HughesNet Gen5 costs $49.98/mo while Starlink costs $110/mo.  HughesNet offers free equipment while Starlink charges a $599 hardware fee + taxes + shipping +?  Even if you have $700 laying around after everything is said and done, you have to somehow get on your roof and install the Starlink satellite Internet dish system yourself with no technical support phone number to call if you have an issue.  HughesNet offers free equipment and free installation that is done by a certified technician.  HughesNet does not let customers assist in the installation due to risk of injury, improper installation and lack of tools and equipment necessary for a satellite Internet installation.

Speeds.  HughesNet ranked #1 4 years in a row in the whole country at meeting and exceeding their advertised speeds of 25 Mbps and in 2022 ranked the number 1 satellite Internet provider in the United States by US News & World Report and the #1 high-speed Internet provider for rural areas.  Most customers can average between 35 and 40 Mbps with the new HughesNet Gen5.  There is nothing on the Starlink website that says anything about their satellite Internet speeds but as more people are using Starlink satellite Internet their speeds and reliability has plummeted.

Customer service and technical support phone number.  Starlink does not offer any phone number to call to speak with someone with questions that you have about getting Starlink Internet service, customer support, technical support or billing issues.  Your only option is to submit a help ticket through their app and wait for a response.  HughesNet offers 24/7 customer service, technical support, help with billing issues and anything else that customer's need.

Company history and experience.  HughesNet invented satellite communications technology in 1965 and has led the way since then to improve it as shown today with their Gen5 technology and now their new HughesNet Fusion low latency Internet technology.  Starlink is a new start up company that the FCC overturned and denied a previously awarded grant for broadband assitance because they doubt that Starlink can meet the grant's required speeds.  Starlink's Internet speeds are dropping and congestion increases everyday as more people get on it.  They have had to make changes to their terms of service because of this that are different terms than from when current customer's orginally signed up for and have negatively affected many of those customer's that are now out all the start up costs that they had to pay upfront and now have different terms of service.  HughesNet recieved their grant and through the Affordable Connectivity Program and the FCC offers customer's with low income or on assistance programs such as Snap, Lifeline and Medicaid to get their bill reduced even more with a monthly bill credit.

So if you have $700 laying around and then another $1230 for your first year of monthly service (plus tax), don't mind not being able to speak with a human being if you have an issue and can crawl up on your roof to install a satellite Internet dish system then Starlink satellite Internet may be for you.  On the other hand, if you would rather have a certified technician set up your satellite Internet free while you work from home, watch TV or play with your kids, pay no upfront equipment fees, have access to customer support 24/7 from a company with 60 years of experience in the industry, then HughesNet Gen5 may be for you.

To learn more about HughesNet Gen5 or to check availability in your area call one of our friendly Internet advisors anytime at 888-501-2620.