Find the Best Internet Providers Near You

5G wireless service is great for our phones, but T-Mobile is proving the technology is capable of serving as a primary home internet connection as well. Since launching its 5G network just a few years ago, T-Mobile has quickly expanded its home internet service to cover many US households across every state excluding Alaska.

T-Mobile Home Internet isn't the fastest internet you'll find -- the only plan advertises speeds ranging from 33 to 182Mbps -- but the price is right at $50 per month with no added equipment fees, data caps or contracts. If you're in a rural area with limited internet options, or are interested in cutting the cord with your current provider, T-Mobile is certainly worth a look.

Aside from satellite internet providers HughesNet and Viasat, which are available throughout the US, EarthLink has the greatest availability of any ISP. Roughly 200 million people, or around 63% of the US population, are serviceable for EarthLink thanks to the provider's unique approach to delivering service. Instead of running fiber, coaxial or DSL lines to homes, EarthLink uses the networks of other major providers, such as AT&T, CenturyLink and Frontier, to offer internet service. As a result, EarthLink essentially boasts the availability of multiple providers combined, shown in the map above.

Partnering with other providers gives EarthLink an advantage when it comes to availability, but it also means that the connection type and speeds EarthLink can offer are at the mercy of the partnered provider. In the majority of service areas, EarthLink uses a DSL network, which has more speed volatility than virtually any other connection type. In others, however, EarthLink offers fiber optic service and speeds up to 1,000Mbps.

Xfinity is the largest cable internet provider in the US, extending broadband service to more than a third of all households. Xfinity may be available in your area if you live in the mid-Atlantic, Northeast, Midwest or along the West Coast, but random pockets of serviceability can be found in much of the South as well as parts of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah.

Xfinity largely employs a cable network for service, but fiber is available in select areas. Availability is highly limited, but those lucky enough to be serviceable can get Xfinity's fastest speeds of up to 2Gbps plans or now in some areas, 6Gbps.

Spectrum is the second-largest cable provider in the US behind Xfinity, covering nearly a third of the population across 41 states. Though the two providers cover nearly 70% of US households combined, there is little to no overlap in serviceability as Spectrum mainly operates in areas where Xfinity does not. 

Since Spectrum covers so many states, there's a possibility that you could be eligible for service just about anywhere, even Hawaii, but those on the East Coast or in the Midwest are most likely to find Spectrum internet to be available. 

Like Xfinity, Spectrum mostly employs a cable or cable/fiber network with few true fiber connections available (less than 1% of service areas are eligible for fiber service). Spectrum makes good use of its cable network, however, as gigabit download speeds are available in 99.98% of service areas.

AT&T internet may be available near you if you live in or are moving to the South or Midwest, as well as parts of California, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Nevada.

Much of AT&T's network is copper based, but AT&T is also the largest fiber internet provider in the US. Those in areas serviceable for AT&T Fiber can get symmetrical speeds of 1,000Mbps or higher.

Verizon Fios covers much of the Northeast and mid-Atlantic. Though service is only available in nine states, Verizon still covers an impressive number of US households, thanks largely to the provider's extensive fiber coverage in cities such as Baltimore, Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Verizon also offers fixed wireless service in select rural areas across the US, but the provider's primary service areas are reserved to the Northeast and mid-Atlantic.

Nearly two-thirds of Verizon's network is fiber, which is a higher fiber percentage than you'll find from just about any major provider. With such a large fiber network, Verizon is capable of delivering fast upload and download speeds to more than 37 million people. The remaining third of those who are eligible for Verizon internet will have access to the provider's DSL service, which cannot offer broadband speeds in any location, according to the FCC.

CenturyLink is available in 36 states but only to around 13% of the US households, implying that the provider largely operates in rural or suburban areas. There are some major cities, such as Denver, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City and Seattle; otherwise, look for CenturyLink to be available just outside the city.

If you live in a city where CenturyLink is available, there's a good chance you'll be eligible for fiber service as around a quarter of CenturyLink's network is fiber. More than 75% of CenturyLink customers will have access to DSL service, but CenturyLink does a good job of delivering relatively fast speeds over its DSL network. The FCC reports around 60% of DSL customers can get broadband speeds, and more than 27% can get speeds of 100Mbps or higher.

Frontier Communications lost a chunk of its network after selling fiber and DSL lines in the Pacific Northwest to Ziply Fiber in 2020, but the provider is still one of the largest fiber and DSL providers, covering around a tenth of US residents across 25 states. Frontier serviceability is greatest in the Midwest, but there's also a good chance Frontier is available in your area if you live in California, Connecticut, upstate New York or West Virginia.

Frontier has made an effort to increase its fiber coverage in recent years. The provider remained at around 33% fiber coverage from December 2019 to December 2020, in spite of losing all fiber networks in the Pacific Northwest, indicating that fiber availability is improving in other areas. If Frontier fiber service has not yet reached your area, DSL may be a plausible broadband option.

Cox Communications is the third largest cable provider in the US, but overall availability is far lower than Xfinity and Spectrum, covering less than 7% of residents across 18 states. Cox is most likely to be available in your area if you live in Las Vegas, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, San Diego or anywhere in the state of Rhode Island.

Like with Xfinity and Spectrum, cable or cable/fiber makes up the bulk of the Cox network, but the provider does boast a larger fiber network at 5% coverage. Download speeds up to 1,000Mbps are available in all Cox service areas, but those who are lucky enough to be eligible for fiber service can enjoy symmetrical upload and download speeds. 

Altice covers around 6% of US residents through its Optimum brand. Coverage spans the greater New York City area and various parts of states across the US, including Arkansas, Arizona, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Texas.

Optimum primarily uses a cable or cable/fiber hybrid network to deliver service, but the company has invested in fiber expansion in recent years. More than 1.6 million residents in the greater New York City area are eligible for fiber service from Optimum. 

Rise Broadband is the nation's largest fixed wireless provider, available to around 6% of the US population throughout parts of 16 states. Fixed wireless internet doesn't require a cable or phone line to your home, making it ideal for rural internet service. Consequently, rural areas are where you're most likely to find Rise Broadband, especially those in the central US or rural parts of Idaho, Nevada and Texas.

Getting broadband service to rural areas can be a challenge, but Rise Broadband does a decent job. Around 83% of those in Rise Broadband service areas can get speeds up to 25Mbps or higher, totaling around 14 million largely rural residents who may otherwise not have access to a broadband connection.

Another champion of rural areas, Windstream's internet service, Kinetic, is available in 18 states but only about 3% of the US households. Kinetic internet may be available in your area if you live in a rural or suburban area in the South or Midwest, but Kinetic coverage does reach as far west as New Mexico. Iowa, Georgia, Kentucky and Texas have the greatest Kinetic serviceability, but you may also find Kinetic internet near you in parts of Arkansas, New York, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania, among other states.

If Kinetic internet is available near you, it's likely to be DSL service as fiber makes up just over a quarter of the Kinetic network. Though DSL is typically slower than cable or fiber service, Kinetic offers some of the fastest DSL service you'll find from any provider.

Mediacom covers random areas throughout much of the Midwest, but you'll find service in parts of the South along the Gulf Coast and in southern Georgia, as well as parts of eastern North Carolina and along the southern Delaware/Maryland border. All in all, Mediacom is available to just over 2% of US residents with coverage spanning 22 states.

If Mediacom provides internet in your area, expect a cable connection that can deliver gigabit download speeds. A full 100% of Mediacom's network is cable and 97% of those in Mediacom service areas are eligible for speeds up to 1,000Mbps.