If you run a business in the Outer Banks, rural Virginia, or other coastal or remote area, you know the internet options are frustrating.
Maybe you have satellite internet that's slow and unreliable. Maybe there's only one cable provider in your area charging premium rates. Maybe you don't have fiber, and the only option is aging DSL.
Rural business internet options are improving, but they're still not the same as what businesses get in cities. In this guide, I'm breaking down what's actually available in rural/coastal areas and how to pick the best option for your business.
The Three Main Options (and Their Tradeoffs)
Option 1: Fiber Internet
What it is: Direct fiber-optic cable run to your building. Typically the fastest and most reliable option.
Speed: 100 Mbps to 1 Gbps+ (gigabit speeds available)
Availability: Limited in rural/coastal areas. Fiber requires significant infrastructure investment, so carriers prioritize dense urban areas.
Cost: $150-$400/month for business-class service (more than cable/wireless, but worth it)
Reliability: 99.9%+ uptime SLA. Fiber is rock-solid when available.
Latency (ping time): 10-20ms (excellent for video calls, online meetings, cloud services)
Shared vs. dedicated: Often available as dedicated circuits (guaranteed speed just for you) or shared (more affordable but variable speed)
Pros:
- Fastest speeds
- Most reliable
- Can handle multiple users simultaneously
- Future-proof (will be relevant for 20+ years)
- No weather impact
Cons:
- Not available in most rural areas
- Expensive to install if not already there
- Lengthy installation timelines
- Limited providers
Best for: Businesses that need maximum reliability and speed. If fiber is available at your location, you should almost always choose it.
OBX Note: Fiber is expanding in the Outer Banks but still patchy. Some businesses in Nags Head have it; many in the northern Outer Banks do not.
Option 2: Cable Internet
What it is: Coaxial cable (same tech as cable TV) used for broadband. Common in many areas, but variable quality.
Speed: 50-500 Mbps (varies widely based on congestion and provider)
Availability: Widespread in semi-developed areas, but not all rural locations. Usually only one provider per area.
Cost: $80-$300/month for business-class service
Reliability: 98-99% uptime. Generally reliable but subject to congestion.
Latency (ping time): 20-50ms. Fine for most business uses but not optimal.
Shared vs. dedicated: Typically shared (variable based on neighborhood usage), though some providers offer business-class dedicated tiers.
Pros:
- Widely available (more than fiber)
- Decent speeds for most small businesses
- More affordable than fiber
- Familiar technology
Cons:
- Subject to congestion (speeds drop during peak hours)
- Single provider in most areas (no competition = higher prices)
- Weather can impact reliability
- Outdated technology (limited growth path)
Best for: Small businesses that need adequate speeds but can accept variable performance. Budget-conscious operations.
OBX Note: Most Outer Banks businesses have cable as their main option. Comcast Business is dominant, though some areas have local providers.
Option 3: Fixed Wireless Internet
What it is: Broadband delivered via radio frequency from a tower to a receiver on your roof (like rural internet from companies like Viasat or newer 5G home internet).
Speed: 25-100 Mbps (varies significantly)
Availability: Increasingly available, especially newer 5G options. Coverage depends on line-of-sight to tower.
Cost: $60-$200/month depending on provider and speed tier
Reliability: 95-99% uptime. Weather can impact reliability; less stable than wired options.
Latency (ping time): 50-100ms. Usable but not ideal for real-time applications.
Shared vs. dedicated: Typically shared infrastructure.
Pros:
- Increasingly available in rural areas
- No long installation timelines (sometimes 1-2 weeks)
- No need to run cables through buildings
- Affordable
Cons:
- Weather impacts performance (rain, snow, wind)
- Higher latency (issues with video calls, VoIP)
- May not support high-bandwidth applications
- Newer technology means fewer experienced providers
Best for: Businesses in truly rural areas where fiber/cable aren't available. Acceptable as temporary solution while waiting for better infrastructure.
OBX Note: 5G home internet is rolling out in the Outer Banks. It's a viable option if your location has line-of-sight to a tower.
