The fastest internet providers in my area
Considering all of the high-demand tasks you do online every day, you'd probably be interested to know what is the fastest internet service provider in your area.
Am I right? Well, if you want a fast Internet connection, the speed will depend on where you live.
Those in large urban areas, for example, typically have access to the very latest technology, whereas rural dwellers may not be able to order the absolute fastest wireless internet service. Even if you don't have the fastest internet speed possible yet, broadband access is expanding rapidly, making it wise to keep up with advances in connection technology.
As I'll outline below, exciting things are happening in the world of high-speed Internet. The future of high-speed Internet is definitely here and it's getting faster with each new development.
In this guide, we'll discuss the ins and outs of fast Internet, show you how to determine the speed of your service, and list which provider offers the fastest Internet service.
- Verizon FiOS: Between $40-80 per month
- AT&T: Between $35-60 per month
- Spectrum: $50 per month
- Frontier: Between $50-80 per month
Fastest internet providers
Verizon FiOS Internet
- Download
- 200-940 Mbps
- Channels
- Calls
- Monthly Price
- $40-80
Verizon FiOS Internet Only Plans
Package | Internet | TV | Phone | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Fios Internet 200 Mbps | 200 Mbps | $39.99 | ||
Fios Internet 400 Mbps | 400 Mbps | $59.99 | ||
Fios Gigabit Internet | 940 Mbps | $79.99 |
Verizon FiOS TV Plans
Package | Internet | TV | Phone | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Your Fios TV | 125 Channels | $56.00 | ||
More FIos TV | 300 Channels | $76.00 | ||
The Most Fios TV | 425 Channels | $96.00 |
Verizon FiOS Landline Plans
Package | Internet | TV | Phone | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Fios Digital Voice | Unlimited | $29.99 |
Verizon FiOS Triple Play Bundles
Package | Internet | TV | Phone | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Your Fios TV + Internet 200 + Digital Voice | 200 Mbps | 125 Channels | Unlimited | $109.99 |
More Fios TV + Internet 200 + Digital Voice | 200 Mbps | 300 Channels | Unlimited | $129.99 |
The Most Fios TV + Internet 200 + Digital Voice | 200 Mbps | 425 Channels | Unlimited | $149.99 |
Pros
100% fiber network
Speed options up to Gigabit
Equal upload and download speeds
No contracts
Good customer service reputation
Cons
Limited availability
More expensive than competitors
Service is run on 100% fiber optic network
No annual contracts
Plans with speeds up to Gigabit
Reliable service
Fast upload and download speeds
Live online chat support
24/7 Facebook messenger support
Verizon Fios offers unlimited bandwidth via 100 percent high-speed Internet. It starts at just $39.99 right now. Check the site for details. You can also check out Verizon FiOS bundle deals.
Verizon FiOS internet speeds & plans
| Package | Speed | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Verizon FiOS Fios Internet 200 Mbps | 200 Mbps | $39.99 |
| Verizon FiOS Fios Internet 400 Mbps | 400 Mbps | $59.99 |
| Verizon FiOS Fios Gigabit Internet | 940 Mbps | $79.99 |
AT&T Internet
- Download
- 100-1,000 Mbps
- Channels
- Calls
- Monthly Price
- $35-60
AT&T Internet Only Plans
Package | Internet | TV | Phone | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Internet 100 | 100 Mbps | $35.00 | ||
Internet 300 | 300 Mbps | $45.00 | ||
Internet 1000 | 1000 Mbps | $60.00 |
AT&T TV Plans
Package | Internet | TV | Phone | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Entertainment | 65 Channels | $69.99 | ||
Choice | 90 Channels | $84.99 | ||
Ultimate | 130 Channels | $94.99 |
AT&T Landline Plans
Package | Internet | TV | Phone | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Phone Unlimited | Unlimited | $51.00 |
AT&T Triple Play Bundles
Package | Internet | TV | Phone | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Internet + Entertainment + Phone | 100 Mbps | 65 Channels | Unlimited | $134.98 |
Internet + Choice + Phone | 100 Mbps | 90 Channels | Unlimited | $149.99 |
Internet + Ultimate + Phone | 100 Mbps | 130 Channels | Unlimited | $159.99 |
Pros
Flexible bundling options
Quickly expanding fiber network
DSL service available
Extensive rural availability
Cons
Contract required
Rate hike after the first year
Limited availability
Fiber optic availability
30,000+ Wi-Fi hotspots nationwide
Flexible options for bundles
AT&T Smart Wi-Fi - Stay connected room to room
Combine your services with phone, TV and Internet bundles
Availability in some rural areas
24/7 Technical support
Customer service available 8am to 7pm local time
AT&T internet fiber network is gradually expanding, and is slated to cover 67 metropolitan areas in all, along with the surrounding suburbs. The service costs $90 per month and comes with 1000Mbps speed.
