What is the best internet provider in Rhode Island?
Verizon Fios is our pick for best internet service provider in Rhode Island, with its 100% fiber-optic internet reaching 80% of the state, near-Gigabit upload and download speeds, competitive pricing and customer-friendly service terms. J.D. Power has also ranked Verizon Fios first in customer satisfaction in the East region for over a decade.
Cox is another solid choice for home internet in Rhode Island and is available just about everywhere in the state (except Block Island and Prudence Island, where only satellite internet is available). Availability is Cox's biggest advantage over Verizon Fios, but it also boasts the highest internet speeds in the state at 2,000Mbps, though the symmetrical upload speeds of 2 Gigabit fiber are quite rare to find for non-business customers.
Both providers have a starting price of approximately $50 per month, but you'll get a slightly faster connection with Verizon Fios. Local provider i3 Broadband has a lower starting price of $40 per month, but it's only available to about 5% of state addresses.
Aside from Verizon Fios, Cox and possibly i3 Broadband, wireless internet from Verizon 5G Home Internet and T-Mobile Home Internet are the only other practical internet options in Rhode Island. If you can qualify for the mobile bundle discount with either, it would be the best source of cheap internet in the state.
Best internet providers in Rhode Island
Rhode Island internet providers compared Provider Internet technology Monthly price range Speed range Monthly equipment costs Data cap Contract CNET review score Cox
Read full review Cable $50-$150 250 to 2,000Mbps $15 (included for 24 months) 1.25TB, unlimited for 24 months None 6.2 I3 Broadband Cable $40-$70 250 to 1,000Mbps $5 (optional) None None N/A T-Mobile Home Internet
Read full review Fixed wireless $50-$70 ($40-$50 with eligible mobile plans) 72 to 245Mbps None None None 7.4 Verizon 5G Home Internet
Read full review Fixed wireless $50-$70 ($35 to $45 with eligible mobile plans) 50 to 1,000Mbps None None None 7.2 Verizon Fios
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