Best Internet Providers in Killeen, Texas
Our Experts
What is the best internet provider in Killeen?
The best internet service provider for most households in Killeen, Texas, is Spectrum. In addition to offering one of the cheapest plans in the area, Spectrum’s service also comes with unlimited data and no required contract. If Spectrum isn’t available at your address, Brightspeed and T-Mobile Home Internet are also great options for broadband in the city.
Spectrum, T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet all tie for the cheapest service at $50 monthly. However, both fixed wireless providers offer an extra discount for eligible mobile customers, which can lower your monthly bill to under $40. If you’re hunting for the fastest plan in Killeen, you won’t see speeds higher than a gigabit (1,000 megabits per second), which Spectrum, Brightspeed, Verizon and BEC Communications offer.
Our methodology
CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Killeen 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 Killeen. 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 in Killeen
Spectrum
Best internet provider in Killeen, TX
Our take - Although fiber is usually your best bet for home broadband, a cable connection should be your next pick if fiber isn’t available at your location.
Brightspeed
Best fiber internet provider in Killeen, TX
Our take - Brightspeed is one of the only fiber providers in Killeen, with a limited fiber coverage of only 11%. It's a solid ISP if you can get its fiber connection, but you'd be better off choosing a different provider if you can only access Brightspeed's DSL service.
T-Mobile Home Internet
Best fixed wireless internet in Killeen, TX
Our take - For those who do not need gigabit-level speed, T-Mobile Home Internet is a perfect choice for simple broadband.
Killeen internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEC Communications | Fixed wireless/Fiber | $60-$200 | 100-1,000Mbps | $9 (optional) | None | None | N/A |
| Brightspeed | DSL/Fiber | $59-$79 | 200-940Mbps | $15 (optional) | None | None | N/A |
| Falcon Internet | Fixed wireless | $70-$170 | 15-100Mbps | None | None | None | N/A |
| Nextlink | Fixed wireless | $60-$130 | 50-500Mbps | $9 (optional) | None | 2 years | N/A |
| SOS Communications | Fixed wireless | $60-$175 | 10-100Mbps | None | None | None | N/A |
|
Spectrum Read full review | Cable | $50-$90 | 300-1,000Mbps | Free modem; $5 router | None | None | 7.2 |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review | Fixed wireless | $50 ($30 for eligible Go5G Plus and Magenta Max mobile customers) | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
|
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 |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Other available internet providers in Killeen
- BEC Communications: Bartlett Electric Cooperative is the only fiber provider besides Brightspeed, but its fiber coverage is even more sparse in Killeen. Four plans are available from this provider, starting at $60 and going as high as $200.
- Falcon Internet: This local provider offers speeds up to 100Mbps but with a hefty cost. The highest you'll pay with Falcon Internet is $170, which is a lot of money for little speed.
- Nextlink: Over 93% of Killeen addresses can access Nextlink's service. So why isn't it a top pick? Compared to T-Mobile Home Internet, another fixed wireless ISP, Nextlink's prices are higher and speeds are slower. But if T-Mobile isn't available at your location, Nextlink is worth checking out.
- Satellite internet: Satellite internet from HughesNet, Viasat or Starlink is an option wherever you live. But it shouldn't be your first choice -- with high prices and slow speeds, cheaper and faster options are available.
- Verizon 5G Home Internet: Like T-Mobile Home Internet, Verizon now offers a fixed wireless connection on its 5G network. For $70 per month, customers can reach speeds up to 1,000Mbps. That's one of the fastest plans in the area. However, less than 1% of Killeen residents can access Verizon's service, so it's probably not an option for your household.
Cheap internet options in Killeen
For those looking to pay the lowest monthly cost on home broadband, consider T-Mobile Home Internet or Verizon 5G Home Internet. While both providers offer a $50 per month plan -- as does Spectrum -- eligible T-Mobile or Verizon wireless customers can receive a $15-$25 discount on their bill.
Most providers we've mentioned also participate in the FCC's Affordable Connectivity Program, which gives eligible low-income households a $30 monthly discount (or up to $75 for households on tribal lands) for high-speed internet. You can use the ACP toward any internet plan -- not just the cheapest ones -- from participating providers.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in Killeen?
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Spectrum Internet Read full review | $50 | 300Mbps | $5 |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review | $50 ($30 with eligible mobile plan) | 245Mbps | None |
|
Verizon 5G Home Read full review | $50 ($35 with eligible mobile plan) | 300Mbps | None |
| Brightspeed Fast | $59 | 200Mbps | $15 (optional) |
| BEC Basic | $60 | 325Mbps | $9 (optional) |
| Nextlink 50 | $60 | 50Mbps | $9 (optional) |
| SOS Residential Basic | $60 | 10Mbps | None |
| Falcon Internet 15Mbps | $70 | 15Mbps | None |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Killeen
The best internet deals and top promotions in Killeen depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Killeen internet providers, such as Spectrum, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, including Brightspeed, T-Mobile and Verizon, run the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of promotions, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
Photo by Asim Bharwani/Getty Images
How fast is Killeen broadband?
Among the 50 states, Texas has the ninth fastest median broadband download speed of 219Mbps. So, how does Killeen stack up against the rest of the state? According to recent Okta data, Killeen’s median download speed is 266Mbps, handily beating the Texas numbers out of the water.
If you're looking for service faster than the city's median speed, plenty of options exist. However, the fastest speed you'll find in Killeen is a gigabit, which Spectrum, Brightspeed, Verizon and BEC Communications offer. Killeen is still growing its broadband capabilities, so you might have to wait a few years before seeing speeds in the multi-gigabit range.
Fastest internet plans in Killeen
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brightspeed 1 Gig | $200 | 1,000Mbps | 250Mbps | None | Fixed wireless |
|
Spectrum Internet Gig Read full review | $90 | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | None | Cable |
|
Verizon 5G Home Plus Read full review | $70 ($45 with eligible mobile plan) | 1,000Mbps | 75Mbps | None | Fixed wireless |
| Brightspeed 1 Gig | $79 | 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 Killeen
Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it's impractical to personally test every internet service provider in a given city. So what's our approach? For starters, we tap into a proprietary pricing, availability and speed database that draws from our own historical ISP data, partner data 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 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 Killeen?
Even though fiber is the connection type we recommend most for home internet, you're unlikely to be serviceable under a fiber-optic network in Killeen. The best ISP for you will come down to what's available at your address, which will probably be Spectrum or Nextlink. If you're deciding between the two, go with Spectrum for its lower prices and faster speeds.
Internet providers in Killeen FAQs
What is the cheapest internet provider in Killeen?
While Spectrum, T-Mobile and Verizon tie for the cheapest plan in the city, you might save more money by choosing T-Mobile Home Internet or Verizon 5G Home Internet. Currently, eligible mobile users under both providers can receive $15-$25 off their bill, bringing their monthly cost down to $30-$35 monthly.
Which internet provider in Killeen offers the fastest plan?
Multiple providers offer the fastest speeds you’ll find in Killeen. Spectrum, Brightspeed, Verizon and BEC Communications offer a 1,000Mbps plan, but availability will come down to your address.
Is fiber internet available in Killeen?
Yes. Although Killeen has a small fiber presence, Brightspeed and BEC Communications are the two fiber providers in the area.
Which internet provider has the best coverage in Killeen?
The best coverage in Killeen will come from Spectrum, which serves roughly 95% of the city.
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