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I'm moving to a rural area where there is no internet service, however, it is covered by my carrier's 4G LTE network. I am considering mobile broadband. With a mobile hotspot, what can be expected as far as download speeds and reliability? How does this compare to satellite internet?

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Unfortunately, there is no way to say. Just because it is your provider says its covered by your network, that doesnt mean you will actually get 4G service in your area - or any service at all.

You may get lucky with 4G, but you better hope your provider has an unlimited plan if you are a heavy data user. Not only that, but many unlimited plans throttle speeds after some set limit of data.

As for reliability, again, thats impossible to say. It may be rock solid and you might never have an issue. Or, someone could drive into the cell tower that covers your area, knocking out service. In addition to that, as more people use data in that area, the slower its going to get.

Satellite internet, is in my opinion, a last resort. Generally, satellite internet download speeds will vary by provider. I havent looked in a while, but speeds were not very fast. Satellite internet typically has a very high latency as well. Unfortunately, satellite uploads are done by modem, which is excruciatingly slow.

Ask your provider if they offer a trial broadband modem. Most do, as no one wants to get into a long term contract to find out it wont work.

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  • Satellite internet i.e. HughesNet in fact has a monthly download limit of 20GB max "anytime" data.
    – T. Webster
    Jul 12, 2016 at 5:27
  • @T.Webster Well, is 20GB enough for you? It certainly wouldnt work for me.
    – Keltari
    Jul 12, 2016 at 5:30

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