The Average US Internet Bill Is $78 Monthly. Here’s How You Can Lower It
If you’ve worked at the same internet provider for a while, it seems to be getting more and more expensive by the year. Actually, the price is The first reason People choose not to have a home internet connection at all.
A CNET analysis of available internet plans found that the median price of the U.S. Internet is $63 per month, all available speeds are $63, and are applicable to the automatic selling price. The price does not include the cost of renting equipment, and on average, a monthly bill adds another $15. So the actual total is about $78 per month for home internet – less than $89 per month US News and World Report When it surveyed about 2,500 people in 2024.
To be sure, this is a huge expense – especially if you consider Prices rise Many Internet service providers have built their plans – but the price of broadband Slower than overall inflation. according to FCC AnalysisBetween 2009 and 2023, internet prices adjusted for inflation fell by 19%.
To find out the real cost of the internet in the US, I turned to CNET’s ISP database, which is updated regularly by input addresses in 35 largest providers across the country.
There are many available prices. shock,,,,, MediaCom,,,,, xfinity and Zipper fiber All offer plans start at just $20 per month. Ziply’s internet plan in the country is also the most expensive (and fastest) mile: $900 a month for the ridiculous 50GBPS plan.
For many, $78 a month sounds great. If you’re paying a lot more, consider this is a wake-up call. You can take steps to reduce costs, e.g. Negotiate your bill,,,,, Buy your own equipment Or downgrade to a cheaper plan. But the best option is probably Switch provider. There are newer technologies 5G home internetit tends to be a little cheaper and usually includes equipment in the total cost. If you haven’t evaluated your options for a while, you might be surprised to find some new internet providers.
Internet cost for connection type
The type of connection you are using how much does it pay for the internet. How much has this analysis confirmed Rural Internet Customers have known for years: Rural providers are the most expensive and the connection is slowest.
DSL and satellite internet (usually the only option in rural areas) are by far the slowest connection. DSL is particularly slow, with median download speeds of only 40Mbps, which does not match FCC’s minimum definition of broadband internet.
Satellite Internet is more expensive than other connection types. The satellite provider has a download speed of 100Mbps and a median of $110.
Wired Internet tends to be cheap, but these providers are most likely to be a year or two (or both). Fiber Internet is also on the higher price side, but plans usually don’t rise with the price. The median fiber internet for the first year was $75 per month, and the price for the third year was $83 – not much higher than Cable’s $28 from the first to the third year.
Equipment fee
About half of the internet plans I checked include a monthly device fee, but you can always choose to buy your own device Modems and routers Instead of renting it from the ISP every month. The median equipment fee is $15 per month. Upward broadband and spectrum The lowest cost of equipment is $10 per month, and Starlink Have the highest equipment that requires pre-purchase purchases $349 to $2,500.
The following providers do not charge additional fees for equipment:
Some providers raise prices a year or two
Soaring bills Being one of the most frustrating parts of being an internet customer, this analysis reveals how much bills you will add in your second (or third year).
Although the median price for the first year (excluding your equipment rent) is $63 per month, it rose to $76 in the second year and $80 in the third year. Some steep providers Prices rise It’s MediaCom ($50 for the second year), Spectrum ($20 to $30 for the second year) and Cox ($28 for the third year). Here is the average price increase associated with each provider:
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Shopping provider at my address
Source: CNN analysis of provider data.
Garbage fee
These are the extra fees paid by the internet provider on your bill, such as “network maintenance” or “technical services.” Thankfully, these are largely things from the past. Altice, the company behind Optimum and SustressLink, was forced to pay $15 million in A Class Action 2023 For such fees. I found that there are only five providers currently levied on garbage fees.
| Provider | Fee name | Monthly fee |
|---|---|---|
| shock Read the full review |
Network access and maintenance fees | $12.97 |
| CenturyLink Read the full review |
Internet cost recovery fee | $3.99 |
| Merge communications | Broadband cost recovery fee | $2.97 |
| Metronet Read the full review |
Technical assurance fee | $12.95 |
| Verizon (New York only) Read the full review |
New York City Building Surcharge | Various |
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Shopping provider at my address
That points out that I won’t be shocked after the internet providers added fees that are not listed when you shop. one 2022 Consumer Reports Analysis 13 ISPs were found and their bills had junk fees.
How to lower your internet bill
If you are paying too much for the internet, you can take a few steps Reduce your monthly expenses. Here’s what you can do:
- Buy your own modem and router: This is the bass fruit that lowers the internet bill. If your provider is charging you a device fee, purchasing your own modem and router is almost always paid within the first year. I’ve spent my own hard way Xfinity’s nearly $1,000 rental equipment Six years. Usually, you can get both for more than $100. CNET choice The best Wi-Fi router Currently at $75, you can get a nice modem for $50. Just make sure it is compatible with your Internet provider and then go that route. As an additional bonus, you may also see an increase in Internet speed.
- Negotiate with your current provider: Internet providers were once willing to work with customers when prices were out of control, but some changes have occurred in recent years. Sometimes getting a better price is as easy as calling your ISP and asking for one. Before making a call, study what new customers they offer and what plans can be offered by competitors in the region. If you have a store in your area, visit it in person. Many customers have better conversations in person than having real people call.
- Lower plan: Many of us may have to pay The internet is faster than we need. The median Internet plan offers 600Mbps download speeds – enough for Netflix with 40 TVs at 4K at a time. The speed of the provider’s publicity is Wired connectionWi-Fi will slow it down greatly, but you get it. If you are at speeds above 500Mbps, I suggest you evaluate if you can get it with a slower plan.
- Switch provider: If everything else fails, the best way to get a better price on the internet is Switch ISP You can fully utilize the first grade pricing. You can use it in FCC’s broadband map. From there, you have to enter an address on each provider’s website to find detailed information about their plans and prices.
