HughesNet
1.3
3.5
Overall Score
Author: Kaitlyn Short
LAST UPDATED: June 29th, 2024
HughesNet is an internet service provider committed to making its customers' internet experiences the best for more than 40 years. This long history of service has made HughesNet the largest satellite internet network in the country.
HughesNet internet offers download speeds up to 25 Mbps from a satellite network. It focuses on residential internet services.
HughesNet has a great reputation for customer service and has a high rate of customer retention. This reputation helps HughesNet stand out among their competition within the industry.
As a satellite internet provider, HughesNet is often contrasted with its competitor, Viasat (formerly known as Exede Internet).
The Good
- Satellite Network
- Plan Options and Pricing
- Nationwide Availability
- Bonus Data
Satellite Network
The technology delivering high-speed internet plans is constantly improving. Consumers can choose several options from their internet providers, such as dial-up service, DSL, cable internet, and fiber-optic broadband.
HughesNet internet has introduced a new type of network using satellite technology. The HughesNet satellite is more than 22,000 miles in space and will receive a signal from the customer's computer.
However, some customers complain that satellite internet service has room for improvement, and they struggle to get a signal. Being at the forefront of internet evolution comes with the risk of service issues, so make sure that satellite internet is the best option for you.
Plan Options and Pricing
HughesNet has one consistent speed across all of its plans: 25 Mbps. The actual speed experienced may vary depending on other external factors. The rates vary based on how much monthly data is included and your area:
- 10 GB – $49.99
- 20 GB – $59.99
- 30 GB – $89.99
- 50 GB – $139.99
However, these rates don't include equipment, which customers pay a monthly fee to lease.
Nationwide Availability
Most broadband ISPs are smaller companies that offer their networks to a focalized region. They generally operate in a few states or in metropolitan areas. Few companies offer widespread service.
HughesNet's satellite service spans the entire country. No matter where you live, you can always access the network. This is a benefit for customers who may move often because they can be confident that their internet will travel with them.
Bonus Data
HughesNet has restrictive data caps, but the good news is customers have access to a bonus 50 GB of data per month when accessed between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m. If you plan on surfing late in the evening or early in the morning, this could be beneficial.
The Bad
- Limited Internet Packages
- Long Contract
- Slower Speeds
- Data Allowance
- Equipment Purchase or Lease
Limited Internet Packages
Most ISPs offer their customers a large selection of internet plans. These packages have a variety of data speeds and features.
This is not the case for any HughesNet plan. They offer limited service plans depending on your area. Pricing also varies depending on your zip code and the data allowance you choose.
If you want to cancel your service contract with HughesNet after installation, expect a termination fee. You will have to return the equipment by mail.
Long Contract
HughesNet's internet service requires a two-year contract, as do some of its competitors in the satellite internet industry. If you want to test how it compares to other broadband internet providers, you'll be locked into a contract for years unless you would like to pay an early termination fee.
However, HughesNet guarantees its price for 12 months, which could be appealing for those who are wary of the notorious price hikes with many service plans.
If you're seeking a month-to-month contract, HughesNet isn't for you.
Slower Speeds
HughesNet's broadband speed is very slow in the industry. Some companies have higher speeds closer to 1 Gbps, but more commonly, the competitive speeds are lower: 75-300 Mbps. HughesNet only offers its customers 25 Mbps. This may be a deterrent if you need a higher download speed.
The upload speeds with HughesNet are not easy to find on their website. This is one of the most frequent customer complaints, and many say they switched from HughesNet to a high-speed internet plan.
The high latency of satellite internet has many users complaining that they struggle to get a signal to their devices. Others say that when they run a speed test they receive a slow speed much lower than their advertised plan. Your devices communicate with the satellite service with a brief half-second delay that makes real-time online gaming impossible.
If you are looking for faster speeds, you may need to look elsewhere.
Data Allowance
HughesNet's data cap could be another downside for potential customers. Other internet service providers also set a data limit for their customers in order to better control their network speeds, but these companies normally don't have limits that are set so low. Some companies provide their customers with unlimited data.
HughesNet's data caps are between 10-50 GB, which limits their customers significantly. However, once you use your data allowance, you can still stay connected at a slower speed free of additional charge. HughesNet only slows down data until the next billing cycle.
HughesNet also has data saver technology that moderates the amount of data used when streaming videos so that your data lasts for a longer period of time.
Equipment Purchase or Lease
If you choose one of HughesNet's internet plans, you can pay upfront to purchase the HughesNet gateway modem, which comes with built in Wi-Fi. Otherwise, you'll have to lease the modem for a monthly fee. The modem is required for HughesNet service. Customers living in rural areas might decide the modem is worth the upfront money.
When initially starting an internet service contract with HughesNet, customers will schedule a technician to install the equipment. Some deals include free installation. Others may charge an installation fee.
The Bottom Line
HughesNet uses broadband satellite to bring its customers a connection. Its satellite network creates a pathway between the customer's computer and the HughesNet servers through a satellite that is thousands of miles up in space.
The speeds currently available through this network are very slow at only 25 Mbps. While this is low compared to high-speed internet, it is much faster than dial-up and may be your best option in a rural area.
Consumers interested in high speed may want to consider other internet options if available in their area, like cable or fiber-optic internet.
HughesNet service options also have little variety. HughesNet would be a good option for customers who live in remote locations, want a reliable connection, and don't mind slower internet speeds.
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Sandra Catherwood Dallas, TX
I think this is the worst service and they have the worst customer service I've had to deal with. My dad is 65 and in and in a wheelchair and they demanded that he get up on the roof and remove the dish himself. That's not going to happen! I was speaking with one of the customer service reps who could barely speak where I could understand them and they had the worst attitude. I asked multiple times to speak with a supervisor or manager and he continued to tell me that he can dispatch someone but at a fee to my dad. Again, nit going to happen. I demanded that he GET ME A SUPERVISOR and he finally did after telling me they'd tell me the same thing. He argued with me for 15 minutes about getting a supervisor, absolutely unprofessional and acceptable! As a General Manager for Hilton Hotels I understand the severity of good customer service, they definitely need to retrain their staff on how to assist a customer! The supervisor did finally waive the fee to have their technician come remove their equipment after 30 minutes more of telling him my dad was in a wheelchair and would not be able to climb on the roof! Thank God that Att can now provide service in the Talty/Terrill area now.
