Millions of students in America are attending their classes remotely. Many are likely to stay home until the COVID-19 vaccines are widely available. The online shift has been a problem for those who lack access to computers and or high-speed Internet at home.
While the new congress might provide funding in the next Coronavirus Relief Bill to assist families that cannot afford Internet access, but this could take a while.
Staying Connected and Attending School Online
Schools have already taken the lead. The US has made significant progress in connecting schools to the Internet. Almost every district has sufficient bandwidth. The expansion of internet services in schools was supported by a federal program called E-rate. Apart from that, lawmakers also pushed FCC to give schools the flexibility to use the E-rate program’s funds to support the students who didn’t have broadband services at home. In March 2020, many ISPs joined the Keep Americans Connected pledge to help individuals, businesses, and families. Charter Spectrum Internet plans were also available to K-12 and college students for 60 days. Installation fees were waived off too to support the families.
Top ISPs for Students in America
It’s 2021, and some of the Internet offers available at the start of the pandemic are now expired. Students who have just signed up for higher studies might be searching for the best Internet services in America to stay connected and take their online lectures. If that’s you, here are your options to find blazing Internet speed at some affordability:
1: Spectrum
- Pricing starting at $45 per month
- Up to 100 Mbps of download speed
- Blazing speed internet, free modem, no data caps
- Spectrum Internet Assist program for low-income family households.
2: HughesNet
- Pricing starts at $60 per month
- Satellite Internet provider offering up to 25 Mbps of download speed
- No data caps
3: Cox
- Pricing starts at $69.99 per month
- Up to 500 Mbps download speed
- Fast HD video streaming
- Free Wi-Fi hotspots
What’s Consider a Fast Internet Speed?
Before you narrow down your options based on speed, it’s imperative to know what’s considered fast as per the standards. Speed around 100 Mbps is generally considered fast. It’s capable of accommodating multiple users in a variety of activities ranging from browsing social media, HD gaming, streaming TV, and more.
However, even with 100 Mbps internet speed, a user is likely to run into lag issues or buffering, especially if they are using Wi-Fi. Depending on your Internet activity and the number of users who would be connected to the Internet simultaneously, you can also consider getting speeds between 200 to 600 Mbps.
How to Choose the Best Internet Service Provider?
Your Internet needs and budget will dictate which provider is best for you. To choose the best provider, narrow down your options to choose the best provider:
Coverage
According to the reports of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, 39 percent of the country has access to online one Internet service provider. Chances are you have found a provider you think can meet your Internet needs, as well as budget but their services, aren’t covered in your region. This can be really disappointing. Before you consider a provider, the first thing to do is check if they cover your region.
Speed
FCC has added a minimum benchmark of 25 Mbps download speed for broadband internet services to protect the customers. Therefore, eliminate any provider that offers speed below this benchmark. It’s best to consider those providers who offer a variety of speeds. This way, if in the future, you would like to upgrade the speed, you don’t have to switch providers.
Customer Service
Don’t forget to check the support services by the provider. Best companies always strive to keep their customers happy.
Conclusion
If you have plans of offering Spectrum’s services, you can always pair Spectrum TV packages with Internet and home services to avail bundled discount. Nevertheless, there’s no short of ISPs to meet the growing needs of students, ensuring they continue to take their classes online. Choose any you like!
