What is the best internet provider in Watertown?
Watertown isn’t the most well-equipped city when it comes to internet options, but you can still get consistent speeds at reasonable prices. CNET’s top pick for the best Internet provider in Watertown is Spectrumwith two plans featuring unlimited data, no contracts and wide availability. In fact, according to the most recent data from the Federal Communications Commission, Spectrum offers the widest coverage, reaching about 94% of households.
For those looking to save, Spectrum’s new $30-a-month plan offers 100Mbps download speeds, though prices typically increase after two years. To avoid a price hike, Verizon and T-Mobile have plans between $50 and $60 per month, with even lower rates for eligible mobile customers. Finding fast internet options in Watertown can be tricky since Spectrum is the only provider in the area that offers speeds up to a gig.
Watertown Internet Providers Compared
| PROVIDER | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | contracts | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hughesnet Read the full review |
SATELLITE | $50-$95 ($75-$120 after 12 months) | 50-100Mbps | $15-$20 or $300-$450 one-time fee | 100-200 GB | 2 years | 6 |
| The spectrum Read the full review |
CABLES | 50-70 dollars | 100-1000Mbps | No modem; $10 router rental (optional) | ANY | ANY | 7.2 |
| Starlink Read the full review |
SATELLITE | 120 dollars | 25-220 Mbps | $499 one time purchase | Unlimited | ANY | 6.5 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$55 for eligible Go5G Plus and Magenta Max mobile customers) | 87-415 Mbps | ANY | ANY | ANY | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read the full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 with qualifying Verizon 5G cellular plans) | 50-300 Mbps | ANY | ANY | ANY | 7.2 |
| Vias Read the full review |
SATELLITE | 100 dollars | 25-150 Mbps | $15 or $250 one time fee | 850 GB | ANY | 6.1 |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What is the cheapest internet plan in Watertown?
| PROVIDER | Initial price | Maximum download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internet spectrum advantage Read the full review |
30 dollars | 100 Mbps | No modem; $10 router rental (optional) |
| Spectrum Internet Premier Read the full review |
50 dollars | 500 Mbps | No modem; $10 router rental (optional) |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read the full review |
$50 ($35 with qualifying Verizon 5G cellular plans) | 300 Mbps | ANY |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible cellular plans) | 415 Mbps | ANY |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Downtown Watertown is in Jefferson County, New York.
How to find deals and promotions online in Watertown
The best online deals and top promotions in Watertown depend on what discounts are available during a certain time. Most deals are short-lived, but we often look for the latest deals.
Watertown Internet providers, such as Spectrum and Verizon, may offer lower introductory prices or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, like T-Mobile, however, have the same standard price year-round.
For a more extensive list of promotions, check out our guide to the best internet deals.
Fastest Internet Plans in Watertown
| PROVIDER | Initial price | Maximum download speed | Maximum upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spectrum Internet Concert Read the full review |
70 dollars | 1000 Mbps | 35 Mbps | ANY | CABLES |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What is a good internet speed?
Most internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you’re looking for an Internet plan that can accommodate video conferencing, video streaming, or gaming, you’ll have a better experience with a stronger connection. Here is a summary of the minimum recommended download speeds for various applications, according to the FCC. Note that these are guidelines only — and that Internet speed, service, and performance vary by connection type, provider, and address.
For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need.
- 0 to 5 Mbps lets you get by with the basics — surfing the web, sending and receiving email, streaming low-quality video.
- 5 to 40 Mbps gives you the highest quality video streaming and video conferencing.
- 40 to 100 Mbps should give a user enough bandwidth to meet the demands of modern telecommunications, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500 Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities such as video conferencing, streaming, and online gaming.
- 500 to 1000 Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.
How CNET picked the best Internet providers in Watertown
Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router, or kitchen appliance, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. So what is our approach? We start by researching price, availability, and speed information based on our historical ISP data, provider sites, and map information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.
But it doesn’t end there. We go to the FCC website to check our records and make sure we account for every ISP that provides service in an area. We also enter local addresses into provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look to sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and JD Power, to gauge how satisfied customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent change; all information provided is correct as of publication.
Once we have this localized information, we ask three key questions:
- Does the provider provide access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
- Are customers getting good value for what they are paying?
- Are customers satisfied with their service?
While the answer to these questions is often layered and complex, the providers that come closest to saying “yes” to all three are the ones we recommend. When choosing the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, although we also take into account things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively simple. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)
To explore our process in more depth, visit our page on how we test ISPs.
Watertown Internet Providers FAQ
What is the best internet service provider in Watertown?
Spectrum has the widest cable coverage of any internet provider in the area. According to recent data from the FCC, over 94% of households have access to Spectrum services. Customers can choose between two speed tiers, either the 500 Mbps plan or the top-tier 1000 Mbps plan.
Is fiber internet available in Watertown?
Fiber connections are currently very limited in Watertown. According to the latest data from the FCC, only 0.02% of unit coverage has fiber Internet access versus 93.86% for cable and 43.86% for fixed wireless.
What is the cheapest internet provider in Watertown?
Spectrum features the cheapest plan in the area with a $30 per month plan for 100 Mbps download speeds. However, this price will increase after the end of the promotion period. If you are planning to rent equipment, this is an additional $10 per month. Another option is that qualified mobile customers can get discounts with Verizon and T-Mobile home internet services.
Which internet provider in Watertown offers the fastest plan?
Spectrum is the only provider in the area with download speeds of 1000 Mbps. Fixed wireless providers like Verizon and T-Mobile can’t match those gigabit speeds, but they can be a good alternative to inconsistent speeds from satellite connections.