3 years ago
Tammo Rancho Cucamonga, CA
HughesNet internet service is GREAT, compared to the DSL I had. It works exactly as advertised. The installation was done as scheduled, done professionally and looks very neat.
As for the speed, I couldn't be happier. I get between 18 and 21 MBPS. My DSL only provided 0 .8 - 0.9 MBPS, yes, that was less than one MBPS. I am simply too far from the phone company's Relay Building. So, for my situation, HughesNet is a good answer.
I understand that as of this writing (2/8/19) they were still having some technical issue with the Usage Meter application.
One consideration for those reading negative reviews where the reviewer is unhappy with the speed. When you go to some website to let's say download a video or other large file, you may think that is no where near 20 MBPS. The webpage or file download is also very dependent on the server that provides the data. If the server is undersized or very busy because of man, many users on it at the same time, that will show up in your download time. That is not your ISP's (like HughesNet) fault. To check the speed, use a speed testing app that is free to use.
5 years ago
Wayne Chmelsky
Hughes Net did over 400 dollars in damage when installing dish. They drilled through my power lines in the wall. Had to pay electrician to repair. It's been over two months and I haven't even received a call at pre-set time arranged, multiple times. Last time I called the customer service person said there's a note on my claim saying instillation technician said it could have been him , he would have got shocked. Come on, breaker was tripped and wouldn't reset. Sent photos electrician took of there cable running between two of my power lines that had been drilled through. Also sent invoice copy from electrician. They keep giving me the run around by not calling at time agreed to. Then call at some random time and say I'm the problem because they can't get ahold of me. Great way to treat a person on fixed income. If I can afford it I guess it's time to lawyer up. Don't deal with these crooks.
6 months ago
Dee Dee
I had HughesNet for eight years and recently cancelled. I owned my equipment, so there were no return issues.
It is necessary to preface my concerns and my change of provider with the fact that I remotely work part time, making dependable connection absolutely necessary. Also, I recently added a Roku device to my TV.
During my eight years of receiving service from HN, my bill was under $64 a month as of 2024. The only other provider in my area was charging much more. During most of my years with HN I felt that my service was satisfactory, but definitely not stellar. I worked around the inclement weather periods and occasional outages; but as the years passed, HN slowly descended into the abyss.
Prior to purchasing my Roku device, I called HN to ask if my plan needed upgrading for TV service. The rep said that my current plan was adequate. I purchased the Roku device. Service was acceptable for a few months. Thereafter, my Net started going up and down. The TV began to buffer at random times. I couldn’t understand why, after a few months of adequate connectivity using both the Roku and my desktop, that I was either being throttled, or was in need of an upgrade.
I called HN on two different occasions. I spoke to two different foreigners, who talked so rapidly with accents, that I had to ask them to repeat their statements several times. On the second call, it was advised that I upgrade. My bill would have increased to about $103 per month. I consented to upgrading, but saw no improvement. The Net was slower, would not connect to some sites, and went up and down more frequently than before.
After less than two weeks of upgraded usage, I was throttled. There was no way that I used so much data to account for it. It was at that point, that I suspected deceptive practices. I never fell for the purchasing-token scam, so I made a decision to fire HN, and hire the other provider that, with additional perks, promoted $60 less per month than HN, for the same number of GB’s.
All the complaints on this site are the same as mine. In my case, HN’s service became intolerable a few months after I added Roku. I alleged that HN caught on to the fact that I was operating my desktop and my TV at the lower monthly rate. Upon discovery, they constantly throttled, and forced me to upgrade to subpar service for $40 more per month.
One reason given me for poor connectivity was that the Net slowed during high traffic periods. I asserted that if there wasn’t enough bandwidth for all their customers, HN was the one who needed upgrading.
On a lighter note, I extend kudos to the rep who assisted me with cancelling. He spoke excellent English, and genuinely wanted to hear my complaints. After a pleasant lengthy phone call, I received a cancellation confirmation, and a small refund within two days.
6 months ago
Lion Heart
Well mabe is not better than land lines internet but solved wene no other internet can. true real time gaming is not posible and apps like zoom work halfway due to distance info travel just over the air to reach the sat but some jobs can be done from home as long is not operator or meetings .i m able to strem 4 tv at same time obvious wene data cap reach 1 or 2 tv is not as bad as people say here i belive this is a hate campain i saw comercial on tv the never say best internet they say best satellite internet so they specific betwin sats competitor they know sat conectios are no better than land conection but that is about to change in next 5 years or less
2 years ago
Amy Heimann
I live in the sticks, and the only way to have internet is via satellite. Hughes seems to work well. It does get a little spotty if there is torrential rain, but otherwise has worked well for the six months that I've had it.
6 years ago
Review Source
Kate Gregory Pleasant Grove, UT
We got Hughesnet while we lived in Texas. We signed a 2 year contract and ended up moving shortly after. We lived in a short-term rental and they suspended our contract 6 months because internet was provided. We were not charged moving costs, but we paid for 3 months of unused internet because they would not suspend it any longer. When we set it up on a new state, they wanted to restart our contract. I refused, so they stayed with the original agreement. I felt that it was unethical trying to extend the contract when we had already been paying for nothing. Our internet was fine for 6 months, but apparently the dish was moved during a storm and the internet was slow. I called because it wasn't working well and customer service said that we would have to pay $125 for a technician to come out and make the internet work well again. I said that was too much money for something we didn't do so she waived the fee. Our internet is working well again, bit my overall experience had not been great.
5 years ago
A B
Was a culture shock moving to rural Oklahoma, having to pay 90+ dollars for not only limited but slow internet. They take advantage of people who don’t know any better. Do not pay for this service I bet your hotspot on your phone would work better..
