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Started in 2000 as Valor Communications Group, Windstream Communications is an internet service provider that focuses on delivering fast, reliable connections. The company eventually became Windstream after Valor Communications merged with a portion of Alltel, taking over its landline business. Since then, Windstream has almost continuously expanded, taking on an acquisition of some sort almost every year. Now, Windstream is in almost every state of the contiguous United States and is the seventh-largest provider of fiber internet. As they lay more fiber-optic lines, this should increase their standing, bringing more and more people under the Windstream umbrella.
Windstream has a wide array of ways they provide its customers with the internet. Currently using a mix of fiber, DSL, and fixed wireless, this has allowed Windstream to reach into pockets of the United States that it would normally not have access to. Windstream has carved out an interesting position for themselves. Focusing on more rural areas, a part of the country other internet service providers tend to avoid, they are able to provide the internet to areas of the country other companies choose to ignore. Most of their lines are currently operating off of DSL lines though they are working hard to change that. Even when using DSL lines however, Windstream internet is able to operate off of these lines, that were originally built for telephone use, without interrupting telephone voice signal and at faster speeds than dial-up.
Starting in February of 2019, Windstream rolled out Kinetic, investing a great deal in line upgrades and updating many of their lines to a fiber connection. This is great for its customers as it makes speeds that were normally unattainable available to areas that have never experienced fiber. With approximately 125,000 miles of fiber-optic cable laid, they already cover a significant portion of the nation. Fiber is able to provide some of the fastest speeds in the nation and Windstream’s fiber offerings are able to compete with the best available on the market. As the demand for fiber increases, it can only be expected that Windstream will continue to upgrade and update its lines to meet this growing demand. Windstream is a modern company and wants to make sure that they can give the modern user what they’re looking for.
Windstream offers multiple plans to their customers. With the ability to choose from different internet packages as well as being able to bundle them with television and home phone service, it gives the end-user an array of options to choose from. Windstream makes it simple to identify your home’s needs and they provide you with a plan tailored to you. In addition, Windstream offers some of the least expensive plans on the market. This makes it easy to gain access to the world wide web regardless of the budget its customers are working with. Regardless of what residential needs the customer is looking for, Windstream should be able to provide more than enough speed and reliability to satisfy even the pickiest consumer.
Windstream coverage in Zimmerman, MN
Windstream Provides Internet for the following school districts in Zimmerman, MN
HughesNet currently has the highest coverage area in the nation with all fifty states falling under its service area. One of the two major satellite providers in the nation, HughesNet has focused the core of its business on providing internet to underserved or un-served areas, often rural or small towns. Its recently increased speeds up to 25mbps with the launch of its new Gen 5 satellite, the “EchoStar XIX.” With ninety-eight percent of the country under HughesNet’s coverage area, it’s almost guaranteed that they’ll be an option available to any consumer.
HughesNet uses geosynchronous satellites to provide its customers with broadband internet connections. Since HughesNet was initially founded, it’s launched multiple satellites with its latest launch occurring in 2017 with the “EchoStar XIX,” powering HughesNet’s Gen 5 service. This launch allowed the company to reach broadband levels, increasing speeds to 25 Mbps across the board. It also increased the available bandwidth that HughesNet offered its customers as well as simplifying their pricing structure to a tiered system that was based on available data caps. HughesNet does operate off of priority data caps though its internet can be considered unlimited. At no point does HughesNet charge overage prices or shut the internet off if a customer goes over their “priority data” limit, instead just having to deal with reduced speeds until their next billing cycle. If a customer does need more data before their next billing cycle rolls around, HughesNet has made data tokens available, increasing priority data and increasing available speeds in the process.
HughesNet is a great choice for rural customers as wired connections are often completely unavailable in America’s more remote locations. Satellite internet allows them to access the world wide web at broadband speeds allowing for almost any activity. It does have its drawbacks though. The biggest activities this can be seen in is online gaming and virtual private networks. This is in large part due to the latency, or ping, that satellite internet experiences. The time signals take to transmit from the customer’s dish to the satellite to the receiving and then back again can take anywhere from a half-second to a second. For most activities like browsing the internet or streaming video, this latency is almost entirely imperceivable. For gaming though, that often required split-second reaction times, it is unavoidable. VPNs, in particular, are affected, as well. When using a VPN, download speeds even when within the priority data limit can tank anywhere from fifty to seventy-five percent. This reduction in speeds is not guaranteed with some VPN users not having any issues whatsoever. With that being said, it is something to take into account when considering a satellite internet provider.
For many rural customers, satellite internet is going to be one of the only viable options open to them. That doesn’t make it a lesser product though. When choosing the right package for you, assess your needs, your internet usage, and your budget to choose the package that will leave you satisfied and meet all of your digital requirements.
