Best Internet Providers in Helena, Montana

Montana may not be the first place you think of when you think about internet connectivity, but its capital city may surprise you. As you take in the vast open spaces, big-sky country, and Wild West spirit of this beautiful state, you may be wondering how you can connect to help you finish that great American novel. You may have to wait a while if you’re looking for high-speed internet. It may be because so many of Montana’s amenities are outdoors, as it’s harder to stay indoors and stream entertainment than most places.

Despite Montana’s speed challenges, the capital, Helena, offers you a number of internet options with a bit of a kick. You can choose between satellite, 5G, cable And fiber optic internet. Recently a telecommunications company TDS has announced that it is expanding its fiber coverage to Helenawhich is expected to reach approximately 27,000 customers.

When shopping for the right internet in Helena the focus should be on how to get the speed you need, as Ookla Data shows that Montana ranks 49th for internet speed out of all U.S. states and Washington, DC (followed only by Wyoming and Alaska). Price and coverage are also important factors. Some internet service providers in Helena covers 60% or more of the areaYour choices include Spectrum, T-Mobile And Viasat.

Best Internet Providers in the Queen City of the Rockies

We compared speed, availability and other key factors to find some of Helena’s best internet providers.

Remark: The prices, speeds, and features described in the article text may differ from those in the product detail cards, which represent national carrier offerings. Your specific Internet service options, including prices and speeds, depend on your address and may differ from those described here.

All available residential internet providers in Helena

Helena offers other ISPs in addition to our top picks. If you want to compare and contrast even more options, consider the following alternatives in Helena.

• CenturyLink: This company offers DSL/fiber connections in 67% of Helena. Monthly plans start at $50 and you can get pretty fast speeds by Helena standards; at least 100 Mbps in most locations and up to 940 Mbps in areas with fiber service.
• HughesNet: HughesNet is a satellite provider that can be a good option for people in rural areas who can’t get fiber or cable. The company has plans that start at $50 per month. It does charge a $15 per month equipment fee and requires a two-year contract.
• Montana Internet: You can find wired and fiber internet at Montana Internet, which specifically targets rural residents who want Wi-Fi. Plans start at $65 per month, and the monthly router fee is just $8.
• Sterlink: Starlink is SpaceX’s satellite internet offering. It promises fast broadband, but you’ll have to pay a hefty one-time equipment fee to access the coverage. Download speeds are up to 100 Mbps. While you get unlimited data, Starlink says it prioritizes business and mobile customer data over residential plans, so you may not get the maximum speeds with standard residential service.
  

Price information about Helena home internet service

Most internet plans in Helena start at $25-$50 per month. You may have to pay almost $100 per month if you need fast download speeds.

Cheap internet options in the general Helena area

To get the most value, it’s worth checking your fiber coverage at your address. If it’s not available now, the TDS expansion could soon bring fiber to your Helena neighborhood.

Fastest internet providers in Helena

Montana doesn’t have particularly fast broadband in general, but there are still internet speeds in Helena that make it possible to surf and work from home. Even a few internet providers in Helena are reaching gigabit speeds.

Spectrum offers an Internet Gig plan with up to 940 Mbps, while other providers in the area offer much slower speeds. Still, you can find enough speed in Helena to perform most online tasks. Spectrum’s best plan — and CenturyLink’s fastest fiber option — may be the only ones that work for you if you’re a gamer.

What’s the final word on internet providers in Helena?

The best internet providers in Helena for speed are Spectrum and CenturyLink, while satellite providers may offer more consistent coverage for rural customers. Keep an eye out for fiber expansion to Helena, as this will certainly provide residents with faster downloads than most current plans offer.

How CNET Chose the Best Internet Providers in Helena

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router, or kitchen utensil, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. So how do we do it? We start by examining pricing, availability, and speed information based on our own historical ISP data, provider sites, and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.

And it doesn’t stop there: We head to the FCC website to check our data and make sure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also enter local addresses into provider websites to find specific options for residents. To evaluate how satisfied customers are with an ISP’s service, we look at sources like the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power. ISP plans and pricing are subject to frequent change; all information provided is accurate at the time of publication.

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

• Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
• Do customers get value for their money?
• 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.

For a more detailed look at our process, please visit our How We Test ISPs page.

Frequently Asked Questions About Internet Providers in Helena