5 months ago
Noah H Fort White, FL
I can tell you that when my father-in-law died & we turned off his internet service, they acted like they were helpful & sent a box to return the equipment & gave us a very reasonable amount of time to return it compared to dish network, however, THEY DID NOT SEND A LABEL even though the instructions & the website said a shipping label is included! We called & was told that we could take it to any UPS & they could send it out as is. WRONG!! The UPS Store said that many people had come in saying that exact thing & that UPS did not have a contract with Hughesnet. What losers! If you aren't going to pay for the return shipping, don't pretend you are! Just be straight forward about it! They didn't even provide the address to ship the equipment to (of course not, they want $500) so I made the guy spell everything out letter by letter because I couldn't understand what he was saying! I better be done with this, but I have a feeling I'm not
10 months ago
Rod Frye Akron, OH
They lie and will rip you off. Do not use them!!!!! Beware!!!! I specifically asked if there was a contract. James N the rep. said no. Then I gave my info. only to have a 2nd person, the confirmation guy call and tell me that I just signed up with for a 2 year contract with John. I called James back and we had words. He called me a dooshbag at the end of call when transferring me to cancellation dept. Then the cancellation girl asked me 3x why I was cancelling after explaining to her each time of the lie that I had been told. She put me through to her supervisor who wouldn't give his last name due to company policy....I explained to him that his company was lying to customers and taking there money under false info. I told him I was turning them in to Attorney General and he stated I had no case. I called my bank to cancel my card and an hour later another rep called from them and said I would be getting a refund. I also told a rep that I would be taking down every advertisement sign in our small town and they highly advised me not to as it bothered that rep badly. hmmm.....I wonder why....
10 months ago
Veronica Lawton
We have HughesNet Gen 5 oh how fast it will be said the Tech don’t believe them cause they’re just trying to make a sale. We have 30GB we are 67 and 78 seniors I go on Pinterest on my iPhone he’s hardly uses it at all and they slow us down stating we went over data? 30GB really. They are finally hooking up Fiber optic cable here hopefully within a week maybe two and we’ll have it then I’ll pay that extra money just to get rid of HughesNet they are making way to much money screwing senior and everyone else they need to go out of business and hopefully this new government fiber optic contract coming thru will put them in their place it’s coming Thank God. No one can use up 30 GB data in a couple of weeks.
1 year ago
Theresa Hammond Detroit, MI
I agree with what everyone is saying on here, I did my 2 year contract with them , it ended in February 2022, and it's only me here but I would sit down in the evening to watch a show before bed, and most nights it took 45 minutes or so just to get it working! I'd say screw it and went to bed.so last month (august) I was at work and opened my e bill and it was 91.00 dollars!! ,Up 30.00 from 60.00, no warning , no letter, I called them right away and yelled cancel me ,cancel me you guys are not worth 91.00 dollars a month."sorry mam our systems are down" is what they said, "call back later" I was very upset. So I called back to cancel and they got my bill back down to 60 so I would stay, last night September 20, turned tv on , all the lights on my box was not on, call customer service..I will need a technician to come out but I will have to help pay for it, I said no I'm canceling don't bother.all that internet data between 2 am and 8 am I never used Ever, they can use that to pay there technician!.there customer service people are nice that's why I gave them 2 stars.when it works it's not bad for one tv, but would have to keep turning there box off and on , it's a pain.i do not recommend this company.
2 years ago
LaRita Bearden
If you stream, you will very quickly use up your 25mb at which time you can then purchase more to achieve your normal, slow speed. Their phone service will not allow faxing. When there is bad weather, all of your systems fail, including your phone. Should you decide to cancel beyond the 30 days, hughesnet will immediately pull their funds from your bank account. I found the service to be substandard. Glad to no longer be associated with this company.
3 years ago Edited June 1, 2022
TPat Cottage Grove, OR
I called and spoke to a rep who seemed to be nice. that's how I was taken advantage of. she told me that they checked credit worthiness by addresses! anyway, because I had moved many times, she said that I would have to pay cash. My credit is good, I went ahead and paid 400.00. When the technician put up the dish in my backyard, the dish was facing some huge trees that caused interference and continuous buffering. after one month, I could not take it anymore, and they kept getting various people over the phone to get me to try different things to get it to work. I kept telling them that the dish was in the wrong place and should be moved. after many complaints they cancelled my service the same day. and I am stuck with all of the equipment.
3 years ago
Tval Atlanta, GA
We just cancelled our service after 18 months. Our speeds even according to the HughesNet folks were 1-3Mbps, and in the final months the service would drop out altogether so that I had to physically unplug the internet cable to reset our connection - multiple times per day! We finally found a local company that offered (and delivered) better service and speeds, and had them come out and set us up. When we called to cancel our HughesNet (non)-service we found that they had automatically signed us up for a second year-long contract and we had to pay $250 just to cancel! A fine for cancelling within the first year might be understandable but this is just spiteful. I guess they had to wring as much money out of us as they could. At least we have much better internet service now. Good riddance!
4 years ago
M. Johnson Adel, GA
The WiFi itself wasn't so bad. i didn't like that they use the same download speed no matter what price your paying. also my bad experience was canceling. they charge you a fee for canceling your contract. the problem is for me, it seemed my free was never going down no matter how close it was to my contact end. i ended up paying the fee i sent then all the equipment i knew of. months later they charge my card $200. staying i didn't send them everything. it turned out to be a piece on the satellite that i had to literally have someone to get tools to take it off. not to mention that YOU have to pay to ship this stuff back. why wouldn't they make site you know about that piece from the start? they are sneaky and hope you don't notice they extra charge. so now i have to payyet another shipping charge to send this part. which isn't normal. you usually just send back the modem and cables . not to mention they didn't even want to send me a box to send it back. i don't recommend this company at all
5 years ago
Review Source
Sheila Stone Niota, TN
When I returned to Georgia I lived in an area that only offered internet thru satellite. Apparently HughesNet and Dish are business partners. I told them I didn't want TV service but the CSR insisted that it was cheaper that way. I told her again that I did not want it UNLESS it was cheaper than internet alone. I ended up with 2 seperate bills with high disconnect fees and it was not cheaper than internet alone. I had problems getting the signal to come in strong from the beginning. I will give HughesNet their props trying to resolve the signal issues. They will work with you on billing when their is an issue.
