Starlink isn't the only option. It also isn't always the wrong one.
If you're in rural Vermont and the only pitch you've heard is a satellite dish, here's the rest of the menu: fiber where a project has actually reached the road, leftover DSL, and fixed wireless.
Starlink is the usual satellite product. It works with a view of the sky, including places no ground tower can see. We don't publish Starlink's current prices or speeds. Get those from Starlink.
If fiber is already at the house and the product is good, take the fiber. We don't cover the whole state.
What else is on the table
Fiber projects. Vermont has been funding expansion. The VT residential hub says those projects still go through permitting and construction, and a lot of dirt roads are still waiting. We are not going to name other ISPs' towns or wait times. Ask the provider that's building near you.
DSL. The VT hub still lists DSL from VTel or the legacy phone company as 5-25 Mbps in parts of Essex County. That's the copper that's been there. Fine for light use. Rough for video calls on a busy house.
Fixed wireless. Ground towers with fiber backhaul. A tech mounts a receiver on the house. No trench down the road. That's what fixed wireless is, including how it differs from Starlink.
Where Netafy actually serves in Vermont
Home internet is New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine only. Not Massachusetts homes. Phone is 877-412-9434.
Vermont residential coverage on the hub is Essex County:
Barnet, Bloomfield, Brunswick, Canaan, Concord, Guildhall, Lemington, Lunenburg, Maidstone, and Waterford.
That's the Northeast Kingdom towns we publish. We don't claim Burlington, Montpelier, or the rest of the state. Even inside Essex County, the address has to have a usable path to a tower.
Published GigTier home plans (same list as NH and ME):
| Plan | Price | Minimum | Burst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $49/mo | 50 Mbps | 100 Mbps |
| Premium | $69/mo | 75 Mbps | 200 Mbps |
| Premier | $89/mo | 100 Mbps | 250 Mbps |
| Platinum | $109/mo | 150 Mbps | 400 Mbps |
Install is $99-$199. Router rental is $10/mo. Month-to-month after the first month. No data caps on the published home plans. Standard-tier plans starting at $48/mo are on residential pricing where GigTier hasn't reached yet.
Neighboring write-ups: rural New Hampshire home internet and home internet options in rural Maine.
How to check
Send the Vermont service address on the home request form. Same path the VT hub uses. Or call 877-412-9434. If we can't serve it, we'll say so.
Common questions
Is there rural internet in Vermont besides Starlink?
Yes. Fiber if a project has already reached your road. Leftover DSL in some spots (the VT hub mentions VTel and the phone company). Fixed wireless where a tower can serve the house. Netafy is the local fixed-wireless option in Essex County. We don't publish other companies' prices or statewide maps.
Where in Vermont does Netafy serve homes?
Essex County in the Northeast Kingdom: Barnet, Bloomfield, Brunswick, Canaan, Concord, Guildhall, Lemington, Lunenburg, Maidstone, and Waterford. Coverage is still address-by-address. We don't sell home internet in Massachusetts.
Should I wait for fiber in the Northeast Kingdom?
If fiber is already at the house and the product is good, take it. If it isn't, the VT hub is honest that fiber projects take permitting and construction time. Fixed wireless is the option we can install now in the Essex County towns we list, when the address qualifies.