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Factor | Fiber | Cable | Fixed Wireless |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed | 100-1000 Mbps | 50-500 Mbps | 25-100 Mbps |
| Availability | Limited | Common | Growing |
| Cost | $150-400/mo | $80-300/mo | $60-200/mo |
| Reliability | 99.9% | 98-99% | 95-99% |
| Latency | 10-20ms | 20-50ms | 50-100ms |
| Weather impact | None | Minor | Significant |
| Installation | 4-8 weeks | 1-2 weeks | 1-2 weeks |
| Setup cost | $500-2000 | $300-1000 | $100-500 |
| Best for | Maximum performance | Balance of speed/cost | Budget/remote areas |
How to Determine What's Available at Your Location
Step 1: Check what providers serve your area
Go to each provider's website and enter your address:
- Comcast Business (cable)
- Local telecom providers (fiber/DSL, varies by region)
- Verizon, T-Mobile, Starry (5G/fixed wireless)
- Fiber providers in your area (varies; some areas have municipal or regional providers)
Step 2: Get actual speed tests
Don't trust advertised speeds. Ask the provider for references in your area and ask them what speeds they actually get. Or ask to do a speed test at a nearby business using the same service.
Step 3: Check latency/ping
For business internet, latency matters as much as speed. Ask the provider for typical ping times.
Step 4: Understand the contract and SLA
SLA = Service Level Agreement. It describes:
- Guaranteed uptime percentage (99.9% means ~43 minutes of downtime/month)
- What happens if they miss the SLA (credit to your bill, usually 10% per month)
- Support response time (how quickly they respond to problems)
Get this in writing before signing.
Step 5: Get multiple quotes
Even if there's only one primary provider in your area, get quotes from all available options. You might be surprised.
Practical Recommendations by Situation
"I have fiber available"
Choose: Fiber Why: If you have access to fiber, use it. The speed and reliability are worth the cost. This is a 10-year-plus investment in your infrastructure.
"I have cable and no fiber"
Choose: Business-class cable (dedicated tier if possible) Why: Cable is adequate for most small businesses. Get the business-class tier (not residential) for better reliability and support.
"I have cable and fixed wireless"
Choose: Cable as primary, fixed wireless as backup Why: Use cable for your main connection. Fixed wireless can serve as backup internet (automatic failover) if cable goes down. This costs extra but gives you redundancy.
"I only have fixed wireless"
Choose: Fixed wireless, but test first Why: Make sure you can get adequate speeds at your specific location. Line-of-sight to tower is critical. Request a trial period or visit a nearby customer to see performance.
"I have satellite"
Choose: Anything else Why: Satellite is last resort. High latency (500+ ms), data caps, weather issues, and unreliability make it poor for modern business. If alternatives exist, use them.
Critical for OBX/Coastal Businesses
Weather resilience matters. Storm season hits hard. Get internet from a provider that has redundancy and 99%+ uptime SLA. Your business depends on it.
Line-of-sight importance for wireless. Coastal areas have trees, weather patterns, and water that impact wireless. Ensure you can get true line-of-sight to the tower.
Redundancy is worth paying for. If your business depends on internet (and whose doesn't?), get a backup connection. Primary fiber/cable + backup wireless costs ~$200/month extra but protects you from $5,000/hour downtime costs.
Seasonal considerations. Tourist season increases network load. Ensure your provider has capacity during peak times.
The Future of Rural Internet
This is improving. Starry, T-Mobile, and Verizon are investing heavily in 5G home internet. Within 2-3 years, fixed wireless options will be significantly better. Fiber expansion is also accelerating in rural areas.
If you're currently stuck with mediocre options, the good news is this probably improves soon.
Implementation: Getting the Best Deal
Document your needs: What bandwidth do you actually need? List all internet users, video calls, cloud services, etc. Calculate required bandwidth.
Get quotes from all available options. Even if you think there's only one option, check carefully.
Request trial or reference: Ask to test the service or visit a customer location.
Negotiate terms: Especially on setup costs and contract length. Many providers are flexible.
Set up monitoring: Once you have internet, install monitoring (not just usage tracking, but actual uptime monitoring). You need to know if reliability drops.
Get backup internet: If possible, add a backup connection (even basic wireless). This is cheap insurance.
When to Call a Professional
Consider hiring someone (like us) if:
- You're in a rural area with unclear options
- You need redundancy and aren't sure how to set it up
- You're concerned about the reliability of your business internet
- You need help negotiating with providers
- You want to understand the long-term infrastructure roadmap for your area
We can help audit your options, design the right solution, and ensure it's installed properly.
Ready to Get Better Internet?
Sandbar Systems serves businesses throughout the Outer Banks, rural Virginia, and coastal areas. We know the internet options in your region and can help you choose the best solution.
We've helped dozens of local businesses get from "barely adequate internet" to "reliable, fast internet that supports their growth."
Schedule Your Free Consultation
Call us: (804) 510-9224 Email: info@sandbarsys.com
We're based in the Outer Banks and understand the unique internet challenges of coastal/rural businesses. Let's find you a better solution.