Spectrum might be the nation’s leading broadband provider in terms of download speed, video experience and reliability, at least according to a report from Opensignal, an independent analytics company.

The report comes shortly after Spectrum announced plans to acquire Cox Communications in a $35.4 billion deal; if approved, Spectrum will become the country’s largest cable internet provider.

Until then, Opensignal’s latest Fixed Broadband Experience report offers insight into the provider’s current performance. The report examines the biggest names in home internet — AT&T, Spectrum, T-Mobile Home Internet, Verizon and Xfinity. Each ISP covers over a third of households nationwide

Using five main characteristics that ultimately shape an internet user’s experience (download speed, upload speed, reliability, consistency and video experience), Opensignal tested each ISP using a combination of user-initiated and regular periodic tests. Using billions of measurements, the report paints a broad picture of what you can expect from the country’s biggest internet service providers.

The internet is not a well-loved industry (though that may be on the upswing), and shopping for internet service is an invariably frustrating experience. While we tend to prioritize fast speeds, other considerations, like consistency, cost and customer care, are equally important in determining whether an internet plan is worth paying for.

If you’re looking for a provider that offers reliable services, quick average download speeds and a top-notch video experience, Spectrum might just be the provider for you, at least according to Opensignal. Let’s take a closer look at the report’s findings.

Spectrum dominates across all categories (except one)

Spectrum swept the board in all categories except upload speed (where it typically tops out at a mere 30Mbps) and yet maintained the fastest average download speed, clocking 208Mbps — a 23% increase from last year’s report. Spectrum also held its ground as the most reliable ISP.

Similar to last year’s report, cable providers Spectrum and Xfinity dominated across all five categories, which might sound surprising given the impressive speeds and reliability offered by fiber internet. 

However, it’s important to note that Opensignal didn’t isolate for internet connection types, meaning that AT&T and Verizon (which both have some of the highest-rated 100% fiber internet offerings in the country) likely saw lower averages due to their legacy DSL plans. 

For context, AT&T Fiber Internet was named the fastest internet provider in the country by Ookla in 2024, with an average download speed of 360Mbps. Ookla ranked AT&T’s various internet services separately, giving AT&T Fiber an edge. (Disclaimer: Ookla is owned by Ziff Davis, the same parent company that owns CNET.)

On the flip side, AT&T boasted the fastest upload speeds in Opensignal’s report, a significant margin over second-place Verizon — likely due to higher averages from those providers’ fiber networks. Verizon was also voted the nation’s most consistent internet provider, with a score of 83%, followed closely by Spectrum at 81.9%

Wired internet proves more reliable than wireless internet

Opensignal’s indicates an overall higher customer satisfaction with wired internet service. Spectrum outperformed AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon in areas where both providers offered service — potentially due to those providers’ fixed wireless offerings (and DSL service in the case of AT&T and Verizon). 

Meanwhile, T-Mobile Home Internet, which hosts the most 5G internet subscribers nationwide at 6.9 million, was bested by Verizon across all categories. Since Opensignal doesn’t differentiate based on internet connection type, Verizon’s higher scores may be due to higher performance from Verizon Fios, its fiber internet brand. 

Even so, overall customer satisfaction with wireless internet service continues to increase, according to the latest data from the American Customer Satisfaction Index — a tool we often use when rating ISPs. 

T-Mobile Home Internet and AT&T Fiber tied for the top-rated ISPs in the ACSI’s latest report, with the ACSI noting that “the fiber customer experience [has] deteriorated over the past year” due to performance issues. However, although the reliability rating of fiber internet decreased in this most recent report, it remained ahead of the overall reliability of non-fiber internet ratings, which included both 5G home internet and cable internet in ACSI’s ratings.

What else to consider in an internet provider

If you’re looking for a decent internet provider, there are many factors to consider, especially as the industry continues to evolve. Beyond fast speeds, here’s what we recommend considering in choosing a good ISP:

• Affordability: Especially with fears of a recession looming, affordability is a key factor in finding an ISP. Look beyond flashy marketing and advertising to what an ISP is really offering: You can often find a breakdown of your monthly bill on your ISP’s FCC-mandated broadband nutrition label. You may avoid hidden fees, like maintenance charges, by calling your ISP to negotiate or internet equipment fees by renting your own equipment instead. If the extra costs on your monthly bill are unavoidable, consider ditching that provider for a more reasonable one.
• Consistency: The best internet connection is one you don’t notice, and if your work calls are dropping out and your Netflix keeps getting interrupted, you may have a network consistency problem. While home network issues aren’t always the ISP’s fault (and you may be able to take some simple steps to optimize your Wi-Fi set up), some ISPs experience more network congestion or outages than others. Switching to a wired internet connection may help.
• Customer care: The way ISPs treat their customers often makes or breaks the overall service experience. You can better understand how an ISP stands with customer care from surveys like the ACSI or J.D. Power, another tool we often use to rate ISPs. Reddit boards are also a good way to figure out the preferred provider in your town — there might even be a few stellar local ISPs you can choose from.