Our Top Picks for the Best Internet Providers in Philadelphia, PA.
If you’ve recently moved to Philadelphia or just considering changing your current internet provider, you’ll probably ask yourself, “what kind of internet services are available to me here?” Well, it mostly depends on what part of Philadelphia you live in, but you could have a choice of two or more internet providers. Most residents in the city have access to fiber-optic internet or cable services. Also, DSL is another internet option in most areas of the city, but it will always be a less practical option since it’s not very cost-efficient.
Download Speed
Upto 250Mbps
Bandwidth
Unlimited
Upload Speed
–
Connection
Cable
The company delivers internet services via the cable television lines that are already installed in your home.
Monthly Cost
Upto $24.99/mo
Subscriptions
Monthly, Yearly
Trial Period
–
Customer Support
24/7 support
Line2 started out as a software app that allowed users to access multiple lines on their cell phones.
Monthly Cost
Upto $95.00/mo
Subscriptions
Monthly
Trial Period
–
Customer Support
24/7 support
Dialpad VoIP is a robust communications system with various features suitable for rapidly-growing businesses.
Download Speed
Upto 1000Mbps
Bandwidth
Upto 6000GB
Upload Speed
Upto 50Mbps
Connection
Cable
Mediacom has 5 different internet plans that various speeds so you can customize your internet service to your budget and speed requirements.
Monthly Cost
Upto $29.99/mo
Subscriptions
Monthly
Trial Period
6 months
Customer Support
24/7 support
Vonage is a company that offers solutions for businesses and their cloud communications. They offer services that are based on Voice Over Internet Protocol. They offer 3 different levels of phone service for businesses. These are available to companies no matter the size, with 1 or over 1,000 employees.
Download Speed
Upto 200Mbps
Bandwidth
Unlimited
Upload Speed
Upto 200Mbps
Connection
Fiber
Starry is an internet service provider that offers up to 200mbps, unlimited data, Wi-Fi router, expert installation, and all with no long-term contracts. They have no hidden fees, and you can pause or cancel your service at any time.
Download Speed
Upto 50Mbps
Bandwidth
Upto Unlimited
Upload Speed
–
Connection
Wireless
Rise Broadband helps keep people connected whether they live in rural or suburban areas. They provide high speed internet services and digital phone services in 16 states.
Download Speed
Upto 100Mbps
Bandwidth
Upto Unlimited
Upload Speed
Upto 10Mbps
Connection
Fiber
MCTV offers both residential and commercial broadband services.
Download Speed
Upto 1 Gbps
Bandwidth
Upto Unlimited
Upload Speed
Upto 20Mbps
Connection
Cable
Bend Broadband is a high-speed Internet provider for the area of Central Oregon. They offer reliable services in home mesh Wi-Fi with fast speeds. These plans always include every day, all day access to technical support. They even offer a 30-day money back guarantee.
Download Speed
Upto 500Mbps
Bandwidth
Upto Unlimited
Upload Speed
Upto 20Mbps
Connection
Cable
The Armstrong Group is a company that offers a wide variety of services. It is a very diverse family owned and operated business with beginnings in a construction business in Armstrong County Pennsylvania.
Download Speed
50 – 1000Mbps
Bandwidth
1280GB
Upload Speed
Upto 1000Mbps
Connection
VDSL, Fibre
Sonic operates in a limited geographical area. Though rankings vary, it is generally within the 10 largest cable and 25 largest fiber internet provider in the country, Sonic has been successful in providing a credible and reliable service in a competitive market.
Download Speed
25 – 940Mbps
Bandwidth
1280GB
Upload Speed
3 – 35Mbps
Connection
DSL, Fibre
Cox Communications is an Atlanta-based communication services provider. It offers home internet in the United States. Other products include TV, phone, and home security services.
Internet Providers in Philadelphia, PA
When scouting around for the best internet plans available in Philadelphia, PA, you’ll have the option of getting a long-term contract or a month-to-month contract. Long-term contracts do tend to work out cheaper than monthly plans since you’ll factor in the costs over and above the monthly charges you pay. These costs will include the Wi-Fi service fees, equipment rental, and the fees for possible data overages.
Compare Costs and Speeds When Picking the Right Provider
Weigh your options carefully before making the final choice. Aside from the costs, you’ll also compare the maximum speeds you can expect. Philadelphia has both cable and fiber optic internet services, and DSL is also available in selected areas. Here are the available companies you can consider.
- Xfinity by Comcast – Considering that Comcast global headquarters are located in Philly, the company has a robust network in the city, providing access to most residents.
- Verizon – With fast upload and download speeds, Verizon is comparable to Xfinity in popularity and performance. Verizon fiber-optic network serves most areas in Philly and offers speeds of up to 940 Mbps.
- EarthLink – Offering different kinds of services
Aside from these top providers, Philadelphia has various smaller companies offering internet services in limited locations. Hotwire Communications, North Coast Wireless Communications, Mechcom Dot Net, and TOAST.net have some great deals and discounts you can avail of. Check around your area for their availability. If you’re interested in satellite internet, Viasat and HughesNet are good options, though they are not exactly fast or cost-effective and thus, not really popular.
Choose the Best Service According to Your Requirements
Affordability
If you’ve been looking for affordable plans, take your pick from RCN 100Mbps that will cost you $32 per month for speeds of 300Mbps. If you can make do with slower 100Mbps plans, you could try getting Xfinity Performance Internet for $29.99 per month. Additional plans range from $39.99 to a maximum of $89.99, depending on the features. Users looking for a balance between cost and speed could consider getting the Verizon Fios 200/200 for $39.99 and get speeds of 200Mbps.
