Your choice of internet service provider has become more personal than ever before. We rely on the internet for almost everything, including work, streaming, shopping and social media. A lot goes into trusting your ISP. Factors like cost effectiveness, satisfaction, speed and customer support are important. But Joe Supan, CNET’s broadband principal writer, says a reliable connection is paramount.
A lot has changed since the dial-up days of connecting to the internet. There are several types, including 5G, cable, satellite and the gold standard — fiber.
Even if fiber internet isn’t available in your area, there are still plenty of reliable, cost-effective options. We surveyed our readers to find out how they really feel about their ISP. We asked about the factors that matter most — like cost, reliability, speed and customer service. Here’s what they said and what we didn’t expect to find out.
CNET’s People’s Picks ISP Winners
GFiber, previously known as Google Fiber, is a household name among internet service providers and a popular fiber internet option. CNET readers give it high scores, making it the overall top pick among ISPs. GFiber has an overall satisfaction score of 4.72 out of 5, and scores highly for reliability (4.70) and plan speed (4.82). GFiber also scores 4.28 out of 5 for price,
Verizon Fios and AT&T Fiber are close runners-up to GFiber. Both score highly for reliability (4.39 and 4.48, respectively) and plan speed (4.41 and 4.49, respectively). But GFiber wins by a landslide for its customer support. Most CNET readers who have contacted customer support within the past year rate their experience as “Excellent,” while other GFiber customers say customer service was “Good” and don’t have any negative ratings for the fiber-optic ISP.
Winner for: Fiber internet, customer service, price, reliability and speed
T-Mobile is often known as a popular cellphone provider, but it wins CNET’s People’s picks for 5G internet. T-Mobile scores 4.20 out of 5 for customer satisfaction, the highest among 5G internet providers.
CNET readers say their T-Mobile internet connection rarely drops, noting only a few times a year. And there’s no noticeable difference in speed during peak hours. T-Mobile readers haven’t experienced unexpected price hikes within the past year and many wouldn’t change providers if a new one moved into their neighborhood.
T-Mobile’s 5G internet is a close runner-up to GFiber in terms of price. Verizon’s 5G internet is just behind T-Mobile, with a price score of 4.10 out of 5. T-Mobile won 5G internet by narrowly beating Verizon in speed and reliability.
Wins for: 5G internet
Starlink wins among major internet companies with a high overall satisfaction rating of 4.47 out of 5, compared to Verizon Fios and T-Mobile, which score 4.16 and 4.20, respectively. And it has the second-highest reliability score among major winners. Starlink scores 4.59 in reliability while GFiber scores 4.70.
“A few years ago, it would have been unfathomable that a satellite company would be considered this reliable. This really speaks to how massive Starlink’s technical improvements have been,” said Supan.
Satellite internet also scores fairly highly for plan speed (4.41 out of 5), with no noticeable changes during peak hours. However, Starlink falls short on price satisfaction compared to other major internet providers because it has traditionally required an upfront $349 charge for a satellite dish. However, it recently switched to a $10 monthly charge.
“Starlink isn’t particularly fast or affordable, but it serves customers who essentially had no modern internet options before it came along,” said Supan.
Wins for: Rural satellite internet, overall satisfaction for satellite, reliability for satellite and speed for satellite
CNET’s People’s Picks regional ISP winners
We poured through our readers’ responses to find the best ISP in each region based on the internet service features you rely on everyday. Here’s how each regional winner compares to other ISPs in your area and what to know before choosing one.
West: Sonic
Wins for: Customer service, overall satisfaction, price, reliability and speed
Sonic is a California-based fiber optic ISP that wins in several of CNET’s categories compared to other Western providers. It earns high marks for price (4.65 out of 5), speed (4.80 out of 5) and overall satisfaction (4.85 out of 5) — the highest among other Western providers. It even beats out national ISPs GFiber and Verizon FiOS for its reliability.
Sonic received nearly flawless feedback from CNET readers. Many readers never experience internet drops or need to reset their router. They also report no noticeable speed differences during peak hours. And when it comes to customer service, no readers report poor or fair customer service.
