Types of Internet Access Available in Rural America

Much has been said about the gap between urban and rural America when it comes to readily available high-speed Internet access. Many mainstream Internet service providers have not extended their sphere of influence into rural areas, so rural residents have had to find suitable alternatives for their Internet needs. Here are some alternative types of Internet for rural areas.

Dial-up

Believe it or not, dial-up is still alive and well in rural America. Former household name AOL has reinvented itself as a rural Internet service provider for rural residents who aren’t covered by mainstream Internet companies. While Wi-Fi coverage may not be ubiquitous, phone lines still are, giving this method merit in rural America. Dial-up companies may not be the fastest or best rural Internet service providers, but it is still affordable and readily available.

Mobile Internet

Just as cell phones represent the next evolution of telephones, Internet service providers that use cell phone towers (such as UbiFi) are one step up from dial-up Internet. Companies like UbiFi can provide unlimited 4G rural Internet because of the high number of cell phone towers scattered throughout every part of rural America. Furthermore, UbiFi provides other advantages over other types of Internet providers, such as low latency and no data caps or overage fees.

Satellite Internet

Satellite Internet service providers like Starlink are also growing in popularity across rural America because of their ability to provide Internet service anywhere in the world. Satellite Internet companies bounce Internet signals off satellites orbiting the planet, giving them a wider reach than any other Internet service provider. Satellite Internet is a popular high-performance option, but be aware that it suffers from high latency.