Best Internet Providers in Florida
From bustling coastal hubs to quaint small towns, Florida is a remarkably diverse state. The same can be said for its internet service providers. If they’re lucky enough to be in the right place, city dwellers can sign up for AT&T Fiber, CNET’s choice for Florida’s best internet service provider. We’re big fans of fast upload speeds to match fast downloads.
No fiber? No problem. Cable provider Xfinity covers large areas of the state. DSL specialist Frontier competes in the Tampa area and cable ISP Spectrum has a big presence across the middle of Florida. Rural areas with few other options can look to DSL, satellite or fixed wireless internet providers. The goal is to find a reliable internet provider that’s fast enough to handle your streaming, gaming or remote work needs.
Our methodology
CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Florida 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 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 Florida. The prices referenced within this article's text come from our research and include applicable discounts for setting up automatic payments each month -- 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 options in Florida
AT&T Fiber
Best internet provider in Florida
Our take - What makes fiber so alluring? It’s fast up and down. It’s reliable. And if you go with AT&T Fiber, your bills will be straightforward and predictable since the company promises no price hike after the first year.
Xfinity
Broadest coverage in Florida
Our take - Coverage. Coverage. Coverage. Comcast’s cable service Xfinity is all over Florida. According to the FCC's National Broadband Map, it reaches nearly half the residences in the state.
Verizon 5G Home Internet
Best fixed wireless internet in Florida
Our take - Verizon and T-Mobile are locked in close combat to be the top dog among fixed wireless internet providers. Either one can be a solid alternative to cable or DSL. Verizon delivers some decent top speeds and offers plans as low as $25 a month when bundled with an eligible phone plan. Here’s what you need to know about 5G home internet.
CenturyLink
Best rural internet in Florida
Our take - There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to rural internet. Very remote homes may need to go with satellite internet, while others may be in a good spot for fixed wireless from T-Mobile or a regional provider like Rapid Systems. On the wired side, CenturyLink DSL reaches into some parts of Florida that other ISPs don’t. Also look for coverage from Kinetic by Windstream, another DSL ISP that reaches some rural areas.
HughesNet
Best satellite internet in Florida
Our take - Rural residents, this one’s also for you. Satellite internet goes where DSL, cable, fiber and fixed wireless don’t. If that’s you, then consider HughesNet for an affordable alternative. It’s in competition with Viasat and Starlink, but pricing bumps it onto our best list for ISPs in Florida.
Rural internet options in Florida
| Provider | Connection type | Price range | Speed range | Data cap | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CenturyLink | DSL | $50 | 20-140Mbps | None | Some metro areas in the panhandle and peninsula |
| Kinetic by Windstream | DSL | $40-$70 | 100-1,000Mbps | None | North peninsula |
| Mediacom | Cable | $20-$60 | 100-1,000Mbps | Up to 6TB | Panhandle |
| Open Broadband | Fiber/fixed wireless | $60-$110 | 25-200Mbps | None | Citrus, Hernando and Pasco counties |
| Rapid Systems | Fixed wireless | $79-$99 | 10-25Mbps | None | Broad area around Tampa |
| T-Mobile Home Internet | Fixed wireless | $50 (as low as $30 with eligible phone plan) | 72-245Mbps | None | 5G coverage across large areas of Florida |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Satellite internet is good to go almost anywhere, even in remote locations, but you may have other options for your rural home. Chances are you won’t have the luxury of a fiber connection, and even cable can be hard to come by. Regarding wired internet, your best bet may be DSL from ISPs like AT&T Internet or CenturyLink, our choice for the best rural internet provider in the US overall. DSL speeds won’t give you whiplash, but they’ll likely be faster and cheaper than other alternatives.
Fixed wireless is one solution for reaching homes not connected to wired internet. You can check if T-Mobile Home Internet (which has been expanding its reach in rural areas) or Verizon 5G Home Internet happens to service your address. Keep an eye out for smaller, regional providers. Rapid Systems, for example, provides fixed wireless to 11 counties in Florida and services parts of Valrico and Bradenton with plans starting at $79 a month. Open Broadband, a company focused on underserved areas across the southeastern US, covers several Florida counties with a straightforward $60 plan for speeds up to 200Mbps.
Florida will soon have more rural internet options thanks to government investments and grants. In June, Comcast announced plans to expand its Xfinity 10G network to 25 rural areas in the state.
Head to the FCC National Broadband Map and look up your address to get an idea of which ISPs service your location. You may discover a local provider you weren’t aware of. And if all else fails, there’s always satellite internet from Starlink, Viasat or HughesNet, with HughesNet being our recommendation based on affordability. Here’s our comparison of the best satellite internet providers.
Internet breakdown by city in Florida
It’s hard to cover the broadband options of a state like Florida and give individual cities the attention they deserve. That’s why we also compile lists of the best internet providers in cities across the US, including those in Florida. We tackle details such as internet connection types, max speeds, cheapest providers and more. Check back later if you don’t find the town you’re looking for below. We’re working to add more cities every week.
