When looking for an internet service provider it is important to consider a variety of factors, especially if you are situated in a rural area where the internet connection is not that reliable. And these factors will serve as your guide in your selection process since acquiring the services of the wrong internet provider will definitely cause intermittent connection, which can also affect your work and online access in a negative way.
So take time to read this post as we are going to share the factors in choosing the best rural internet service provider to meet your needs as an online consumer.
Availability
Unfortunately, availability is one of the main things you have to consider when choosing a rural internet service. And that’s because having a fiber connection won’t do you any good if the provider does not have internet service in your place. Surprisingly, residents and business owners only have a few internet options when residing in rural communities. And most of the available choices are satellite internet, broadband internet, and 4G-LTE, which can be very effective with the right subscription plan and equipment.
Rates
An ideal internet provider needs to offer plans that are not only reliable but also affordable at the same time. Or in any case, there should be a balance with the monthly rate of the plan, the speed, and connectivity needs.
For example, if you’re a small business owner, then it’s obviously impractical to subscribe to a $1000 plan with a fiber connection since your internet usage is low. Hence, it’s recommended switching to a cheaper plan that is sufficient enough to meet your internet requirements. Don’t choose steep internet plans unless your business is growing otherwise you’ll just end something more than what you have to.
Internet Speed
As a home or business owner in a rural area, you also need to ensure that the speed of your chosen rural internet provider is always good even at times when the demand for the internet is at its peak in a day.
To most customers, net speed is also a key consideration in choosing a rural internet service because they want to have the fastest speed that they can get in a particular area according to the monthly plan they have subscribed to. And the internet speed is determined by looking at the “Bandwidth” information on every plan that is offered.
But even if this information is provided, it does not mean that this is the speed you’ll be getting at all times. So it’s definitely worth checking other businesses in the same area to know the kind of internet speed you can expect from your chosen provider.
Connection Type
Satellite is a type of connection that is notoriously slow despite having a good download speed. And that’s because the signal takes time to travel from space back to your satellite dish. Even at light speed, the transfer of internet signals takes 500+ milliseconds plus the additional processing time on both the server side and client side.
On the other hand, 4G-LTE have a signal latency of 100 milliseconds while other connections like Fiber have a lower signal latency of about 200 milliseconds.
Reliability
And most importantly, the rural internet service you have chosen must ensure reliable internet connectivity at all times.
Having an intermittent internet connection is counterproductive and stressful. Also, it can affect your business negatively in terms of reduced profitability and performance of employees.
If you belong in an industry that requires an uninterrupted internet connection, then it is wise to consider a service provider with SLA (Service Level Agreement). An SLA is a type of contract that specifies how reliable the internet connection should be.
And in such instances when the internet connection becomes intermittent, a customer service representative will immediately fix the issue so the connection of your internet will return to its previous reliable state. And rest assured the CSR will deal with the issue promptly regardless if the issue is caused by a physically damaged line or malfunctioning hardware.
Swift service is the hallmark of a reliable internet provider. That’s why we suggest you check on this matter as well to avoid experiencing delays and disappointments with your internet connection even if you live in a rural town or county.