Best Internet Providers in Wausau, Wisconsin

What is the best internet provider in Wausau?

TDS Telecom is the best internet provider for most households in Wausau, according to CNET because of its wide availability and symmetrical fiber speeds. However, TDS Telecom is not available everywhere in Wausau, so Frontier Fiber or Spectrum are also solid choices, depending on what is available in your area.

If you’re looking for the lowest prices or the fastest speeds, we’ve found those top options, too. Frontier and Spectrum both offer plans for $30 per month in Wausau. TDS Telecom and Spectrum have wider availability than Frontier, but the fastest internet speed in Wausau is Frontier’s 5,000 Mbps fiber plan for $130 per month.

Source: CNET analysis of carrier data.

Other available internet providers in Wausau

• Network Professionals AirNet: If you live in a remote or rural area near Wausau and can’t get cable, fiber, or T-Mobile Home Internet, check out this fixed wireless service. Plans start at $40 per month for 5 Mbps and go up to $130 per month for 25 Mbps. There are no data caps or contracts. Compare this to satellite Internet.
• Satellite internet: Satellite internet service from Starlink, Viasat or Hughesnet can get you online if you have few or no other options for home broadband. It’s not cheap and speeds can vary, but it can be a viable option if you live in a rural area that’s out of reach of the usual cable, fiber and fixed wireless ISPs.
• American cell phone: Wireless provider US Cellular offers home internet plans throughout Wausau. Plans start at $50 per month for 600GB of priority data. Speeds vary depending on your location. Before you choose US Cellular, look into wired internet options like cable or fiber.

Cheap Internet Options in Wausau

Frontier and Spectrum are tied for the cheapest home internet plans in the city at $30 per month. TDS Telecom also delivers 300 Mbps download and upload speeds for $50 with its fiber network. If you are a low-income household, see if you qualify for the federal Lifeline program and the TDS connection or Spectrum Internet Help options for affordable broadband at home.

What is the cheapest internet plan in Wausau?

Source: CNET analysis of carrier data.

How to Find Online Deals and Promotions in Wausau

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

Wausau internet providers like Spectrum and TDS Telecom may offer lower introductory prices or streaming add-ons for a limited time. However, others, including Frontier and T-Mobile Home Internet, typically maintain the same standard prices year-round.

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

How fast is the broadband internet in Wausau?

Most homes in Wausau have access to gig downloads with TDS Telecom, Frontier Fiber and Spectrum. Wausau recorded a respectable median download speed of 277 Mbps in a recent Ookla Speed ​​Test Report. That’s a remarkable leap from the Wisconsin state average of about 225 Mbps. If you happen to live in Frontier’s coverage area, you can get symmetrical fiber speeds of up to 5,000 Mbps, the fastest in the city. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck with 1,000 Mbps with TDS Telecom or Spectrum.

Fastest internet plans in Wausau

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 Wausau

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 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 Wausau?

TDS Telecom’s fiber plans make sense for most Wausau residents. The prices are reasonable, the speeds are symmetrical, and the network reaches most of the city. However, if you live near Rib Mountain, look to Spectrum for your connection. Strongly consider Frontier’s fiber plans if you live in the small coverage area. It has some of the best prices around, and its gig plan is a particularly good value. If you’re in a remote location and can’t get fiber or cable, look into fixed wireless from T-Mobile, US Cellular, or Network Professionals. Overall, Wausau has some solid home internet options to get you connected.

Frequently Asked Questions About Internet Providers in Wausau