Speeds
Professionals, businesses relying on high-speed internet, and gaming enthusiasts can check out options like Xfinity offering speeds of up to 1000Mbps. The second service provider with 940Mbps is Verizon while the third-fastest internet is EarthLink with 25Mbps speeds. Satellite internet provider Viasat also offers 25Mbps speeds. Do keep in mind that speeds can vary according to the particular location where you live, so you’ll choose the company accordingly.
Performance
Let’s talk about performance. Given a choice between Verizon Fios and Xfinity, you could consider Verizon that has faster uploads of up to 880 Mbps thanks to its fiber-optic network which is more efficient than Xfinity’s 35Mbps cable network. Uploading videos to social media sites, gaming, and relaying large files can be easily done with Verizon. However, if you intend to do more downloading like streaming videos and movies and surfing the web, Xfinity should be your choice.
Cheap internet plans in Philadelphia, PA
The DSL internet option is the cheapest service you can get most of the time. However, in Philly, you’ll be able to get affordable internet just as likely from fiber-optic and cable providers. That’s why it’s not very cost-efficient to use the DSL internet service. Actually, all of the three internet provider giants in Philadelphia offer cheap internet services. RCN, Xfinity, and Verizon Fios will all offer quite reasonable prices on their internet plans that start below $50/mo. You’ll find these offers in most areas in the city.
- RCN 100 Mbps Internet – $32.00 per month for 300 Mbps
- Xfinity Performance Internet – $29.99 per month for 100 Mbps
- Verizon Fios Internet 200/200 – $39.99 per month for 200 Mbps
Download Speed
Upto 940 Mbps
Bandwidth
Unlimited
Upload Speed
10 – 100 mbps
Connection
Cable, Fibre
RCN has no contracts, no data caps, free no-contact installation, two-hour service windows, and year-round, US-based, 24/7 customer support.
Download Speed
50 Mbps – 2000 Mbps
Bundles
Internet, TV, Phone, Home Security
Bandwidth
Unlimited
Connection
Cable, Fibre
Xfinity Internet Plans offer enough variety for everyone to find one that is suitable. They start at $19.99 per month and go all the way to $299 per month. Plan pricing could vary by location. Xfinity is a full-service provider and can be trusted to get the job done.
It’s no surprise that Xfinity has built a powerful network in the city since Comcast that owns Xfinity have their global headquarters located in Philadelphia. There’s a small number of Philly residents that can’t get Xfinity internet.
Verizon is also the competition in the city as their fiber-optic network covers most areas within Philadelphia. You can get up to 940 Mbps speed with their internet.
There are also some smaller internet providers within the city besides Verizon and Xfinity. They can provide broadband internet service in various Philly neighborhoods, with some of those local internet providers are North Coast Wireless Communications, TOAST.net, Mechcom Dot Net. Smaller internet provides will usually provide better customer service, and there’s definitely a chance you will get a better deal from them, so be sure to check them out as well.
You’ll also find satellite internet provides like Viasat and HughesNet available in the city. However, we don’t recommend it for people within the town as other options are much better. Satellite internet is more expensive and slower than cable, fiber, or DSL internet.
Top-rated internet provides in Philadelphia
The choice will come down to Verizon or Xfinity most of the time if you live in Philly. Both of them are available to almost all residents, and they have a pretty high rank in customer satisfaction.
Fastest internet services in Philadelphia
Download Speed
50 Mbps – 2000 Mbps
Bundles
Internet, TV, Phone, Home Security
Bandwidth
Unlimited
Connection
Cable, Fibre
Xfinity Internet Plans offer enough variety for everyone to find one that is suitable. They start at $19.99 per month and go all the way to $299 per month. Plan pricing could vary by location. Xfinity is a full-service provider and can be trusted to get the job done.
Download Speed
Upto 1 Gbps
Bandwidth
Unlimited
Upload Speed
–
Connection
DSL,VDSL, Fibre
EarthLink offers a wide array of business solutions tailored to your needs including search directory listings, website development, branding, and security.
Download Speed
Upto 940 Mbps
Bundles
Internet, TV, or Phone
Bandwidth
Unlimited
Connection
Satellite
Viasat offers internet solutions for both consumers and government agencies. Consumers also can purchase home phone service from Viasat, as well as TV service via a partnership with DirecTV.
- Xfinity offers internet at speeds up to 1000 Mbps
- Verizon offers internet at speeds up to 940 Mbps
- EarthLink offers internet at speeds up to 25 Mbps
- Viasat offers internet at speeds up to 25 Mbps
There’s no doubt that you’ll get the fastest internet speed by using Verizon or Xfinity internet services. However, the actual rate is pretty dependent on the neighborhood you live in, so always ask people within your area about their experiences, so you know the right choice for you.
Frequently asked questions
Verizon and Xfinity will cover most areas in the city and will usually provide the fastest internet. Verizon Fios offers 100 Mbps – 940 Mbps internet speed, while Xfinity by Comcast offers 60 Mbps – 1,000 Mbps internet speed.
The rental fee for Xfinity’s modem is $13 per month.
They offer their internet in 90% of the areas in the city, while plans start at $39.99 and may go up to $89.99 per month.