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Verizon to offer $20 broadband in California to obtain merger approval

Verizon agreed to offer $20-per-month broadband service to people with low incomes in California in exchange for a merger approval. In a bid to complete its $9.6 billion purchase of Frontier Communications, Verizon committed to offering $20 fiber-to-the-home service with symmetrical speeds of 300Mbps. Verizon also committed to offering a $20 fixed wireless service with download speeds of 100Mbps and upload speeds of 20Mbps. Verizon would be required to offer the plans for at least 10 years, ac

The SSD version of LaCie’s iconic Rugged drive gets a speed boost

is a senior reporter who’s been covering and reviewing the latest gadgets and tech since 2006, but has loved all things electronic since he was a kid. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Neil Poulton succeeded in elevating the design of external drives two decades ago with the introduction of LaCie’s Rugged line, which features a bright orange bumper to protect data from drops. Today, Seagate announced an updated version of the LaCie Rugged M

Starlink Halves the Cost of Its Dish for New Sign-Ups

For households in rural areas or regions where traditional ISPs still fall short, Starlink has become a lifeline for fast, reliable internet. The satellite service has opened up access in places that once had few options, and now it's rolling out one of its most affordable offers yet for new customers. Right now, the Starlink standard kit is marked down to $175, which is a 50% cut from its usual $349 price. Unlike past promotions that were limited to certain areas, this discount is available na

The best VPN service for 2025

As frustrating as it is that governments and businesses are running roughshod over our online freedoms, at least we have plenty of good VPNs to choose from to keep us protected online. There are so many fast, intelligently designed, full-featured and affordable services on the market that the biggest problem is picking one. For any use case, you can bet at least two providers will be neck-and-neck for first place. On the other hand, the VPN world is still the Wild West in some ways. It's easy

Starlink Deal Makes Satellite Dish 50% Cheaper for New Customers. Here's How It Works

Starlink's satellite-based internet service has been a popular solution for people outside of traditional ISPs' service areas, and it just got a lot easier to give Starlink a try -- it's now featuring its lowest monthly prices ever and cutting the cost of the necessary equipment in half. You can now purchase the Starlink standard kit for $175, down from its usual $349 price tag. Unlike previous deals, this one is available to new customers anywhere in the country. Most Starlink deals in the pas

Starlink Cuts the Cost of Its Satellite Dish in Half for New Customers

One of the biggest barriers to entry for prospective Starlink customers has always been the price: $349 upfront for equipment and $120 every month for service. That’s now starting to change as Starlink is offering its lowest monthly prices ever and slashing the cost of equipment in half. You can now get the Starlink standard kit for $175, down from its usual $349 price tag. Unlike previous deals, this one is available to new customers anywhere in the country. Most Starlink deals in the past hav

Best Internet Speed Tests for August 2025

Ever wonder whether you're getting your money's worth when it comes to your internet speeds? Taking an internet speed test is a quick way to find out. Whether you're experiencing lag during gaming, streaming or Zoom calls; you're testing the connection strength in different rooms; or you're unsure just how fast (or slow) your internet really is, a speed test can give you answers in minutes. These tests are quick, easy and free. Why should you take an internet speed test? There's nothing more an

Starlink Is Set to Receive Billions in Federal Subsidies but Analysis Says It Can’t Handle the Traffic

Key takeaways A new X-Lab analysis indicates Starlink can only support 6.66 households per square mile before speeds drop below FCC broadband minimums (100/20 Mbps). Currently, only 17% of Starlink users currently meet FCC broadband speeds, yet altered BEAD program rules could direct significant federal funds to Starlink as the lowest-cost option. While Starlink greatly improves internet access and quality for rural Americans, experts worry about its long-term viability for widespread broadban

Despite Starlink’s Improved Speeds, It Still Misses the FCC’s Broadband Standard

Starlink is nearly twice as fast as it was two years ago, according to a recent report from the speed test site Ookla. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.) Median download speeds from the satellite internet provider have steadily ticked up over the past few years, going from 53.95 megabits per second in 2022 to 104.71Mbps today. That’s an impressive feat considering Starlink added about 5 million customers over the same period and recently passed the 6 mi

Xfinity vs. Verizon Fios: Which Provider Offers the Best Internet for Your Home?

