Best Internet Providers in Frederick, Maryland

What is the best internet provider in Frederik?

Xfinity is our pick for the best internet provider in Frederick, Marylandthanks to its wide availability and a range of competitively priced high-speed internet subscriptions. For example, the Xfinity Connect tier is the cheapest internet plan in Frederick, starting at $20 per month for speeds up to 150 megabits per second and currently includes unlimited data with no contract requirements.

For those who prefer high speeds over low costs, Glo Fiber offers the fastest internet plans in Frederick, with speeds from 600 to 2,400 Mbps available in select areas. The 100% fiber optic connection promises equally high upload and download speeds, an advantage that you usually only get from fiber optic internet.

Verizon Fios, another fiber-optic provider, may be available in some parts of Frederick, but it’s much more likely that your address is usable by Verizon 5G Home Internet, a wireless Internet service. While it doesn’t have the same speed potential as Xfinity or Glo Fiber, Verizon 5G Home Internet is worth a look for its fair pricing, simple terms of service, and discounted mobile bundles, especially on the city’s west side where utility is greatest .

T-Mobile Home Internet, another wireless home Internet provider in Frederick, is also an option, but its relatively slow speeds make it more suitable for suburban and rural Internet service.

Best internet in Frederick, Maryland

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Here’s how to find internet deals and promotions in Frederick

Frederick’s best internet deals and top promotions depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most offers are short-lived, but we regularly review the latest offers.

Frederick internet providers, such as Xfinity and T-Mobile Home Internet, may offer lower introductory prices or other incentives for a limited time. However, others, including Glo Fiber and Verizon 5G Home Internet, have the same standard prices year-round.

For a more comprehensive list of promos, check out our guide to the best internet deals.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

What is a good internet speed?

Most internet plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you’re looking for an internet plan that’s suitable for video conferencing, video streaming, or gaming, you’ll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here you will find an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for different applications, according to the FCC. Please note that these are guidelines only and internet speed, service and performance will vary by connection type, provider and address.

For more information, see our guide to how much internet speed you really need.

• With 0 to 5 Mbps you can handle the basics: surfing the web, sending and receiving email, streaming low-quality video.
• 5 to 40 Mbps gives you higher quality video streaming and video conferencing.
• 40 to 100 Mbps should give a single user enough bandwidth to meet the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
• With 100 to 500 Mbps, one to two users can simultaneously participate in high-bandwidth activities such as video conferencing, streaming and online gaming.
• With 500 to 1,000 Mbps, three or more users can perform high-bandwidth activities simultaneously.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Frederick

Internet providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. So what is our approach? We’ll start by researching the price, availability, and speed information using our own historical ISP data, carrier sites, and Federal Communications Commission mapping information at FCC.gov.

But it doesn’t end there. We go to the FCC’s website to check our records and make sure we’re considering every ISP that provides service in a particular area. We also enter local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look to sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and JD Power, to evaluate how satisfied customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate at the time of publication.

Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:

1. Does the provider offer access to reasonably high internet speeds?
2. Do customers get a good price for what they pay?
3. Are customers satisfied with their service?

While the answers to these questions are often layered and complex, the providers that come closest to “yes” to all three questions are the providers we recommend. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the subscriptions with the lowest monthly amount, but we also take into account things such as price increases, equipment costs and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively easy. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and take into account real-world speed data from sources such as Ookla And FCC reports.

Visit our page on how we test ISPs to explore our process in more depth.

Internet Service Providers in Frederick, Maryland, Frequently Asked Questions