Best Internet Providers in Juneau, Alaska

What is the best internet provider in Juneau?

GCI is the best internet provider in Juneau. The service offers speeds of up to 2,500 Mbps with prices starting at $100 per month. It’s the only wired connection in town, making it less susceptible to weather disruptions than other providers’ services, but you’ll face data caps with most plans.

If you want lower prices (and higher data limits), the cheapest internet in Juneau is SnowCloud, which offers plans starting at $65 per month for speeds of 200 Mbps. Starlink satellite internet is another good option, but you’ll have to purchase the equipment upfront for $349 and possibly even a congestion fee.

Best internet in Juneau, Alaska

Source: CNET analysis of provider data

Other available internet providers in Juneau

• Alaska Communications: Although it technically offers fiber service to a handful of addresses in Juneau, Alaska Communications is primarily a DSL provider. Speeds depend on your specific address, but the fastest I saw was 75 Mbps for $100 per month. In most areas you’re looking at 15-30 Mbps for $95 – an extremely high price for such slow speeds. That said, Alaska Communications is one of the few ISPs in Juneau that offers unlimited data with all of their plans, so it’s worth checking out.
• HughesNet: Besides Starlink, HughesNet is your other option for satellite internet in Juneau. You don’t have to pay huge equipment costs up front – HughesNet charges $14 a month for equipment – but in every other area it’s significantly worse. Speeds range from 15 Mbps to 50 Mbps, but the most concerning issue for most people is data limits. Prices start at $50 for 15 GB and go all the way up to $150 for 200 GB. After you reach these limits, HughesNet slows your speed to 1 to 3 Mbps for the rest of the month, making things like TV streaming or video conferencing unfeasible.

Cheap Internet Options in Juneau

There aren’t many really “cheap” internet options in Juneau. The lowest starting price comes from HughesNet, which offers two plans for $50 per month (at least in the first year) but adds an extra $14 for equipment. SnowCloud is the cheaper all-in provider, with plans starting at $65 for 100 Mbps speeds and no equipment costs.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data

How to Find Internet Deals and Promotions in Juneau

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

Juneau internet providers like GCI may offer lower introductory prices or streaming add-ons for a limited time. However, many, including SnowCloud, Starlink and Alaska Communications, have the same standard prices year-round.

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

How fast is Juneau broadband?

Internet in Juneau is extremely slow compared to cities in the lower 48, but it does well compared to other cities in Alaska. 97% of Juneau residents have access to speeds of 250/25 Mbps, compared to just 250/25 Mbps 70% statewide. That is entirely thanks to GCI; it is the fastest provider in the state and is available virtually everywhere in Juneau.

Fastest Internet Plans in Juneau

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 participate in high-bandwidth activities such as video conferencing, streaming and online gaming. at the same time.
• With 500 to 1,000 Mbps, three or more users can simultaneously perform high-bandwidth activities such as video conferencing, streaming and online gaming.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Juneau

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?

Although the answers to these questions are often layered and complex, we recommend the providers who come closest to ‘yes’ to all three questions. When it comes to selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly payment, but we also take into account things like price increases, equipment costs and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively easy. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and also consider real-world speed data from sources such as Ookla And FCC reports. (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)

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

Compared to the country as a whole, Juneau’s internet landscape leaves a lot to be desired. But that’s apples and oranges: By Alaska standards, Juneau is doing pretty well. The best Internet provider for most people is GCI, the only wired connection in town. It is by far the fastest internet in Juneau, but it is on the expensive side and you will encounter data caps with most plans. If you’re looking for cheap internet in Juneau, SnowCloud is your best bet, with plans starting at just $65. Satellite internet from Starlink is another option for fairly fast speeds, but requires an upfront purchase of $599 equipment.

Frequently asked questions about internet providers in Juneau