AT&T internet speeds & plans
| Package | Speed | Price |
|---|---|---|
| AT&T Internet 100 | 100 Mbps | $35 |
| AT&T Internet 300 | 300 Mbps | $45 |
| AT&T Internet 1000 | 1000 Mbps | $60 |
Verizon FiOS Internet
- Download
- 200-940 Mbps
- Channels
- Calls
- Monthly Price
- $40-80
Verizon FiOS Internet Only Plans
Package | Internet | TV | Phone | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Fios Internet 200 Mbps | 200 Mbps | $39.99 | ||
Fios Internet 400 Mbps | 400 Mbps | $59.99 | ||
Fios Gigabit Internet | 940 Mbps | $79.99 |
Verizon FiOS TV Plans
Package | Internet | TV | Phone | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Your Fios TV | 125 Channels | $56.00 | ||
More FIos TV | 300 Channels | $76.00 | ||
The Most Fios TV | 425 Channels | $96.00 |
Verizon FiOS Landline Plans
Package | Internet | TV | Phone | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Fios Digital Voice | Unlimited | $29.99 |
Verizon FiOS Triple Play Bundles
Package | Internet | TV | Phone | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Your Fios TV + Internet 200 + Digital Voice | 200 Mbps | 125 Channels | Unlimited | $109.99 |
More Fios TV + Internet 200 + Digital Voice | 200 Mbps | 300 Channels | Unlimited | $129.99 |
The Most Fios TV + Internet 200 + Digital Voice | 200 Mbps | 425 Channels | Unlimited | $149.99 |
Pros
100% fiber network
Speed options up to Gigabit
Equal upload and download speeds
No contracts
Good customer service reputation
Cons
Limited availability
More expensive than competitors
Service is run on 100% fiber optic network
No annual contracts
Plans with speeds up to Gigabit
Reliable service
Fast upload and download speeds
Live online chat support
24/7 Facebook messenger support
Xfinity internet is a bit different from most gigabit internet providers because, as I mentioned earlier, their Gigabit Pro plan offers 2Gbps download and upload speeds rather than 1Gbps.
