What is the best Internet provider for Ithaca?
spectrum CNET is the best internet service provider in Ithaca, New Yorkdue to its high availability, fast speed and direct pricing. Spectrum’s three planning options at ITHACA – 100 megabits per second, 500Mbps and 1,000Mbps – provide some of the best value in the region and offers unlimited data and a free modem (without routers).
Verizon Fios is also an excellent choice, offering free equipment rentals, unlimited data and a lengthy price guarantee for each plan, but the availability of Ithaca is limited. Verizon’s wireless home internet service is more widely available and comes with the same privileges as Verizon Fios, but with less consistency in available speeds.
If you are looking for a high-speed internet alternative or buying internet in rural areas outside Ithaca, then T-Mobile Home Internet may be the best choice for you. Services include free equipment, unlimited data and no contracts, and your price will be locked as long as you keep the service.
Both services from Spectrum, T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon have a $50 monthly plan (including automatic paid discounts), but you’ll get a higher price with Spectrum, which makes it a better choice for cheap internet. Spectrum also offers the fastest download speeds, up to 1,000Mbps, although Verizon Fios’ 940Mbps plan is close, which uploads significantly faster, up to 880Mbps, while Spectrum’s 35Mbps is 880Mbps.
Ithaca, New York, Internet provider comparison
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment cost | Data cap | contract | CNET Comment Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| spectrum Read the full review |
cable | $30-$70 | 100-1,000Mbps | $10 (optional) | Nothing | Nothing | 7.2 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$55 with qualified mobile plans) | 87-415Mbps | Nothing | Nothing | Nothing | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G home internet Read the full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$55 for qualified Verizon Wireless customers) | 50-1,000Mbps | Nothing | Nothing | Nothing | 7.2 |
| Verizon Fios Read the full review |
fiber | $50-$90 ($35-$75 with qualified mobile plans) | 300-940mbops | Nothing | Nothing | Nothing | 7.6 |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What is the cheapest internet plan in Ithaca?
| plan | Starting price | Maximum download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advantages of spectrum Internet Read the full review |
$30 | 100Mbps | $10 (optional) |
| Spectrum Internet Premier Read the full review |
$50 | 500Mbps | $10 (optional) |
| Verizon Fios 300 Read the full review |
$50 | 300Mbps | Nothing |
| Verizon 5G home internet Read the full review |
$50 ($35 for eligible mobile plans) | 300Mbps | Nothing |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review |
$50 ($35 for eligible mobile plans) | 318Mbps | Nothing |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Ithaca
The best internet deals and top promotions in Ithaca depend on the discount available in a given time. Most transactions are short-lived, but we often look for the latest quotes.
Ithaca internet providers such as Verizon Fios may offer lower introductory pricing or promotional giveaways for a limited time. However, many people, including Spectrum and T-Mobile Home Internet, run the same standard pricing throughout the year.
For a wider list of promotions, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
Ithaca’s fastest internet plan
| plan | Starting price | Maximum download speed | Maximum upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spectrum Internet Performance Read the full review |
$70 | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | Nothing | cable |
| Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet Read the full review |
$70 ($55 with qualified mobile plan) | 1,000Mbps | 75Mbps | Nothing | Fixed wireless |
| Verizon Fios 1 show Read the full review |
$90 ($75 for qualified mobile plans) | 940Mbps | 880Mbps | Nothing | fiber |
| Spectrum Internet Premier Read the full review |
$50 | 500Mbps | 20mbps | Nothing | cable |
| Verizon Fios 500 Read the full review |
$70 | 500Mbps | 500Mbps | Nothing | fiber |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review |
$70 ($45 for qualified mobile plans) | 415Mbps | 55Mbps | Nothing | Fixed wireless |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What is good internet speed?
Most Internet connectivity programs can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you are looking for an internet plan that can accommodate video conferencing, streaming videos or games, you will get better experience and have a stronger connection. According to the FCC, this is an overview of the minimum download speeds recommended for various applications. Note that these are just guides – Internet speed, services and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.
For more information, see our guide on how much internet speed you really need.
- 0 to 5Mbps allows you to solve the basics – browse the internet, send and receive emails, and stream low-quality video.
- 5 to 40Mbps provides you with higher quality video streaming and video conferencing.
- 40 to 100Mbps should provide a user with enough bandwidth to meet the needs of modern remote office, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one to perform high bandwidth activities for two users simultaneously, such as video conferencing, streaming and online gaming.
- 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high bandwidth activities simultaneously.
How to choose the best internet provider in Ithaca
There are numerous and regional Internet service providers. Unlike the latest smartphones, laptops, routers, or kitchen tools, it is impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. So what is our method? We begin by looking at pricing, availability and speed information, leveraging our own historical ISP data, provider sites, and information from the FCC.Gov FCC.
But that’s not over. We visit the FCC’s website to check our data and make sure we consider all ISPs that provide services in a certain area. We also enter a local address on the provider’s website to find specific options for residents. We look at resources including the U.S. Customer Satisfaction Index and JD Power to evaluate how satisfied ISP services have with customers. ISP plans and prices change frequently; all information provided is accurate as of publication.
Once this local information is obtained, we ask three main questions:
- Can providers access reasonable and fast internet speeds?
- Do customers get decent value for the money they pay?
- Are customers satisfied with their service?
Although the answers to these questions are often layered and complex, the three we recommend are closest to the provider of “yes”. When choosing the cheapest internet service, we look for the lowest monthly plan, although we also consider issues such as price increase, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively simple. We view upload and download speeds on ads and consider actual speed data from sources such as Ookla and FCC reports. (Ookla is owned by CNET and Ziff Davis, the same parent company.)
To explore our process more deeply, visit our test ISP page.
Internet provider in Ithaca, New York, FAQ
What is the best Internet service provider for Ithaca?
Spectrum is Ithaca’s best internet service provider, largely due to its high-speed availability throughout the region, but also because of its competitive prices on fast speeds and simple terms of service. Ithaca’s spectrum speed is between 100 and 1,000Mbps. All plans come with free modem rental, unlimited data and no contract requirements.
Does Ithaca have fiber internet?
According to the latest FCC data, fiber availability is limited to about 22% of the city, with about 3,500 Ithaca households. In southeast Ithaca, the highest serviceability in the communities in Six Mile Creek and South Cornell University. Verizon Fios is Ithaca’s leading fiber internet provider.
What is the cheapest internet provider in Ithaca?
The cheapest internet provider in Ithaca is Spectrum, which starts at 100Mbps download speeds per month at $30 per month. From then on, the monthly price for Ithaca Internet providers starts at $50. Even among them, Spectrum offers the fastest price, up to 500Mbps, but the monthly fee for renting a router will increase by $10.
It is worth noting that while Verizon 5G home internet and T-Mobile Home Internet have a slower top speed than Spectrum, both offer mobile discounts that can reduce costs to $35 per month. Additionally, there is no equipment fee, and both providers are guaranteed to be longer than Spectrum-T-Mobile’s monthly fee can be locked as long as you keep the service.
Which internet provider in Ithaca offers the fastest plan?
Spectrum has the fastest speed layer in Ithaca, providing maximum download speeds of 1,000Mbps. Verizon 5G home internet also advertises a maximum download speed of 1,000Mbps, but it’s a high-end range that could be between 50 and 1,000Mbps.
Verizon Fios offers a 940Mbps plan in Ithaca. While slightly slower than Spectrum’s fastest plan for maximum download speeds, Verizon Fios’ 940Mbps plan has a maximum upload speed of 880Mbps, which is much faster than the 35Mbps maximum you get with Spectrum.
