Our pick for the best available fixed wireless internet provider is Rise Broadband, but we also recommend other fixed wireless internet providers for different reasons. We like the ease of installation that AT&T provides, the variety of no-contract plans you can get with Nextlink, and the speeds offered by Everywhere Wireless. Although fixed wireless internet is often meant to serve rural areas where broadband internet coverage is limited or extremely expensive, the best fixed internet providers should still service a relatively large customer base. A good internet provider should also offer reasonably fast speeds at affordable prices, without huge installation fees or small data caps that limit your usage. Living in a remote area doesn’t mean you have to compromise on your internet speed or signal quality. *With successful activation. Limited-time offer. May not be combined with other offers. 2-year contract required. 350 GB data. 1-year price guarantee, price increased by $10 in year **Internet rates reflect the ability to connect to our tower with a sufficient signal. Service is limited to the coverage area of Nextlink wireless network via line of sight. Residential and Business plan speeds are burstable “Up to” the particular plan’s maximum speed. †for 12 months plus taxes. Includes a $5/mo. discount with AutoPay and paperless billing discount. $10/mo. equipment fee applies. ††Service plans are month-to-month or yearly and are between Everywhere Wireless and individual subscribers and do not involve the building management company or owner. All applicable taxes, fees and other government-imposed charges have been included in the pricing. Restrictions may apply. Speeds and pricing are subject to property’s infrastructure. Unlike cable or fiber internet, which use cables (coax or fiber optic cables), or satellite internet, which requires a signal to travel a much further distance, fixed wireless internet signals typically travel short distances, and you need a good line of sight from the tower access point to your reception device. When shopping for a fixed wireless provider consider:
Installation costs Equipment fees Monthly plan costs Whether or not a contract is required Plan upload and download speeds Unlimited data vs. a data cap Extra perks (like included email addresses)
Given the personalized nature of a fixed wireless connection, installation cost is an important factor. Some fixed providers can charge high equipment and installation fees, while others may charge high monthly service fees or require lengthy contracts. Look for a provider that offers reasonable installation costs without making you pay too much each month. It’s also wise to find providers that offer fast enough upload and download speeds, and if possible, unlimited data. You may be able to take advantage of other perks as well, like contract-free plans, free equipment, or included email accounts with your plan. All of these factors go into determining the best providers. One big factor for fixed wireless systems, however, is line of sight. Why does fixed wireless internet access need good line of sight? The system relies on a wireless signal that goes from a tower to a reception device placed on your home. This means, you don’t need to have cable or fiber lines running all the way to your residence, as the signal transmits wirelessly from a distance. On the other hand, because of the need for direct line of sight to get a clear signal, heavily wooded areas may not get the best fixed wireless signal (sorry, remote cabin dwellers!).
Satellite internet: Satellite internet is another option for customers in rural areas. It uses a satellite dish installed on your home to communicate with satellites in space, which in turn communicate with a station on the ground. But given the signal has to travel so far, latency can be a real issue. The cost is often relatively high for satellite internet as well. Mobile hotspot: A mobile hotspot takes advantage of your mobile device’s data plan and uses it for other connected devices. It’s usually not ideal as a day-to-day option, but it will work in a pinch. Cable internet: If cable internet is available in your area, it might be your best option for getting the best speeds at the lowest cost. However, it’s still best to compare the benefits and drawbacks of cable vs. a fixed provider. DSL: DSL internet uses phone lines, so it’s typically slower. If DSL is available in your area, it’s another option to compare and consider. However, DSL is becoming obsolete technology. Fiber internet: Fiber internet uses fiber optic cables, which generally provide the fastest and most reliable signal. However, fiber isn’t as readily available in lower-population areas. If you can get fiber, that’s probably the best way to go though.
The lower-cost plans are subject to a data cap, and the standard installation fee is $149. Rise sometimes offers promotions that let you save on installation and even on your plan cost, but you’ll still incur a monthly equipment fee of $11, as well as a data overage fee of $5 per 10 GB if you exceed your plan’s allotted data (bummer!) On the plus side, Rise is available in several cities across the country, and as the largest fixed wireless provider, it serves more customers than other fixed providers. Customer reviews are mixed, with some customers citing price increases and outages,² and others stating they are happy with the installation and speed.³ Nextlink’s plans are pretty straightforward, and speeds range from 10 Mbps to 100 Mbps. There are no data caps, which is a huge plus as well. The small provider serves a large market in Texas, but they also service smaller markets in other states like Oklahoma, Nebraska, Illinois, Kansas, and Iowa. Although not nationwide, Nextlink is still one of the larger fixed providers. Customer reviews for Nextlink are mixed, with some customers saying they’re dissatisfied with the long wait times to get a technician out to fix issues, and others complimenting the friendliness of the customer service staff.⁴ Installation charge of $99 for 2-year service agreement, or $250 for month-to-month service. Because it uses advanced elements of both fiber and fixed networks, Everywhere Wireless is able to provide fast, symmetrical speeds without a modem. The company website says it has a 99.99% uptime rate, and it offers both residential and business plans at speeds ranging from 10 Mbps all the way up to 10 Gbps or higher. For residential plans, taxes and surcharges are included in the price and contracts are month-to-month. Their plan prices are upfront, and customers appear to be exceptionally happy with the service. On Yelp, Everywhere Wireless has five stars from 291 reviewers (as of August 2021), and customers compliment the provider for its affordable pricing, customer support, and reliability.⁵ Service plans are month-to-month or yearly and are between Everywhere Wireless and individual subscribers and do not involve the building management company or owner. All applicable taxes, fees and other government-imposed charges have been included in the pricing. Restrictions may apply. Speeds and pricing are subject to the property’s infrastructure. AT&T also frequently offers promotions, where you can save on fixed internet when you combine it with another service. For instance, you can save about $10.00 when you bundle with another service that costs $29.99 or more (as of August 2021). You might also be able to save on the $99 installation fee by bundling with another service like DirecTV. AT&T Internet has poor customer service scores on sites like Yelp, but many of the negative reviews are about AT&T’s fiber or DSL internet plans, as opposed to its fixed internet. Plus, as a larger provider, AT&T is included in the American Customer Satisfaction Index report (ACSI). With an overall score of 71, the ACSI report for 2020–21 ranks AT&T as one the highest ranking among internet service providers.⁶ We also considered customer reviews, but this metric is more subjective considering many internet providers have less than favorable customer service scores. We read reviews from individual subscribers, asked our colleagues for feedback in cases where they had experience with the particular service, and used customer service reports like the ACSI. Point-to-point fixed wireless internet involves a connection between two locations, while point-to-multipoint connects a single base station to more than one location. Often, residential fixed wireless connections are point-to-multipoint. The best internet providers for rural areas The best internet service providers How much internet speed do I need? The best satellite internet providers
