\nT-Mobile 5G Home Internet: Like Verizon\u2019s 5G home internet service, T-Mobile\u2019s coverage area reaches a good portion of New York City, save for the dead zones between and inside tall buildings. Although the two are in a similar price range and share roughly the same service features, T-Mobile isn\u2019t as fast as Verizon 5G, with maximum speeds ranging from 87 to 415Mbps. Verizon 5G covers more of the city overall than T-Mobile Home Internet, around 87% to T-Mobile\u2019s 76%, according to the latest data from the FCC<\/a>.
\nSkywire<\/a>: Coverage is scattered throughout New York City and with limited availability in Midtown Manhattan, SoHo and Queens. You will find the most coverage in certain parts of Brooklyn. Skywire primarily uses a fixed wireless network, but fiber or DSL service may also be available at select addresses. Pricing and speeds will vary by location.
\nSatellite internet: To truly cover all your internet options, satellite internet from Starlink, Hughesnet and Viasat belong here. Technically, they are available, but there are too many other faster, cheaper and all-around better internet options in New York City to seriously consider satellite internet.<\/p>\n
Cheap internet options in New York City<\/p>\n
The average price for broadband in New York City is around $40, but there are a few cheaper options if you\u2019re looking for more affordable home internet. Astound Broadband offers the cheapest plan in the city: 300Mbps starting at $30 a month.<\/p>\n
Get Started<\/p>\n
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How many members of your household use the internet?<\/p>\n
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What\u2019s the cheapest internet plan in New York City?
\nShow more (2 items)<\/p>\n
Shop providers at my address<\/p>\n
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.<\/p>\n
How to find internet deals and promotions in New York City<\/p>\n
The best internet deals and top promotions in New York City depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.<\/p>\n
New York City internet providers, such as Astound Broadband, Spectrum and Optimum, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many providers, including Verizon Fios, run the same standard pricing year-round.<\/p>\n
For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.<\/p>\n
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\nHow fast is New York City broadband?<\/p>\n
Ookla\u2019s latest speed test data<\/a> reports New York City ranks 56th for internet speed among the 100 most populous cities in the country. With median download speeds of 228Mbps and upload speeds of 32Mbps, NYC\u2019s broadband is slightly faster than the state\u2019s average speed of 226Mbps. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)<\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking for the speediest plan in New York City, Optimum offers speeds up to 8Gbps in select areas for $140 per month. Customers may also access Optimum\u2019s other multi-gigabit offerings: 5- and 2-gigabit plans, for $80 and $70 per month, respectively. Elsewhere, Astound Broadband offers speeds up to 1.5Gbps for $85 per month and Verizon Fios tops out at 2Gbps for $120 monthly before auto pay or cellular incentives.<\/p>\n Fastest internet plans in New York City<\/p>\n Provider Optimum 8 Gig Optimum 5 Gig Optimum 2 Gig Verizon Fios 2 Gig Astound Broadband 1500 Spectrum Internet Gig Astound Broadband Gig Verizon Fios 1 Gig \u00a0<\/p>\n Show more (3 items)<\/p>\n Shop providers at my address<\/p>\n Source: CNET analysis of provider data.<\/p>\n Internet providers in popular cities near NYC<\/p>\n See all results for internet providers in New York state<\/p>\n What\u2019s a good internet speed?<\/p>\n Most internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you\u2019re looking for an internet plan that can accommodate videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you\u2019ll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here\u2019s an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the Federal Communications Commission<\/a>. Note that these are only guidelines and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.<\/p>\n For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need.<\/p>\n 0 to 5Mbps allows you to tackle the basics: browsing the internet, sending and receiving email and streaming low-quality video. How CNET chose the best internet providers in New York City<\/p>\n Internet service providers are numerous. regional and often offer confusing plans or hidden fees. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it\u2019s impractical to personally test every internet service provider in a given city. What\u2019s our approach? For starters, we tap into a proprietary database of pricing, availability and speed information that draws from our own historical ISP data, partner data and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov<\/a>.<\/p>\n It doesn\u2019t end there: We go to the FCC\u2019s website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents and we look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP\u2019s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of publication.<\/p>\n Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:<\/p>\n Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds? While the answers to those questions are often layered and complex, the providers that come closest to \u201cyes\u201d 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 Ookla<\/a> and FCC reports<\/a>.<\/p>\n To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.<\/p>\n What\u2019s the final word on internet providers in New York City?<\/p>\n NYC has a few reliable broadband options, but your best bet is any provider that offers fiber connection, like Verizon Fios. If fiber is unavailable in your area, other providers like Astound Broadband and Spectrum offer fast speeds and decent pricing as well.<\/p>\n Internet providers in New York City FAQ<\/p>\n Does New York City have fiber internet?<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Yes. Approximately 73% of Manhattan residences are wired for fiber-optic internet service, according to the FCC<\/a>. Verizon Fios is the largest fiber internet provider in New York City, although some addresses are eligible for fiber service from Optimum.<\/p>\n Can I get free Wi-Fi in New York City?<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Several public places throughout New York City offer free Wi-Fi service. In addition to cafes, restaurants, hotels and other businesses with complimentary Wi-Fi, all NYC public library branches and several locations in Manhattan, including Central Park, Bowling Green, The High Line and Tompkins Square Park, have free public Wi-Fi access.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking for free home Wi-Fi, you\u2019ll need a wired internet connection to get Wi-Fi in your home. While some NYC internet service providers and plans are cheaper than others, no outright free home internet services are available in the city. Depending on your location and needs, a temporary free internet connection may be available from Spectrum, Optimum or Xfinity. Learn more at nyc.gov<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\nStarting price
\nMax download speed
\nMax upload speed
\nData cap
\nConnection type<\/p>\n
Read full review
\n$140
\n8,000Mbps
\n8,000Mbps
\nNone
\nFiber<\/p>\n
Read full review
\n$80
\n5,000Mbps
\n5,000Mbps
\nNone
\nFiber<\/p>\n
Read full review
\n$70
\n2,000Mbps
\n2,000Mbps
\nNone
\nFiber<\/p>\n
Read full review
\n$120
\n2,300Mbps
\n2,000Mbps
\nNone
\nFiber<\/p>\n
Read full review
\n$85
\n1,500Mbps
\n1,000Mbps
\nNone
\nCable<\/p>\n
Read full review
\n$70
\n1,000Mbps
\n35Mbps
\nNone
\nCable<\/p>\n
Read full review
\n$45
\n1,000Mbps
\n50Mbps
\nNone
\nCable<\/p>\n
Read full review
\n$100
\n940Mbps
\n880Mbps
\nNone
\nFiber<\/p>\n
\n5 to 40Mbps gives you higher-quality video streaming and videoconferencing.
\n40 to 100Mbps should give one user sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
\n100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and gaming.
\n500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.<\/p>\n
\nDo customers get decent value for what they\u2019re paying?
\nAre customers happy with their service?<\/p>\n
Show more
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