Internet Providers in Madison, Wisconsin
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Home Internet in Madison, WI
-
1. AT&T 
Speeds Up To5 Gbps
Connection: IPBB, Fiber, 5G InternetAvailability: 82%Madison speed tests confirm high speeds for AT&T Internet -
2. Spectrum 
Speeds Up To1 Gbps*
Connection: Cable, FiberAvailability: 90.9%Madison speed tests confirm high speeds for Spectrum -
3. Viasat 
Speeds Up To150 Mbps*
Connection: SatelliteAvailability: 100% -
4. T-Mobile 
Download Speeds:72 - 245 Mbps*
Connection: 5G InternetAvailability: 69.2% -
5. EarthLink 
Speeds Up To100 Mbps*
Connection: 5G InternetAvailability: 48% -
6. Hughesnet 
Speeds Up To100 Mbps*
Connection: SatelliteAvailability: 100% -
7. Frontier -
8. TDS 
Speeds Up To8 Gbps*
Connection: DSL, FiberAvailability: 35.1% -
9. XNET WiFi 
Download Speeds:25 - 150 Mbps*
Connection: Fixed WirelessAvailability: 69.2% -
10. Bertram Internet 
Speeds Up To50 Mbps*
Connection: Fixed WirelessAvailability: 2.1% -
11. LiteWire 
Speeds Up To65 Mbps*
Connection: Fixed WirelessAvailability: 10.2% -
UScellular 
Speeds Up To100 Mbps*
Connection: Fixed WirelessAvailability: 94% -
UPNETWI 
Speeds Up To100 Mbps*
Connection: Fixed WirelessAvailability: 5.7% -
Starlink 
Download Speeds:50 - 220 Mbps*
Connection: SatelliteAvailability: 100% -
Verizon 
Speeds Up To1 Gbps*
Connection: 5G InternetAvailability: 36.6%
Compare Top Providers in Your Area
- AT&T Internet vs. Spectrum
- AT&T Internet vs. T-Mobile 5G Home Internet
- AT&T Internet vs. Frontier
- AT&T Internet vs. TDS Telecom
- AT&T Internet vs. Verizon 5G Home Internet
- Hughesnet vs. Viasat Internet
- Spectrum vs. T-Mobile 5G Home Internet
- Spectrum vs. Frontier
- Spectrum vs. TDS Telecom
- Spectrum vs. Verizon 5G Home Internet
- Starlink vs. Viasat Internet
- Viasat Internet vs. T-Mobile 5G Home Internet
Best Internet Providers in Madison, WI
The best internet service providers in Madison are AT&T Fiber and Spectrum. Fiber providers are always going to be your best option, as they offer the most reliable service and symmetrical speeds. AT&T is the best fiber internet provider in Madison due to its wide availability and quick speeds. AT&T Fiber has a great reputation for its fast service, with speeds reaching up to 5 Gbps. AT&T plans start at $55.
If you don’t have a fiber provider in your neighborhood, the second-best option is cable internet. Madison’s top cable provider is Spectrum, which offers download speeds up to 1 Gbps (wireless speeds may vary) and internet-only plans starting at $50 per month for 12 months. Spectrum also has good bundle options that include phone and TV starting at $90.
AT&T also offers an IPBB connection type in Madison (IPBB uses a mix of connection types, including DSL, at different places within its network). Other providers also offer fixed wireless and 5G connections. For an alternative to wired internet, we like T-Mobile 5G Home Internet for its cheap pricing starting at $60 per month (with AutoPay) for speeds between 72 and 245 Mbps. That said, we don’t generally recommend these options over more stable connection types like fiber and cable.
Getting the best deal in Madison means looking out for the most significant savings and promotions from these ISPs each month. Right now, AT&T Fiber is giving up to $150 in Visa Reward Cards when you purchase an AT&T Fiber Internet 1000 plan. You can also get an additional $75 gift card with the promo code BACK2SCHOOL when you sign up. Spectrum, on the other hand, is giving away a free Xuomo Stream Box with any Spectrum TV plan purchase. While it’s not as much as AT&T, you can also snag a $100 Virtual Prepaid Mastercard when you switch to T-Mobile 5G Home Internet.
Fastest Internet Providers in Madison, WI
TDS is the fastest provider in Madison, with speeds up to 8 Gbps.
The fastest internet service provider in Madison is TDS Telecom, with speeds up to 8 Gbps. With that said, most households will find that they can get an appropriate amount of bandwidth from any of the region’s top two providers: AT&T Fiber (5 Gbps) and Spectrum (1 Gbps).
Fiber internet connections get more out of their speed than other types of broadband connections because they offer upload speeds that are just as fast as downloads. In Madison, AT&T Fiber has multi-gig upload speeds that match its download speeds. However, the biggest cable provider, Spectrum, only offers upload speeds that reach 1 Gbps and can be as low as 500 Mbps. Fiber also doesn’t have the problem of traffic overload during busy periods.
