01
Providers near me
Find the providers and connection types serving your ZIP code.
Search by ZIP code →Internet Providers in My Area
Find internet providers serving your area and research the connection types, speeds and plan details that matter before you choose home internet.
Fiber
Cable
5G Home
Fixed Wireless
Satellite
Explore Provider Guides →
A ZIP code is a useful starting point for local research. Final availability, technology and plan eligibility should be confirmed for the service address.
Search by ZIP code
Enter a 5-digit ZIP code to open the local internet provider guide for that area.
This search starts with the ZIP code. Provider availability can vary by exact address, apartment building and network footprint.
Local availability
Service varies by location
Connection type
Fiber, cable, wireless and satellite
Plan details
Speed, price and equipment
Address check
Confirm before ordering
Start your search
Start with the question you actually need to answer
Internet shopping becomes easier when you separate availability from plan selection. First find the services that can reach your home, then compare the plans.
02
Compare speeds
Understand download and upload capacity instead of looking only at the largest advertised number.
Read the speed guide →
03
Compare connection types
Fiber, cable, fixed wireless and satellite have different strengths and limitations.
Compare technologies →
04
Review plan costs
Look beyond the first-month price and check the recurring cost, equipment and other terms.
See what to compare →
Connection types
The technology behind your internet connection matters
Two plans with similar download speeds can behave differently because of upload capacity, latency, network design and local congestion. Start by identifying the connection type.
Fiber Internet
Fiber can provide very high download and upload speeds, low latency and strong capacity for households with demanding connections. Availability is highly location dependent.
Cable Internet
Cable networks commonly provide high download speeds across established service areas. Upload speeds may be substantially lower than download speeds depending on the network and plan.
5G Home Internet
Fixed wireless service uses a cellular network rather than a dedicated cable or fiber line. Performance and eligibility depend on location, signal and network capacity.
Fixed Wireless
A fixed wireless provider connects a home to a nearby wireless network site. It can be particularly useful where wired broadband infrastructure is limited.
DSL
DSL uses telephone-line infrastructure. It remains available in some areas, although speeds and service characteristics can vary significantly by location.
Satellite Internet
Satellite service can reach homes that have limited terrestrial broadband options. Latency, weather effects, equipment and plan terms should be considered.
Provider research
Major providers you may encounter
Provider names alone do not tell you which service you can order. A company may offer different technologies, speeds and plan terms in different markets. Use provider names as a starting point, then verify the service address.
AT&T
AT&T offers fiber service in many markets and other home-internet products where fiber is not available.
- Fiber availability varies by address.
- Available technologies and speeds depend on location.
- Address-level availability should be checked before comparing a specific plan.
Cox
Cox operates broadband networks in many U.S. markets, with plans that can reach gigabit and multi-gig download speeds in eligible locations.
- Download and upload speeds are not necessarily equal.
- Available plans vary by location.
- Equipment, pricing and other terms should be checked for the exact offer.
Spectrum
Spectrum provides broadband service across a large footprint, with plan availability and speeds varying by market.
- Current plans can include 100 Mbps, 500 Mbps and gigabit tiers.
- Higher-speed options are not necessarily available everywhere.
- Check the current offer at the service address.
Verizon
Verizon offers both fiber-based Fios service in parts of the country and fixed-wireless home internet in additional markets.
- Fios availability is concentrated in specific regions.
- 5G Home performance depends on location and network conditions.
- A nearby 5G coverage area does not guarantee home internet eligibility.
T-Mobile
T-Mobile offers fixed wireless home internet over its cellular network in eligible locations.
- Eligibility is determined by the service address.
- Wireless performance can vary with network conditions.
- Compare the available plan with wired alternatives when both are offered.
EarthLink
EarthLink offers internet service through different technologies and network arrangements depending on location.
- Fiber availability is location dependent.
- Speeds and offers vary by address.
- Review the underlying connection type and current plan terms before comparing it with another provider.
Important:
The provider descriptions above are not a ranking. A provider
that operates in your city may not serve your particular street
or building, and the same company can offer different technologies
and plan terms in different markets.
How to compare internet
A practical way to narrow down your options
The order matters: establish availability first, compare technologies second, and evaluate the actual plan terms last.
1
Identify available providers
Use your ZIP code to find local guides, then move to address-level verification when you have a specific provider or plan in mind.
2
Compare the connection
Look at fiber, cable, fixed wireless, 5G, DSL or satellite rather than comparing download numbers alone.
3
Check the complete offer
Compare regular price, promotional price, upload speed, equipment, installation, data policies and contract terms before ordering.
Internet speed guide
How much internet speed do you actually need?
There is no single speed that every household needs. The useful question is how many people and devices will be using the connection at the same time and what they are doing online.
A household that mostly browses, streams and makes video calls may have very different requirements from one that regularly uploads large files, runs a home server or has many simultaneous users.
Find Local Providers
100–300 Mbps
Basic to moderate households
Browsing, video calls, HD streaming and ordinary connected-device use.
