSL: Between 10 Mbps and 50 Mbps Fiber: Starting at 1 Gbps | Wireless: Starting at $20 per month Fiber: Contact for pricing | 23 states |
14. Optimum
Cable internet is available in rural communities within the Optimum coverage map. Your home could connect to one of the fastest wireless networks if Optimum is available at your address. You won’t have to sign a contract to start your service or enjoy unlimited data. The company also offers a 60-day money-back guarantee, so you don’t have to worry about compromising your budget to try a new internet provider.
| Optimum | ||
| Download Speed | Pricing | Coverage Area |
| Wireless: Between 15 Mbps and 1 Gbps Fiber: Between 100 Mbps and 1 Gbps | Wireless: $89.99-$139.99 per month Fiber: $50-$100 per month | 21 states |
15. Midco
Midco customers have the best wireless internet connection in rural areas when their neighborhood has an unobstructed view — or seven miles — of the nearest Midco tower. Fiber is available in select cities but may not be available in remote communities. Schedule your installation and a Midco team member will ensure you get everything set up quickly. You can also stream and game all you want without any data caps.
| Midco | ||
| Download Speed | Pricing | Coverage Area |
| Wireless: Up to 100 Mbps Fiber: Between 250 Mbps and 5 Gbps | Wireless: Starting at $39 per month Fiber: Starting at $64.95 per month | Minnesota North Dakota South Dakota Kansas Wisconsin |
Key Factors for Choosing Reliable Rural Internet
Availability is the most important factor to remember when you need internet in a remote residential area. Even if a service provider does business in your state, the company might not be able to reach your address. Once you have a few options in mind, go to their websites and put your address into their coverage maps. You’ll instantly know if you’re a candidate for the internet packages that caught your eye.
Other factors create better network experiences, too. When you know which brands can reach your address, compare their options for details like:
- Download and upload speeds
- Technology used to get the internet to your home
- Customer support reputation
- Data caps
- Faster latency
Contact customer service teams if you have any questions. Their responsiveness and ability to help will fortify if they’re a company you know you can rely on. You can also ask more detailed questions about issues most concerning to you, like data caps on streaming or latency reports from customers.
The offered technology might be among the most important details to consider before signing up for an internet plan. Satellite, fixed wireless, DSL and cable all create different reliable connectivity. A company might also offer a router that doesn’t come with the management platform you’d like if you’re used to handling configuration changes in your network. A quick conversation with each brand’s customer service team will give you every detail you need to know before paying your first bill.
Get the Fastest Internet in Your Hometown
Once you’ve explored the companies offering the best rural internet for streaming and gaming, you’ll know which brands to contact with any questions or concerns. You’re not out of luck if you need fast internet in a remote community. Compare your options to find the best plans available at your specific address and get ready to game and stream at top speeds.