Searching for an internet provider is often a painstaking, teeth-gnashing process. I’ve been working the broadband beat for more than five years and know the task can be daunting if you don’t know where to start or what to look for. But CNET has done the work by gathering our top broadband picks based on pricing, speed, service terms and internet connection types. Here’s everything you need to know to find the best internet provider for your home.
Which is the best internet provider overall
Verizon Fios and AT&T Fiber are the two providers that come out as the best internet service providers overall. Those living in the Northeast will be hard-pressed to find a better ISP than Verizon Fios, while many people living in the South and Midwest will find AT&T Fiber to be the best option. As we often say in our ISP reviews, fiber internet is almost always better than other internet connection types. Don’t hesitate to sign up if you can get fiber broadband at your address at a reasonable price.
There are times when cable internet, such as Xfinity, Spectrum and Cox, is the best option. For cheap internet or if you’re interested in bundling internet and TV or internet and mobile, cable is often a solid choice. Cable internet boasts the highest availability of any non-satellite connection type, often making it the best option if there’s no fiber provider in your area. Let’s take a look at which internet providers made CNET’s cut.
Can T-Mobile’s home internet service meet your home broadband needs? Let’s see why this internet service provider is different.
First of all, T-Mobile charges just $50 to $70 monthly for its plans, which you can reduce to $35 to $55 by bundling with a qualifying mobile plan. Plus, you don’t have to worry about long-term contracts or data caps. The company made headlines by introducing three new plans and a slew of features through late 2024. Pretty cool, right?
While T-Mobile 5G home internet is currently available in more than 50 million homes across the US, it’s still not available in many locations and addresses.
5G is the marquee player on this bill, but T-Mobile relies on 4G LTE to help expand its home internet service area. That means that among 5G home internet providers, T-Mobile doesn’t offer the fastest speeds on average — a definite disappointment.
When T-Mobile launched its home internet service as a trial program in 2021, we were among the first to get a hands-on experience with it. By April 2021, T-Mobile announced the launch of its home broadband service nationwide.
A year later, it expanded its availability to 40 million homes, and we came back to try it out again. Another of our writers, who has used the service for over two years, recently shared his experience with T-Mobile 5G home internet.