300–500 Mbps
Busy households
Multiple simultaneous streams, work or school use, gaming and many connected devices.
500 Mbps–1 Gbps
Heavy simultaneous use
Large households, frequent large downloads, demanding gaming and multiple high-bandwidth activities.
1–3 Gbps
High-capacity home networks
Useful for households with many simultaneous users, large transfers and advanced networking needs.
3+ Gbps
Specialized multi-gig use
Primarily relevant to homes with unusually high simultaneous demand or advanced local networks.
Don't confuse advertised speed with actual experience.
Wi-Fi equipment, device capabilities, network congestion,
connection technology and the server or service you are accessing
can all affect real-world performance.
What the connection tells you
Compare internet technologies by the trade-offs that matter
There is no useful universal ranking of connection types. The right comparison depends on what is available at the property and what the household needs.
Fiber
Often attractive for households that care about upload capacity and low latency as well as download speed.
- Strong upload potential
- Low-latency characteristics
- Multi-gig plans in some markets
Cable
Established cable networks can provide high download capacity across broad service areas.
- High download speeds
- Broad availability in many markets
- Upload speeds may be lower
5G Home
Fixed wireless can be an alternative to wired service where the address qualifies.
- No traditional wired connection to the home
- Address and capacity dependent
- Performance can vary over time
Fixed Wireless
Local wireless networks can extend broadband to areas where cable or fiber infrastructure is limited.
- Useful in some suburban and rural areas
- Signal and network design matter
- Provider footprints can be highly local
DSL
Traditional telephone-based broadband remains relevant in some locations without newer wired networks.
- Existing telephone infrastructure
- Performance can vary by location
- Often slower than newer broadband technologies
Satellite
Satellite can serve locations where terrestrial broadband is difficult to reach.
- Very broad geographic reach
- Useful for remote locations
- Latency and plan characteristics vary
Local internet guides
Find internet providers by state or city
Broadband markets are local. Our state and city guides help you move from a broad search to the providers and connection types commonly encountered in a particular market.
Popular States
Start with one of the major state markets covered on the site.
Popular Cities
Explore local provider guides for major U.S. markets.
Want to verify broadband availability independently?
The FCC National Broadband Map lets consumers search by address and see provider-reported fixed broadband availability, technology and advertised speeds. It is useful as an additional research source, but availability data should not be treated as a measurement of actual network performance.
Find internet providers in your area
Start with your ZIP code, then compare the providers and connection types available in your market.
Internet provider FAQ
Questions about finding internet service
The most important distinction is between finding providers in a local market and confirming which plan can actually be ordered at a specific address.
How do I find internet providers in my area?
Start with your ZIP code to find the local provider guide
for your area. ZIP-code searches are useful for local
research, but final availability should be confirmed with
the provider for the exact service address.
What internet providers are available near me?
Available providers depend on location. Depending on the
market, you may encounter fiber, cable, fixed wireless,
5G home internet, DSL or satellite service. A provider
serving your city does not necessarily serve every address
in that city.
Does internet availability vary by address?
Yes. Availability can differ between nearby properties,
streets, apartment buildings and other locations. The
provider's address checker is the final step for confirming
whether a particular plan can be ordered.
What is the best internet provider in my area?
There is no single provider that is the right choice for
every address. Compare the providers available at your
property based on connection type, download and upload
speeds, regular price, equipment, policies and household
needs.
How much does home internet cost?
Pricing depends on the provider, location, speed tier,
promotions, equipment and other plan terms. Compare both
the promotional price and the regular monthly price, along
with installation and equipment charges.
What internet speed do I need?
The appropriate speed depends on how many people and
devices use the connection simultaneously. Browsing,
streaming and video calls generally require less capacity
than large households with frequent gaming, large uploads,
cloud backups or other demanding uses.
Is fiber internet better than cable?
Fiber and cable have different network characteristics.
Fiber commonly provides strong upload capacity and low
latency, while cable networks can provide high download
speeds and broad availability. The actual experience
depends on the provider, plan and address.
Is 5G home internet available in my area?
5G home internet is offered only at eligible addresses.
Availability and performance depend on the provider's
network, local capacity, signal conditions and service
address.
Is the advertised internet speed the speed I will get?
Not necessarily. Advertised speeds describe the provider's
service offering under its stated terms. Actual performance
can also be affected by Wi-Fi, device limitations, network
conditions, congestion and the service or server being
accessed.
Should I compare upload speed as well as download speed?
Yes, particularly if you regularly make video calls,
upload large files, use cloud backups, create content or
otherwise send substantial amounts of data. Some broadband
plans have much lower upload speeds than download speeds.
Pricing, speeds and availability: Internet providers can change plan names, prices, advertised speeds, equipment policies, promotions and eligibility requirements. Availability may vary by exact address. Information on this website is provided for consumer research and comparison. Confirm the provider's current offer and complete terms before ordering.