2 years ago
Megan Varney Knoxville, TN
DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY. They lie and steal your money when you realize their services are basically useless and you can’t even get through a whole show without the system shutting down. When we switched to spectrum we sent their equipment back with PROOF. And they lied and said we didn’t send it back. Now we have to go through the bank to stop their fraudulent claims. They need sued or to be put out of business for stealing $314 from an elderly couple.
11 months ago
Easton Curtis
Unfortunately I have had nothing but bad experience with HughesNet. To start off, the most important thing I made clear is that I would need to make and receive phone calls, this does not work. On top of that, my data would only last five to seven days at the start of a billing cycle, that was with streaming Netflix three to four days a week, maybe one to two hours, either way, fairly light internet use. Even when I did have data most streaming devices were pixelated and would not make it through an entire episode before freezing and disconnecting. I constantly had to unplug and reset the router. When I went to cancel my service I found out there was a $400 cancellation fee. You also have to return all the equipment yourself otherwise you will get charged and extra $300. I just switched to starlink and it works phenomenally for anything I want.
1 year ago
Shannon Church Marshall, VA
First let me start by saying Hughes net was the only company I was able to get Internet through in my area in 2021. The ONLY. I signed up and had to actually buy everything as I did not qualify for the lease option even though my credit at the time was about 630. Eventually had to upgrade to the 75gb per month package with phone. Even then the gb we used were making us use tokens. We stream. We do not have cable or like Dish or etc. Back in March of 23, I called to upgrade to business or higher package. I was informed that I could get 200gb per month for cheaper than what I paid before. That was not true. Secondly, I inquired if that would extend my contract or alter it. The rep assured me I wasn't under contract even though I should have been at the tail end of my 2 year contract [I signed up the end of April 2021]. I didn't agree to go under a new contract with the upgrade, just assured I could upgrade. We just purchased Starlink and have switched over so today I call to cancel and I'm told I'm in a contract for a year!! Now I totalled my last two and 1\2 years payments and I'd already given this company 8k. Yes, eight grand plus some for Internet in that amount of time for crappy speeds, no gaming, zapped usage. They hung up on me while they are reviewing the phone conversation I had with the rep telling me I didn't have a contract. She put me in a new one even though my old contract was still in place.
1 year ago
Dana Bjornson
My biggest gripe is the inconsistent quality of service it's constantly cutting out, having to buffer while streaming Netflix etc. Sometimes it will cut out altogether for an hour or more. I've called customer service at least a dozen times always get the run around they've gave at least 3 excuses as to why the connection issues are happening. The last time I called they couldn't give me an answer but was told an engineer would call back that took over a week and still didn't fix the issue. Customer service is terrible as well constantly trying to upsell the service but not addressing the service issues I've been having over a year. Also they are rude, arrogant and put you on hold several times transfer you etc but never fix the issues. I've since canceled the service and switched to another provider.
There was no way to monitor the usage, or even look up the account number so everytime its time to pay a bill you have to call and wait on hold, then deal with obnoxious agents who try to upsell and take forever to process payment !
1 year ago
Donna Sellars Denham Springs, LA
June 2023- DON’T DO IT!! HughesNet should be considered scammers!!
4 years of the most horrible service I’ve ever experienced. I don’t mind paying for a service I can use and I even expected have a few hiccups now and then BUT HughesNet is a joke. I live alone, no gaming, aI have a laptop that I use MAYBE twice a week to Google something, my cell phone has unlimited data (so I don’t need it for that), but I do like to watch movies. Well in 4 years I wasn’t able to watch a movie without it buffering every 5 minutes so therefore I was NEVER able to watch an entire movie!! In 4 years!! NEVER!! That’s sad. Every time I’d call to cancel over the years I would be threatened with “you’ll have to pay an early cancellation fee!” Cancellation fee for what?? What service?? How about HughesNet credit me for their “contracted services” that they DID NOT PROVIDE!! Then when I finally had enough and was no longer under contract I cancelled the unusable service. They said on 4/22 “we will mail you out prepaid postage boxes to return our equipment.” Two and a half weeks later no boxes. Called them again on 5/12 and I was told “sorry they didn’t mail the boxes. I’ll have them mailed out to you on 5/27.” In the back of my mind I thought “why 5/27?, that’s strange.” I received the boxes on 5/30. My son took down the equipment as per detailed instructions given. I packaged up the boxes and brought them to the UPS Store (1 hour away, I live in a rural area) on 6/2. I checked my UPS tracking numbers today and the equipment was received by the company yesterday. So i know that it will most likely take at least 7-10 days to update my account and remove the $718.14 charged to me for their equipment. I felt confident that the nightmare with HughesNet was finally over. Not so fast….I get home an hour later to find a letter in my mailbox from a collection agency!! Yep a collection agency!! Ironically the date that HughesNet turned me into the collection agency was 5/27!! The same day they said they were mailing out the boxes to return the equipment. Coincidence?? Not a chance in hell!! They were trying to distort money from me even though I was the one that kept calling to make sure boxes were sent to me and that everything was taken care of on my end. My advice to anyone thinking about getting HughesNet service DO NOT DO IT!!
1 year ago
highmetalman6
Where to start? Am I able to post screen shots, audio recordings, dates and times of all the ILLEGAL crap they have done to me? EVERYTHING from being hung up on when I'm in there right and the "CSR(Customer Service Representative)" is blatantly lying/backtracking on their words, trying to make me feel like I'm stupid and don't understand how internet works. *I worked as a troubleshooter/technical support for another ISP.* As we all know, you get your high speed data allowance once a month. Once that runs out, they "SAY" that they don't throttle or cap you. BS!! I ran out of my high speed for the month, just like every month because I don't think you ACTUALLY get the data they promise you. It's like you watch 2 movies and it's all gone. So I was trying send an email to a buddy of mine who is out of state and my internet was so slow that it couldn't even send a freaking email!! So I ran a speed test. Download speed? A WHOPPING 0.09MbPS and a ASTONISHING 0.32MbPS upload speed. When I called in to ask why it was so low that I couldn't even send an email, they tell me that they run a speed test on THEIR end and THEY'RE showing 25MbPS or higher...? Are you serious? When I bring this up they tell me,(like an upset child) "Nuh-uh, YOU'RE wrong I'm right. I don't care what it says on YOUR end sir, what im seeing on MY end is what matters...
