Three Questions to Ask to Find the Best Rural Internet for You
Things are changing fast when it comes to Internet access, especially when it comes to remote areas. There are more Internet service options for rural communities than ever before.
With the help of this article, you will discover three simple questions you should ask providers to find the best rural Internet access available in your area – at a fair price.
Let’s get started.
What is Rural Internet? How Is It Different from Urban Internet?
My search for the best rural Internet service began with WikiHow. I wanted to understand why people in the city didn’t experience the kind of lags and interrupted service I was experiencing.
What I discovered was eye-opening. I learned that the infrastructure is actually different in the city vs. the country. Homes and offices in urban areas are connected directly to massive, underground fiber optic cables. Whereas, buildings in the country often rely on aging telephone cables, like the ones your grandparents used to call friends on their rotary phone in the 1970s.
As mentioned above, though, times have changed. Now, there are wireless options that don’t require hard-wiring at all.
The trick is to find a solution that meets your needs in reliability, speed, and cost. Below are three simple questions you must ask – if you want to find the best rural Internet in your area.
#1) Finding the Best Rural Internet: Can I Do All the Activities I Want to Do With This Data Plan?
Before you go to a website, before you visit your local service provider, before you sign a contract – think about what you use the Internet for. What kinds of things do you and your family, or your coworkers (if you’re a business) do with your TV, your computers, and your other devices? Does your daughter upload videos to her YouTube channel? Does your son play loud, big-action video games with players from all over the world? Does the marketing analyst in your office send massive data files to clients on the other side of the country? Or do you simply check your email and watch movies at night?
Once you have a clear idea of what you need to be able to do, ask the salesperson or the chatbot on the website if their plan will allow you to do all those things. Then, let them find the right technology and service plan to get you the best rural Internet access to meet your needs.
Generally speaking, 5G solutions offer the fast, fast speeds and low lag time you will need to do things like video conferencing; intense, real-time gaming; and streaming movies. However, 4G is also a good, lower-cost option that enables you to do things like online shopping, checking Facebook, and even uploading and downloading YouTube videos – that don’t require the kind of lightning fast speeds and low-latency levels that 5G offers.
#2) Finding the Best Rural Internet: How Much Does it Cost?
There are two key costs associated with Internet access – data and equipment. Television programming channel packages, like the History Channel and ESPN, are a topic for another day.
Data plans can vary – based on the needs you identified in the question above. They can run as little as $69.99 a month or as much as $200+. Equipment can also vary, again, depending on your needs. A mobile hotspot can run as little as $100 or a router/modem from a big-name retailer could be more than $1,000.
Regardless of what equipment you need, be sure to get a clear itemized list from all the providers you talk to so you can compare apples to apples. And beware of rented equipment! Some companies charge you an equipment fee, in addition to a data fee, and this can add up. A rate of $15-$20/month per device may sound affordable at first, but when you pay every month, it adds up.
For example, a modem/router may cost $250-$300 to purchase, but if you were to rent that device for five years, it would cost you $900-$1200. In 10 years, you would be paying a whopping $1800-$2400!
So be sure to get an itemized list, and buy your equipment outright, if possible. Before you know it, you’ll have the best Internet in town.
#3) Finding the Best Rural Internet: Will My Information Be Safe?
This is a question that often gets overlooked, but if you’re looking for the best rural Internet available, keeping your information safe from bad actors is important.
That said, don’t get dragged down the rabbit hole of which Internet security protocols the provider uses. If you are like me, you’re not an information security wonk. So, discussions about protocols firewalls, and viruses can be confusing.
They should be able to answer “yes” to the question, “Will your solution protect our private information?” They should also be able to tell you they use the most up-to-date security measures, and they update those security systems regularly. In addition, according to PC Guide Magazine, a good router modem combo should come with a hearty security system, designed to keep you safe from malware. Sabertooth Pro’s Titan WiFi Home Pro Hotspot Device is a great example of a high-performance modem-router solution with safety built in.
How to Get the Best Rural Internet Ever
Once you have answers to all those questions, look at your options side by side. Choosing the best Internet connectivity option for your location will be simple and easy.
Before you know it, you will have the best connectivity for miles.
Contact Sabertooth Pro to learn more about their rural and remote Internet solutions.
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Sabertooth Tech Group
Sabertooth Tech Group is an Internet Service Provider that believes in building connections across great distances through innovative and empowering technology. The solutions they endorse are systems they truly believe in, and that offer more freedom to individuals without sacrificing their connectivity.