Best Internet Providers in Prescott, Arizona

What is the best internet provider in Prescott?

CNET recommends Sparklight as Prescott’s best internet service provider. This is due to its extensive local coverage, fast internet speeds and customer-friendly service terms, such as no hard data caps and no contracts. Formerly known as Cable One, Sparklight is the largest wired internet provider in the area and the only cable internet provider, covering over 99% of homes in Prescott, according to the FCC.

For residents looking for the cheapest internet, they can’t go wrong with Sparklight’s $35 plan. It offers up to 300 megabits per second download. While the provider also provides gig service, it’s not quite the fastest ISP in Prescott. Quantum Fiber offers download speeds of up to 940Mbps, which matches Sparklight. It also provides equal upload speeds. However, it has much lower availability in Prescott, so if you’re not in one of the specified areas, we recommend trying other ISPs.

Mile High Networks and Verizon 5G Home Internet offer the fastest internet speeds in Prescott, reaching up to 1,000 Mbps for downloads. That said, you’re more likely to get these high speeds with Mile High Networks than Verizon, as the latter has less availability in the area and its fastest plan only offers speeds between 85 and 1,000 Mbps.

The speed and overall value of Mile High Networks can vary depending on the available service tier—standard or airFiber—in your area. In contrast, T-Mobile Home Internet offers slightly better coverage in Prescott and provides consistent service throughout the region. Their plan costs $60 per month and delivers speeds ranging from 72 to 245 Mbps, with no data caps, equipment fees, or contracts.

A few other fixed wireless providers, such as Bolt Internet, may be available in Prescott, but speeds and overall value are too low to recommend compared to other potential internet options.

Best internet in Prescott, Arizona

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Prescott

The best internet deals and top promotions in Prescott depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers. 

Prescott internet providers, such as Sparklight and T-Mobile Home Internet, may offer lower introductory pricing for a limited time. Others, however, including CenturyLink and Quantum Fiber, run the same standard pricing year-round. 

For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

What’s a good internet speed?

Most internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you’re looking for an internet plan that can accommodate videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you’ll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here’s an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the FCC. Note that these are only guidelines — and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.

For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need.

• 0 to 5Mbps allows you to tackle the basics — browsing the internet, sending and receiving email, streaming low-quality video.
• 5 to 40Mbps gives you higher-quality video streaming and videoconferencing.
• 40 to 100Mbps should give one user sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming. 
• 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming. 
• 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Prescott

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. So what’s our approach? We start by researching the pricing, availability and speed information drawing on our own historical ISP data, the provider sites and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.

But it doesn’t end there. We go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of publication.

Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:

1. Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
2. Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?
3. Are customers happy with their service?

While the answers to those questions are often layered and complex, the providers who come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, though we also factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)

To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.

Internet providers in Prescott, Arizona, FAQs