HughesNet coverage in Zimmerman, MN
HughesNet Provides Internet for the following school districts in Zimmerman, MN
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Though having been around since 1986, ViaSat didn't launch its first internet plans until 2012. ViaSat is a satellite internet service provider with a general focus on serving areas that normally do not have access to a reliable internet connection. Covering 98% of the country and all 50 states, all that is needed to be able to connect is a clear line of sight to the southern sky, a modem, and a satellite dish to send and receive signals. This has helped many of those who would otherwise have to spend thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars, to run a DSL, cable, or fiber line to their home.
ViaSat has continually upgraded its service. When the company first launched, its entire service survived off the back of one satellite, the ViaSat-1. Since then, they've acquired three additional satellites, either through additional launches or acquisitions from other companies to greatly expand its capabilities. The last of these to launch, the ViaSat-2, was said to increase the total bandwidth and network capacity available by 300 Gigabits per second as well as take ViaSat's service internationally. They have plans to increase this further. They've announced three more launches of their newest satellite, the ViaSat-3, that will increase the total bandwidth by a full terabit per second. The first of these is set to launch in 2020 with a second launch planned by 2022.
Offering free standard installation on all orders, ViaSat makes connecting to the internet easier than ever. ViaSat offers multiple different plans that feature different speeds and different levels of priority data. Priority data? I'm sure the question being asked is “Does ViaSat have a data cap?” The answer is a resounding no. Viasat offers unlimited data without charging overage fees or shutting your internet connection off. If one does go over their priority data, then at that point, customers just have to contend with network congestion much like any other internet service provider. If there is no congestion, then speed should be unaffected. This makes ViaSat a perfect option for activities like streaming, checking social media, or visiting a favorite site on the web.
ViaSat is perfect for almost any web-based application. Connecting your smartphone, sharing videos online, and watching your favorite streaming service are perfect fits for ViaSat's network. The only limitations ViaSat has are gaming and Virtual Private Networks(VPN). When it comes to gaming, there should be a half a second to full second lag time when playing online. If you're playing single-player games, this interruption is non-existent and will not interfere with any updates that a game may release after launch. A VPN is another matter. VPNs put a significant strain on any network and satellite networks doubly so. When using a VPN with ViaSat, speeds can be expected to drop anywhere from 50 to 75 percent. That doesn't mean ViaSat is an inferior service though. However, when looking to game or use in-home VPN, it's important to be aware of the technology's limitations so that you can plan accordingly and choose the best service that will fit your needs.
ViaSat coverage in Zimmerman, MN
ViaSat Provides Internet for the following school districts in Zimmerman, MN
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Cable Internet Coverage
90.31%
DSL Internet Coverage
79.54%
Summary of Fastest Internet Providers in Zimmerman, MN
| Provider | Max Speed | Avg Speed | Type | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |  | Midco | 1 Gbps | 1 Gbps | Cable | |
| 2. | | Windstream | 100 Mbps | 53 Mbps | DSL, Television and Phone | |
| 3. | | ViaSat | 30 Mbps | 20 Mbps | Satellite and Phone | |
| 4. | | HughesNet | 25 Mbps | 25 Mbps | Satellite and Phone | |
| Data provided by various data sources including the FCC. For more information please view our sources page. | ||||||
Summary of All Internet Providers in Zimmerman, MN
| Provider | Type | Coverage | Max Speed | Avg Speed | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | | HughesNet | Satellite and Phone | 100.00% | 25 Mbps | 25 Mbps | |
| 2. | | ViaSat | Satellite and Phone | 100.00% | 30 Mbps | 20 Mbps | |
| 3. | | Midco | Cable | 94.29% | 1 Gbps | 1 Gbps | |
| 4. | | Windstream | DSL, Television and Phone | 82.95% | 100 Mbps | 53 Mbps | |
| Data provided by various data sources including the FCC. For more information please view our sources page. | |||||||
Frequently Asked Questions about Zimmerman, MN.
Which provider offers the best internet service in Zimmerman, MN?
Windstream is the best internet provider in Zimmerman, MN, with download speeds up to 100 Mbps and pricing starting at $45.00.
How many internet providers provide service in Zimmerman, MN?
There are currently 4 providers that offer internet service in Zimmerman, MN.
What providers offer internet service in Zimmerman, MN.
Windstream, HughesNet, ViaSat and Midco offer internet service in Zimmerman, MN.
What is the cheapest internet provider in Zimmerman, MN?
Windstream is the cheapest internet provider in Zimmerman, MN, with pricing starting at $45.00.
What provider has the fastest speeds in Zimmerman, MN?
Windstream is the faster internet provider in Zimmerman, MN, with maximum speeds reaching 100 Mbps and average speeds of 53 Mbps.
Summary of School Districts in Zimmerman, MN
| District | Grades | Max Speed | Avg Speed | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk River Public | PK - 12 | 1 Gbps | 108 Mbps | Cable, DSL, Fiber and Fixed Wireless |
| Data provided by various data sources including the FCC. For more information please view our sources page. | ||||