What is the best internet provider in Illinois?

AT&T Fiber stands out as CNET’s top pick in Illinois thanks to its extensive fiber coverage, wide variety of plans, unlimited data and no extra charge for equipment. That’s an excellent deal. If you want something even more affordable, you might want to consider Mediacom’s $15-a-month plan offering 100Mbps speeds. Other options include Astound and Xfinity for a solid mix of affordability and fast speeds. Whether you prioritize price, speed or all-around reliability, the best internet provider for your household will depend on what’s available in your neighborhood. But if you’re weighing the top contenders, AT&T Fiber and Xfinity remain solid choices for most Illinois residents.

Sursa: Analiza CNET a datelor furnizorilor.

Other available internet providers in Illinois

• Brightspeed: After acquiring DSL networks from Lumen Technologies (CenturyLink), Brightspeed offers internet in the western Illinois areas of Galesburg, Dixon and Manito. DSL service starts at $50 a month for the fastest speeds available, up to 100Mbps.
• Frontieră: DSL internet is available throughout much of Illinois, but the low speeds are probably worth passing on if other cable, fiber or 5G options are available in your area. On the other hand, Frontier Fiber has the speeds, service terms and value to rival AT&T Fiber, but the service is only available in select areas.
• Mediacom: Cable internet service from Mediacom offers download speeds from 100 to 1,000Mbps, starting at $15 to $65 per month, depending on your speed and options. Most plans come with a data cap of up to 1TB.
• Rise Broadband: Fixed wireless internet is a great option for broadband in rural areas, but with max speeds of 25 to 50Mbps starting at $30 per month in most locations, Rise Broadband doesn’t have the same value as T-Mobile Home Internet. 
• Sparklight: Previously known as Cable One, Sparklight offers cable internet service in select parts of Illinois, including Taylorville, Hillsboro, Benton and Fairfield. Service is relatively cheap, from $42 to $60 a month for speeds ranging from 100 to 940Mbps.
• Spectru: The nation’s second-largest cable internet provider doesn’t have near the coverage of Xfinity in Illinois, but those in the Mt. Vernon and greater St. Louis areas may be eligible for service. Plans start at $30 to $70 monthly for max download speeds of 100 to 1,000Mbps and include unlimited data and a free modem.
• Internet 5G de acasă Verizon: Verizon’s wireless home internet service boasts faster max speeds than T-Mobile Home Internet, but availability is mostly limited to Chicago and the greater St. Louis area. Two plans — Home, starting at $50 per month for speeds of 50 to 300Mbps and Home Plus, $70 for 85 to 1,000Mbps — are available and come with equipment rental, unlimited data and no contact requirements. Qualifying Verizon mobile customers can get Home and Home Plus for $35 and $55 per month, respectively.
• Internet prin satelit: Wired and fixed wireless connections cover more than 99% of Illinois households, according to the FCC, so you shouldn’t have to rely on satellite internet. If, however, no other practical options are available, Hughesnet and Viasat are top choices for satellite internet, though Starlink may deliver faster speeds. 

Illinois internet options by city

It’s hard to cover the internet options of an entire state like Illinois while giving individual cities the in-depth attention they deserve. That’s why we’ve also put together lists of the best internet providers in cities across the US, including those in Illinois. If you don’t find your hometown below, check back later. We’re working to add more every day.

Cheap internet options in Illinois

Cable internet providers Xfinity, Astound, Sparklight and Mediacom have the cheapest internet plans in Illinois. Astound has the cheapest plan at $30 per month for speeds up to 300Mbps, Xfinity and Sparklight cheapest plans are decent deals too, offering speeds up to 400 and 300Mbps for $40 and $35 a month, respectively.

What’s the cheapest internet in Illinois?

Sursa: Analiza CNET a datelor furnizorilor.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Illinois

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

Illinois internet providers, such as Astound Broadband, may offer lower introductory pricing or special offers for a limited time. Others, including AT&T Fiber, Xfinity and Spectrum, run the same standard pricing year-round. 

For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the cele mai bune oferte de internet. 

How fast is Illinois broadband?

Ookla speed test data shows Illinois had a median download speed of 187Mbps, good for 39th place among all 50 states and Washington, D.C.. The speeds are lower than the national average of 267Mbps and neighboring states of Indiana (201Mbps), Kentucky (210Mbps), Missouri (208Mbps) and Wisconsin (201Mbps) but faster than Iowa (162Mbps). (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis)

Fiber internet is often the best source for fast speeds and has the advantage of symmetrical (or close) upload and download speeds. Cable internet can also pack plenty of download speed (Astound Broadband offers up to 1,500Mbps, for example) but upload speeds are typically much slower.

Fastest internet plans in Illinois

Sursa: Analiza CNET a datelor furnizorilor.

Care este o viteză bună de internet?

Majoritatea planurilor de conexiune la internet pot gestiona acum sarcini de bază de productivitate și comunicare. Dacă sunteți în căutarea unui plan de internet care să permită videoconferințe, streaming video sau jocuri, veți avea o experiență mai bună cu o conexiune mai robustă. Iată o prezentare generală a vitezelor minime de descărcare recomandate pentru diverse aplicații. conform FCCRețineți că acestea sunt doar instrucțiuni generale; viteza, serviciul și performanța internetului variază în funcție de tipul de conexiune, furnizor și adresă.

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 până la 40 Mbps vă oferă streaming video și videoconferințe de calitate superioară.
• 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. 
• Vitezele de 100 până la 500 Mbps permit unuia sau doi utilizatori să se angajeze simultan în activități cu lățime de bandă mare, cum ar fi videoconferințe, streaming și jocuri online. 
• 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 Illinois

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 ISP in a given city. 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.

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:

1. Furnizorul oferă acces la viteze rezonabile de internet?
2. Clienții primesc o valoare decentă pentru ceea ce plătesc?
3. Sunt clienții mulțumiți de serviciile lor?

Deși răspunsurile la aceste întrebări sunt adesea stratificate și complexe, furnizorii care se apropie cel mai mult de „da” la toate cele trei întrebări sunt cei pe care îi recomandăm. Atunci când selectăm cel mai ieftin serviciu de internet, căutăm planurile cu cea mai mică taxă lunară, deși luăm în considerare și aspecte precum creșterile de preț, taxele pentru echipamente și contractele. Alegerea celui mai rapid serviciu de internet este relativ simplă. Ne uităm la vitezele de încărcare și descărcare promovate și luăm în considerare date despre viteză din lumea reală din surse precum 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 providers in Illinois?

Xfinity has the best coverage of any non-satellite provider, the cheapest internet plan and the fastest internet speed tier in Illinois. The cheapest plan only offers speeds up to 100Mbps, and availability for Xfinity’s fastest plan (up to 10,000Mbps) requires access to the provider’s fiber network, which is limited in Illinois.

While there’s a good chance your Illinois address is serviceable for Xfinity, it’s worth considering other providers that may be available as well to ensure you’re getting the best speeds and value. 

If fiber internet is available from providers such as Frontier Fiber or AT&T Fiber (CNET’s pick for best ISP in Illinois overall), it’s likely to be a better value, even if it is slightly more expensive in the first year or two. Otherwise, look to cable providers such as Astound, Mediacom, Sparklight and Spectrum, or fixed wireless service from T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet for fast, reliable home internet in Illinois.

Internet providers in Illinois FAQs