Best cable internet provider 2021: Top picks compared | ZDNet

Consumers are spoiled for choices in many areas, including when trying to choose the best cable internet provider. However, because cable internet is more popular than satellite internet, customers also enjoy lower starting prices. Furthermore, cable internet is easily accessible, meaning faster download speeds and higher data caps.

To narrow down the best cable and internet, we considered criteria such as customer service, fastest speeds, data caps and pricing, although in most cases, prices will be based on where you live and current deals.

Information accurate as of March 2021

*J.D. Power’s 2020 Residential Internet Service Provider Satisfaction Study average rating for all regions. Based on a 1000-point scale.

What Is Cable Internet and How Is it Different?

Cable internet is an internet service that is accessed similarly to your cable television. It’s delivered via coaxial cables, the same ones that allow you to watch cable TV. Because of the way the cables are set up, multiple homes or even an entire neighborhood can use the same cables to access the internet and watch TV. This is a much more affordable and available option than fiber or satellite internet.

Cable internet is widely accessible, can come with cable TV bundles, and offers a range of speeds. However, there is a downside. Unfortunately, because all of these homes would share bandwidth, when various households connect simultaneously, that can result in the network being bottlenecked and slow internet speeds.

How to find the right internet provider for you

Find your local providers

According to the FCC’s Broadband Progress Report, 70% of Americans have fewer than three provider options (and that’s counting all internet types). Satellite internet is available nationwide and is usually one of those options. DSL and cable have pretty varied availability based on state, and fiber-optic internet is the rarest. Your first step should be checking which providers service your home. Our tool above can help you find the providers available in your ZIP code.

Audit your speed needs

When it comes time to purchase your internet plan, you’ll need to know how much speed your household needs. Internet service is sold in speed-based packages, measured in Mbps (megabits per second). Typically, cable internet packages range between 10 Mbps and 100Mbps and accommodate HD video streaming, online gaming, and file downloading. If you only use the internet to check email or social media and you don’t want to pay for excess speed, DSL or satellite internet might be best for you. Keep in mind; these slower speeds usually come at a poorer value.

Determining your needs depends on your usage habits. A couple of things play into usage demands, including the number of connected devices and the type of internet activity. Internet speed works kind of like a traffic highway: The more people using it, the slower you’ll have to go. High-demand usage like video conferencing or real-time gaming requires higher speeds and more monthly data.

How to know how much internet you need

 How much internet you need depends on how much you plan to use. Here’s a breakdown of internet usage by Megabits per second (Mbps) and the number of devices connected to the internet.

Methodology

We evaluated internet service providers based on customer satisfaction, data caps, download speed, plans, and customer support to determine Reviews.com scores and create our best internet service provider reviews. 

To compare internet service providers with other brands across the board, we calculate each Reviews.com score based on the following:

• Customer Satisfaction: Reviews.com used J.D. Power’s 2020 Residential Internet Service Provider Satisfaction Study to calculate an average rating of internet providers across all applicable regions.
• Top Download Speeds: We awarded higher scores to internet providers with higher download speeds.
• Number of Plans: Internet providers with more plan options to choose from scored higher in our methodology.
• Data Caps: No one wants to be left without internet for the rest of the month, so we awarded internet providers with higher scores if they had high or no data caps. 
• Customer Support: We reviewed and compared the number of channels that customers could reach each provider’s customer support representatives. The more channels of contact available, the higher the score.