Best Internet Providers in Youngstown, Ohio
Our Experts
What is the best internet provider in Youngstown?
Spectrum is the best internet provider in Youngstown because it’s the only wired provider that’s widely available in the city. It has fast speeds and low prices -- at least for the first year or two. After that, Spectrum’s rates go up by $30 or $35 monthly. Spectrum also has below average customer satisfaction scores from the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power.
If you can get it, AT&T Fiber has the fastest internet in Youngstown. Unfortunately, it’s available primarily in Austintown -- only about 3% of homes in Youngstown city limits can get it. For those lucky few, AT&T Fiber offers incredibly fast speeds and customer-friendly terms.
Aside from Spectrum, your only other option for internet in Youngstown is wireless internet from Verizon or T-Mobile. Speeds aren’t as fast as wired connections, and they’re more prone to network congestion and disruption, but smaller households should get by fine. You can also get substantial discounts by bundling with an eligible cellphone plan.
Our methodology
CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Youngstown across a number of 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 tiers of service, 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, while the text is specific to what’s available in Youngstown. 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. Other discounts and promotions might be available as well, for things like signing a term contract or bundling with multiple services.
To learn more about how we review internet providers, visit our full methodology page.
Best internet in Youngstown
Spectrum
Best internet provider in Youngstown
Our take - Spectrum is the best internet provider in Youngstown by default. It’s the only wired option that’s widely available in the city -- 92% of residents can get Spectrum’s cable internet plans. That said, it’s a pretty good option to have as your default. Spectrum’s prices start at just $30 per month in Youngstown, and you’ll get decent speeds for that price. The main downside is that prices increase significantly after the first year or two.
AT&T Fiber
Fastest internet in Youngstown
Our take - When AT&T Fiber is available in a city, it’s almost always our top pick. The one thing holding it back in Youngstown is availability: FCC data shows that less than 5% of households in the city limits can get it. (Coverage is much better in neighboring Austintown.) If your address is eligible, AT&T Fiber is a no-brainer. It has the fastest speeds in the city and the highest customer satisfaction scores of any ISP in the country from the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power.
T-Mobile Home Internet
Best fixed wireless internet in Youngstown
Our take - In Youngstown, your main alternative to Spectrum is wireless internet from either T-Mobile or Verizon. We gave the edge to T-Mobile since it’s available to about twice as many homes, but both are decent options. Speeds aren’t as fast as AT&T Fiber or Spectrum, but smaller households will get by fine. You can also get some nice discounts for bundling with a Verizon or T-Mobile cellphone plan.
Youngstown internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
AT&T Fiber Read full review | Fiber | $55-$225 | 300-5,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
|
AT&T Internet Read full review | DSL | $55 | Up to 140Mbps | None | 1.5TB on some plans | None | 7.4 |
|
Spectrum Read full review | Cable | $30-$80 | 100-1,000Mbps | $5 (optional) | None | None | 7.2 |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review | Fixed wireless | $60 ($40-$50 with mobile plans) | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review | Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 for eligible Verizon Wireless customers) | 100-300Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in Youngstown?
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Spectrum Internet 100 Read full review | $30 | 100Mbps | $5 (optional) |
|
Spectrum Internet Read full review | $50 | 300Mbps | $5 (optional) |
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review | $50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 100Mbps | None |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review | $60 ($40 with eligible mobile plans) | 245Mbps | None |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Youngstown
The best internet deals and top promotions in Youngstown depend on what discounts are available during a given time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Youngstown internet providers, such as T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, however, including Spectrum and AT&T Fiber, run the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
Fastest internet plans in Youngstown
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
AT&T Internet 5000 Read full review | $225 | 5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
|
AT&T Internet 2000 Read full review | $125 | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
|
AT&T Internet 1000 Read full review | $80 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
|
Spectrum Internet Gig Read full review | $80 | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | None | Cable |
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 Youngstown
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 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 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 answers to those questions are often layered and complex, the providers that 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.
Internet providers in Youngstown FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in Youngstown?
Spectrum is the best internet service provider in Youngstown, offering the best availability and cheapest plans. Prices increase significantly after a year or two, but it’s the only wired internet provider that’s widely available in the city.
Is fiber internet available in Youngstown?
Fiber internet is only available to 3% of Youngstown households, according to FCC data. AT&T Fiber is the only fiber provider in the city.
What is the cheapest internet provider in Youngstown?
Spectrum is the cheapest internet provider in Youngstown, offering plans that start at just $30 per month. That noted, prices increase significantly on all plans after one or two years.
Which internet provider in Youngstown offers the fastest plan?
AT&T Fiber offers the fastest internet plan in Youngstown, with upload and download speeds up to 5,000Mbps.
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