Best Internet Providers in Visalia, California

What is the best internet provider in Visalia, California?

CNET recommends AT&T Fiber as the best internet service provider in Visalia, California. The ISP prides itself on its variety of high-speed plans, offering the fastest speeds in the area with plans up to 5,000Mbps for $245 monthly. For residents in the Visalia area looking for fiber internet, AT&T is the clear choice. As the only ISP providing fiber in the region, it offers unmatched symmetrical upload and download speeds. AT&T has exceptional customer satisfaction ratings, proving that it’s the best option for reliable internet service.

That being said, AT&T Fiber isn’t exactly the most affordable ISP around. For that, you’ll need to look towards Xfinity, the cheapest internet provider in Visalia, with plans starting at just $20 a month. Prices do increase significantly after a year or two, but Xfinity is definitely a strong choice even when your bill rises. Their fastest plan delivers an impressive 2,000Mbps speed for just $75 per month.

If neither AT&T Fiber or Xfinity has you interested, there are other options out there. T-Mobile and Verizon provide reliable wireless plans in the city that perfectly meet the needs of smaller households. While the speeds may not be the fastest available, they are more than adequate for everyday use.

Best internet in Visalia, California

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Visalia

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

Visalia internet providers, such as T-Mobile Home Internet, Xfinity and Verizon 5G Home Internet, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, however, including AT&T 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 Federal Communications Commission. 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 person sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming. 
• 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two people to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming. 
• 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more people to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Visalia

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 FCC.gov.

But it doesn’t end there. We use 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 answer to those questions is 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 Visalia FAQs