Best Internet Providers in Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola, Florida, may have a lot of internet service providers to choose from, but a few stand out from the rest. You'll find satellite, fiber, cable and 5G fixed wireless, but nothing can beat AT&T's fiber connectivity.
A broadband connection is a necessary part of life these days, and with the number of ISPs currently on the market, it can be tough to navigate exactly what you need in your home. In Pensacola alone, there are eight solid ISPs to choose from, but you may find more small providers that serve limited areas of the city.
There are a lot of aspects to weigh with each ISP, including the type of connectivity, the monthly price, internet speeds and hidden fees. When we say hidden, we mean additional monthly equipment charges, sign-up fees and price hikes. These can take what looks like a good deal and turn it into a monthly headache.
Whether you're just moving to Pensacola or looking to change up your current ISP, here's what you need to know about available options.
Best internet options in Pensacola
Pensacola has cable, fiber, fixed wireless and satellite options for internet service. Ahead, you'll find the top three ISPs with the best availability and package options.
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
Best overall among internet providers in Pensacola
Product details
AT&T recently deprioritized its DSL service and doesn't offer it as widely anymore, which means fiber availability is expanding throughout Pensacola. With its vast variety and range of speeds (not to mention the affordable prices), it's the best broadband option in Pensacola.
Availability: Fiber is becoming more and more available throughout Pensacola.
Plans and pricing: Fiber plans start at $55 monthly for 300Mbps.
Fees and service Details: Equipment rental is included in the monthly cost, and there are no contracts or data caps.
T-Mobile Home Internet
Best fixed wireless service among internet providers in Pensacola
Product details
If you're already a T-Mobile user for phone service, adding home internet to your plan could net out to an affordable bill each month. T-Mobile's home internet service is quite reliable and popular among users.
Availability: Pretty widely available, though you'll find some patches around Pensacola without access. Those wanting access to T-Mobile's 5G internet must also check eligibility, as not everyone will have access to 5G.
Plans and pricing: $50 per month ($30 for eligible T-Mobile Magenta Max customers) with 33 to 182Mbps speeds
Fees and service details: T-Mobile's home internet service boasts no data caps, contracts or equipment fees.
Cox Communications
Best cable provider among Pensacola ISPs
Product details
Cox Communications' cable internet service has a wide range of offerings for as low as $50, though you can get it even cheaper with the Affordable Connectivity Program if you qualify.
Availability: Cox Communications is widely available throughout Pensacola -- more than 90% of residents have coverage.
Plans and pricing: Plans start at $50 per month for 100Mbps.
Fees and service details: Some plans have one-year contracts, after which the price rises. There are data caps (1.2TB) and a skippable $13 equipment fee.
All available Pensacola residential internet providers
Pensacola has several ISPs available for customers, whether you're looking for fiber or cable, satellite or fixed wireless. Prices run the gamut, as do the internet speeds.
Top Pensacola internet providers
| 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 for fiber, 1.5TB for some DSL plans | None | 7.4 |
| Cox Communications | Cable | $50-$120 | 100-1,000Mbps | $13 (optional) | 1.2TB | Some plans | 6.2 |
| EarthLink | Fixed wireless/fiber | $60-$190 | 100-5,000Mbps | None | None | One year | 6.3 |
| HughesNet | Satellite | $50-$175 | 25Mbps | $15 a month or $450 one-time purchase | 15-100GB | 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 | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet | Fixed wireless | $50-$70 | 85-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
| Viasat | Satellite | $50-$200 | 12-30Mbps | $13 a month or $299 one-time purchase | 40-300GB | Two years | 6.1 |
- Earthlink: EarthLink offers a variety of packages in Pensacola, including DSL and fiber, both on AT&T's network. Most of what you'll find in the area is fiber. Prices start at $60 per month for 100Mbps and go up to $190 monthly for 5,000Mbps.
- Satellite internet: You'll find satellite internet in Pensacola via HughesNet and Viasat. Viasat's plans start at $50 monthly for 12Mbps, but those prices will increase after the first three months. HughesNet's prices start at $65 per month for 25Mbps. Starlink will also be expanding its coverage to Pensacola in 2023. Sign up for updates on the ISP's website to determine when you may have access.
- Spectrum: Spectrum's availability in Pensacola is limited, but you'll find it in select areas. The cable internet provider offers plans starting at $50 per month for 300Mbps, but you'll have to watch out for a price increase after a year.
- Verizon 5G Home Internet: Verizon launched its 5G service in Pensacola back in 2021, though it's still in limited availability. Prices start at $25 per month if you're a Verizon Wireless customer but $50 per month otherwise. Speeds range from 85 to 1,000Mbps.
Pensacola internet pricing
Most ISPs in Pensacola offer plans starting at just $50 per month. While the price ranges jump up quite a bit from there, some going upwards of $200 per month, many stay in the $50 to $100 range. A bundled internet plan may be the cheapest alternative for select Verizon or T-Mobile cellphone customers.
Cheap internet options in the Pensacola area
As we said, most ISPs start at $50 per month, though that doesn't mean you're getting the same value across the board. Of those $50 plans, Verizon 5G Home and Spectrum offer the best value at cost per Mbps. You may also have access to the Affordable Connectivity Program for a monthly budget-friendly internet cost.
Cheapest internet plan in Pensacola
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon 5G Home | $50 ($25 with eligible phone plan) | 300Mbps | None | None |
| T-Mobile Home Internet | $50 ($30 with eligible phone plan) | 245Mbps | None | None |
| Spectrum | $50 | 300Mbps | Free modem; $5 router | None |
| Cox Communications | $50 | 100Mbps | $13 (optional) | None |
| Viasat | $50 | 12Mbps | $13 a month or $299 one-time purchase | Two years |
| AT&T Fiber 300 | $55 | 300Mbps | None | None |
| EarthLink | $60 | 100Mbps | None | One year |
Fastest internet providers in Pensacola
Several internet providers offer plans of 940Mbps or more, specifically when looking at AT&T. This ISP alone offers three high-speed fiber plans for customers. EarthLink, Verizon, Cox Communications and Spectrum all also offer high-speed plans.
Below you'll find the fastest internet plans, along with what they'll cost each month. Of these, EarthLink and AT&T both offer multigigabit plans.
Fastest internet plans in Pensacola
| Provider | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Starting price | Data cap | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Fiber 5000 | 5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | $180 | None | None |
| EarthLink | 5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | $190 | None | One year |
| AT&T Fiber 2000 | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | $110 | None | None |
| Verizon 5G Home Plus | 1,000Mbps | 50Mbps | $70 ($35 with eligible phone plan) | None | None |
| AT&T Fiber 1000 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | $80 | None | None |
| Cox Communications | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | $120 | None | 1 year |
| Spectrum Internet Gig | 940Mbps | 35Mbps | $90 | None | None |
What's the final word on internet providers in Pensacola?
Pensacola's ISPs are wide-ranging, with plenty of options to choose from. If you're on a budget, you can still find great fiber options, as well as cable and fixed wireless with decent speeds and reliable connectivity.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Pensacola
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 Pensacola FAQs
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