Best Internet Providers in Gainesville, Florida
What is the best internet provider in Gainesville?
Whether you’re shopping around for a better internet provider or signing up for the first time, these are CNET’s top recommendations to help you find the broadband option that’s right for you. For most families in Gainesville, CNET recommends Cox Communications as first choice. Cox’s network has extensive coverage and multiple speed levels, providing flexibility to meet different needs. If your address is not suitable for Cox, please consider AT&T Fiber or T-Mobile Home Internetboth are good choices.
We’ve also identified the best deals and fastest plans in Gainesville. If budget is your biggest concern, T-Mobile Home Internet offers a great deal for $50 per month with speeds up to 245Mbps. For users looking for top performance, AT&T Fiber 5000 leads the way with its lightning-fast symmetrical speeds of up to 5Gbps. Whether you’re looking for affordability or raw speed, Gainesville has you covered.
The Best Internet in Gainesville in 2024
Gainesville Internet Providers Comparison
provider | Internet technology | monthly price | speed range | Monthly equipment cost | data cap | contract | CNET Review Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AT&T Home Internet Read full review |
DSL | $60 | 20-100Mbps | without any | 1.5TB on some plans | without any | 7.4 |
AT&T Fiber Read full review |
fiber | $55-$245 | 300-5,000Mbps | without any | without any | without any | 7.4 |
Cox Communications Read full review |
Cable/Fiber Optic | $50-$150 | 100-2,000Mbps | $15 (optional) | 1.25TB | without any | 6.2 |
Dynamics of Windstream | DSL/Fiber optic | $40-$100 | 300-2000Mbps | without any | without any | without any | 6.7 |
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
fixed wireless | $50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 72-245Mbps | without any | without any | without any | 7.4 |
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
fixed wireless | $60-$80 ($35-$45 with eligible mobile plans) | 50-1,000Mbps | without any | without any | without any | 7.2 |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Other available internet providers in Gainesville
- Dynamics of Windstream: You won’t find it directly in the city, but Kinetic by Windstream offers service near Fairbanks, Orange Heights, Micanopee, and Alachua. Kinetic offers DSL and fiber optic internet – only consider this provider if you have access to fiber optic internet in your home.
- satellite internet: satellite internet from hughsnett, Via Satellite or Starlink No matter where you live, there’s an option. But it shouldn’t be your first choice – it’s expensive and slow, and there are cheaper, faster options out there.
- Verizon 5G Home Internet: Similar to T-Mobile Home Internet, Verizon offers flat-rate wireless service. For $60-$80 per month, customers can get speeds of 50-1,000Mbps. So why should you consider T-Mobile instead of Verizon? T-Mobile Home Internet covers nearly 60% of Gainesville, while Verizon only covers 2%. But if it’s available for your address, be sure to consider it a reliable broadband option.
Cheap Internet Options in Gainesville
Even though Windstream’s Kinetic becomes the cheapest internet plan in Gainesville, it might not be the best. Much of Kinetic’s coverage in cities is over DSL networks, so you may experience lag or delays more often than with other connections. For the best overall value while still staying relatively cheap, turn to T-Mobile Home Internet. Its base price is the same as Cox Essential and Verizon 5G Home Internet, but customers can save significant extra if they’re an eligible mobile subscriber.
What are the cheapest internet plans in Gainesville?
provider | starting price | Maximum download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
---|---|---|---|
Dynamics of Windstream | $40 | 300Mbps | without any |
Cox Essence 100 Read full review |
$50 | 100Mbps | $15 (optional) |
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 245Mbps | without any |
Verizon 5G Home Read full review |
$60 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 300Mbps | without any |
AT&T Fiber 300 Read full review |
$55 | 300Mbps | without any |
AT&T Internet Read full review |
$60 | 100Mbps | without any |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to Find Gainesville Internet Deals and Promotions
Gainesville’s best internet deals and top promotions depend on the discounts available during that time period. Most offers are short-lived, but we’re often on the lookout for the latest deals.
Some Gainesville internet providers, such as Cox Communications, may offer lower introductory prices or streaming add-ons for a limited time. However, many companies, including AT&T Fiber, T-Mobile and Verizon, use the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of promotions, check out our Promotions Guide Best Internet Deals.
How fast is Gainesville broadband?
