Internet Providers in
Tucson, AZ

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Best Internet Providers in Tucson, AZ

Tucson has several solid broadband options, but our data suggests that the best choice in town is Quantum Fiber. It offers speeds up to 8 Gbps on a fiber connection type. The only downside: a limited market area that covers only about one-tenth of Tucson. Depending on where you live, fiber internet may or may not be an option for your home Wi-Fi network.

If you don’t have access to plans from Quantum Fiber in your area of Tucson, you’ll most likely want to sign up for a plan or bundle with one of Tucson’s two cable internet companies: Cox and Xfinity. If you have your choice between the two, you’ll want to focus on Xfinity, which offers significantly better speeds that are more appropriate for streaming and online gaming. Xfinity advertises speeds ranging from 100 Mbps to 2 Gbps; that’s faster than DSL, fixed wireless and satellite options. Cox offers a similar range in speed, specifically 300 Mbps to 2 Gbps, but in terms of reliability, we recommend Xfinity. The unfortunate reality, however, is that you’re not likely to be able to choose between the two providers — you’ll probably have access to only one provider or another.

There are other options in town, including CenturyLink DSL internet and T-Mobile 5G Home Internet. We don’t generally recommend DSL for most households, since it’s not as fast or reliable as other connection types. CenturyLink DSL speeds go up to 100 Mbps and plans start at $55 per month which isn’t a great value compared to Xfinity and Cox. Xfinity standalone internet plans start at $30 per month while Cox starts at $50 per month. Both providers offer bundles that include more than just internet, like home phone and TV services. Xfinity bundles start at $70 per month while Cox bundles start at $121 per month. If you’re looking for value, you’ll find them with bundles!

In some parts of town, you may want to consider 5G home internet providers like T-Mobile 5G Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet. While we wouldn’t recommend these services over fiber or most broadband cable connections, they can be a worthy option if you don’t have high-speed wired internet options in your neighborhood of Tucson.

ISPs run special deals and promotions every so often, especially for new customers, so if you’re thinking about switching, you have a high chance of saving money while you’re at it. For example, Cox offers a five-year Price Lock Guarantee with its 2 GIG, 1 GIG, or 500 Mbps internet plan and Cox Mobile Unlimited line. It also offers Cox Security Suite Plus powered by McAfee for free when you sign up for any Cox internet plan. If you like upfront money for signing up with a provider, you might consider T-Mobile 5G Home Internet for its $300 Virtual Prepaid Mastercard sign-up bonus that applies to the Amplified Home Internet and All-In Home Internet plans. These deals and promotions change often for any ISP, so make sure to check back often for the latest deals and see how you can save money for your internet service.

Quantum Fiber - Fastest Provider
Spectrum - Cheapest Provider
Viasat - Widely Available
Viasat - Great for Rural Areas
T-Mobile - Offers 5G Home Internet
Quantum Fiber - Great Value

Fastest Internet Providers in Tucson, AZ

Quantum Fiber is the fastest provider in Tucson, with speeds up to 8 Gbps.

Tuscon’s clear-cut fastest internet provider is Quantum Fiber, which offers top speeds up to 8 Gbps. Generally speaking, you’re going to get the fastest and most reliable internet from fiber-optic connections. Cable internet is second-best, and other options — like DSL and satellite internet — tend to be slower.

Your internet speed requirements will vary depending on how much bandwidth you need for your household. Some internet activities — such as online gaming and streaming live TV — are more taxing than others. It takes almost no data to check one’s email, so anyone can accomplish that efficiently even on very slow connections. Conversely, it takes a lot of data to watch Netflix, so you need a faster connection to make sure that the information moves along quickly enough to keep your video stream smooth and in high definition. You’ll also need significantly more speed in larger households, because streaming Netflix on two different devices at once is twice as taxing as streaming one show at a time!

If you can, shoot for at least 250 Mbps for reliably fast internet; though, 500 Mbps to 1 Gbps is better, especially for larger households with more significant internet needs.

Also, note that data caps affect speeds, and unfortunately with cable internet plans, you’re going to come across them more often than if you were to sign up with a fiber internet provider. Xfinity and Cox employ data caps on some, if not most, of their plans, though we think the amount is still good enough for any power internet user.

What’s a Good Internet Speed?

Internet Speed	Appropriate For	Providers in your Area offering this Speed	Availability in your Area
100 Mbps	Streaming Video chat Online gaming Larger households	CenturyLink Viasat T-Mobile Hughesnet XNET WiFi Rincon Wireless Starlink	100%
1000 Mbps (1 Gbps)	Heavy streaming (4K video multiple devices etc.) Video chat Lag-free gaming Large households	Spectrum Quantum Fiber Xfinity Cox Verizon Orbitel Simply Bits Bluespan Triad Wireless	98.61999999999999%

Learn more about internet speeds:

Internet Availability in Tucson, AZ

In your area of Tucson, you can generally expect to see between two and three options for internet service. Your cable provider will be either Cox or Xfinity, depending on your area. You may be able to get Quantum Fiber, too, and will likely be able to get DSL service from CenturyLink.

So where is the dividing line between Cox and Xfinity in Tucson? Well, there’s actually some overlap — some neighborhoods have a mix of both providers, though it’s pretty rare for individual addresses to have both options. Xfinity’s service area is mostly along the northern and western edges of town. Xfinity’s footprint covers neighboring Flowing Wells and the Catalina Foothills, and it creeps down into Tucson proper in areas like Campus Farm. The situation is similar along the western edge of town, where Xfinity serves Valencia West and Drexel Heights, and bleeds into Tucson proper in areas like Midvale Park and Sunnyside.

Other than one tiny patch of coverage out past the Pantano Wash in the area around Highland Trails, that’s it for Xfinity — the rest of the Tucson area, including the vast majority of Tucson proper, will be Cox territory.

As for fiber, your best bet for Quantum Fiber is a swath of neighborhoods running north and south through the geographic center of town — along the Pantano Wash, particularly Udall Park and Broadway/Northeast, and (on the other side of the Pantano) Pantano East. Tierra Del Sol, near the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, is another good spot for Quantum.

These neighborhoods are fiber’s traditional strongholds (they date back to the days of CenturyLink Fiber — that company’s fiber network is now largely in Quantum’s hands). But Quantum has expanded into other areas, so it’s worth checking your ZIP code with our tool, especially if you live near the University of Arizona or down around South Tucson.

Provider Connection Types in Tucson, AZ

Connection Type	About this Connection Type	Availability in Tucson, AZ
Satellite	Available even in very rural areas Typically has high latency (lag)	100%
DSL	Typically about 100 Mbps Slower than Cable or Fiber	49.97%
Cable	Typically 250 Mbps - 1 Gbps Widely available A good choice for most users	93.54%
Fiber	Typically 1 Gbps or faster Upload speeds match download speeds	8.41%