I mean come on... If I was a lawyer, I'd have a field day with these crooked criminals. They are literally making BILLIONS off people like me by lying to the customers, slight of hand, distractions, answering your questions with their own, etc... It's all 2nd grade mentality. Talk over me, speak to me condescendingly, ask question, ask another question WHILE I'm answering the first... This company needs to honestly be investigated, and I SWEAR TO GOD I'm going to keep going at them for this. I've had enough. Enough is enough. And I'm a guy who's worked at ISPs before. I know what's right, what's wrong and this and that, but the saddest part? What about all the people that DON'T have the knowledge I do? The ones that CAN'T speak up for themselves, older, younger... It doesn't matter to Hughesnet. Hughesnet will rip you off just the same.
1 year ago
Julie Greer Baltimore, MD
The worst internet service possible. Don’t waste your money. Contacted customer service and our internet was still extremely slow. Customer service reported no problem, but we were unable to watch TV at all without it buffering every 5 minutes. At every attempt to cancel service, they just remind you of the early cancellation fees and that they are trying to help you. However, when I called to complain previously they didn’t process the complaint which would have decreased our commitment to 60 days. When I called again they wanted to start the 60 days at that point. It had already been 60 days. Customer service had no intention of helping us. If your product is horrible, the least you can do is admit it and make it right rather than charging people fees for services they never received. I would recommend you stay far away. If you need someone to buy you out of your contract T-mobile definitely has better internet service and customer service.
1 year ago
Kathy Clark Ravenswood, WV
I guess you have to give them one star but they suck. Don't listen you when you call. I talked to one tech got a case number even said my modem was bad not receiving data. And had to call back with case number but the other tech still wouldn't listen. Had run through rebooting again and again still the same issue. Then would believe me about error code 24.1.1 which I was told I had plenty of data left but I was out data. So lies,lies and more lies. Still don't have a new modem and slow internet. Looking into different companies. Can't even work from home because of them shutting down the speed. Run away from this company
1 year ago
Rusty Shackelford Luthersville, GA
HughesNet is the most WORTHLESS internet service I have ever had. Fiber-optic cable is being run in our area and we can't wait for them to get it run to our house. HughesNet is the only service available in our area and it Sucks! I would not recommend Hughesnet to my worst enemy. We upgraded to the highest plan and saw NO change. The signal is never good. If a cloud comes over head, you will lose service. Once we requested a service call, we had to Pay a Service Fee of $100 before they would schedule a Tech to come out. The Tech finally came out and worked on it for over an hour. He left and we tried the service. It was Worse after he left than before he came. I called the service department and told them this. They didn't refund our $100 but rather contacted the service Tech, who contacted me and over the phone had me run test on the system. Afterwards the service actually got a signal but still slow, dragging and worthless. It took me 15 minutes to get this site up to write the review. If you get HughesNet, You're throwing money away on a service that is basically the biggest joke in the internet industry. When our fiber-optics gets installed, I'm going to throw a party and burn all of this worthless HughesNet crap. Save your money and frustration and go with another company.
1 year ago
Karen Weiler Chicago, IL
What a sham! We got Hughes net over a year ago. At best we were able to use there service 20 percent of the time. Went that way for over a year. Called to cancel service. They said they would have a tech come out to check the equipment. He did come and check things out. First tech "didn't do the job right."
He had put something on the roof BACKWARDS! Got that fixed. Still bad service. Even after we went with there best. Lol! Service. Paid over 160.00 per month. Two nights ago ( after 10 p.m. ) I tried to watch a movie. Within 15 minutes the movie clocked 7 times. After that it would stop and clock every few minutes. Finally gave up! Today we got smart and, went with a different company. I've heard two different prices from Hughes net today about closing the account. First one said. "To close your account. You need to buy out your remaining contract. Which is 135.00. And, you need to return both pieces of equipment plus cable. (Modem, receiver and cable). Modem ✔️, cable ✔️, receiver is on the roof! How am I a retired woman supposed to get up on the roof to get this piece? Okay, we'll send someone out to get it. That will be additional 100.00 for our service. Or, additional 300.00 for keeping it. Plus, they still want the used equipment. Okay, no problem. Have no use for it.
Had service since 10/2/21 (two year contract). Early termination fee. 205.00
Equipment we can't get because it's on the roof. 300.00.
So in order to get a good Internet provider I'm going to have to pay this worthless company 505.00. A woman living on minimal social security. Way to go Hughes net. Rip the people off. Keep doing that. I bet you're not around for much longer!
1 year ago
Samson Ben Yoseph Port Orchard, WA
If you only want to send and receive emails with only text it will run at highest speed all month but if you think you can use it the way they say in the commercials you will soon find out is was a BIG mistake to ever buy it since they will stick with a one or two month contract and you can only end your account they will charge a lot more
The upload is usually fast all month but the download which is most important will run like a dialup after 3 or 4 days.
They say once you used more data than your contact each month it will be slowed down to between 1mbps and 3mbps.......fact is that is a lie.
It will be slowed down to under 500kbps for downloads which means you will stare at a blank page for 10 minutes or more just like the 1999 dialups.
You will wish you never fell for this ISP version scam every time you log in.
I have had it for years and can't wait for the day when I make that call to turn this bird bath off forever.