Another reason to choose a fiber provider, if possible, is because data caps can restrict your internet speed and incur extra charges. Luckily the biggest cable provider, Spectrum, also offers unlimited data, but other providers in the city will likely enforce data caps.
What’s a Good Internet Speed?
| Internet Speed | Appropriate For | Providers in your Area offering this Speed | Availability in your Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 Mbps |
|
|
100% |
| 1000 Mbps (1 Gbps) |
|
|
90.94% |
Learn more about internet speeds:
Internet Availability in Madison, WI
Like most cities in the United States, Madison has a primary cable internet provider that is available just about anywhere in the city. For Madison, this provider is Spectrum, which offers plans in 24.8% of the city.
The tricky part about shopping for internet in Madison is figuring out which internet companies besides Spectrum are available in your neighborhood. There are 16 providers in town, but we’d suggest narrowing your focus. Aside from Spectrum, you should be on the lookout for the city’s best fiber internet provider: AT&T Fiber.
AT&T Fiber, for its part, does a bit of a better job of covering more downtown areas. You’ll find AT&T Fiber coverage right downtown and in areas nearby, like First Settlement and Mansion Hill. AT&T Fiber has excellent availability in Emerson East, making it an option for folks in an area that other providers don’t serve. Back across town, AT&T provides a much-needed fiber internet option in Shorewood Hills, Rocky Bluff and Wingra Park.
This makes most areas of Madison very well served by fiber internet options, though there are still a few areas where residents will find themselves choosing between the main cable provider (Spectrum) and DSL options like AT&T Internet.
Internet Provider Store Locations in Madison, WI
Provider Connection Types in Madison, WI
| Connection Type | About this Connection Type | Availability in Madison, WI |
|---|---|---|
| Satellite |
|
100% |
| DSL |
|
63.260000000000005% |
| Cable |
|
94.75% |
| Fiber |
|
43.669999999999995% |
List of Internet Providers in Madison, WI
| Provider | Type | Top Speed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | IPBB, Fiber, 5G Internet | 5 Gbps | |
| Spectrum | Cable, Fiber | 1 Gbps | |
| Viasat | Satellite | 150 Mbps | |
| T-Mobile | 5G Internet | 245 Mbps | |
| EarthLink | 5G Internet | 100 Mbps | |
| Hughesnet | Satellite | 100 Mbps | |
| Frontier | DSL | 90 Mbps | |
| TDS | DSL, Fiber | 8 Gbps | |
| XNET WiFi | Fixed Wireless | 100 Mbps | |
| Bertram Internet | Fixed Wireless | 50 Mbps | |
| LiteWire | Fixed Wireless | 65 Mbps | |
| UScellular | Fixed Wireless | 100 Mbps | |
| UPNETWI | Fixed Wireless | 100 Mbps | |
| Starlink | Satellite | 220 Mbps | |
| Verizon | 5G Internet | 1 Gbps |
Internet Providers in Nearby Cities
Internet Providers in Madison, WI
| Provider | Plans Starting At | Speeds Up To | Connections | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Internet | $55/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan | 5 Gbps Ltd. avail/areas. Speeds vary, not g’td. Single devices wired speed maximum 4.7Gbps. | IPBB, Fiber, 5G Internet | |
| Spectrum | $50/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan | 1 Gbps *Not all internet speeds available in all areas. | Cable, Fiber | |
| Viasat Internet | $99.99/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan | 150 Mbps *Not all internet speeds available in all areas. | Satellite | |
| T-Mobile 5G Home Internet | $60/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan | 245 Mbps *Not all internet speeds available in all areas. | 5G Internet | |
| EarthLink 5G Home Internet | $39.95/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan | 100 Mbps *Not all internet speeds available in all areas. | 5G Internet | |
| Hughesnet | $49.99/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan | 100 Mbps *Not all internet speeds available in all areas. | Satellite | |
| Frontier | $64.99/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan | 90 Mbps | DSL | |
| XNET WiFi | $85/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan | 100 Mbps *Not all internet speeds available in all areas. | Fixed Wireless | |
| Bertram Internet | $59.95/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan | 50 Mbps *Not all internet speeds available in all areas. | Fixed Wireless | |
| LiteWire | $40.95/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan | 65 Mbps *Not all internet speeds available in all areas. | Fixed Wireless | |
| UScellular | $50/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan | 100 Mbps *Not all internet speeds available in all areas. | Fixed Wireless | |
| UPNETWI | $67.74/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan | 100 Mbps *Not all internet speeds available in all areas. | Fixed Wireless | |
| Starlink | $120/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan | 220 Mbps *Not all internet speeds available in all areas. | Satellite | |
| Verizon | $50/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan | 1 Gbps *Not all internet speeds available in all areas. | 5G Internet |
Frequently Asked Questions About Internet in Madison, WI
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