Xfinity internet speeds & plans
| Package | Speed | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Verizon FiOS Fios Internet 200 Mbps | 200 Mbps | $39.99 |
| Verizon FiOS Fios Internet 400 Mbps | 400 Mbps | $59.99 |
| Verizon FiOS Fios Gigabit Internet | 940 Mbps | $79.99 |
Spectrum Internet
- Download
- 400 Mbps
- Channels
- Calls
- Monthly Price
- $50
Spectrum Internet Only Plans
Package | Internet | TV | Phone | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Internet | 400 Mbps | $49.99 |
Spectrum TV Plans
Package | Internet | TV | Phone | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
TV Select | 125 Channels | $44.99 | ||
TV Silver | 175 Channels | $74.99 | ||
TV Gold | 200 Channels | $94.99 |
Spectrum Triple Play Bundles
Package | Internet | TV | Phone | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Triple Play Select | 400 Mbps | 125 Channels | Unlimited | $72.97 |
Triple Play Silver | 400 Mbps | 175 Channels | Unlimited | $102.97 |
Triple Play Gold | 400 Mbps | 200 Channels | Unlimited | $122.97 |
Pros
Fast speeds
No contracts
No data caps
One-hour installation appointment window
Plenty of bundles
Cons
Mediocre customer service ratings
Pricier than some competitors
High speed wireless network away from home with wi-fi hotspots
24/7 Tech support
30 Day Money Back Guarantee
Unlimited download available
No contract required
Spectrum internet speeds & plans
| Package | Speed | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Spectrum Internet | 400 Mbps | $49.99 |
Frontier Internet
- Download
- 50-1,000 Mbps
- Channels
- Calls
- Monthly Price
- $50-80
Frontier Internet Only Plans
Package | Internet | TV | Phone | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
FiberOptic 50 | 50 Mbps | $49.99 | ||
FiberOptic 500 | 500 Mbps | $59.99 | ||
FiberOptic Gig | 1000 Mbps | $79.99 |
Pros
No data caps
Solid speeds to some rural areas
Good range of plans
TV and phone bundles available
Price lock or no-contract options
Cons
Limited service areas
Only available bundled with internet
24/7 tech support
No data caps - All plans offer unlimited data
2 year price lock guarantee
Cloud drive storage
Live online chat
30 day money back guarantee
BYO compatible modem
Wide availability - Covers 38 states
Frontier internet speeds & plans
| Package | Speed | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Frontier FiberOptic 50 | 50 Mbps | $49.99 |
| Frontier FiberOptic 500 | 500 Mbps | $59.99 |
| Frontier FiberOptic Gig | 1000 Mbps | $79.99 |
Fastest internet availability by ZIP code
Fastest internet speeds available
The fastest internet service available to American consumers on a large-scale basis is Gigabit Pro from Comcast Internet. This fiber optics internet service delivers high speeds up to 2Gbps (2000Mbps). Multiple providers offer fiber internet at the 1 GB speed level.
These, however, are not the fastest internet speeds in existence in the United States. That honor belongs to a select few cities - including humble little Salisbury, NC, Chattanooga, TN, Springfield, VT, and Detroit, MI. These cities boast the fastest internet speeds in America at a blinding 10 GB. That's 10 gigabits per second or 10,000 megabits per second... in both directions. To give you some perspective, at 10Gbps you can download an entire HD movie in under a second - in other words, nearly instantaneously. That's fast internet.
What is considered fast internet?
The online experience has changed drastically since the late 1990s when 56Kbps modem support became commonplace, effectively doubling the speed with which we could view adorable cat pics. These days, the definition of fast, reliable internet access has evolved to the point where we expect instant page loading and smooth HD video streaming. So what exactly is considered fast, reliable internet in the era of Netflix and online gaming?
We'll start with the official FCC (Federal Communications Commission) definition. In January of 2015, the FCC increased its designation of advanced broadband internet speed to 25Mbps download speed and 3Mbps upload speed. The previous increase took place in 2010, to 4 Mbps download speed and 1Mbps upload speed.
Compare the fastest internet plans
| Provider | Download | Monthly Price |
|---|---|---|
 Mediacom | 60-1,000 Mbps | $19.99-79.99 |
 Cox | 25-940 Mbps | $29.99-99.99 |
 WOW! | 100-1,000 Mbps | $29.99-64.99 |
 RCN | 50-940 Mbps | $29.99-59.99 |
 Suddenlink | 200-940 Mbps | $30.00-45.00 |
 Armstrong | 12-500 Mbps | $34.95-149.95 |
| AT&T | 100-1,000 Mbps | $35.00-60.00 |
 Windstream | 200-1,000 Mbps | $35.00-55.00 |
 Optimum | 300-940 Mbps | $39.99-45.00 |
 HughesNet | 25 Mbps | $39.99-129.99 |
Testing internet speed
Of course, one of the first questions you ask yourself when assessing what internet speed you actually need is "How fast is my average connection speed?" Particularly if you're experiencing lagging games or glitches while streaming video, you may suspect you need a faster average connection speed. There are many websites that can measure the download and upload rates of your internet connection.
