What is the best internet provider in Ithaca?
The spectrum is CNET’s pick for the best Internet service provider in Ithaca, New Yorkthanks to high availability, fast speeds and direct pricing. Spectrum’s two plan options in Ithaca — 500 megabits per second and 1,000 Mbps — offer the best value of any ISP in the area and come with unlimited data and a free modem (router not included).
Verizon Fios is also a great value, offering free rental equipment, unlimited data and a long price guarantee with each of its plans, but availability is very limited in Ithaca. Verizon’s wireless home Internet service is more readily available and comes with many of the same benefits as Verizon Fios, but available speeds are less consistent.
If you’re looking for a high-speed Internet alternative or to purchase Internet in a rural area outside of Ithaca, T-Mobile Home Internet is likely your best choice. The service includes free hardware, unlimited data and no contracts, and your price is locked in for as long as you keep your service.
Spectrum, T-Mobile Home Internet, and both Verizon services start at $50 a month, but you’ll get more speed for the price with Spectrum, making it the best choice for cheap Internet. Spectrum also offers the fastest download speeds in Ithaca, up to 1,000 Mbps, though Verizon Fios is close behind with a 940 Mbps plan that comes with significantly faster upload speeds, up to 880 Mbps compared to Spectrum’s 35 Mbps.
Ithaca, New York, internet providers compared
| PROVIDER | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | contracts | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The spectrum Read the full review |
CABLES | 50-70 dollars | 500-1000Mbps | $10 (optional) | ANY | ANY | 7.2 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$55 with eligible cellular plans) | 87-415 Mbps | ANY | ANY | ANY | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read the full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 for eligible Verizon Wireless customers) | 50-1000Mbps | ANY | ANY | ANY | 7.2 |
| Verizon Fios Read the full review |
Fiber | $50-$90 ($25-$65 with eligible cellular plans) | 300-940 Mbps | ANY | ANY | ANY | 7.6 |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What is the cheapest internet plan in Ithaca?
| Plan | Initial price | Maximum download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| The spectrum of the Internet Read the full review |
50 dollars | 500 Mbps | $10 (optional) |
| Verizon Fios 300 Read the full review |
50 dollars | 300 Mbps | ANY |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read the full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible cellular plans) | 300 Mbps | ANY |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible cellular plans) | 318 Mbps | ANY |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find deals and promotions online in Ithaca
The best internet deals and top promotions in Ithaca depend on what discounts are available during a certain time. Most deals are short-lived, but we often look for the latest deals.
Ithaca Internet providers, such as Verizon Fios, may offer lower introductory prices or promotional gifts for a limited time. However, many of them, including Spectrum and T-Mobile Home Internet, have the same standard prices year-round.
For a more extensive list of promotions, check out our guide to the best internet deals.
Fastest internet plans in Ithaca
| Plan | 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 |
| Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet Read the full review |
$70 ($45 with eligible cellular plans) | 1000 Mbps | 75 Mbps | ANY | Fixed wireless |
| Verizon Fios 1 Gig Read the full review |
$90 ($65 with eligible cellular plans) | 940 Mbps | 880 Mbps | ANY | Fiber |
| The spectrum of the Internet Read the full review |
50 dollars | 500 Mbps | 20 Mbps | ANY | CABLES |
| Verizon Fios 500 Read the full review |
70 dollars | 500 Mbps | 500 Mbps | ANY | Fiber |
| T-Mobile Home Internet All-In Read the full review |
$70 ($45 with eligible cellular plans) | 415 Mbps | 55 Mbps | ANY | Fixed wireless |
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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 Ithaca
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 for?
- 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. (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.
Ithaca, New York Internet Providers FAQ
What is the best internet service provider in Ithaca?
Spectrum is the best Internet service provider in Ithaca, mainly because of its high-speed availability throughout the area, but also because of its competitive prices with fast speeds and simple terms of service. Spectrum speeds range from 500 to 1,000 Mbps in Ithaca, and both plans come with free modem rental, unlimited data, and no contract requirements.
Is fiber internet available in Ithaca?
Fiber availability is limited to about 20% of the city, or roughly 1,000 Ithaca households, according to the most recent FCC data. The service is largest in southeast Ithaca, in the neighborhoods along Six Mile Creek and south of Cornell University. Verizon Fios is the leading fiber internet provider in Ithaca.
What is the cheapest internet provider in Ithaca?
Ithaca’s top internet providers all have a monthly starting price of $50. Spectrum offers the fastest speeds for the price, up to 500 Mbps, but renting a router will add $10 to the monthly cost. While Verizon 5G Home Internet and T-Mobile Home Internet have slower maximum speeds than Spectrum, both offer a cellular discount that can bring the cost down to $35 per month. Additionally, there are no device fees, and both providers have a longer price guarantee than Spectrum — T-Mobile’s monthly fee is locked in for as long as you keep your service.
Which internet provider in Ithaca offers the fastest plan?
Spectrum has the fastest speed tier in Ithaca, offering maximum download speeds of 1000 Mbps. Verizon 5G Home Internet also advertises maximum download speeds of 1,000 Mbps, but that’s the high end of a range that can be anywhere between 50 and 1,000 Mbps.
Verizon Fios offers a 940 Mbps plan in Ithaca. Although slightly slower than Spectrum’s fastest plan in terms of maximum download speeds, the 940 Mbps plan from Verizon Fios comes with maximum upload speeds of 880 Mbps, much faster than the 35 Mbps maximum you’d get with Spectrum.