- Best internet providers in Gainesville
- Best internet providers in Miami
- Best internet providers in Ocala
- Best internet providers in Orlando
- Best internet providers in Pensacola
- Best internet providers in St. Petersburg
- Best internet providers in Tampa
Florida broadband coverage at a glance
The FCC has some fairly low standards for what counts as broadband. The connection has to have download speeds of at least 25Mbps and upload speeds of at least 3Mbps. Florida’s data from 2021 found 87.2% of households in the state have access to broadband internet, but some counties fare better than others. Clay County, part of the Jacksonville metro area, hit nearly 94% access while Hamilton County on the north edge of the state was only at 67%. If you look at Florida’s data going back to 2017, there’s been a steady upward tick in broadband availability across the state.
Fiber internet, lauded for its reliability and upload speeds as well as fast downloads, is still a precious commodity on a state-wide level. FCC data shows only about 35% of residences can get connected with fiber speeds up to 250Mbps, and just 31% can get a gig or faster. The places with the best fiber coverage are concentrated around the big metro areas of Tampa, Jacksonville and Miami. That’s something to consider if you’re planning a move to Florida and need fiber for work or gaming. AT&T Fiber is a major ISP player in Florida, but look for Frontier Fiber in the Tampa area.
How fast is Florida broadband?
FCC data shows over 90% of Florida residences can access fixed broadband speeds of at least 250Mbps, but that figure drops to under 40% for speeds of at least 1,000Mbps. Not surprisingly, the largest metro areas enjoy the highest speed options, so if you need a super-fast connection for work or play, then keep an eye on big cities like Jacksonville, Tampa and Miami.
Let’s measure Florida against the rest of the nation. According to Ookla’s Speedtest data, Florida isn’t the fastest or slowest state when it comes to broadband. It sits right in the middle of the state rankings. Ookla also ranks the internet speeds for the 100 most populous cities in the US. Florida enters the picture with Jacksonville in 16th place. Other metro areas, including Miami (82nd) and Orlando (89th), don’t fare as well, showing Florida has some room for improvement in its broadband performance.
When it comes to fast internet in Florida, fiber is where it’s at. AT&T Fiber has some of the widest availability across the state, though it’s still hit-and-miss as to coverage when you look at a state-wide map. AT&T delivers speeds of up to 5,000Mbps in some spots. There are a handful of other fiber competitors, notably CenturyLink’s Quantum Fiber and Frontier Fiber. Recent federal and state broadband infrastructure investments should help expand fiber’s footprint in the state.
Internet pricing in Florida
A typical starting price for home internet is $50 a month, but there are some providers that have lower entry points, often as promotional deals or contract deals for new customers. Xfinity is notable for offering a $30-a-month Connect plan for 75Mbps service, but that’s a one-year promo price. If you’re an existing T-Mobile or Verizon phone customer (or plan to become one), you can get deeply discounted home internet to the tune of $30 a month with T-Mobile or $25 a month with Verizon.
There are other ways to save on your internet bill. For starters, be realistic about how much speed you need. If you’re just streaming Netflix and shopping online, you probably don’t need that $180-per-month, 5,000Mbps AT&T Fiber plan. A slower, less expensive plan will do just fine. While it’s not necessarily fun to switch ISPs, the savings can be worth it. Shop around and compare pricing, especially if your existing plan has reached the end of its promo period and the price has gone up. Here are eight ways to save on your internet bill.
The federal Affordable Connectivity Program is a lifesaver for low-income households. Most eligible residents will be able to get at least $30 off their monthly internet bill, making getting online either free or cheap. Many ISPs participate in this program. If you qualify, check with your provider. Some offer special plans for low-income households, like Spectrum’s $20-a-month Internet Assist plan with 30Mbps downloads.
Future of broadband in Florida
The future of Florida broadband looks bright. Federal money is pouring in to improve internet options. In December 2022, Florida was approved for $248 million to help connect an estimated 48,400 households and businesses lacking in high-speed internet access. That dollar figure is dwarfed by an incoming investment of nearly $1.7 billion through the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment program as part of the federal Infrastructure Act.
Florida’s Broadband Opportunity Program is at work to expand broadband. It made a splash in May with the announcement of $60 million in awards for 22 projects across the state. Those funds are going to a variety of work, including laying fiber-optic cable in multiple counties like Bradford, Marion, Highlands and Santa Rosa. Other projects are focused on expanding fixed wireless coverage in rural areas. As these projects come to fruition, more rural and underserved areas will be able to get fast, reliable and affordable internet.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Florida
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 in Florida FAQs
Does Florida have good internet?
Ookla’s Speedtest data puts Florida in 26th place in its ranking of regional internet speeds, which is middle of the pack. But that’s not the whole story. If good internet means fast speeds, then the answer is a qualified “yes.” According to the FCC, over 30% of Florida households can pull down speeds of at least 1,000Mbps while over 90% have access to speeds of at least 250Mbps.
Does Florida have fiber internet?
Your best bet, if you're hoping to get hooked up with fiber, is to live in a major metro area. AT&T Fiber offers strong coverage down the eastern coast, but it’s not the only fiber ISP in the state. Also look out for Hotwire, Quantum Fiber from CenturyLink or Frontier Fiber as possible options depending on where you live.
What’s the best internet in Florida?
If you're fortunate enough to live in an area covered by AT&T Fiber or another fiber provider, that should be your first stop when comparing speeds and prices. AT&T Fiber’s simple pricing and affordable entry-level plan of 300Mbps service for $55 per month make it our most-recommended ISP. If fiber isn’t available, look to cable options like Xfinity, Spectrum or Cox for faster speed than you can get from DSL competitors.
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