One of the most trusted of these sites is Speedtest.net. The best thing about SpeedTest is that the site collects data in order to analyze internet speeds according to provider and connection type. According to Speed Test's analysis of testing results, the average internet speed in the United States is now nearly 55Mbps, the highest it's ever been.
What if my speed isn't as advertised?
If you're paying for the fastest internet in your area, you may wonder why your speeds aren't matching the advertised speeds you saw when you signed up. Even the fastest internet providers can't guarantee a specific level of service, due to a variety of contributing factors. That's why companies list their plans with "up to" speeds. Things that can cause a slower internet speed than advertised include:
- Heavy network traffic (particularly with cable internet, during "rush hour")
- Incompatible hardware such as the modem or your computer's network interface card (NIC)
- An outdated wireless router
- Distance from the ISP's central office, known as line attenuation (a common issue with DSL)
In order to get the most out of your subscription to the fastest internet service, try to speed up your slow Internet by troubleshooting these issues before assuming the problem is on your ISP's end. If your equipment cannot support the fastest internet connection then there's not much point in subscribing to gigabit service. Check to ensure that everything past the point of the provider's wiring has gigabit capacity.
How fast should my internet be?
The answer to this question will depend on what you do with your connection, and how many users and devices there are in your household. As I mentioned earlier, the FCC has set 25Mbps as the gold standard for minimum broadband access across the country. But how much speed do you really need?
In the everyday world of web surfing and streaming video/music, the reality is that not everyone needs 25Mbps internet speed. In fact, the FCC's own Household Broadband Guide details the speeds necessary for specific sets of circumstances, only two of which require a connection faster than 15Mbps.
Here is a summary of the guidelines for how fast internet should be according to your usage:
- 6 - 15Mbps: You'll need something around this speed range for three or more devices performing basic functions, plus one or two of those devices simultaneously accessing high-demand applications.
- 15Mbps and up: It's best to have at least 15Mbps if you've got more than a couple devices running simultaneous, high-demand tasks like streaming video or online gaming.
Internet speed can also be determined by the kind of Internet you're using, such as fiber optic, cable internet, even dial-up. Satellite Internet is an interesting alternative because it does not rely on cables or phone lines like the other options. Instead, signals are beamed between satellite dishes to give you a connection.
How VPNs affect internet speed
Because there is more to the process of data transferring with a Virtual Private Network, you could experience slower speeds than with a regular Internet service. VPN services encrypt all of the data you send and receive, which ultimately takes a little longer.
If you're looking for the fastest VPN service, PureVPN and NordVPN are known to be two with the fastest latency and download times. For an in-depth analysis on VPNs, check out our buyer's guide to VPN services.
Fast internet FAQs
What is the fastest home internet speed?
The fastest home internet speed recorded is 2,000 Mbps with Xfinity. However, speeds will vary on what's available in your area.
Are faster internet speeds really worth it?
By deciding what the household internet is used for can help you decide the internet speed you need. Will you need it for online gaming, streaming tv, and how many devices will need to be connected? Internet provider speeds can vary in different areas, so make sure you check what your budget is to find an affordable plan suitable for you.
How do I get the fastest internet speed?
By using your ZIP code to check coverage in your area, you can find the internet providers offering the fastest speed where you live.
Recap
Although it's tempting to shell out for the fastest internet service you can possibly find, the wisest thing to do is assess your needs, add a little padding to the speed to account for technological advances, and then shop around for a solid Internet plan that suits your needs. Use our buyer's guide to Internet deals for useful tips and advice before you shop.
To make your search for the fastest internet speed in your area even easier, we've got a convenient zip code checker tool so that you can see exactly which companies provide service to your location as well as what speeds they offer. Use the code checker below to get started.
Did you know there is a difference between fast Internet and high-speed Internet? They might sound the same but mean totally different things. You can find out what high-speed Internet is in our guide to learn more.
