Best Internet Service Provider
In simple words, high-speed internet can be defined as a generic term that is used to describe an internet connection that is faster than the traditional dial-up internet. Internet service providers often call high-speed internet as broadband internet. In fact, different types of high-speed internet connectivity options are available to customers in the United States of America, and fiber, cable, and DSL are the most popular internet connectivity options that you will come across when you are shopping for broadband internet.
DSL (Digital Subscriber Line)
Most of the DSL internet service providers in the country use the local phone in your home or office to bring high-speed internet. DSL internet connection uses different frequencies for both internet and phone, which means that customers will be able to use both of these services without any interruptions or delays.
The maximum download speed offered by the leading DSL internet providers is less than 10 Mbps. However, this internet speed is sufficient for browsing emails and accessing social media platforms, which means that DSL internet connection is the ideal choice for beginners. Yet if you are a person who loves to stream HD video contents without any delays or interruptions, you will surely need access to an internet connection that delivers at least 20 Mbps speed. So, customers who belong to that category should find the fastest internet provider in the area.
Cable Internet
Cable internet providers incorporate the use of cable wires to deliver high-speed internet to the customers’ homes. The use of cable wires instead of traditional telephone wires has enabled them to offer higher speed when compared to the speed of cable internet service.
Customers who have access to the basic plan of cable internet are able to enjoy an internet speed of 100 Mbps. This means that cable is one of the ideal choices available to heavy internet users. Another significant thing you should note is that cable internet service is far more reliable than DSL internet service. Further, a recent report published by the Federal Communications Commission indicated that most of the cable internet providers in the US deliver advertised or faster internet speeds to their users. Yet the major downfall of cable internet service is that it comes with a higher price tag.
Fiber Optic Internet Service
If you wish to gain access to a faster internet service that guarantees internet speed above 200 Mbps, then it is best to choose fiber optic internet service. The fastest internet provider in your area will be most probably offering their service in this form. However, the bad news is that the availability of fiber optic internet is a bit limited at the moment.
Fiber Internet Provider
Some of the popular fiber optic internet providers in the country recently announced that they have been trying to expand the coverage of fiber optic internet service. This means that this incredibly fast and reliable internet service might be available in more parts of the country by the end of the year. So, the first and most important thing you should do is to find the fastest internet provider in your area and ask them whether fiber optic internet service is available to you or not. If not, then you will have to settle for DSL or cable internet connection.
Other Options for Internet Access
In addition to these options, customers also get to choose satellite internet service, especially in those areas where cable or DSL lines are not available. Satellite internet is one of the cheapest internet connectivity options available to customers but the catch is that the speed of this service is a lot less when compared to the speed of fiber optic and cable internet connection. However, satellite internet service is available in most parts of the country including remote and rural areas.
Dial-up is another type of internet service that uses the telephone line in your home to deliver internet. Yet dial-up internet has become a less popular option of customers due to the low speed it offers. Besides, customers who are using a dial-up internet connection will not be able to use internet and phone at the very same time because the signals are transmitted through the exact same frequency.
How Much Internet Speed Do I Need
Customers who are new to the world of high-speed internet often wonder how much internet speed they really need. It is true that figuring out the internet speed requirements of your home or office may seem like a challenging task. However, if you are ready to spare a quality amount of your time on research, you will be easily able to determine how much internet speed you really need.
The speed of your internet connection is measured based on how fast the data packets are transmitted from the web to your mobile device or home computer. Internet download and upload speeds are usually measured in Mbps or megabits per second. Most of the leading internet providers usually set bandwidth in a certain way to ensure that the maximum amount of speed is available to users for downloading and not for uploading. This may seem problematic to the internet users who heavily rely on cloud-sharing applications for storing large amounts of data. If you are such an internet user, you must look for a fastest internet provider who offers evenly balanced upload and download speed.
Recommended Speed for Common Internet Activities
Majority of the internet users in the country use the internet connection at their home to watch HD video contents and TV shows through streaming services. If you wish to enjoy a fine streaming experience, then you should certainly check out the internet plans of the fastest internet provider near you. The minimum internet speed required for using streaming services is estimated to be around 10 Mbps. However, the reality is that 10 Mbps is the lowest recommended speed. So, if you are planning to browse social media platforms while you are streaming contents, then you will have to look for a higher tier.
Telecommunication Services
If you wish to do more than a single internet activity, you need to add up the recommended internet speed. For example, internet users who want to browse Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, as well as stream video contents at the very same time should look for a fastest internet provider who delivers at least 15 to 20 Mbps speed. Moreover, if you wish to eliminate the occasional internet slowdown, make sure to a choose plan with more than 20 Mbps internet speed.
Most homes in the United States usually have more than five internet enabled devices. What is more interesting is that there will be multiple internet users in most houses. So, if there are two or more heavy internet users at your home, make sure to consider the internet requirements of each one of them before subscribing to a fastest internet provider.
You should also note that the use of streaming services on a daily basis could consume huge amount of internet data. Some internet providers have put a monthly data cap on their internet plans. This means that the speed of your internet connection will be considerably decreased once you hit the monthly data limit. If you want to avoid that, look for an unlimited internet plan with no monthly data limits.
