Best Internet Providers in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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.
AT&T Fiber
Best overall for internet service in Milwaukee
Product details
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.
Availability: AT&T offers internet service in most areas of Milwaukee. However, you'll need to make sure you can access AT&T Fiber. More than half of Milwaukee consumers can access AT&T Internet, the company's DSL option and less desirable service.
Plans and pricing: You'll have up to five plans with AT&T Fiber. Pricing for these plans ranges from $55 to $180 per month for speeds of 300Mbps up to 5Gbps.
Fees and service details: AT&T Fiber plans do not have equipment fees or an annual contract. Conversely, AT&T's DSL plans have a 1.5TB data cap and a price increase after one year. But AT&T Fiber features unlimited data and no set price increase after 12 months.
Spectrum
Best availability for high-speed Internet in Milwaukee
Product details
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.
Availability: One of Spectrum's features is its near-total availability in Milwaukee. It's easy to sign up for the internet service, transfer it if you move, and know you can get coverage anywhere in the city.
Plans and pricing: Spectrum internet speeds range from 300 to 940Mbps. Plans start at $50 to $90 a month.
Fees and service details: Spectrum plans have no data caps, contract requirements and a free modem. However, you'll pay $5 monthly for a router rental (or you can provide your own).
Verizon 5G Home Internet
Best fixed wireless internet provider in Milwaukee
Product details
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.
Availability: Verizon has great 5G availability in Milwaukee. However, just because you can get Verizon 5G cell service doesn't mean you'll be eligible for its 5G home internet. You must plug in your home address on Verizon's check availability site.
Plans and pricing: Verizon 5G Home Internet comes in two plans: Verizon 5G Home and Verizon 5G Home Plus. Speeds range from 85 to 300Mbps for 5G Home and 300 to 1,000Mbps for 5G Home Plus. Those plans' prices are $50 to $70 per month, respectively.
Fees and service details: Verizon 5G Home Internet aims for simplicity. All equipment, taxes and fees are included in the monthly price. Plus, customers do not have to sign an annual contract. You receive unlimited data and get a price guarantee of two or three years, depending on your chosen plan.
Internet providers in Milwaukee overview
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | DSL/fiber | $55-$180 | 10-5,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| HughesNet | Satellite | $50-$174 | 25Mbps | Free modem; $5 router | 100 GB | Two-years | 5.7 |
| Spectrum | Cable | $50-$90 | 300-940Mbps | Free modem; $5 router | None | None | 7.2 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet | Fixed wireless | $50 | 33-182Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet | Fixed wireless | $50-$70 | 85-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
| Viasat | 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 | $50 | 300Mbps | Free modem; $5 router | None |
| T-Mobile Home Internet | $50 | 115Mbps | None | None |
| HughesNet | $50 | 25Mbps | None | None |
| Verizon 5G | $50 | 400Mbps | $5 router | None |
| AT&T Fiber | $55 | 300Mbps | None | None |
| Viasat | $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 | 5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | $180 | None | None |
| AT&T Fiber 2000 | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | $110 | None | None |
| AT&T Fiber 1000 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | $80 | None | None |
| Verizon 5G Home Plus | 1,000Mbps | 50Mbps | $70 | None | None |
| Spectrum 1 Gig | 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?
Is fiber internet available in Milwaukee?
Who offers the cheapest internet plan in Milwaukee?
Which internet provider in Milwaukee offers the fastest plan?
Can I get free Wi-Fi in Milwaukee?
Home Internet Guides
Internet Providers by City
Internet Providers and Services
Internet Routers
Helpful Internet Resources
- Publisher's Weekly bestselling author with over 2,000 articles published in 100 publications and magazines.
Why You Can Trust CNET
Enter your address to view internet providers available near you