Is Verizon Fios or Xfinity better? Verizon Fios and Xfinity are some of the top providers nationwide, and while both offer competitive internet services and price guarantee of up to five years, CNET picks Verizon Fios as the better provider overall --largely due to its 100% fiber network, straightforward pricing and promotional offers. The two providers advertise comparable download speeds, but Verizon Fios can deliver symmetrical (or close) upload speeds and superior reliability over a fiber-

5G promised a revolution, but here’s what we actually got

Robert Triggs / Android Authority Depending on where you live, you’ve likely had 5G in your pocket for at least a couple of years — or possibly close to half a decade. In any case, the wireless tech has certainly been around long enough to have had time to accomplish the numerous lofty promises that CEOs piped up to upsell us, which included everything from rejuvenating retail to traffic lights pushing updates to your car. While some of those promises might have come to pass, quite a lot of th

Home Internet, Simplified: Here's Everything You Need to Know (but Were Too Afraid to Ask)

The best internet connection is one you don't ever notice, and while we use the internet for everything these days, most of us don't know the first thing about our internet plan beyond the bill. As broadband experts, we've come a long way in terms of reading broadband nutrition labels, deciphering ISP-marketing jargon and learning how to boost our own home networks. In this article, we'll give you the rundown on how your internet works and how to pick the best possible plan. But if you take awa

T-Mobile the fastest mobile network; AT&T best for broadband

Ookla’s latest speed-test report has found that T-Mobile is this year’s fastest mobile network, offering the speediest downloads overall, and the fastest 5G. For home broadband, AT&T Fiber took the crown. Plans to boost broadband speeds have, however, been thrown into doubt by the Trump administration, which wants to abandon a target for every American to have gigabit speeds … If you’ve ever tested your home or mobile broadband speed, there’s a high chance you’ve done so using Ookla’s Speedtes

14 Best USB Flash Drives (2025): Pen Drives, Thumb Drives, Memory Sticks

There are a few things to keep in mind when you’re shopping for USB flash drives, and we also have some tips for using them. Capacity: To decide on the capacity of the storage device you need, first check the size of the folders or files you want to copy. Each USB drive in our guide has a stated capacity, but the usable storage will be slightly less than that, because the device’s firmware requires space. Speed: USB standards are advancing all the time, and we recommend USB 3.0 as a minimum, t

Want a Fiber Internet Connection? Read This First

We write a lot about fiber internet at CNET. It's often touted as the "gold standard" of broadband by policymakers, experts and internet users alike. The Fiber Broadband Association estimates that a little over 76 million homes have made the switch to a fiber internet connection, representing a growth of 13% in the past year. If you've ever struggled with slow speeds or outages while using cable, 5G, satellite or (God forbid) DSL internet, you've probably considered switching internet providers

DOCSIS 3.0 vs. 3.1 vs. 4.0: How Are They Different?

If you have cable internet, then you're using DOCSIS technology. DOCSIS stands for Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications, and it's a standard that defines how your modem relays cable internet signals to and from your home. If you have cable internet from Cox, Spectrum, Xfinity or a regional cable internet provider like Armstrong, you're using a DOCSIS-compliant modem. The DOCSIS 4.0 cable modem is ideal since it produces faster upload speeds. But while specifications for DOCSIS 4.0 h

Starlink Got Faster In the Past Two Years. It's Still Not Regularly Meeting Broadband Speeds

Starlink is nearly twice as fast as it was two years ago, according to a new report from the speed test site Ookla. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.) Median download speeds from the satellite internet provider have steadily ticked up over the past few years, going from 53.95 megabits per second in 2022 to 104.71Mbps today. That’s an impressive feat considering Starlink added about 5 million customers over the same period and recently passed the 6 milli

Best Internet Providers in Chandler, Arizona

What is the best internet provider in Chandler? After much research and testing, Cox comes out as the top pick for the best internet service provider for most households in Chandler. Despite not being the fastest ISP in the area, Cox still offers plenty of speed and stands head and shoulders above its fellow ISPs with its wide coverage area. Plans start at $50 a month and go up to $140 per month for the 2-gig plan. For affordable plans, consider Verizon 5G Home Internet. It offers three plans i

Best Internet Providers in Scottsdale, Arizona

Fiber rollout is limited in Scottsdale, Arizona, andCenturyLink, also known as Quantum Fiber, is CNET's pick for the best internet provider in the city. However, if it's not available at your address, Cox is your next best bet. It's got fast download speeds, but upload speeds suffer as it's a cable operator. Our team considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service. Our evaluation includes referencing a proprietary database built over years of

Starlink Doubled Its Speed In 2 Years. It Still Doesn’t Meet the FCC’s Definition of Broadband

Starlink is nearly twice as fast as it was two years ago, according to a new report from the speed test site Ookla. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.) Median download speeds from the satellite internet provider have steadily ticked up over the past few years, going from 53.95 megabits per second in 2022 to 104.71Mbps today. That’s an impressive feat considering Starlink added about 5 million customers over the same period and recently passed the 6 milli

Two guys hated using Comcast, so they built their own fiber ISP

Samuel Herman and Alexander Baciu never liked using Comcast's cable broadband. Now, the residents of Saline, Michigan, operate a fiber Internet service provider that competes against Comcast in their neighborhoods and has ambitions to expand. "All throughout my life pretty much, I've had to deal with Xfinity's bullcrap, them not being able to handle the speeds that we need," Herman told Ars. "I lived in a house of 10. I have seven other brothers and sisters, and there's 10 of us in total with m

