The cost to cancel HughesNet runs anywhere from under $100 to about $700, depending on how far into your 24-month contract you are and whether you return the leased equipment on time. The two charges to plan for are the early termination fee, which starts at $400 and shrinks each month, and a $300 unreturned equipment fee if the modem and radio transmitter don’t make it back within 45 days.
The Early Termination Fee and How It Shrinks
Cancel within the first 90 days after activation and you owe a flat $400, no matter which plan you’re on.1Hughesnet. Hughesnet Moving Program – Section: What happens if I cancel my Hughesnet service before the end of my Service Agreement? After that window closes, the fee starts dropping each month, and the drop depends on your plan and whether you lease or bought the equipment outright.
Most subscribers lease. For lease customers, the fee falls by $15 for every month of active service past the 90-day mark, and that rate applies to every plan, including Select, Elite, and Fusion.1Hughesnet. Hughesnet Moving Program – Section: What happens if I cancel my Hughesnet service before the end of my Service Agreement?
If you purchased the equipment upfront, Select, Elite, and Fusion still reduce at $15 per month. Lite customers reduce at $30 per month, so their fee reaches zero much faster.1Hughesnet. Hughesnet Moving Program – Section: What happens if I cancel my Hughesnet service before the end of my Service Agreement?
The math is straightforward. A lease customer on the Select plan who cancels at month 12 has had nine post-window months of $15 reductions: $400 minus $135, or $265. Cancel the same plan at month 18, and 15 months of reductions bring the fee down to $175. By the last months of the contract, it can drop below $100.
The $300 Equipment Charge You Can Avoid
HughesNet keeps ownership of the modem and radio transmitter on leased accounts. You have 45 days from the cancellation date to return them. Miss that deadline and the account is billed $300: $100 for the modem and power supply, $200 for the radio transmitter mounted on the arm of your dish.1Hughesnet. Hughesnet Moving Program – Section: What happens if I cancel my Hughesnet service before the end of my Service Agreement? Damaged or non-functional equipment triggers the same charges as unreturned equipment.
One boundary worth knowing: the dish itself, the mounting bracket, and any cables do not have to be returned, and HughesNet is not obligated to remove or pay to remove them.2Hughesnet. What is the Hughesnet Return Policy? Only the modem, power supply, and radio transmitter travel back.
If the dish is in a spot you can’t safely reach, HughesNet can send a technician to remove the leased components for a de-installation fee of around $100. An independent contractor to take down the full dish and bracket usually runs $90 to $150. Either option beats a $300 charge for gear you couldn’t retrieve.
What Cancellation Costs at Different Points in Your Contract
Assuming a lease contract and timely equipment return, here’s the realistic exit cost at common points:
- Months 1 through 3: $400 termination fee. Add $300 if equipment isn’t returned, for a worst case of $700.
- Month 6: $400 minus three months of $15 reductions equals $355.
- Month 12: roughly $265 for lease customers on most plans.
- Month 18: around $175.
- Month 22 or later: the fee is low enough that finishing the contract may cost more in monthly payments than exiting early. Run your own numbers.
Government taxes apply on top of these fees and vary by location.3Hughesnet. Broadband Facts Hughesnet Service Plan 100 GB Add professional de-installation if you need it, and the total exit cost ranges from under $100 near the end of a contract to over $800 in the worst early-exit case.
How to Cancel and Return the Equipment
There is no online cancellation. The only route is to call customer care at 866-347-3292.4Hughesnet. How Do I Cancel Or Modify My Service Plan Have your account number and Site ID ready; both appear on the top right of your billing statement or in the online account portal. Knowing your original activation date helps you verify the termination fee the representative quotes.
After the call, HughesNet ships a return kit to the address on file with a box, sealing tape, a cancellation letter, and a prepaid UPS shipping label.5Hughesnet. Returning Your Hughesnet Leased Equipment Return shipping is free. Record the RMA number and UPS tracking number before you hand off the package. That tracking number is your proof of return inside the 45-day window if the $300 charge ever shows up on the account.
Ways to Avoid the Fee Entirely
Moving rather than switching? HughesNet’s relocation program waives the termination fee, and standard installation at the new address is free. Bring the modem and power supply with you. The trade-off is that your 24-month commitment resets on the next billing cycle.6Hughesnet. Hughesnet Moving Program Worth it if you still need satellite internet at the new place; not worth it if you’re moving somewhere with cable or fiber and plan to switch soon.
When an account holder has died, HughesNet has historically waived early termination fees. It isn’t an advertised policy, so results depend on the representative. Call customer care and be ready to provide documentation.
Of every dollar in this process, the $300 equipment charge is the one entirely within your control. Return the modem, power supply, and radio transmitter inside 45 days and the only bill left is the termination fee, which the calendar has already been shrinking for you.