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What is the best internet provider in Waco?
Looking for the best internet service provider in Waco, Texas? CNET’s broadband experts review regional providers to help you find the best plan for your needs. When it comes to fast and reliable internet service in Waco, CNET’s top picks are Spectrum. It offers unlimited data and decent first-year pricing that goes with fast speeds. No contract is required either. Your next best bet is Astound Broadband and Nextlink.
Astound offers some of the cheapest broadband in Waco with plans starting at 300 megabits per second for just $20 a month, including equipment. Need you fast? AT&T Fiber offers symmetrical speeds of up to 5 gigabits per second — the fastest plan in the area.
Best internet in Waco
Waco internet providers compared
| giver | internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | The monthly cost of equipment | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Astound Broadband Read the full review |
Cable | $20-$55 | 300-1,500Mbps | nothing | nothing | nothing | 7 |
| AT&T Internet Air Read the full review |
Fixed wireless | $60 ($47 with eligible wireless plan) | 75-225Mbps | nothing | nothing | nothing | 7.4 |
| AT&T Fiber Read the full review |
ravelled | $55-$245 | 300-5,000Mbps | nothing | nothing | nothing | 7.4 |
| Next link | Fixed wireless | $40-$85 | 50-500Mbps | $8 (optional) | nothing | 2 years | N/A |
| Spectrum Read the full review |
Cable | $25-$70 | 500-1,000Mbps | Free modem; $10 router rental (optional) | nothing | nothing | 7.2 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review |
Fixed wireless | $50 ($30 for eligible mobile customers) | 72-245Mbps | nothing | nothing | nothing | 7.4 |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What is the cheapest internet plan in Waco?
| giver | Starting monthly price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazing 300 Read the full review |
$20 | 300Mbps | nothing |
| Spectrum Internet Assist Read the full review |
$25 | 50Mbps | Free modem; $10 router rental (optional) |
| Spectrum Internet Advantage Read the full review |
$30 | 100Mbps | Free modem; $10 router rental (optional) |
| Amazing 600 Read the full review |
$35 | 600Mbps | nothing |
| Next link | $40 | 50Mbps | $8 (optional) |
| Surprised 1000 Read the full review |
$45 | 1,000Mbps | nothing |
| Next link | $45 | 100Mbps | $8 (optional) |
| Spectrum Internet Premier Read the full review |
$50 | 500Mbps | Free modem; $10 router rental (optional) |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review |
$50 ($30 with eligible mobile plan) | 245Mbps | nothing |
| AT&T Internet Air Read the full review |
$60 ($47 with eligible wireless plan) | 225Mbps | nothing |
| Amazing 1500 Read the full review |
$55 | 1,500Mbps | nothing |
| AT&T Fiber Read the full review |
$55 | 300Mbps | nothing |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Waco
The best internet deals and top promotions in Waco depend on the discounts available at that time. Most deals don’t last, but we’re always on the lookout for the latest offers.
Internet providers in Waco, such as Nextlink and Astound Broadband, may offer lower introductory prices or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, including AT&T and T-Mobile, run the same base price year-round.
For a more extensive list of promos, our guide to best deals on the internet did you catch it.
Fastest internet plans in Waco
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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 Federal Communications Commission. 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 allows you to deal with 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 user with enough bandwidth to satisfy the needs of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities such as videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming.
- 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to participate in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.
How CNET picks the best internet providers in Waco
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 start by researching pricing, availability and speed information, drawing on our own historical ISP data, provider sites and mapping information from FCC.gov.
But it doesn’t end there. We use 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 at the time of 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 it comes to 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 also consider real-world speed data from sources such as 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 how we test ISPs page.
Internet providers in Waco FAQ
What is the best internet service provider in Waco?
Spectrum is the best internet provider in Waco, due to its wide coverage and simple service specifications. Speeds range from 50Mbps to 1,000Mbps, and unlimited data is included in the monthly cost.
Is fiber internet available in Waco?
Yes. However, there are only two fiber providers in Waco — AT&T Fiber and Pavlov Media — and only half of the homes in the area have access to fiber connectivity, according to the FCC.
What is the cheapest internet provider in Waco?
The cheapest internet provider in Waco is Astound Broadband. Its 300Mbps plan costs only $20 per month.
Which internet provider in Waco offers the fastest plan?
AT&T Fiber offers the fastest plan in Waco: 5,000Mbps for $245. Astound Broadband takes second place with its 1.5Gbps plan, which costs $55 per month.
