Orlando may be known as a sunny vacation city, but this big theme park capital has plenty of residents. If you’re looking for the best internet providers in the area, we’ve got a list for you. As with any part of the country, the best internet provider for anyone will depend on what’s available in your area. Read on to learn more about how providers differ, from plan prices and speeds to equipment costs, data caps, and other details.
What is the best internet provider in Orlando?
Spectrum is the best overall internet service provider for most homes in Orlando Because it is widespread. Xfinity, another cable giant, offers a variety of plans and speed tiers throughout the area, and a significant portion of the city is wired for fiber optic internet from providers like AT&T and Quantum Fiber. Additionally, Verizon and T-Mobile offer cellular home internet service over 5G signals in Orlando, and coverage is expanding.
Best Internet in Orlando Florida 2024
Orlando Internet Provider Comparison
| Provider | Internet Technology | Monthly fee range | Speed range | Monthly equipment fee | Data cap | contract | CNET Review Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Fiber Read the full review |
fiber | $55 to $245 | 300-5,000Mbps | none | none | none | 7.4 |
| AT&T Internet Air Read the full review |
Fixed Wireless | $55 | 75-225Mbps | none | none | none | 7.4 |
| CenturyLink Read the full review |
DS-L1000 | $55 | 10-100Mbps | $15 modem | none | none | 6.7 |
| spectrum Read the full review |
cable | $50-80 | 300 to 1,000 Mbps | Modem is free, router is $7 (optional) | none | none | 7.2 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review |
Fixed Wireless | $50-70 ($40-50 for eligible mobile customers) | 72-245Mbps | none | none | none | 7.4 |
| Quantum Fiber | fiber | $50-75 | 500-940Mbps | none | none | none | 6.7 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read the full review |
Fixed Wireless | $50-70 ($35-45 with eligible Verizon 5G mobile plans) | 50-250Mbps (varies by location) | none | none | none | 7.2 |
| Xfinity Read the full review |
cable | $30-95 (varies by location) | 150-1,200Mbps | Some plans include $15-25 | 1.2TB on some plans | 1-2 years for some plans | 7 |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Other Internet Providers Available in Orlando
- CenturyLink: CenturyLink’s DSL Internet service is available in most areas north, west, and south of the Orlando area, but there’s little service available within the city. Service costs $55 per month with no data caps or preset increases, which is pretty competitive by home Internet standards. Speeds vary by address, but won’t exceed double digits in most areas of the service area. If you don’t have your own equipment, you’ll have to pay $15 per month to rent a gateway device that gets your home online.
- Quantum Fiber: CenturyLink’s DSL plans are pretty mediocre for home internet, with speeds that usually don’t exceed double digits, but where things get interesting is that CenturyLink’s parent company, Lumen Technologies, also offers fiber optic internet service in the Orlando area. Branded Quantum Fiber, the service offers 500Mbps upload and download speeds for $50 per month, including equipment rental. Faster Gigabit plans with download speeds of 940Mbps are also available in select locations for $75 per month. These plans have no data caps and no scheduled price increases after one year, making them a great option if they’re available where you’re located.
- Satellite Internet: Satellite internet from Hughesnet or Viasat is available almost anywhere. But don’t expect high speeds or low latency, given that your traffic has to travel to space and back, and don’t expect it to be worth it. Satellite internet often comes with high equipment costs and strict data caps. Some providers even come with long-term service contracts. Another option is Starlink, SpaceX and Elon Musk’s satellite internet service. It doesn’t have the flexible data caps of Hughesnet or Viasat plans, and speeds are probably a bit faster than those competitors. The $299 initial equipment cost and $120 monthly fee are hard to swallow.
- Verizon 5G Home Internet: Verizon is focusing on 5G in their service, which means the range of speeds available at your address will be significantly wider than the range of speeds available with T-Mobile. It also means fewer addresses will have adequate signal strength to get service. If you’re planning on using 5G, it’s worth checking whether it’s available at your address, given the potential for faster Verizon speeds. This is especially true for existing Verizon mobile subscribers, who may be able to sign up for home internet service for $35-45.
