Best Internet Providers in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Our Experts
What is the best internet provider in Albuquerque?
According to the city's tourism website, the population of sunny Albuquerque is growing by between 1% and 2% every year. With that steady growth comes increased internet options. CNET recommends Quantum Fiber as the best internet service provider for most Albuquerque households, thanks to its symmetrical speeds and simple service details. Other providers, like T-Mobile and Xfinity, also offer broadband in Albuquerque, so the best ISP might come down to what's available at your address.
We've also found the top options for affordability and speed in Albuquerque. The cheapest service in the area is offered by Xfinity. Customers can reach download speeds of up to 150 megabits per second for only $20 per month. If you're hunting for the speediest home internet, check out Xfinity's 1.2 gigabit plan, costing $80 per month with equipment included.
Our methodology
CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Albuquerque across several categories. Our evaluation includes referencing a proprietary database built over years of reviewing internet services. We validate that against provider information by spot-checking local addresses for service availability. We also do a close read of providers' terms and conditions and, when needed, will call ISPs to verify the details.
Despite our efforts to find the most recent and accurate information, our process has some limitations you should know about. Pricing and speed data are variable: Certain addresses may qualify for different service tiers, and monthly costs may vary, even within a city. The best way to identify your particular options is to plug your address into a provider's website.
Also, the prices, speed and other information listed above and in the provider cards below may differ from what we found in our research. The cards display the full range of a provider's pricing and speed across the US, according to our database of plan information provided directly by ISPs. At the same time, the text is specific to what's available in Albuquerque. The prices referenced within this article's text come from our research and include applicable discounts for setting up monthly automatic payments, a standard industry offering. Discounts and promotions might also be available for signing a term contract or bundling multiple services.
To learn more about how we review internet providers, visit our full methodology page.
Best internet in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Quantum Fiber
Best internet provider in Albuquerque, NM
Our take - Quantum Fiber is notable for the low price-to-speed ratio of its fiber plans. However, it should be noted that many serviceable locations will only have access to CenturyLink, a sibling company (both CenturyLink and Quantum Fiber are owned by Lumen Technologies) with much slower DSL tiers, which are less appealing as far as speed goes but still reasonably priced for DSL.
T-Mobile Home Internet
Best fixed wireless in Albuquerque, NM
Our take - T-Mobile stands out as a top provider because of its affordability, availability and the ease of no contracts or data caps.
Xfinity
Best cable internet in Albuquerque, NM
Our take - Xfinity’s main selling point is that it offers a wide variety of speed plans, from 150 to 1,200Mbps, so you have the opportunity to select a tier that works best for your household.
Albuquerque internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
CenturyLink Read full review | DSL | $55 | 20-100Mbps | $15 for modem/router rental (optional) | None | None | 6.7 |
| CityLink | Fixed wireless | $40-$80 | 5-15Mbps | $80 one-time router fee (optional) | None | None | N/A |
| Lobo Internet | Fixed wireless | $50-$110 | 3-9Mbps | None | None | None | N/A |
| NMSurf | Fixed wireless | $70-$115 | 100-400Mbps | $5-$7.50 (optional) | None | None, but 1-2 years for discounted service | N/A |
| Quantum Fiber | Fiber | $50-$75 | 500-940Mbps | None | None | None | 6.7 |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review | Fixed wireless | $60 ($40 for eligible Go5G Plus and Magenta Max mobile customers) | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| Unlimitedville | Fixed wireless | $99-$145 | 20-200Mbps | None | 400GB on some plans | None | N/A |
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review | Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 with qualifying Verizon 5G mobile plans) | 50-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
|
Xfinity Read full review | Cable | $20-$80 | 150-1,200Mbps | $15 (optional) | 1.2TB | 1 year on some plans | 7 |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Other available internet providers in Albuquerque
- BeamSpeed: This slower wireless connection has 256kbps to 5Mbps for speeds and $45 to $75 for monthly pricing. According to the FCC map, it's available to just over 35% of Albuquerque residents.
- Cibola: This wireless provider has $55 to $150 in pricing and speeds ranging 20 to 50Mbps.
- CityLink: This service, also known as Roadrunner Wireless, has 10 to 15Mbps speeds for $40 to $80 a month.
- ispMint: ispMint is a rural wireless provider, but you can find it in the Albuquerque area. It has rates around $119 a month and no contracts to sign.
- Lobo Internet Services: Lobo is another wireless provider with pricing of $50 to $110 a month. It offers 3 to 9Mbps for speeds. There is also a significant install fee of $250 to $295.
- NMSurf: Speeds for this fixed wireless provider run from 25Mbps to 100Mbps. Prices go from $40 to $50 per month.
- Unlimitedville: This is also a wireless provider, and prices run around $99 to $199 per month. It’s a membership plan where you use cellular routers and hotspots. It uses the networks of three major carriers, and data is unlimited.
