Best Internet Providers in Tucson, Arizona
Our Experts
What is the best internet provider in Tucson?
Tucson is home to several top-tier internet service providers, including T-Mobile, Verizon and CenturyLink, though CNET's pick for the best internet provider in Tucson is Xfinity. Xfinity offers several plans, including a cheap option at just $20 per month and speeds up to 1,200 megabits per second. Though fiber is the buzziest internet connection right now -- and you can get fiber in Tucson through Quantum Fiber -- it isn't as widely available yet in the city. You'll find more connectivity through cable and fixed wireless in Tucson while the fiber network grows.
Tucson may have been the setting for many old-school Western films full of tumbleweeds and saloons, but the real city is now sleek, modern and full of high-speed internet options. Cox Communications offers the speediest plan in the area, costing $150 per month for download speeds up to 2,000Mbps. If you're searching for the most affordable service, check out Xfinity's Connect plan for $20 monthly.
Our methodology
CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Tucson 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 Tucson. 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 Tucson, Arizona
Xfinity
Best internet provider in Tucson
Our take - Xfinity is a well-rounded ISP with various speeds at some affordable price points.
Quantum Fiber
Best fiber internet in Tucson
Our take - Quantum Fiber -- CenturyLink’s sibling service for fiber -- offers lightning-fast speeds that other ISPs can’t match in Tucson.
T-Mobile Home Internet
Best fixed wireless internet in Tucson
Our take - T-Mobile's reliable network is available all over Tucson, and with deals available for mobile customers, it's one of our favorite ISPs.
Tucson 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 |
|
Cox Communications Read full review | Cable | $50-$150 | 100-2,000Mbps | None | 1.25TB | None | 6.2 |
| 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 |
|
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 Tucson
- CenturyLink: CenturyLink, which is owned by the same parent company, Lumen, as Quantum Fiber and operates on much of the same network, runs its DSL service throughout Tucson. The company’s limited 20-100Mbps plan is available for $50 per month, which doesn’t include an additional $15 monthly equipment rental fee.
- Cox Communications: Cox Communications offers cable service in Tucson, with speeds ranging from 100Mbps to 2Gbps. It operates on a hybrid fiber-coax network, so speeds will vary, and prices start at $50 per month. While customers won’t have to deal with contracts, you will have a data cap of 1.25TB.
- Verizon 5G Home Internet: Verizon’s 5G home internet service is available to about 27% of Tucson, and speeds range from 50Mbps to 1,000Mbps. While prices start at $50 per month, eligible mobile customers could pay as little as $35 per month with qualifying phone plans.
- Satellite internet: There are a couple of options for satellite service in Tucson: Viasat, Starlink and Hughesnet. With Hughesnet, prices start at $50 for 50Mbps. With Viasat, prices start at $100 per month for 150Mbps. Starlink’s prices start at $120, with speeds reaching as high as 220Mbps. With each ISP, you’ll pay a monthly equipment fee as well as get locked into a contract (except for Starlink, which is a bit more flexible). You may also see a price hike after just a few months, depending on what kind of contract you sign at the start.
Cheap internet options in Tucson
The average starting price for internet service in Tucson is about $47 per month. Most providers offer a $50 monthly plan, but one provider offers plans even lower than that.
Xfinity offers the cheapest plan you’ll find in Tucson with its $20-per-month plan for download speeds of 150Mbps. Or, if you need more speed, Xfinity Connect costs $30 monthly and reaches speeds up to 300Mbps.
What's the cheapest internet plan in Tucson?
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Xfinity Connect Read full review | $20 | 150Mbps | $15 (optional) |
|
Xfinity Connect More Read full review | $30 | 300Mbps | None |
|
Cox 100 Read full review | $50 | 100Mbps | None |
| Quantum Fiber | $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 |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Tucson
The best internet deals and top promotions in Tucson depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Tucson internet providers, such as Xfinity and Cox, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, 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.
Photo by Barry Winiker/Getty Images
How fast is Tucson broadband?
In the most recent Tucson speed tests, Xfinity came out on top in expected download speeds, with Cox just behind. And in the most recent Ookla data of the entire US, Tucson came in at number 76 overall in median download speed.
Quantum Fiber, Cox Communications, Verizon and Xfinity all offer high-speed gigabit plans in Tucson, with Cox offering the fastest speeds -- 2,000Mbps for $150 per month.
Fastest internet plans in Tucson
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Technology type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Cox 2 Gig Read full review | $150 | 2,000Mbps | 100Mbps | 1.25TB | Cable |
|
Xfinity Gigabit Extra Read full review | $80 | 1,200Mbps | 35Mbps | 1.2TB | Cable |
|
Cox 1 Gig Read full review | $110 | 1,000Mbps | 100Mbps | 1.25TB | Cable |
|
Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet Read full review | $70 ($45 with eligible phone plan) | 1,000Mbps | 50Mbps | None | Fixed wireless |
|
Xfinity Gigabit Read full review | $75 | 1,000Mbps | 20Mbps | 1.2TB | Cable |
| 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.
- 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.
For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Tucson
Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike with 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 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?
Though the answers to those questions are 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 Tucson?
Though we rate Xfinity as the best bet in Tucson, your address will dictate which ISP is best for you. The speeds and providers vary throughout the city and the surrounding areas, so you’ll have to plug in your location to find your best options.
Internet providers in Tucson FAQ
Is fiber internet available in Tucson?
Fiber internet is available to just over 13% of Tucson households, mainly through Quantum Fiber. Prices range from $50 to $75 monthly, and speed plans offered include 500 and 940Mbps.
What is the cheapest internet provider in Tucson?
Xfinity offers the cheapest internet in Tucson with its Connect plan. For $20 per month, customers can get 150Mbps download speeds.
Is CenturyLink or Xfinity better?
CenturyLink and Xfinity are both really solid options for your internet service. In Tucson, CenturyLink runs DSL and fiber, while Xfinity runs cable. Typically, we’d rate CenturyLink over Xfinity, but that’s only when you can get CenturyLink’s fiber plans. If you can’t get fiber service from CenturyLink (or its sibling brand, Quantum Fiber), we’d pick Xfinity over CenturyLink for Tucson residents.
Home Internet Guides
- Sometimes a provider is available in your Zip code, but not at your exact address
- See what exact plans are available at your home