1 year ago
J Rotonda West, FL
DO NOT , I REPEAT DO NOT SIGN WITH HUGHES . SAVE YOURSELF YOUR PRECIOUS TIME, TROUBLE AND HEADACHE. WE HAD THEM FOR OVER 2 YRS , WOULD HAVE CANCELLED SOONER BUT WE WERE TIED TO A CONTRACT. PAID AN ARM AND A LEG FOR SERVICE WITH THE SLOWEST INTERNET SPEED WE HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED . WE HAD TO Go off our hotspot wifi to get even a decent connection. After the 2 yr contract was over and we were also moving to a new home that’s when we were finally free and out of contract . Called customer service told them we were cancelling and moving to different home . Was told they would send a prepaid box when next billing cycle comes and to put in modem, power supply and radio transmitter and that we had 30 days from receiving box to return otherwise , we will be charged for non return equipment fee. As soon as we received box , we packed up equipment and dropped it off to ups store. A month later I saw $214 bucks deducted from my debit card . They actually charged me even though I returned the equipment and did everything they asked me to do . I had to waste time trying to get my money back. Called Hughes and they said it would take another billing cycle to return my money . And that it was an error on their part bc they did not process return properly but yet I have to wait for refund . I called my bank and filed a dispute, enough is enough . It is still ongoing as I type this bc they keep deducting money out of my account . Do not waste your time and energy on this company!!!!BEWARE
2 years ago
Trashcan Garage
I've been a paying Hughesnet customer since 2004. Until last month my old HN1000 system hadn't needed servicing for almost a decade. Which means I was on an older satellite that folks were moving away from in favor of their next gen service. As the months went by my bandwidth got better and better and I almost thought I was getting my money's worth. Then the radio transmitter on my dish died and I needed to place a service call. They offered to replace and update my ailing system for free, which they did... but what they didn't tell me was that they migrated me over to the new satellite as well. Now my bandwidth is so slow I can barely check email. And forget trying to watch even a short video clip on YouTube.
In short? Hughesnet is TRASH! Period.
2 years ago
Review Source
Amie Greer OR
After getting confirmation that the internet would work at my location from a Hughes net Distributor and I signed up. It was $1200.00 for equipment and installation. Also had a 2 yr contract at $90 a month. But we signed on thinking it would work. On the first day we had issue with the internet and it continued to be spotty. After 6 months of this Hughes net said they had a new router that would fix the problem and they would put my account on hold until the equipment arrived for 3 months.
After 3 months my account was reactive and started charging my Credit card with out any follow up from Hughes net or new router. Internet wasn’t working at all. I called the customer service line and received the worst service ever. They would not cancel my account as I requested. It was awful service. I had to pay the rest of my 2 yr contract for internet that didn’t even work. Make double sure it works in your location ! Or better yet don’t use a company with strict 2yr contracts.
2 years ago
Tamara Portland, OR
Whatever you do do not save your card on the website to pay for your service. Even though they have a separate area to click on automatic payments, once you save your card for future payments, in their terms, you are signing up for automatic payments. There is nothing on the website that tells you this! And then they say that you automatically are signed up for payments taken from your account for future payments that ate not even due yet! This company is a scam! You make a payment online, save your card for future payments, then they take DOUBLE the amount! This also happened when I first signed up. They said it would save me $70+ dollars if I set up automatic payments. So I did at first. Not only did they take out double, they also took out more money on bogus charges! They said taxes and fees that were paid at the initial sign up. It was almost $400.00 after I paid over $300.00 to get set up with their service with NO SPEEDS! The speeds are the same as a third world country! You can't stream things, it will take up all your data, and other things. Netflicks etc. They put on a business contract even though I'm residential stating they are doing me an extra service to get me higher speeds. Another lie. I have all calls recorded with customer support. They actually harass you when you try to cancel! Even though their demeanor is appropriate, they talk and talk so you won't cancel then they have the nerve to ask you what your internet plans are after you try to leave them. The list goes on and on this company is crooked and I don't see how they can even stay in business! I will be reporting to the federal trade commission, Better Business Bureau and see what my rights are and are and contact a lawyer.
2 years ago
Lilpanzer Redding, CA
I just reached the end of my two year contract and I'm scheduled for service cancellation. This company has been around a long time and I'd like to say that shouldn't be a consideration. Just because they're somehow still in business does not mean they deserve your business. They absolutely don't, and I'm so relieved to be out from under them in the coming weeks. The speeds were terrible! For two straight years of paying way too much and having so little capability. Customer service will politely tell you that they offer "up to" 25mbps and to have a nice day.
Cancelling was a bit of a chore. I was on the phone for an hour while somebody "created a case" for me. I'm so over it, so happy to be out. I don't even have a viable alternative right now. I've just been so disappointed for so long that I'd rather have nothing because at least it's not overcharging me for having nothing.
2 years ago
Janet Patterson Christiansburg, VA
Customer service has actually been good. The real nightmare is their speed and data allowance. I have called at least 4 times in the 5 months since installation. The buffering is awful. I finally spoke with a person who was in the USA. She explained that streaming can use up to 3GB an hour. I only have 30GB per month. This can limit my usage to 10 hours per month? Are they serious! She said that I can change the settings in Netflix, for example, so it is not on HD OR UHD and this can reduce the usage while connected to that particular site. I can make sure that my phone is not connected to the WIFI if I am not using my phone as it can still use data just because it is powered up. Seriously? This is the craziest thing ever! Now I have to adjust every app or service that I use so it saves my data. By the way, Hughesnet gives free data from 2am thru 8am. Maybe I can binge my favorite shows before the sun comes up and the rooster crows. I will deal with it as long as possible until I can afford to pay out the contract and get out of this nightmare! I would never recommend Hughesnet for any reason if this is the best that they have to offer! Buyer beware.
2 years ago
Tammy McDonald San Antonio, TX
This internet service provides is a scam. They cannot provide fast enough speeds to stream Hulu, Netflix, prime video. And if you work from home , we’ll good luck. I’ve been tired to this contract for 14 months, I’ve ca and complained too many times to count, to no avail. They will it send out a technician to fix any issue unless you pay for it $300. They will want you to stay on the phone while they try to instruct you how to change channels , passwords, etc… but you won’t get any faster speeds. They will not allow you to cancel your contract without paying a large termination fee even though you will not get the speeds you were promised when you sign the contract. This is a horrible company, I found that a Verizon hotspot ( $9.00 per month) will provide you better internet service and for a fraction of the cost! Also if you have had the same experience with this company that I have you can file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission online. Hugesnet will have to file a written response to you and the FCC within 30 days, this WILL get their attention. If enough consumers hold them accountable to following through in their promised internet speeds maybe we can save just one person from falling for their lies and deceit! I will continue to post and file complaints until I get a justice! Please do the same!!
