What is the best internet service provider in Massachusetts?

For most Massachusetts residents, Xfinity stands out as the top internet provider according to CNET’s experts. It’s a solid option for most thanks to its fast speeds, widespread coverage, and competitive pricing. But it’s not the only game in town. Verizon Fios is a top-tier alternative. It offers fully fiber connections with strong speeds and no data caps making it ideal for households that stream, work, or game heavily online.

In more rural or remote parts of the state, smaller regional fiber ISPs may provide better reliability and value than the big names. Budget-conscious shoppers should look into Astound Broadband, which starts plans around $30 a month. Xfinity also has affordable options, including a 400Mbps plan at a similar price.

Best internet in Massachusetts in 2025

Sursa: Analiza CNET a datelor furnizorilor.

Rural internet options in Massachusetts

• Fiber Connect of the Berkshires: Parts of Monterey, Egremont, New Marlborough and downtown Great Barrington can access fiber internet through local provider Fiber Connect of the Berkshires. The $99-per-month residential plan comes with 1,000Mbps downloads and 250Mbps uploads with a one-year agreement. There’s a $199 installation fee if fiber internet hasn’t yet been run to your address. There are no data caps, and a modem is included. 
• Municipal broadband: Some Massachusetts towns have taken fiber internet into their own hands to provide broadband to unserved and underserved areas. Prices and speeds vary by location. One example of this municipal broadband effort can be found in Leverett. Also, check in with WiredWest, a cooperative of towns in western Massachusetts that includes Becket, Heath and Washington. WiredWest manages the municipal broadband, while Whip City Fiber operates the networks as an ISP. Whip City’s gig plan in Westfield costs $70 per month with no contracts, plus equipment is included.
• Verizon Home Internet: Verizon offers fiber and 5G internet options, but it also maintains its legacy DSL network in some areas that aren’t covered by more modern technology. That means some rural residents may be able to get online with outdated DSL. Connection speeds can vary and may be excruciatingly slow for the $50-$70 monthly price tag. For example, an address I ran in Holyoke maxed out at 15Mbps, which doesn’t even qualify as broadband in the eyes of the FCC. Consider alternatives before signing up for Verizon DSL.

Finally, Starlink, Hughesnet şi Viasat are the big three names among US satellite internet providers. Satellite has some drawbacks. It can be expensive, and speeds may be slow. Some rural households may have no other satisfactory choice for getting online. Check with wired providers if cable, DSL or even a local fiber company reaches your address. If you settle on satellite, compare contracts, monthly fees and speeds. Starlink doesn’t require a contract and has the potential for higher top speeds than its peers, but it also requires a $349 upfront equipment cost.

Internet breakdown by city in Massachusetts

It’s hard to cover the broadband options of an entire state and still give individual cities the attention they deserve. For that reason, CNET has also put together lists of the best internet providers in towns across the country, including some in Massachusetts. If you don’t see your city below, check back later. We’re working to add more coverage each week.

Cheap internet options in Massachusetts

Some of the cheapest home internet plans in the state come from cable companies Astound and Xfinity. They offer plans ranging between $30- $40 per-month. Astound has 300Mbps downloads (equipment included), while Xfinity has 400Mbps (modem included for first year). That’s about as cheap as you’ll find for wired broadband but be prepared for an unwelcome price hike down the line with either company. 

A trick for lowering your monthly internet cost is to bundle with an eligible phone plan from Verizon or T-Mobile. That can net you a substantial discount on your home internet bill. 

What’s the cheapest internet plan in Massachusetts?

Sursa: Analiza CNET a datelor furnizorilor.

How to find internet deals and promos in Massachusetts

The best internet deals and top promotions in Massachusetts depend on what discounts are available during a given period. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers. 

Massachusetts internet providers, such as Xfinity or Spectrum, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many providers, including Whip City Fiber and Starry, tend to run the same standard pricing year-round. 

Pentru o listă mai extinsă de promoții, consultați ghidul nostru despre cele mai bune oferte de internet. 

How fast is Massachusetts broadband?

Massachusetts clocked a median download speed of around 225Mbps in a recent Ookla speed test report. That was good enough for the Bay State to rank in 14th place in the US. Ookla logged Xfinity as the fastest provider in the state. Xfinity offers a top speed of 2,000Mbps (in some areas) and is the most widely available ISP. FCC data shows speeds of 250Mbps down and 25Mbps up are accessible to over 98% of homes in Massachusetts. Some rural households will still be dealing with DSL or satellite as options. A group of towns in the west have launched municipal fiber projects to bring gigabit speeds to their residents. If you’re looking for small-town life but still need fast internet, check into places like Rowe, Leverett or New Salem. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)

Fastest internet plans in Massachusetts

Sursa: Analiza CNET a datelor furnizorilor.

Care este o viteză bună de internet?

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, conform FCC. Note that these are only guidelines and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.

Pentru mai multe informații, consultați ghidul nostru despre de câtă viteză de internet ai nevoie cu adevărat.

• Vitezele de la 0 la 5 Mbps vă permit să abordați funcțiile de bază: navigarea pe internet, trimiterea și primirea de e-mailuri și redarea în flux video de calitate scăzută.
• 5 to 40Mbps gives you higher-quality video streaming and videoconferencing.
• 40 până la 100 Mbps ar trebui să ofere unui utilizator suficientă lățime de bandă pentru a satisface cerințele muncii la distanță moderne, streamingului video și jocurilor online. 
• 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming. 
• 500 până la 1.000 Mbps permite ca trei sau mai mulți utilizatori să se angajeze simultan în activități cu lățime de bandă mare.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Massachusetts

Furnizorii de servicii de internet sunt numeroși și regionali. Spre deosebire de cele mai recente smartphone, laptop, router sau ustensile de bucătărie, it’s impractical to personally test every internet service provider in a given city. What’s our approach? For starters, we tap into a proprietary pricing, availability and speed database that draws from our own historical ISP data, partner data and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov. 

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. 

Odată ce avem aceste informații localizate, ne punem trei întrebări principale: 

• Furnizorul oferă acces la viteze rezonabile de internet? 
• Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying? 
• Sunt clienții mulțumiți de serviciile lor? 

The answers to those questions are often layered and complex, but 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, although 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 şi Rapoarte FCC.

Pentru a explora procesul nostru mai în detaliu, vizitați cum testăm furnizorii de servicii de internet pagină.

What’s the final word on internet in Massachusetts?

The best Massachusetts ISP for your home will depend on where you live. Xfinity has the widest wired coverage, so chances are good it services your address. That means a variety of plans and affordable introductory rates, but you’ll probably need to budget for equipment rental and can expect the price to go up. Eastern Massachusetts residents should compare with Verizon Fios for fast upload speeds and straightforward plans. Check with cable provider Spectrum if you’re outside Xfinity and Fios territory.

Getting online in rural areas can be a little trickier. You may face less than satisfactory options like satellite internet or DSL. If you’re in a pinch, look at Starlink, which allows you to test-drive the service to see how well it works for you. Some small towns in Massachusetts offer fiber hookups, so do your research if you plan to move to a quiet spot away from the big cities. 

Internet providers in Massachusetts FAQs