Best Internet Providers in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Our Experts
- Publisher's Weekly bestselling author with over 2,000 articles published in 100 publications and magazines.
As someone born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (I spent the first 34 years of my life there), I know from experience the two primary internet service providers are AT&T and Spectrum. I've used both and have seen the pros and cons of each. Our pick for best overall among internet service providers in Milwaukee goes to AT&T for faster speeds and fiber internet availability while offering similar pricing to our second-place provider, Spectrum.
Good internet speeds, fair pricing, wide availability and strong customer service are essential when we spend a lot of time online. Whether you work remotely, surf the web for pleasure or have children that scream when the internet is not working properly, Milwaukee has several options. AT&T and Spectrum may be the primary options consumers in Milwaukee choose, but other providers such as HughesNet, T-Mobile, Viasat, Verizon and EarthLink exist.
When deciding on the best internet service provider in Milwaukee for you, explore the options we provide in this guide to ensure you get the best home internet service for your needs and budget.
Best internet providers in the Brew City
The best Milwaukee internet service providers come down to availability in your area and what you're looking for in your home. The internet providers listed below were chosen due to their availability in most parts of Milwaukee, plan and speed options, pricing and overall value.
Note: The prices, speeds and features detailed in the article text may differ from those listed in the product detail cards, which represent providers’ national offerings. Your particular internet service options -- including prices and speeds -- depend on your address and may differ from those detailed here.
Spectrum
Broadest high-speed coverage in Milwaukee, WI
Our take - Charter Communications' internet service has an impressive near-100% availability in Milwaukee, according to the Federal Communications Commission. Spectrum offers three plans in Milwaukee ranging from $50 for 300Mbps to $90 a month for 1Gbps.
AT&T Fiber
Best internet provider in Milwaukee, WI
Our take - AT&T Fiber offers the best plan variety and value of any major Milwaukee area internet service provider. AT&T Fiber offers upload and download speeds faster than the other service providers in Milwaukee, up to 5,000Mbps.
Verizon 5G Home Internet
Best fixed wireless internet in Milwaukee, WI
Our take - Milwaukee's major internet service providers cover much of the city. Still, you may live in a rural portion of the greater Milwaukee area, such as near the border of Milwaukee and Racine. You might need a wireless connection, and Verizon offers Milwaukee's best 5G wireless internet service.
Internet providers in Milwaukee overview
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
AT&T Read full review | DSL/fiber | $55-$180 | 10-5,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
|
HughesNet Read full review | Satellite | $50-$174 | 25Mbps | Free modem; $5 router | 100 GB | Two-years | 5.7 |
|
Spectrum Read full review | Cable | $50-$90 | 300-940Mbps | Free modem; $5 router | None | None | 7.2 |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review | Fixed wireless | $50 | 33-182Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review | Fixed wireless | $50-$70 | 85-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
|
Viasat Read full review | Satellite | $70-$300 | 12-150Mbps | None | 40 GB | None | 6.1 |
All available Milwaukee residential internet providers
Internet service providers in Milwaukee range from large telecom companies to satellite providers. When deciding which internet service provider to choose, knowing your options and how to get the fastest and most reliable service for your home is important.
- Earthlink is available in 45% of Milwaukee, has speeds up to 5,000Mbps, and has DSL, fiber and satellite connections.
- T-Mobile Home Internet is also available in Milwaukee. It has one plan for $50 a month and speeds ranging from 33Mbps to 182Mbps.
- Viasat is a satellite internet connection available to 99% of Milwaukee. It has rates ranging from $70 to $300 a month, with available speeds of 12Mbps to 150Mbps.
Pricing info on Milwaukee home internet service
The average starting price for home internet service in Milwaukee is just over $54 monthly. HughesNet, Spectrum, T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet all tie for the lowest starting price at $50 per month.
Cheap internet options in the Milwaukee area
As mentioned above, the cheapest internet plan in the area is a tie between HughesNet, Spectrum, T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet. However, if you bundle eligible cell phone plans, you can get Verizon 5G Home for $25 per month and T-Mobile Home Internet for $30 monthly. In addition, eligible low-income households can get a $30 per month discount on their broadband service through the FCC's Affordable Connectivity Program.
What's the cheapest internet plan in Milwaukee?
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Spectrum Read full review | $50 | 300Mbps | Free modem; $5 router | None |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review | $50 | 115Mbps | None | None |
|
HughesNet Read full review | $50 | 25Mbps | None | None |
|
Verizon 5G Read full review | $50 | 400Mbps | $5 router | None |
|
AT&T Fiber Read full review | $55 | 300Mbps | None | None |
|
Viasat Read full review | $70 | 12Mbps | None | None |
Fastest internet providers in Milwaukee
Speed test results for the Brew City put the median fixed download speed at 220Mbps. Remember that several factors go into speed test results, such as the time of day it's run and whether you run it from an ethernet connection or using your Wi-Fi.
Several internet service providers in Milwaukee offer fast speeds throughout the city. Spectrum offers speeds up to 1Gbps, with AT&T's Fiber offerings featuring up to 5Gbps in some areas. These speeds allow you to work remotely, game online and have multiple people on the network streaming.
What are the fastest internet plans in Milwaukee?
| Provider | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Starting price | Data cap | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
AT&T Fiber 5000 Read full review | 5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | $180 | None | None |
|
AT&T Fiber 2000 Read full review | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | $110 | None | None |
|
AT&T Fiber 1000 Read full review | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | $80 | None | None |
|
Verizon 5G Home Plus Read full review | 1,000Mbps | 50Mbps | $70 | None | None |
|
Spectrum 1 Gig Read full review | 940Mbps | 35Mbps | $90 | None | None |
What's the final word on internet providers in Milwaukee?
Many fast, affordable and available options exist throughout the city of Milwaukee. Most importantly, you can find home internet plans without contracts or data caps -- AT&T, Spectrum, T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Milwaukee
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 the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.
But it doesn’t end there. We go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we’re considering every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. To evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP's service, we look at sources including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of the time of publication.
Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:
- Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
- Do customers get decent value for what they're paying?
- 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.
To explore our process in more depth, visit our How We Test ISPs page.
Internet providers in Milwaukee FAQs
Which is the best internet service provider in Milwaukee?
Overall, AT&T Fiber offers the best home internet service in Milwaukee. Where available, the company's plans offer speeds from 300Mbps to 5Gbps. The service also boasts no annual contracts and no additional equipment rental charges.
Is fiber internet available in Milwaukee?
Yes. Fiber internet is available in the area with AT&T. Plan options range from $55 to $180 a month, and the speeds run up to 5Gbps.
Who offers the cheapest internet plan in Milwaukee?
At face value, four providers tie for the cheapest internet plan: HughesNet, Spectrum, T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet. But T-Mobile and Verizon knock those prices down if you bundle home internet service with particular cell phone plans. Eligible customers could get Verizon 5G Home for $25 per month and T-Mobile Home Internet for $30 monthly.
Which internet provider in Milwaukee offers the fastest plan?
AT&T Fiber offers the fastest internet speeds in Milwaukee. You can purchase a plan of 5Gbps for $180 a month.
Can I get free Wi-Fi in Milwaukee?
Milwaukee offers free Wi-Fi in its parks using the "City of Milwaukee Wi-Fi" network. There is no free Wi-Fi in your home, however. You'll need to purchase an internet plan with one of the providers mentioned in this guide.
Home Internet Guides
- Sometimes a provider is available in your Zip code, but not at your exact address
- See what exact plans are available at your home