2 years ago
StephQ Necedah, WI
I got Hughesnet as I live in a rural area. Beyond the $175 a month bill for internet only….my dish bill was separate….I experienced extremely rude customer service and account management. They put my account on auto payment without my permission. They then told me they couldn’t take it off autopayment because they don’t have that ability??????????? Apparently I was in a contract also I was unaware of and now that I am ending service due to constant lagging, service drops and service unavailable…..they want to bill me $566 for the equipment…..but want me to return the equipment…….wtf? Horrible. Lying unhelpful shotty service.
2 years ago
Date of my review: 8/3/22 Show Low, AZ
This company should not even provide service that is this bad… BAD is an understatement. It should be a crime for what they hook you into to only find that each and every single day is a frustration. Their C/S appears to be individuals they hire off the street, they know nothing about the company they work for. Their purpose appears to be to frustrate customers so bad with the lack of interest in helping you on top of the extremely long hold times which only supports how unhappy their customers are that we are plugging up their phone lines… how is this legal!!! They waste hours of our time trying to get help, at no avail. I need to somehow start a class action lawsuit… I will look into this and watch for any info on this rip off of a company thru FB, INSTAGRAM, Twitter, possibly even our local news channels. I for one, have had enough… I hope everyone who’s fallen victim to this bogus company will do the same! If you have not signed up yet… you would be better off to start watching DVD’s and wait for a reputable internet company that has proven happy customers. Did anyone happen to see that on the HughesNet website the reviews some out tp 4.5 STARS??? yet on a public forum like this they have an underserved one star, and if we could report zero stars I’m sure we all would.
2 years ago
Meredith Seifert Austin, TX
#1 horrible service, expensive. Plus they take money beyond what agreed upon, terribly dishonest, cannot explain extra charges on your bill. Do not prorated and refund money's for dates that haven't been used. Worst internet company I've had the displeasure to deal with. For example I canceled on last day of my monthly pay period. They said it was their riles that because it wasn't a day in advance that they were entitled to charge me for the entire next month too....even though I had canceled. Absolutely crooks about everything! I'd give them zero stars if I could. I will tell everyone I know what a nightmare this company is.
2 years ago
chris ward Florissant, MO
Welp came here over 10 years after being a Hughesnet customer to see if things have changed for the better but nope. Still got the outrageous 2 year contract , crazy cancellation fee of $400 , and how insane is it even to your last month its as much to cancel early as it is to pay the service for the last month lol. I can attest the "unlimited speed" is the bait and the data throttling is the switch. You can still forget streaming tv as an option . ONly thing thats changed is they added more data tiers and raised prices but nothing is different about each tier other than when they trigger your throttling to make your internet experience miserable. 10+ years later and it the worst still and i hate that they keep creating technology to help you manage your data usage what about just innovating to make you business better. My High speed internet is now $80 a month for super high speeds $5 equipment and thats it. Its insane the value trade off is so extreme yet they charge over double what i pay and provide 90 % less.
2 years ago
brainhearted Wimberley, TX
Warning! This is a bait and hook company. Don't sign up for this garbage service. I swear I have not had one single uninterrupted show of ANY length in 4 months stuck with them! Even when the month renews, buffering and "something went wrong" is constant. Nothing plays through on stream, Netflix, Prime, Roku, or anywhere and the over data limit internet speed couldn't suck more, period. They want $480 to cancel my mandatory contract! I have never felt so suckered nor hated a company this much and I am almost 60.
I will eagerly join any Class Action Law Suit against this predatory garbage. service.
2 years ago
Tammy Brown Denver, CO
If I could give a '0' I would.
I only have myself at my residence and I work 40 plus hours a week and have a very busy lifestyle, so I am not home watching TV all day. But, I was unable to watch the ABC world news on YouTube TV even one time, it would constantly buffer and there was not one sentence that you could understand EVER...... Let alone watch a movie on Netflix. If it wasn't blurry it was buffering.
I called many times , no help from the day I got the service I asked them to come pick the equipment up and they would keep me on the phone for over 45 min each single time running test , blah blah when finally I did a little research on my own and decided that you simply just don't have enough with 25 Mbps Download to watch anything.
I finally got so frustrated with my last call in I just hung up after over 45 min and hours later received an email that they would cancel my service with 400.00 cancel fee. Two days later without my consent or knowledge it was debited directly out of my checking account.
If you want to watch TV and you are in a remote area just get cable.
2 years ago
Tomeka Strickland Atlanta, GA
Hughes Net has to be the worse internet service ever. The internet speed is horrible and the customer service sucks! You can’t do two things at once. I work from home. If I’m working, then no tv. If I’m watching tv, then I better not try to work. And the data tokens are a freaking joke. I was told that I used all of my data in one day. When the billing cycle starts, I’ve already used all of my data, and where does that happen in real life? I just started service with them in January and I’m ready to jump ship. I just want out of this ridiculous contract. I purchased close to the highest package due to me working from home and didn’t want any problems. Well it’s been nothing but problems since I started. I had the pleasure of one of their workers sit
On the phone and try to maneuver through there phone system for the customers and it took her almost 2 hrs of us being on the phone and her trying to get help for me to have service. Hopefully, I’m not rambling but I’ve had it with their terrible service and wanted to warn others before they are stuck with this horrible service. I feel like the other customers, if I could give them a negative rating I surely would. They promise you the world and give you nothing, not even the service you pay for!!!!
2 years ago
lucas marthaler Eagle River, WI
Hughes net needs to be shut down. It is simply a scam. When you sign up, they actually have the audacity to ask if you are going to be gaming on it. While I am not, their garbage service could never come close to supporting online gaming. They also say, that to use up 20 gigs of data in a month, you would have to stream television 8 hrs/day. I doubted that from the start, and, of course, when it is used up in less than a week from watching maybe a movie/night, it is your fault when talking to support. Worst customer support ever. When you do have data, and your speeds are somewhere around 25mbps, it does not work as is should at those speeds. Constant buffering, and customer support can not, or simply will not explain why that is the case. It is always the fault of your devices. Do yourself a favor, and wait for starlink to be in your area if it is not already. You will not have a moment of satisfaction from Hughesnet, period. It pained me that I had to even give them one star. Oh, and I'm sure when I cancel with them soon, I will have to pay $ due to the fact that I upped my data plan last week after having them for two years already, watch.