Two guys hated using Comcast, so they built their own fiber ISP

Samuel Herman and Alexander Baciu never liked using Comcast's cable broadband. Now, the residents of Saline, Michigan, operate a fiber Internet service provider that competes against Comcast in their neighborhoods and has ambitions to expand. "All throughout my life pretty much, I've had to deal with Xfinity's bullcrap, them not being able to handle the speeds that we need," Herman told Ars. "I lived in a house of 10. I have seven other brothers and sisters, and there's 10 of us in total with m

Best Satellite Internet Providers for July 2025

Our picks 90001 Edit ZIP code Why we chose these providers Sort by Best potential among satellite internet 20 - 250 Mbps $90 - $120 per month Check with Starlink Provider not available in 90001 Edit ZIP code Or call to learn more: (866) 671-3650 Best satellite internet for reliable speeds 50-100 Mbps $50 - $80 per month Check with Hughesnet Provider not available in 90001 Edit ZIP code Or call to learn more: (833) 347-4265 Best satellite internet for versatility of plans 12 - 150 Mbps $70 - $300

Best Internet Providers for Streaming for July 2025

Our picks 90001 Edit ZIP code Why we chose these providers Sort by Best internet provider for streaming overall 300 - 5,000 Mbps $55 - $250 per month Check with AT&T Fiber Provider not available in 90001 Edit ZIP code Or call to learn more: (833) 579-0031 Best live TV streaming add-on 500 - 1,000 Mbps $50 - $80 per month Check with Spectrum Internet Provider not available in 90001 Edit ZIP code Or call to learn more: (877) 508-6169 Best for streaming YouTube TV 500 - 5,000 Mbps $50 - $155 per mo

Home Internet 101: Which Internet Connection Is the Best?

There are different modes of internet access, and here at CNET, we've encountered every type of internet connection out there. Our experts can tell you firsthand the difference the connection type you choose can make. In this guide, we'll cover the different types of connections available, the speeds they offer, their overall quality and price range. Keep in mind that choosing the right connection type for your household will mostly depend on what's available at your address. Some people may be

Best Internet Providers in Indianapolis, Indiana

What is the best internet provider in Indianapolis? CNET recommends AT&T Fiber as the best choice for internet in Indianapolis due to its fast speeds and overall availability. With speeds up to 5,000Mbps for $245 per month, residents looking for the best speeds shouldn't look elsewhere. However, if you end up outside the internet service provider's area, we recommend Spectrum's cable service as a fantastic alternative. For residents with smaller budgets who want to keep their costs low, we rec

Best Internet Providers in Michigan

What is the best internet provider in Michigan? CNET's overall pick for the best internet provider in Michigan is Spectrum. The cable provider offers an impressive combination of fast speeds, transparent pricing and widespread availability within the state. Plus Spectrum offers a solid array of plans to suit different needs, from low-cost options to gig-level speeds. If you're looking for the cheapest internet in the Great Lake State, Spectrum and WOW Internet boast Michigan's most affordable

Amazon Prime Day deals on SSDs and external hard drives are still available: Save on Samsung, Crucial, Sandisk and more

Amazon Prime Day is a great time to pick up gear and upgrades you wouldn't normally think about. In case you've never used a solid-state drive (SSD) before, it's a class of add-ons that bolster a device's built-in storage. Not only will your phone, laptop or console be able to hold more data, but more of those files will be quickly accessible, which can vastly improve your speeds. If you have used an SSD before, you know what you're looking for — the best discounted drives on Amazon. We've curat

Starlink’s In-Flight Wi-Fi Is Faster Than Its Home Internet Speeds: Here’s Why

Starlink is nearly twice as fast as any other in-flight Wi-Fi option, according to the latest report by the speed test site Ookla. (Disclaimer: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.) The satellite internet company from SpaceX clocked median download speeds of 152 megabits per second and upload speeds of 24Mbps. That means that Starlink’s speeds in the air are faster than some internet providers on the ground. Those download and upload speeds were nearly twice as fast a

Best Fiber Internet Providers for 2025

Our picks 90001 Edit ZIP code Why we chose these providers Sort by Best fiber internet provider overall 300 - 5,000 Mbps $55 - $250 per month Check with AT&T Fiber Provider not available in 90001 Edit ZIP code Or call to learn more: (833) 579-0031 Best cheap fiber internet plan 500 - 5,000 Mbps $50 - $155 per month Check with Frontier Fiber Provider not available in 90001 Edit ZIP code Or call to learn more: (877) 870-0633 Best signup bonuses with fiber internet 300 - 2,000 Mbps $50 - $120 per m