- Verizon 5G Home Internet: Being a fixed wireless provider, Verizon 5G Home Internet is available all around Albuquerque. Prices can start at $35 a month when paired with some mobile plans and autopay.
Cheap internet options in the Albuquerque metro area
The average starting price for internet service in Albuquerque is approximately $55 a month, but most households can access cheap service through Xfinity, costing only $20 per month.
If you're looking for free connection in Albuquerque, the city itself offers the Wi-Fi in Neighborhoods program to help people access the internet at public city facilities.
What's the cheapest internet plan in Albuquerque?
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment costs |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Xfinity Connect Read full review | $20 | 150Mbps | $15 (optional) |
|
Xfinity Connect More Read full review | $30 | 300Mbps | None |
| CityLink Residential Basic | $40 | 5Mbps | None |
| Lobo Internet 3Mbps | $50 | 3Mbps | None |
| Quantum Fiber 500 | $50 | 500Mbps | None |
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review | $50 ($35 with eligible mobile plan) | 300Mbps | None |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review | $60 ($40 with eligible mobile plan) | 245Mbps | None |
| NMSurf 100Mbps | $70 | 100Mbps | $5-$7.50 (optional) |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Albuquerque
The best internet deals and top promotions in Albuquerque depend on what discounts are available during a given time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Albuquerque internet providers, such as Xfinity, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, however, including Quantum Fiber and Verizon, run the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
How fast is Albuquerque broadband?
Albuquerque currently ranks 92nd for internet speeds in a list of the top 100 cities listed by Ookla. The city had a median download speed of approximately 180 megabits per second, ahead of the 126Mbps download speeds for New Mexico's broadband. Ookla ranks Xfinity's speed as the fastest in the city, at nearly 239Mbps median download speeds. That said, you do have a few options in Albuquerque to access much faster speeds, with some plans going up to just over 1 Gig.
The fastest internet provider in Albuquerque is Xfinity, providing most households with download speeds up to 1.2 gigabits. Other ISPs, such as Quantum Fiber and Verizon, offer gigabit plans in the area as well.
Fastest internet plans in Albuquerque
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Internet Technology |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Xfinity Gigabit Extra Read full review | $80 | 1,200Mbps | 35Mbps | 1.2TB | Cable |
|
Xfinity Gigabit Read full review | $75 | 1,000Mbps | 20Mbps | 1.2TB | Cable |
|
Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet Read full review | $70 ($45 with eligible mobile plan) | 1,000Mbps | 75Mbps | None | Fixed wireless |
| Quantum Fiber 1 Gig | $75 | 940Mbps | 940Mbps | None | Fiber |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What’s a good internet speed?
Most internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you're looking for an internet plan that can accommodate videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you'll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here's an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the FCC. Note that these are only guidelines -- and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.
For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need.
- 0 to 5Mbps allows you to tackle the basics: browsing the internet, sending and receiving email, streaming low-quality video.
- 5 to 40Mbps gives you higher-quality video streaming and videoconferencing.
- 40 to 100Mbps should give one user sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming.
- 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Albuquerque
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 FCC.gov.
But it doesn’t end there. We use the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as 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. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, though 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 and FCC reports.
To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.
What’s the final word on internet providers in Albuquerque?
Although Albuquerque residents don't have access to multi-gigabit plans, an impressive 19% have access to a 1-gigabit speed tier. To put that in perspective, 14% of New York residents have access to gigabit speeds, and, according to the FCC, fewer than 1% of Phoenix citizens can sign up for those kinds of speeds. So, with Comcast's Xfinity internet service available to just over 99% of people in Albuquerque, that cable internet provider will almost surely be your lifeline to the World Wide Web.
Albuquerque internet provider FAQs
Is fiber internet available in Albuquerque?
Yes, you do have a few choices for fiber internet. The provider with the most fiber coverage in Albuquerque is Quantum Fiber. Additional fiber internet options will be arriving soon via Vexus Fiber.
Which internet provider in Albuquerque offers the fastest plan?
A few internet providers in Albuquerque go up to just above 1 Gig. Quantum Fiber offers a 1-gig plan, as does Xfinity, which also boasts a Gigabit Extra plan that features 1,200Mbps download speeds.
Is Quantum Fiber or T-Mobile Home Internet better?
Both of these ISPs can be good choices for Albuquerque residents depending on your needs. If you don’t have high-speed demands and do not have multiple users in the home, T-Mobile is a flexible, fixed wireless option with moderate pricing and no contracts or hidden fees. But speeds max out around 245Mbps. Quantum Fiber, on the other hand, is a fiber internet service that reaches speeds of either 500Mbps or 940Mbps, so households with multiple devices and heavy demands would be better served with this provider.
Home Internet Guides
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