Cottage Resources

Best Internet Service Options in 2022

The clear 2022 favorites for new internet service, compiled by BICA member John Bjornson:

• Best Internet Speed and Experience:  Starlink.  Internet speeds are roughly 3 times higher than the others (typically over 130 Megabits Per Second – MBPS), making it great for zoom calls, movie / video streaming (especially if doing an 4k), e-mails, browsing, etc..  Even bad weather hasn’t appeared to impact Starlink users this year.  You can move the dish with you when you close up camp and use elsewhere because the dish automatically finds and points to the right satellites by itself.  And Starlink (like Vianet below) offers unlimited data (a MAJOR advantage over other services that still charge for how much data you use).  Starlink does not offer seasonal suspension and there is only 1 monthly plan, so if cost is secondary to best overall performance, this is currently the best option to go with.
• Best Value:  Vianet offers up to 50 MBPS, which is also great for zooms, streaming (except for 4k), and other things.  Vianet experience in the BOI has also been great in 2022 – the only service hiccups known so far were brief periods of slower internet and Zoom interruptions, which might have been storm-related.  Vianet is currently the best overall value for what you get vs. what you spend; they allow you to suspend service for up to 6 months per year, you can save money by going with slower data plans, and they offer unlimited data (like Starlink above).  Unless you know you’re a power user and have to eliminate occasional slowdowns at all costs, you may not notice the speed difference between Starlink and Vianet, and Vianet can save you $500 to $1,000 per year over Starlink.  
• Easiest Setup and Mobile Option:  Rogers RocketHub is the only option that doesn’t require installation of a dish, which makes it the simplest to set up and use for techie neophytes, and because of the dish-independence, it’s the one option that is available to everyone on the BOI (if you don’t have a clean line-of-sight to the Starlink satellites or the Birch Island Water Tower for Vianet, then you can’t use those).  Aside from these advantages though, Starlink and Vianet are better options if they are available and economical to you.

For a very detailed summary click here.