Florida ranks third out of 50 states fastest broadband speedthe median download speed in the fourth quarter of 2023 was 238Mbps. The fastest provider in the state is AT&T Fiber, with a median download speed of 287Mbps. So how did Gainesville fare? This small Florida city isn’t far behind. Average speed 242Mbps. That’s pretty fast.
People looking for speeds above 221Mbps have many options. Gainesville’s fastest speed is 5,000Mbps, provided by AT&T Fiber for $245 per month. Cox also offers a 2 GB plan for $100 per month, which is a good option if you want to bundle Internet and TV service.
Gainesville’s Fastest Internet Plans
plan | starting price | Maximum download speed | Maximum upload speed | data cap | Internet technology |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
AT&T Fiber 5000 Read full review |
$245 | 5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | without any | fiber |
AT&T Fiber 2000 Read full review |
$145 | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | without any | fiber |
cox 2 show Read full review |
$150 | 2,000Mbps | 100Mbps | 1.25TB | cable |
AT&T Fiber 1000 Read full review |
$80 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | without any | fiber |
cox 1 show Read full review |
$110 | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | 1.25TB | cable |
Verizon 5G Home Plus Read full review |
$70 ($45 with eligible mobile plans) | 1,000Mbps | 50Mbps | without any | fixed wireless |
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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’re looking for an internet plan that can accommodate video conferencing, streaming video, or gaming, you’ll get a better experience with a stronger connection. The recommended minimum download speeds for various applications are outlined below, According to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission. Please note that these are guidelines only – Internet speeds, service and performance vary based on connection type, provider and address.
For more information, see our guide How much internet speed do you really need?.
- 0 to 5Mbps allows you to handle the basics—browse the Internet, send and receive email, stream low-quality video.
- 5 to 40Mbps gives you higher quality video streaming and video conferencing.
- 40 to 100Mbps should provide one user with enough bandwidth to meet the needs of modern remote working, video streaming, and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one or two users to participate in high-bandwidth activities such as video conferencing, streaming and gaming simultaneously.
- 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities simultaneously.
CNET How to Choose the Best Internet Provider in Gainesville
Internet service providers are numerous and regional. different from the latest cell phone, laptop, router or kitchen toolsit is impractical to personally test every Internet service provider 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.
But it didn’t end there. We went to the FCC’s website to check our data and make sure we accounted for every ISP offering service in a certain area. We also enter local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We evaluate customer satisfaction with ISP services by looking at sources such as the US Customer Satisfaction Index and JD Power. ISP plans and prices may change frequently; all information provided is accurate as of publication time.
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. When choosing the cheapest internet service, we look for plans with the lowest monthly fees, although we also consider factors like price increases, equipment fees, and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively simple. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and consider real-world speed data from the following sources: Okla and Federal Communications Commission Report. (Ookla and CNET are owned by the same parent company, Ziff Davis.)
To explore our processes in more depth, visit our How we test ISPs Page.
What’s the Final Decision About Gainesville’s Internet Provider?
When it comes to home internet, fiber optic connections are often the best option. However, AT&T Fiber is not widely available in Gainesville – your address may only get AT&T DSL service. Your best bet is Cox Communications, which covers almost the entire city and offers faster speeds than DSL. In addition, Cox delivers new fiber optic networks to some homes in Gainesville, which is why it ranks No. 1 among ISPs in the area.
Gainesville Internet Providers FAQs
What is the cheapest internet provider in Gainesville?
While Windstream’s Kinetic technically offers the cheapest plan in the city ($40 per month), customers with a qualifying T-Mobile phone plan can get $15 off a T-Mobile home internet plan, This lowers the monthly bill to $35. Additionally, T-Mobile Home Internet provides internet over a fixed wireless network compared to Kinetic’s DSL network, making it a better overall value.
Which internet provider in Gainesville offers the fastest plans?
AT&T Fiber offers the fastest internet plans in Gainesville. For just $245 per month, customers can reach speeds up to 5,000Mbps.
Is there fiber optic internet in Gainesville?
Yes. AT&T Fiber is the largest fiber provider in the area, but Cox’s new fiber network can serve some addresses. Kinetic by Windstream also offers fiber optic service, but availability in Gainesville is limited.
Which internet provider has the best coverage in Gainesville?
Cox Communications has the best coverage in the city – nearly 100% of Gainesville households are served by Cox.