South: EPB (Electric Power Board)
Wins for: Customer service, overall satisfaction, price, reliability and speed
Electric Power Board is a fiber optic ISP based in Chattanooga, Tennessee that scores highly compared to other southern ISPs. It scores 5 out of 5 for overall satisfaction, speed and reliability, and 4.5 out of 5 for price satisfaction, beating out national ISPs AT&T Fiber, GFiber, Comcast Xfinity and Spectrum.
CNET readers also give EPB an “Excellent” customer satisfaction rating with no lower ratings. They don’t experience connection drops or speed lags, and wouldn’t change providers if another ISP came to their area.
Northeast: T-Mobile Home Internet 5G
Wins for: Overall satisfaction and price
T-Mobile Home Internet 5G scores the highest overall satisfaction score in the northeast — earning a 4.40 out of 5. Verizon Fios comes as a close contender with a 4.19. CNET readers also give T-Mobile’s 5G home internet 4.60 out of 5. T-Mobile still has solid scores for customer satisfaction (4.20), with many readers noting no noticeable difference in speed during peak hours and no unexpected price hikes.
Midwest: Quantum
Wins for: Overall satisfaction, reliability and speed
Quantum Fiber wins among Midwest ISPs with a satisfaction score of 4.67 out of 5. Quantum has a flawless 5 out of 5 for reliability. CNET readers say the connection rarely drops — only a few times a year and they don’t experience speed lags during peak hours, which earns Quantum another 5 out of 5 score for speed.
Quantum Fiber was acquired by AT&T earlier this year. Even though customers still see Quantum on their bills, they now have some AT&T perks and benefits like bundling wireless discounts.
GFiber is a close second to Quantum with an overall satisfaction score of 4.64. It falls short on reliability, plan speed and price.
These top 4 ISP features matter most
Speed of plan
Speed and price are the two most important factors when shopping for internet. “The more people and connected devices in your home, the more speed you’ll need,” Supan says.
Supan adds that even though ISPs generally highlight their download speeds, upload speeds are arguably just as important, especially if you work from home or play games online.
Your home internet speed will vary depending on your needs and usage. CNET has an internet speed guide to help you determine whether you’re getting the right amount of speed for your home. GFiber’s plans and pricing vary by availability in your area.
Price of plan
Choosing an internet service provider with a reasonable price can be tough as prices continue to go up due to improvements in internet technology and equipment. How much you can expect to pay will depend on your plan’s speed, connection type and what providers are available in your area.
Supan says that pricing isn’t always straightforward because many ISPs, especially cable providers, will hike your price after a year or two. However, providers are required to list increases in a broadband label so you can see exactly how much your bill will increase and when, he says. It’s also worth noting that some providers charge a fee if you exceed your plan’s data cap. And your price may change if an introductory promotional period ends.
T-Mobile Home Internet doesn’t have equipment fees, data caps or contracts, which makes its home internet service a more flexible and cost-effective option. Pricing starts at $50, depending on your plan.
Reliability
Earlier this year, CNET found that 86% of US adults experience wonky Wi-Fi connections or drops. And 1 in 5 (19%) regularly have Wi-Fi problems. Internet reliability can depend on a number of factors that may or may not be your ISP’s fault.
Supan says some internet connection types can be more susceptible to drops or disconnections, but your ISP may still be able to help. You may be able to get your router replaced, or switch your internet channel from 2.4 GHz to 5 GHz. Your connection reliability may also depend on where your router is placed in your home or on the type of router you’re using. Bigger homes can usually benefit from a mesh router system to extend your connection and reduce dead zones.
CNET readers highly recommend GFiber for reliability. It offers mesh networking and Wi-Fi 7, the newest and fastest router generation, without data caps or throttling.
Customer support
Trying to troubleshoot your Internet troubles on your own can be tough. The right customer support can help — whether it’s extended live assistance hours, online assistance or text message notifications of outages. Some providers even let you schedule in-person appointments online and provide up-to-date articles.
When choosing a provider, review the support options to ensure you’re comfortable with the availability and resources in case you need them. CNET readers give GFiber high marks for its fast, helpful customer support.
GFiber’s customer support page offers several ways to get help, including scheduling a call or an online chat. There’s also a list of FAQs covering topics such as billing, internet support and self-installation.
Did you like these findings? CNET’s People’s Picks is community-driven and helps us spread the word about the tech and services you love. Take our ongoing TV survey to tell us what you love about yours.
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