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What is the best internet provider in Elmira?
Formerly the home of Mark Twain, this city in the Finger Lakes region offers access to some of the country’s leading internet providers. With so many options available, you might feel overwhelmed while searching for the right provider for you. CNET reviews available ISPs to help you find the best internet provider in Elmira. Currently, Spectrum is CNET’s choice for Elmira’s best internet service provider due to the available gigabit speed and coverage that reaches 92% of households in the city, per the latest data from the Federal Communications Commission. A cable connection is not equivalent to fiber, however Spectrum still carries the fastest average download speed in the countrytopping providers like Xfinity, Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile.
The starting monthly cost for internet in Elmira is $47 on average. Some ISPs offer more affordable plans. Zeta Broadband, which offers fixed wireless plans in the city, has an affordable $35-a-month plan for 7 megabits per second download speed. For $5 less, you can get speeds of 100Mbps with Spectrum. Spectrum is notorious for its inflated pricesand you can expect your bill to increase after a year or two.
Regional fiber provider Empire Access boasts the fastest plan in that area, offering speeds of 2,000Mbps for $100 per month. $100 a month isn’t cheap, but the cost per Mbps works at a cheap 5 cents per Mbps. Empire Access has symmetrical download and upload speeds, which is not the case with Spectrum or T-Mobile.
Elmira internet providers compared
| giver | internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | The monthly cost of equipment | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Access to the Empire | ravelled | $50-$100 | 500-2,000Mbps | $5 router rental fee | nothing | nothing | N/A |
| Spectrum Read the full review |
Cable | $30-$70 | 100-1,000Mbps | The modem is free; $10 for router (optional) | nothing | nothing | 7.2 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review |
Fixed wireless | $60-$70 ($40-$50 for eligible Go5G Plus and Magenta Max mobile customers) | 72-245Mbps | nothing | nothing | nothing | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read the full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 with eligible Verizon 5G mobile plans) | 100-300Mbps | nothing | nothing | nothing | 7.2 |
| Zeta Broadband, Inc. | Fixed wireless | $35-$100 | 7-100Mbps | nothing | nothing | nothing | N/A |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What is the cheapest internet plan in Elmira?
| giver | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spectrum Internet Advantage Read the full review |
$30 | 100Mbps | $10 (optional) |
| Zeta Broadband, Inc. | $35 | 7Mbps | nothing |
| Spectrum Internet Premier Read the full review |
$50 | 500Mbps | $10 (optional) |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read the full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible Verizon 5G mobile plans) | 100Mbps | nothing |
| Access to the Empire | $50 | 500Mbps | $5 router rental fee |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review |
$60 ($40 with eligible mobile plans) | 245Mbps | nothing |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find deals and promotions on the internet in Elmira?
The best internet deals and top promotions in Elmira 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.
Elmira internet providers, such as Spectrum and Verizon, may offer lower introductory prices or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, including Empire Access and Zeta Broadband, Inc., 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 Elmira
| giver | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Empire Access 2 Gig | $100 | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | nothing | ravelled |
| Spectrum Internet Gig Read the full review |
$70 | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | nothing | Cable |
| Empire Access 1 Gig | $65 | 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 allows you to deal with the basics: browsing the internet, sending and receiving email and 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 Elmira
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. What is our approach? We started by researching price, availability and speed information, drawing on our own historical ISP data, provider sites and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission in FCC.gov.
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 one 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?
The answer to those questions is often layered and complicated, but the providers who are closest 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 Elmira FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in Elmira?
Is fiber internet available in Elmira?
What is the cheapest internet provider in Elmira?
Spectrum’s $30-a-month plan for 100Mbps is the cheapest option in the area, but since your monthly bill will increase after a year or two, you’re better off looking at fixed wireless providers. such as Verizon and T-Mobile.
Which internet provider in Elmira offers the fastest plan?
Empire Access has the fastest plan in the area for symmetrical download and upload speeds of 2,000Mbps. Customers can also access its gigabit plan but that tops out at just 940Mbps.
