Best Internet Providers in Missoula, Montana

What is the best internet provider in Missoula?

With an affordable starting price and reasonably broad connectivity, Spectrum is the best internet provider in Missoula according to CNET. Keep an eye on those prices, because they go up a lot after a year or two. Spectrum doesn’t lock you into a contract, so you can shop around if better options come along.

Blackfoot Communications offers the fastest internet plans in Missoula — Fiber plans max out at 1,000 Mbps download and 500 Mbps upload — but it’s not available everywhere in town. T-Mobile Home Internet is another good backup option if you can get it. Speeds aren’t as fast as Spectrum or Blackfoot, but it comes with a price guarantee and customers are generally happy with the service.

Best Internet in Missoula, Montana

Source: CNET analysis of carrier data.

Source: CNET analysis of carrier data.

How to Find Internet Deals and Promotions in Missoula

The best internet deals and top promotions in Missoula depend on what discounts are available at the time. Most deals are short-lived, but we regularly search for the latest offers.

Internet providers in Missoula, such as Spectrum, may offer lower introductory prices or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many providers, including T-Mobile Home Internet and Blackfoot Communications, maintain the same standard prices year-round.

For a more comprehensive overview of all promotions, check out our guide to the best online deals.

Source: CNET analysis of carrier data.

What is a good internet speed?

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

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

• With 0 to 5 Mbps you can perform basic tasks: surfing the web, sending and receiving email, and streaming low-quality videos.
• 5 to 40 Mbps gives you higher quality video streaming and video conferencing.
• 40 to 100 Mbps should be enough bandwidth for one person to meet the demands of modern teleworking, video streaming, and online gaming.
• With 100 to 500 Mbps, one or two people can simultaneously participate in high-bandwidth activities such as video conferencing, streaming, and online gaming.
• With 500 to 1,000 Mbps, three or more people can participate in high-bandwidth activities simultaneously.

How CNET Chose the Best Internet Providers in Missoula

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 go to the FCC website to check our data and make sure we account for every ISP that offers service in an area. We also enter local addresses into carrier websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power to evaluate how satisfied customers are with an ISP’s service. 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:

1. Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
2. Do customers get value for their money?
3. Are customers satisfied with their service?

While the answers to these questions are often multi-layered and complex, the providers that come closest to “yes” to all three questions are the ones we recommend. When it comes to selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fees, though we also consider things like price increases, equipment costs, and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively simple. We look at advertised upload and download speeds, and also consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla And FCC Reports.

If you would like to take a more detailed look at our process, please visit our How We Test ISPs page.

Frequently Asked Questions About Internet Providers in Missoula