Best Internet Providers in Portland, Maine

What is the best internet provider in Portland, Maine?

It has gigabit speeds, a huge network that covers 89% of Portland, and good service. That’s enough to Spectrum is the best internet provider in Portland, according to CNET. When you need more, Fidium Fiber is also a great choice for city fiber connectivity thanks to its multi-gigabit plans.

We’ve also found the best options if you’re looking for the lowest prices or the fastest speeds. The cheapest internet in Portland, Maine, is Fidium Fiber, which offers 100 megabits per second for $25 per month. Fidium’s fiber connection is also responsible for the fastest plan in Portland: the 2-gigabit (2,000 Mbps) tier.

Best internet in Portland, Maine

Source: CNET analysis of carrier data.

Other available internet providers in Portland, Maine

• RedZone Wireless: RedZone Wireless is available to nearly 92% of Portland residents and costs $99 per month for 4G/5G high-speed internet.
• TK networks: TK Networks offers speeds of up to 500 Mbps, with plans starting at $59 per month for the 50 Mbps service and maxing out at $129. Its fixed wireless network covers 97% of the Portland area.
• Satellite internet: Satellite internet is available to almost every address in the country. However, it is not always the best option due to the slower speeds and two-year contractual commitments required by HughesNet and Viasat. One interesting option is Starlink, which offers unlimited data and no contract requirements, but does come with a hefty upfront cost of almost $299 for the equipment.

Cheap Internet Options in Portland, Maine

If you’re looking for the cheapest internet plan in Portland, Fidium Fiber offers a 100Mbps plan for $25 per month. If you don’t have access to those fiber plans, T-Mobile’s Home Internet plan is just $40 if you also have a cell phone plan.

Source: CNET analysis of carrier data.

How to Find Online Deals and Promotions in Portland, Maine

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

Portland, Maine, internet providers like Spectrum may offer lower introductory prices or streaming add-ons for a limited time. You can also bundle with a phone plan for additional savings. Other providers, including Fidium Fiber and T-Mobile, maintain the same standard pricing year-round.

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

How fast is broadband in Portland, Maine?

According to the FCC, everyone in Portland has access to at least 100 Mbps. Ookla Data places Portland’s median download speed at a healthy 232Mbps, higher than the U.S. median of around 105Mbps. Those numbers can be attributed to the wide availability of Spectrum’s cable broadband connections and Fidium Fiber’s multi-gig internet plans.

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 FCCPlease 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 provide enough bandwidth for a single user to meet the demands of modern teleworking, video streaming, and online gaming.
• With 100 to 500 Mbps, one or 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 participate in high-bandwidth activities simultaneously.

How CNET Picked the Best Internet Providers in Portland, Maine

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

But 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 JD 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:

• 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 multi-layered and complex, the providers that come closest to “yes” to all three questions are the ones we recommend. When 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 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.

What’s the final word on internet providers in Portland, Maine?

It all comes down to your needs as a household. If you’re an average internet user, your best choice for broadband providers is Spectrum for fixed broadband or T-Mobile Home Internet for fixed wireless 5G coverage. If you need symmetrical speeds for online gaming or remote work (or crave multigigabit speeds), your best option is Fidium Fiber.

Frequently Asked Questions About Internet Providers in Portland, Maine