Cheap Internet Options in Orlando
In most cases, home internet in Orlando starts at around $50 per month, but some residents in Xfinity’s territory can sign up for internet service for just $20 per month, the most affordable starting price in the city. Below is a comparison of the most affordable plans from all the major providers.
What is the cheapest plan in Orlando?
| Provider | Monthly fee start | Maximum Download Speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xfinity Connect Read the full review |
$30 | 150Mbps | Gateway Rental $15 (optional) |
| Xfinity Connect Details Read the full review |
$35 | 300Mbps | Gateway rental fee: $15 (includes 24 months) |
| Spectrum Internet 300 Read the full review |
$50 | 300Mbps | Modem is free, router is $7 (optional) |
| Quantum Fiber 500 | $50 | 500Mbps | none |
| Spectrum Internet 500 Read the full review |
$50 | 500Mbps | Modem is free, router is $7 (optional) |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read the full review |
$50 ($35 with qualifying mobile plan) | 300Mbps | none |
| AT&T Fiber 300 Read the full review |
$55 | 300Mbps | none |
| AT&T Internet Air Read the full review |
$55 | 75Mbps | none |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review |
$50 ($40 with qualifying mobile plan) | 245Mbps | none |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What are the broadband speeds in Orlando?
Among U.S. metropolitan areas, the Orlando area ranks 59th for median internet speed, with an average household download speed of 227 Mbps. According to speed test site Ookla:This is just an average. How fast would it go in an ideal scenario?
It’s actually pretty fast. Several providers in the Orlando area claim to offer multi-gigabit speeds at certain addresses with the right fiber optic wiring. It’s not widespread yet, but here’s how the speeds compare to the fastest plans from all the top providers in the area:
Fastest Internet Plans in Orlando
| Provider | Monthly fee start | Maximum Download Speed | Maximum Upload Speed | Data cap | Connection Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Fiber 5000 Read the full review |
$245 | 5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | none | fiber |
| AT&T Fiber 2000 Read the full review |
$145 | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | none | fiber |
| Xfinity Gigabit Extra Read the full review |
$95 | 1,200Mbps | 35Mbps | 1.2TB | cable |
| Xfinity Gigabit Read the full review |
$60 | 1,000Mbps | 20Mbps | 1.2TB | cable |
| Spectrum Internet Gig Read the full review |
$80 | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | none | cable |
| Quantum Fiber | $75 | 940Mbps | 940Mbps | none | fiber |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How CNET chose the best internet provider in Orlando
Internet service providers are numerous and vary by region. Unlike the latest smartphones, laptops, routers, and kitchen tools, it’s not feasible to personally test every ISP in a given city. Our approach? First, we research pricing, availability, and speed information using our own historical ISP data, provider sites, and Federal Communications Commission mapping information. Federal Communications Commission.
Don’t stop there. Visit the FCC website to review the data and consider all ISPs that offer service in your area. Also, enter your local address into provider websites to find specific options for your residents. Check sources such as the American Customer Satisfaction Index or JD Power to rate how satisfied customers are with the ISP’s service. ISP plans and pricing may change frequently. All information provided is accurate at the time of publication.
Once you have the localized information, there are three main questions to ask:
- Does your provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
- Are your customers getting value for what they pay?
- Are your customers satisfied with your service?
The answers to these questions are often complicated and complex, but the provider that comes closest to a “yes” to all three questions is the one we recommend. When choosing the cheapest Internet service, look for the plan with the lowest monthly price, but also consider factors such as price escalation, equipment fees, and contracts. Choosing the fastest Internet service is relatively simple: look at the advertised upload and download speeds and consider actual speed data from sources such as: Okura and FCC Report.
To learn more about our process, check out our “How We Test ISPs” page.
Orlando Internet Provider FAQs
What are the home internet speeds in Orlando?
Does Orlando have Google Fiber?
Is fiber optic internet better than cable internet?
Fiber optic internet is significantly faster than cable internet, especially in terms of upload speeds, and is less likely to slow down during peak network usage. Fiber optic internet plans are usually priced similarly to cable internet plans, so they tend to offer great value for money when it comes to high-speed internet.
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