2 years ago
Daniel Wiener VER
We just had a huge hurricane in Zipolite Mexico . We were closed for more than 3 weeks.When I called for service the woman told me we had exceeded our limit, and I would have to buy “tokens”. It’s a scam. We got the new equipment from the technician, and had good service for about 3 days, then back to less than one MGP. I pay for 50MGPS, and we are empty. The agent “Diego” just upped the service (they have the ability to do that), but he refuses to tell me why I need to buy more “tokens” They are totally dishonest, and there are plenty of legitimate companies to buy internet services from. Stay away from Hughes. Daniel Wiener.
Just so anyone can compare: Right now Hughes tests at .53 MBPS and I pay over 3000 pesos per month. Telcel tests at 6.5 MBPS and costs me 599 pesos per month. AT&T tests 6.3 MBPS for my iPhone including hotspot and costs 200 pesos per month. Yet Hughs keeps telling me to buy more time. Right.
2 years ago
Cake Bremer Ely, NV
This is the first time that I have been upset that I cannot give a lower rating than 1 star. This has been the absolute WORST EXPERIENCE EVER. I was *assured* that my connection would be strong enough for me to work from home - That was a lie. I've since lost my job as I cannot attend or host simple video calls and/or watch the videos required to maintain training. I cannot stream anything without significant delays which makes even watching youtube or tiktoks almost impossible. I don't care how much the contract is, I will be moving to ANY OTHER PROVIDER in the entire world as quickly as I can get them out here to hook me up.
I sincerely hope that this company tanks sooner rather than later, no one on this planet deserves this crappy of service for the ridiculous price charged.
Here's to Hughesnet claiming bankruptcy and going out of business!
2 years ago
Jennifer Perry Marysville, OH
Had internet service installed several months ago, technician was nice and seemed helpful. Wrong. He did not tell me that box only covered 25 feet (without additional boosters), my house is over 100 ft. long. Finally, my daughter was able to work thru customer service and they finally informed us that the only way it would work is to buy boosters. Bought boosters from Best Buy, which help only slightly,. I have never had full coverage. Had to make additional calls to Hughes Net Customer Service, which was of NO HELP and they made no attempts to resolve. I ended up canceling the service at an additional cost of $ 500 ($ 395 early termination fee plus $ 100 for technician to remove equipment from roof). Technician that came out was not directly employed by Hughes Net. He was very upfront and informed me that Hughes Net SUCKS in every way. He also, informed me that my system would have never worked right as the radio portion had move and would not connect to satellite. Evidently, Hughes Net installers are only given 3/4 inch drill bits and 5/8 inch screws (how obvious is that failure). If the installers want to do it right, they have to pay out of pocket for the correct screws and also pay for additional ones, as Hughes Net does not provide enough to secure the unit properly. Without a tight and secure mounting, the unit will move and not pick up the satellite signal, which is the whole point of the so-called use !!! Would highly recommend that you NEVER consider this provider. I really consider them as CHEATS after my experience.
2 years ago
chris Smith Silver City, NM
Worst internet provider ever. We moved to a rural area and the only provider is Hughesnet. The download speeds are no where close to what they claim and upload speeds are nonexistent, so anything work related is impossible using Hughesnet. The signal constantly drops when you have more then one device using it at a time. If you want to use any type streaming service Netflix ect you can’t it just buffers endlessly. We use our phones as hotspots and a 2 bar signal works 1000 times better than Hughesnets’ low speed satellite internet. Will be canceling as soon as our new home is finished and will be using a Verizon hotspot for internet with twice the data for half the cost of Hughesnet. The overall rating should be less then zero stars.
2 years ago
Angel Dragneel Beaumont, TX
Worst internet i have ever had. i dont see how they can actually have any good reviews tbh. when you call to ask a question they cant give you a direct answer. then they randomly charge you for something that you didnt buy. i feel like its a pyramid scheme. you pay almost $150 but when you pay your bill it doesnt restart until 14 days after you pay it and you are forced to over pay for a tiny bit of data with their "data tokens". nothing about this internet is good. its slow, to me its over priced for what you get and its gone by the time you have to pay again. you cant really do anything online except pay and your pratically forced to use auto pay. when you want to opt out of that you are forced to pay $5 to switch to paper billing. I will be switching soon. i do not recommend. I feel like they paid a few people to give positive reviews. cause i cant see who can actually believe this internet is any good at all. they deserve 0 stars
2 years ago
Tara Mesa, AZ
I am pretty unhappy with the kind of customer support I have received so far as a new customer. I emailed a few weeks ago- this process to get satellite internet has been confusing since I am coming from cable. First, the enrollment team could not fully explain to me what the best plan I should get with what I needed and they told me I could easily change the plan if needed. I came from out of state for the installation and the initial technician assigned to install the satellite did not show up and was unprofessional, I ended up having to take another unplanned 2 days off of work to stay and wait for another installer. I then left and came back to test the internet- I found out having my other devices on while on the internet caused issues so I emailed to see if I could get the next plan up at the new customer rate since I was literally a brand new customer. Then the Jemez Springs fire started and we were evacuated and dealing with that. 3 weeks later I called and talked to a rep named Howard and he didn't even try to assist me with what I was asking. I asked to either speak to a manager or at least have him ask he huffed and puffed and then said ok I will send you to a manager. 15 min later waiting on hold the phone hung up on me. I can't believe this is the service I am getting. I will most likely look for a new internet company as soon as I can. Awful service!
2 years ago
StarlightRemix North Wilkesboro, NC
This was the worst service I’ve ever had the displeasure of coming across. They’re the only service in my area, they offer their minimum package here at 70USD/m and it always left me in awe how the data was gone within hours of monthly renewal as the speeds are less than a dial up connection most of the time. I’d call, they’d give me 1000 excuses, 6 months into the two year contract, contacted the BBB to help me get rid of the contract and that worked. Just in case any of you are still stuck with such a worthless waste of money, sincerely reach out to the BBB, tell them you want your contract voided, they will give you a hand.
2 years ago
