Best Internet Providers in Bismarck, North Dakota
Bismarck reportedly offers great options for internet providers CNET’s analysis of available local Internet service providers Even if it’s not a lot. It’s worth considering all the options in your local area and choosing the one that best suits your needs.
Midcoour pick of the best internet companies in Bismarck, announced in 2021 that it will invest in $200 million to expand its fiber network North Dakota’s goal is to provide 10 Gb speeds by 2030. Several providers in the state capital currently offer gigabit speeds, the connection needed to stream and game from multiple devices simultaneously. This is rare for a city of this size in the United States—you should be able to access fast, reliable internet from any address in the area.
Our team considers speed, price, customer service, and overall value to recommend the best internet services in Bismarck in each category. Our assessment includes reference to a proprietary database built over years of reviewing Internet services. We verify this against provider information by spot-checking service availability at local addresses. We also read the provider’s terms and conditions carefully and call the ISP to verify details if needed.
While we strive to find the most up-to-date, accurate information, there are some limitations to our process that you should be aware of. Pricing and speed figures are variable: Some addresses may qualify for different levels of service, and monthly costs may vary, even within the same city. The best way to determine your specific options is to plug your address into the provider’s website.
Please note that the prices, speeds, and other information listed above and in the provider cards below may differ from what we found in our research. Based on our database of plan information provided directly by ISPs, these cards show the full range of pricing and speeds from providers across the United States, while the text is specific to what’s available in Bismarck. The prices quoted in this article are from our research and include applicable discounts for setting up automatic payments each month – which is standard industry offering. Other discounts and promotions may also be available, such as on contract or bundled with a mobile phone plan.
To learn more about how we review internet providers, visit our full Methodology page.
Best internet providers in Bismarck
The best internet providers in Bismarck strike a balance between speed, price, and availability. The plans listed below are widely available in the area, but you still need to check your address to see what plans are available to you.
Bismarck Internet Provider Overview
provider | Internet technology | monthly price range | speed range | Monthly equipment cost | data cap | contract | CNET Review Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quantum fiber | fiber | $35-$50 | 500-940Mbps | $15; no performances planned | without any | without any | 6.7 |
Midco | cable | $29-$249 | 125-5,000Mbps | $9-$11 | without any | without any | not applicable |
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$50 for eligible cell phone plans) | 72-245Mbps | without any | without any | without any | 7.4 |
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 for eligible cell phone plans) | 50-250Mbps | without any | without any | without any | 7.2 |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data
What other internet options are there in Bismarck?
There are several other options for getting online in Bismarck. However, they offer poorer service and higher prices, and CNET’s analysis suggests you’re better off choosing one of the four highlighted above. If your address doesn’t meet one of these criteria, you can explore these other options:
- earth link: Earthlink’s Internet services use the networks of other providers. In Bismarck, Earthlink primarily uses CenturyLink’s DSL network. When I checked a few addresses around town, the top speed I found through Earthlink was 10Mbps, well below what most households need.
- satellite internet: Satellite internet is available almost everywhere in the country, but with long contracts, slow speeds, low data caps and high latency. hughes network Its outage record is slightly better than its main rivals, Via Satellitebut these are not good choices. newer Starlink SpaceX’s service is faster, but the equipment costs up to $349 up front.
- Verizon 5G Home Internet: Like T-Mobile, Verizon uses its 5G cellular network to provide home internet. At some addresses, speeds can reach 250Mbps, but currently only about 20% of Bismarck households have access.
Pricing details for Bismarck home internet service
Bismarck residents pay between $49 and $79 per month for Internet service, depending on the provider and connection type. The average internet price in Bismarck starts at about $50 per month.
Cheapest internet packages in Bismarck
provider | starting price | Maximum download speed | Monthly equipment fee | contract |
---|---|---|---|---|
Midco | $29 | 125Mbps | $9-$11 | without any |
Quantum fiber | $35 | 940Mbps | $15 | without any |
Quantum fiber | $50 | 500Mbps | $15 | without any |
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible cell phone plans) | 245Mbps | without any | without any |
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible cell phone plans) | 50Mbps | without any | without any |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data
Internet speed in Bismarck
Bismarck residents can find a variety of options for their internet needs, with speeds up to 5,000Mbps in some areas with fiber optics.
Fastest Internet Packages in Bismarck
provider | Maximum download speed | Maximum upload speed | starting price | data cap | contract |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Midco | 5,000Mbps | 250Mbps | $249 | without any | without any |
Quantum fiber | 940Mbps | 940Mbps | $70 | without any | without any |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data
There are only two internet providers in Bismarck that offer speeds of 1 gig or above, but they’re both great deals. Midco’s fiber plans have incredible upload speeds of up to 5,000Mbps, enough to meet the needs of just about any home, while CenturyLink’s gig plans are among the most affordable in the country.
What is the final decision regarding Bismarck Internet providers?
Compared to other similarly sized cities, residents of Bismarck have pretty good internet service. There are two excellent options: Midco and CenturyLink, which are widely available and offer a variety of options. At $50 per month, Quantum Fiber’s 500Mbps plan is one of the most affordable per Mbps plans in the area, but Midco’s plans all offer great value, too.
CNET How to choose the best internet provider in Bismarck
Internet service providers are numerous and regional. different from the latest cell phone, laptop, router or kitchen toolsit is impractical to personally test every ISP in a specific city. So what is our approach? First, we leverage a proprietary database of pricing, availability, and speed information drawn from our own historical ISP data, partner data, and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission’s FCC.gov.
This guide utilizes an in-house AI tool called RAMP, which is trained on our own writing and uses our database to generate content about specific internet service providers that our writers can use to identify and present our Selection of a given guideline. Check CNET’s AI policy Learn more about how our team uses (and doesn’t use) AI tools.
Since our database is not exhaustive, we head to the FCC website to check the primary data ourselves and make sure we account for every ISP that provides service in a certain area. We also entered local addresses on provider websites to find specific options available to residents. To assess customer satisfaction with ISP services, we looked at sources including the US Customer Satisfaction Index and JD Power. ISP plans and prices may change frequently; all information provided is accurate as of the time of our pre-publication fact-checking.
Once we have localized information, we ask three main questions:
- Does the provider offer reasonably fast internet speeds?
- Are customers getting value for money?
- Are customers satisfied with their service?
While the answers to these questions are often layered and complex, we recommend the provider that comes closest to a “yes” on these three questions. To explore our processes in more depth, visit our How we test ISPs Page.
Bismarck Internet FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in Bismarck?
According to CNET’s analysis, the best Internet service provider in Bismarck is Midco. Midco has four plans to choose from and are widely available across the city. Quantum Fiber is another great option, offering fiber internet plans with speeds up to 940Mbps, unlimited data and no contracts. In addition, T-Mobile offers wireless Internet with download speeds from 72 to 245Mbps and offers excellent promotional offers for T-Mobile Wireless customers.
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