Internet Access in Rhode Island: Stats & Figures

Rhode Island's Internet Ranking

Rhode Island currently ranks 19th among states in BroadbandNow’s annual rankings of internet coverage, speed and availability.

Access to Wired or Fixed Wireless Broadband: 96.9%

This means that roughly zero in ten Rhode Island residents are not able to purchase an internet plan of at least 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload.

Access to Wired Low-Priced Broadband Plan: 96.3%

This means that nearly zero in ten residents are not able to purchase broadband at a price of $60/month or less (excluding promotions and government programs).

Access to Fiber-Optic Service: 85%

This means that in ten residents are unable to purchase a fiber internet plan.

Number of Internet Providers in Rhode Island: 13

The U.S. has more than 2,877 internet service providers, with most covering very small areas. It is worth searching by zip code to see who is available in your town.

At BroadbandNow, we advocate for a definition of broadband internet to be at least 100 Mbps, as opposed to the FCC definition of 25 Mbps, which would be considered slow for many internet-intensive activities.

In Rhode Island, 95.2% of households have access to 100 Mbps wired or fixed wireless broadband, ranking 11th among all states.

In Rhode Island, 90.7% of households have access to 1 Gbps wired or fixed wireless broadband, ranking 16th among all states.

2026 Rhode Island Broadband Market Analysis

Rhode Island ranks #19 nationwide (slipping 11 spots from 2025) in BroadbandNow’s 2026 Best and Worst States for Broadband report, earning an overall grade of B (Score: 84.41/100). The state’s standing is anchored by fundamental prerequisite connectivity, with 96.9% of residents having access to basic wired or fixed wireless broadband and 96.3% covered by affordable low-priced plans. Physical network architecture across the state features a 85% fiber-optic availability rate, which directly influences overall consumer reliability and quality scores.

In our evaluation of over 160 million speed tests, Rhode Island demonstrated network responsiveness with a median round-trip latency of 13.17 ms alongside median download speeds reaching 106.1 Mbps and upload speeds of 24 Mbps. Real-world network performance reveals noticeable variations between leading urban corridors and surrounding communities. In major metropolitan centers like Providence, municipal performance earns a national ranking of #87 (Grade B), supported by a 85.4% fiber footprint and median download speeds of 101.4 Mbps.

Outside of primary metropolitan centers, surrounding suburban and rural communities frequently encounter lower fiber density and more limited provider tier options. Because infrastructure quality, plan pricing, and fiber availability shift dramatically from city to city across Rhode Island, checking address-level provider coverage remains essential for remote workers, competitive gamers, and everyday households.

Percentage of households with and without any type of internet access

With: 95.4%
Without: 4.6%

Type of internet connection

Dialup only: <1%
Broadband of any type: 93.4%
Cellular data only: 13.9%
Satellite: 3.7%

Age

<18: 2.7%
18-64: 4.1%
65+ adults: 12%

Household Income

<$20,000: 20.2%
$20,000-$74,999: 8.6%
$75,000+: 1.9%

Race

Black: 4.7%
Native American/Alaska Native: 0%
Asian: 7.8%
Mixed race: 5.5%
Hispanic or Latino: 7.6%
White: 4.7%

Employment Status

Employed: 3.4%
Unemployed: 6.1%

Educational Attainment

Less than high school: 17%
HS grad, some college or associate's: 7.3%
Bachelor's degree: 2.2%

Provider	Max. Download Speed	Connection	Availability	Rating
Cox	2 Gbps	Cable, Fiber	88.7%	3.6	View Plans
Verizon Fios	2 Gbps	Fiber	82.7%	3.6	View Plans
EarthLink Fiber	940 Mbps	Fiber	77.8%		View Plans
AT&T Internet Air	300 Mbps	Fixed Wireless	59.9%		View Plans
T-Mobile 5G Home Internet	415 Mbps	Fixed Wireless	55.2%	3.2	View Plans
XNET WiFi	2 Gbps	Fixed Wireless	49.7%		View Plans
Verizon High Speed Internet	10 Mbps	DSL	48.4%	2.8	View Plans
Verizon 5G Home Internet	300 Mbps	Fixed Wireless	8.0%		View Plans
i3 Broadband	2 Gbps	Cable	4.5%		View Plans
GoNetspeed	2 Gbps	Fiber	1.6%		View Plans
Xfinity	2 Gbps	Cable	0.1%	3.4	View Plans
Spectrum	2 Gbps	Cable	0.1%	3.4	View Plans

Internet Providers By City in Rhode Island

Select a city to see broadband coverage and internet providers available in your area.


Ashaway	99.7%	12 providers
Barrington	100.0%	13 providers
Bradford	100.0%	11 providers
Bristol	94.7%	11 providers
Central Falls	99.5%	11 providers
Charlestown	99.9%	12 providers
Chepachet	100.0%	11 providers
Coventry	100.0%	11 providers
Cranston	97.2%	12 providers
Cumberland	99.9%	11 providers
East Greenwich	99.7%	12 providers
East Providence	100.0%	14 providers
Exeter	99.9%	11 providers
Foster	99.8%	10 providers
Greene	99.8%	10 providers
Greenville	99.9%	11 providers
Harrisville	99.8%	10 providers
Hope	99.4%	9 providers
Hope Valley	100.0%	12 providers
Jamestown	99.9%	11 providers
Johnston	100.0%	12 providers
Kingston	26.2%	10 providers
Lincoln	100.0%	11 providers
Little Compton	100.0%	11 providers
Middletown	99.6%	12 providers
Narragansett	99.9%	11 providers
Newport	92.6%	12 providers
North Kingstown	99.5%	12 providers
North Providence	96.4%	13 providers
North Scituate	99.5%	11 providers
North Smithfield	99.9%	12 providers
Pascoag	98.5%	11 providers
Pawtucket	99.7%	13 providers
Portsmouth	99.8%	11 providers
Providence	95.2%	12 providers
Riverside	100.0%	11 providers
Rumford	100.0%	12 providers
Saunderstown	100.0%	11 providers
Shannock	100.0%	10 providers
Smithfield	83.6%	12 providers
Tiverton	99.9%	10 providers
Wakefield	99.6%	12 providers
Warren	100.0%	11 providers
Warwick	100.0%	12 providers
West Greenwich	99.6%	11 providers
West Kingston	100.0%	11 providers
West Warwick	100.0%	12 providers
Westerly	99.8%	11 providers
Woonsocket	99.9%	12 providers
Wyoming	100.0%	11 providers

Internet Service Providers in Rhode Island

Rhode Island Internet Coverage & Availability in 2026

Rhode Island Internet Facts in 2026