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What is the best internet provider in Prior Lake?
Metronet is the best internet service provider in Prior Lakethanks to fast fiber coverage and competitively priced plans. However, Mediacom offers tough competition, providing some of the fastest internet in the region with 1,000Mbps plans running $60 per month. It even captures some of the cheapest internet plans in place, with a 250Mbps plan for just $20 per month.
In addition to Metronet and Mediacom, Lumen Technologies (CenturyLink, Quantum Fiber) and local ISP Nuvera Communications offer fiber internet in Prior Lake. However, both mostly use DSL-based networks and may have slower maximum speeds than what is available from other providers and connection types.
As for other types of connections, Mediacom is the leader in Prior Lake cable internet provider, covering more than 97% of the city with speeds up to 1,000Mbps. Wireless internet from Verizon 5G Home Internet and T-Mobile Home Internet is available in parts of Prior Lake as well. Both ISPs are worth considering for their low prices and hassle-free service, but the overall value will vary depending on the speed you get.
Best internet in Prior Lake, Minnesota
Before Lake, Minnesota internet providers compared
| giver | internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | The monthly cost of equipment | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CenturyLink Read the full review |
DSL | $55 | 20-100Mbps | $15 (optional) | nothing | nothing | 6.7 |
| Mediacom Read the full review |
Cable | $20-$60 | 250-1,000Mbps | $14 | 350-3,000GB | nothing | 6.4 |
| Metronet Read the full review |
ravelled | $35-$70 | 150-2,000Mbps | No, $13 monthly tech fee | nothing | nothing | 6.9 |
| Nuvera Communications | DSL, fiber | $35-$60 | 30-100Mbps DSL, 100-1,000Mbps fiber | $10 plus $7 or $12 Wi-Fi fee (optional) | nothing | nothing | N/A |
| Quantum Fiber | ravelled | $50-$75 | 500-940Mbps | nothing | nothing | nothing | 6.7 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$50 with eligible mobile plans) | 72-245Mbps | nothing | nothing | nothing | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read the full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 for eligible Verizon Wireless customers) | 50-300Mbps | nothing | nothing | nothing | 7.2 |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What is the cheapest internet plan in Prior Lake?
| plan | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metronet Read the full review |
$35 | 150Mbps | No, $13 monthly tech fee |
| Mediacom Prime Internet 250 Read the full review |
$20 | 250Mbps | $14 |
| Nuvera requirements | $35 | 30Mbps | $10 plus $7 or $12 Wi-Fi fee (optional) |
| Quantum Fiber | $50 | 500Mbps | nothing |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review |
$50 ($40 with eligible mobile plans) | 245Mbps | nothing |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read the full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 300Mbps | nothing |
| Nuvera 100Mbps | $60 | 100Mbps | $10 plus $7 or $12 Wi-Fi fee (optional) |
| CenturyLink Internet Read the full review |
$55 | 20-100Mbps | $15 (optional) |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Prior Lake
The best internet deals and top promotions in Prior Lake depend on which discounts are available at a given time. Most deals don’t last, but we’re always on the lookout for the latest offers.
Top Lake internet providers, such as Metronet, may offer lower introductory prices or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, however, including Nuvera Communications and Quantum Fiber, run the same base price year-round.
For a more extensive list of promos, see our guide to best deals on the internet.
Fastest internet plans in Prior Lake
| plan | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mediacom Prime Internet Gig Read the full review |
$60 | 1,000Mbps | 50Mbps | nothing | Cable |
| Metronet 2Gbps Read the full review |
$70 | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | nothing | ravelled |
| Metronet 1Gbps Read the full review |
$50 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | nothing | ravelled |
| Nuvera 1 Gig | $100 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | nothing | ravelled |
| Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet Read the full review |
$70 ($45 with eligible mobile plans) | 300Mbps | 75Mbps | nothing | Fixed wireless |
| Quantum Fiber | $75 | 940Mbps | 940Mbps | nothing | ravelled |
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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 are looking for an internet plan that can accommodate videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you will have a better experience with a stronger connection. Here is an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for different applications, according to the FCC. Note that these are only guidelines — and internet speed, service and performance will vary by connection type, provider and address.
For more information, see our guide to how much internet speed do you need?.
- 0 to 5Mbps lets you tackle the basics — browsing the internet, sending and receiving email, streaming low-quality video.
- 5 to 40Mbps gives you higher quality video streaming and videoconferencing.
- 40 to 100Mbps should provide a person with enough bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two people to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities such as videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming.
- 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more people to participate in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.
How CNET picked the best internet providers in Prior Lake
Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphones, laptop, router or kitchen utensilsit is not practical to personally test every ISP in a city. So what is our approach? We started by researching pricing, availability and speed information drawing on our own historical ISP data, provider sites and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission of FCC.gov.
But it doesn’t end there. We go to the FCC website to check our data and make sure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses into provider websites to find specific options for residents. We looked at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and JD Power, to assess how happy customers are with ISP service. ISP plans and prices are subject to constant change; All information provided is accurate in the publication.
Once we have this local information, we ask three main questions:
- Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
- Are customers getting decent value for what they paid for?
- Are customers happy with their service?
While the answer to these questions is often layered and complex, providers who are close to “yes” to all three are the ones we recommend. When choosing the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fees, although we also factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. 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 how we test ISPs page.
Internet providers in Prior Lake FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in Prior Lake?
Metronet is the best internet service provider in Prior Lake thanks to its local fiber coverage, selection of competitively priced plans and straightforward terms of service that include unlimited data and no contract. Metronet also received the highest CNET review score (6.9 out of 10) of all wired ISPs in the Prior Lake area, including Mediacom (6.4) and CenturyLink / Quantum Fiber (6.7).
Is fiber internet available in Prior Lake?
According to the latest FCC dataless than half (about 62%) of Prior Lake residences qualify for fiber internet. Metronet is the largest fiber internet provider in Prior Lake, covering approximately 30% of households. Nuvera Communications and Quantum Fiber also offer fiber internet service in parts of Prior Lake.
Who is the cheapest internet provider in Prior Lake?
Mediacom has the lowest starting price of any major Prior Lake ISP at $20 a month for speeds up to 250Mbps. Starting rates for Nuvera and Metronet are just a little higher than $35 per month for speeds of up to 30Mbps and 150Mbps, respectively. All three providers have mandatory equipment or service fees that add $10 to $14 or more to your monthly bill.
Although it doesn’t have the lowest basic introductory rate, T-Mobile Home Internet may be the cheapest internet option in Prior Lake. Eligible Magenta Max customers can get up to $20 off home internet costs, and all customers enjoy free equipment and a price guarantee as long as they keep their service.
Which internet provider in Prior Lake offers the fastest plan?
Metronet, Nuvera, Quantum Fiber and Mediacom all offer gigabit plans in Prior Lake with speeds of up to 940 or 1,000Mbps. Metronet has the lowest gig service prices, starting at $50 per month, Quantum Fiber ($75), Mediacom ($60), and Nuvera ($100).
Fiber internet connections (Metronet, Nuvera, Quantum Fiber) provide symmetrical upload and download speeds. Cable internet often has much slower upload speeds, from 10 to 50Mbps, in the case of Mediacom.
