Best Internet Providers in Roscommon, Michigan

What’s the best internet provider in Roscommon?

Roscommon, Michigan, is a charming village nestled in North Central Michigan, just five miles from Lake Higgins. While the area boasts gorgeous forests, trails and scenic views, high-speed internet options are somewhat limited here. Still, there are several decent ways to get connected at reasonable prices. Spectrum Internet is CNET’s pick for the best internet service provider in Roscommon. With the fastest speeds in town (up to 1,000 megabits per second) and the broadest coverage area, Spectrum stands out. Thanks to their recent price decreases and new pledge for at least a three-year price lock, you won’t have to worry about unexpected rate hikes anytime soon.

If cable internet isn’t your preference, several fixed wireless options also exist in the area. T-Mobile Home Internet is CNET’s pick for the best fixed wireless option overall in Roscommon. T-Mobile Home Internet offers the most extensive 5G internet coverage in town, delivering reasonable speeds, convenience, and straightforward service terms. Verizon 5G Home Internet is also available, though its more limited footprint means it might not be as readily accessible as T-Mobile.

For those in more remote spots, satellite internet is available throughout Roscommon. Despite traditionally slow speeds and higher costs, it’s still a solid rural internet option. CNET’s pick for the best satellite internet provider in Roscommon is Starlink. Starlink outpaces other satellite providers by offering speeds up to 150Mbps (sometimes reaching 220Mbps) without data caps or contracts.

If you’re looking for cheap internet in the area, you should note that most Roscommon internet plans start around $50 monthly, so truly cheap options are scarce. However, bundle your internet plan with qualifying mobile or TV packages from T-Mobile, Verizon, or Spectrum can reduce your monthly bill to between $30 and $55.

If you’re looking for further discounts, the Federal Communications Commission offers a $9.25 monthly discount for eligible households with the Lifeline program. Some providers, like Spectrum Internet Assist and Verizon Forward, offer their own discounts for customers.

Let’s take a closer look at what some of these internet providers have to offer Roscommon.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Roscommon

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

Roscommon internet providers, like Verizon 5G Home Internet and Spectrum, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, including T-Mobile Home Internet, 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 in 4K 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 in-depth breakdown, refer to CNET’s 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 and 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 Roscommon, Michigan

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. What’s our approach? For starters, we tap into a proprietary pricing, availability and speed database that draws from our own historical ISP data, partner data and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov. 

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?

The answer to those questions is often layered and complex, but 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, although 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 the FCC and Ookla. (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 Roscommon FAQs