Quick Tips
Most families in the country usually choose a basic internet plan that offers a download speed of 20 Mbps and an upload speed of 5 Mbps. Users who have subscribed to such an internet plan will be able to stream HD video contents without any delays. Moreover, they could also enjoy web surfing and other light internet activities.
One of the leading streaming service providers, Netflix, suggested that subscribers would need access to an internet connection with 5 Mbps speed to stream HD video contents. However, the internet speed required for streaming 4K Ultra HD content is estimated to be more than 25 Mbps. So customers who are planning to stream videos with 4K resolution and want to connect multiple devices to the internet should look for an internet plan with a minimum internet speed of 200 Mbps.
Finding the Fastest Internet Provider near you
When looking to subscribe to an internet connection, you should realize that the plans, pricing patterns, connection types, and deals offered by internet service providers might significantly vary from one location to another. This means that you do not need to look for the fastest internet provider in the country; instead, you should start looking for the fastest internet provider in your location.
Customers who are living in the metropolitan cities of the country do enjoy the luxury of choosing an internet provider from a wide variety of options. However, that is not the case when it comes to the remote and rural parts of the country. Only a few internet providers will be offering their services in these parts of the country.
Still, it does not matter whether you live in a rural part of the country or in a bustling city – if there are a couple of or more internet providers operating in your area, then you will need to compare their different plans, policies, and several other factors in order to make an informed buying decision. Some of the best internet providers in the country who offer customers access to high-internet speeds are as follows.
AT&T®
The fiber optic internet service of AT&T® guarantees an exceptional download speed of 1000 Mbps to customers who are living in the major cities of the country. Customers who have access to such a high-speed internet connection will be able to download more than 25 songs in a second. Even if the fiber optic internet service of AT&T® is not available in your area, you can subscribe to the DSL internet service of the fastest internet provider. The DSL broadband internet service of AT&T® is available in approximately 38% of the entire United States. In fact, more than 120 million people in the country are currently using the internet services of AT&T®.
High Speed Internet
Customers who are planning to subscribe to AT&T® internet should note that some of the plans of the provider contain a monthly data cap of 1 TB. If you choose such a plan, then the amount of internet data that you can use in a month will be just 1 TB. This might not seem like an attractive option to heavy internet users who loves to stream plenty of HD video contents.
CenturyLink®
Just like AT&T®, CenturyLink® also offers both fiber optic and internet connection to internet users in the US. The best thing about CenturyLink® is that their high-speed internet service is available in several states that are not served by AT&T® and other fiber optic internet providers. In fact, CenturyLink® offers an impressive download speed of 1000 Mbps in Northeast and Southern states of the United States, which in turn made them the fastest internet provider in these areas. However, the availability of CenturyLink® fiber optic internet service is still a bit limited.
Customers who are living in areas where the fiber optic internet service of CenturyLink® is not available do enjoy the luxury of subscribing to the DSL internet service of the provider. However, the speed available to customers who have subscribed to the DSL internet service will not be that high when compared to fiber optic internet service.
Comcast XFINITY®
Comcast XFINITY® is another provider who offers both fiber-optic and cable internet service to customers. What makes XFINITY® an attractive option is that the fastest internet provider offers consistent high-speed to customers in almost all their markets. Most XFINITY® customers are able to enjoy excellent internet speeds of 50, 100, 150 Mbps and more.
The highest internet speed offered by XFINITY® is around 2000 Mbps or 2 Gbps, which is pretty impressive. Although the 2 Gbps internet speed is available only in some states, a fascinating thing about XFINITY® is that their other internet packages are available in most states. In fact, the fastest internet provider is currently offering their service to about 41 states in the United States.
XFINITY® offers a wide range of internet plans in order to ensure that the internet requirements of all their customers are met. The basic plan of XFINITY® that offers an internet speed of just 10 Mbps is ideal for users with basic internet needs. At the same time, XFINITY® also offers internet plans with 2 Gbps speed to make sure that the requirements of heavy internet users are also met without any concerns.
Promotional Deals and Bundling Options
Most customers who are shopping for high-speed internet often fail to realize the fact that internet service providers usually offers exciting new deals and promotional offers to lure in new customers to their offerings. If you ask your preferred fastest internet provider whether you are eligible for such deals or offers, then they might able to offer you a better deal. This will surely help you to save hundreds of dollars.
Customers who are on a tight budget should also consider bundling either two or three of their telecom services together. Most of the leading internet service providers in the country offer bundling options to customers. Bundling TV, internet, and home phone, or bundling any two of these services will result in great savings. In addition to saving money, you will also be able to get access to number of features and you can pay for all these services through a single bell.
Conclusion
When looking for a high-speed internet service, you should realize that some internet providers might ask you to sign a long-term agreement while signing up for their services. It is true that entering into a one or two year agreement with a fastest internet provider will save money and help you to avoid installation fees. However, the catch is that customers who opt out of the agreement before the contract period expires might have to pay additional fees. So, consult with the customer support technicians of your preferred internet service provider to clear all your doubts and concerns regarding their services and pricing policies before you sign the agreement.
