The internet is a magical network that brings us all together. But just because we have internet access does not mean it is a reliable connection. Some people have terrible internet connections.
But if your area has multiple internet providers, can you hire two or more services and have two different internet providers in your home?
Yes, you can have two different internet providers for a single household. Each internet provider will have to visit your location and install the internet cables or satellite in order to receive their internet services.
As long as you have power and phone cables or an open view of the sky, you can have two internet providers in one home. You will have to pay two different bills.
Can You Have Two Internet Providers In One House?
Everyone needs access to the internet. We depend on our internet providers to create solid infrastructure so we have great internet connection all day long and throughout the year.
But not all internet providers are equal.
Some internet providers are terrible. They do not care at all about their customers. They know they are the only internet provider in the entire area so they don’t have to improve their infrastructure.
Customers have to use them. But infrastructure and quality of service drastically improve when there are two or more internet providers in a single area.
Some internet providers have better services than others. People who have home businesses, love to game, or need a larger amount of internet will want to have the best internet service possible.
But perhaps the internet provider their family currently uses is not up to their standards.
They do not want to upgrade the internet service because the upgrade price is not worth it.
So how do they improve their internet connection? They can hire another internet provider for a dedicated internet line.
It is uncommon for two internet providers to have a service in the same household, but it isn’t rare either. As long as there is infrastructure for both internet providers in the household or in the apartment, it is possible.
Why You Might Have Two Internet Providers
Having two internet providers for separate internet services is a dream and for some people it will stay a dream. Not everywhere in North America can accommodate two internet providers.
Unless you live in a big city, with at least two to three million people, you are likely to have access to only want your net provider.
Or there could be two or more internet providers in your area, but they all require the same phone lines to provide internet services.
If you already have an internet provider connected to your home through a phone line, then you can’t hire another internet provider that uses phone lines.
If you were to have two separate internet services in one location, one would have to be through the phone line and one would have to be through satellite.
Why Would Someone Hire Two Different Internet Providers?
It is not impossible to have two different internet providers for one home. Unless you have a dedicated private server in your home, few people need much internet power.
However, there are a few reasons someone would choose two different internet providers for a single location.
Separate Connection for Another Building
If your home has a separate building in the backyard, your home’s internet connection might not reach.
You can ask your current internet provider to extend the connection to the backhouse and provide a secondary router.
But if you plan on renting out the separate room to tenants, you can hire a different internet provider so the tenants do not have to use your internet connection.
Internet Deals
Let’s say your current internet provider only charges you $60 a month for your current plan. If you were to upgrade to the next plan, it might be more than $150.
But another internet provider has a one-year limited time deal for an equal amount of internet for $40! So instead of paying $150 for twice the internet you only have to pay $90! Now that’s a deal!
Home Business
Another reason to have a dedicated internet connection for your home office is for taxes.
If you only have one internet connection for both your home business and your family, you would have to provide the government with receipts and the cost of your internet usage.
Since others are using the internet for pleasure, then you would have to break down everyone’s part of the bill and show how much money you spend on your home business’s part of the internet.
It can be a real hassle to sort through all this information and report it to the government. Many people who have home businesses have a dedicated internet connection solely for their business.
The person paying for the separate connection will allow no one else to use the home business connection.
By having a dedicated internet connection for their business, they only have to tell the government that the separate connection is for their business.
Then they can provide evidence that other people living in the home are on an entirely different internet plan from a different provider.
Internet Outages
Internet outages come and go. We never know when they’re going to happen. When internet outages happen in your area, we will usually receive a text or automated phone call from the internet provider.
To most people, an internet outage will cause nothing but boredom. But for other people, especially those who work at home, an internet outage can cause missed deadlines, hundreds of dollars in lost wages, and work piling up for days on end. Having two internet providers can prevent this.
However, you should not hire internet providers that use the same method. If you already have any provider that uses phone lines, then you have to use one that provides internet through satellite.
Tips for Having Two Internet Providers
If you are planning to hire two internet providers to install two separate internet connections, there are some tips that could improve handling both internet connections.
- Buy a router for each internet connection. Each of the internet providers that you hire should give you a router. But if one provider wants to piggyback on the other provider’s router, tell the technician you would like a separate router.
- Write all the information, like the router names, the router connections, and passwords on a single piece of paper. Have all the information on a single sheet of paper and keep it somewhere safe.
- If you live in an apartment, you may not be eligible to hire a secondary and internet provider. The landlord of the building may have a contract with the current internet provider. Contact your landlord and ask about getting a secondary internet line before you call around for internet quotes from other providers.
Conclusion to Having Two Internet Providers
It may be a little tricky, but you may be eligible to have internet services from two separate internet providers in your home or apartment.
Keep all of your internet passwords and codes in a single piece of paper and do not give it to anyone. Two internet providers can prevent a home business from losing wages.
Search around for internet deals from other providers so you get the best deal possible.
