What is the best ISP in Tampa, FL?
Among all the fantastic things Tampa has to offer — including beautiful sunsets, waterfront real estate and rich culture — there are some fantastic Internet options. Based on customer service reviews, pricing and overall bang for your buck, Border hairs is the best overall ISP in Tampa.
However, if Frontier Fiber is not available at your address, there are many others internet service provider options worth checking out. Verizon 5G Home Internet and T-Mobile Home Internet can be great budget options if you're already a wireless customer of any of the service providers, as they offer discounts on internet services when you bundle them. Spectrum also provides strong coverage and competitive rates in the Tampa area.
Best Internet Service Providers in Tampa
I believe Frontier Fiber provides the best speed and value, but Spectrum or wireless options like Verizon 5G Home Internet may also suit your needs. I've listed the top ISPs in Tampa, including their plans and prices, to help you choose the right ISP. Note that prices reflect paperless checkout discounts; choosing not to enroll will result in higher rates.
Note: Prices, speeds and features mentioned in the article may differ from those shown in the product detail cards, which reflect the providers' national offers. The Internet service options available to you, including prices and speeds, will depend on your specific address and may differ from what is described here.
All available home internet providers in Tampa
The providers mentioned above are not the only ones serving Tampa, but they are the ones I would recommend the most. Here's a quick comparison of convenient internet options available in the Tampa area.
Tampa ISP details at a glance
| Provider | The prices | Download Speed Range (Mbps) | Equipment costs | CNET Review Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EarthLink Read the full review |
$65-$190 | 500-5,000 | 13 dollars | 6.3 |
| Border hairs Read the full review |
30-300 dollars | 200-7,000 | No one | 6.3 |
| Spectrum Read the full review |
50-70 dollars | 500-1,000 | 10 dollars | 7.2 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review |
$50-$70 ($30-50 with eligible cell plan) | 72-245 | No one | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read the full review |
$50-$70 ($35-$45 with eligible cell plan) | 50-250 | No one | 7.2 |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Top Tampa ISP Honorable Mentions
EarthLink: A name almost as old as home internet itself, EarthLink now offers service by disconnecting the networks of other providers and municipalities. As a result, you will probably pay a little more for the service compared to other service providers. Prices and speeds vary widely by location, but all plans come with a one-year contract.
Rapid Systems: Local fixed wireless provider Rapid Systems is a decent choice for internet in rural Florida, but prices are high and speeds are slow in the Tampa Bay area. You'll want to check out other internet options at your address before deciding on Rapid Systems, as residential prices in Hillsborough County start at $79 per month for speeds up to 10 Mbps.
T-Mobile Home Internet: With speeds of 72-245Mbps starting at $50 per month ($30 for eligible Magenta Max customers), T-Mobile rivals Verizon in conjunction with 5G home internet. While T-Mobile doesn't have the same speed potential, it does boast more coverage than Verizon, making it a great choice for home internet in suburban and rural areas outside of Tampa.
WideOpenWest: You won't find WideOpenWest, aka WOW, in Tampa, but it's available in most of the Tampa Bay area, including Clearwater, East Lake, Oldsmar and St. Petersburg. Cable ISP is a great choice for cheap and fast internet, with service starting at $25 per month for speeds up to 100 Mbps.
Satellite internet: HughesNet, Viasat and maybe even Starlink are available in Tampa, but there are plenty of other cheaper, faster options in the area to avoid having to settle for satellite internet.
How much does internet cost in Tampa?
The cost of internet in Tampa depends on the provider and plan you choose. The cheapest internet plans in Tampa will run you $50 a month plus taxes and fees, unless you qualify for a discount with Verizon or T-Mobile.
Cheapest internet plans in Tampa
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Internet Options for Low Income Households in Tampa
At $50 a month, the financial barrier to home Internet service in Tampa is a bit higher than in other parts of Florida. As such, you may want to look for more affordable internet services.
Spectrum is offering a discount on an internet plan designed to help those in low-income households stay connected. The Spectrum Internet Assist plan comes with download speeds of up to 50 Mbps, starting at $25 per month.
Frontier doesn't have a separate low-income plan like Spectrum does.
How fast is the internet in Tampa?
According to Ookla's latest speed test data (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis), the state of Florida ranks third in Q4 2023 for the fastest average download speed in the US at around 238 Mbps. Tampa came in slightly slower than the state, ranking 50th among US cities with an average download speed of 232 Mbps.
Spectrum achieved the fastest average speed in Tampa at 267 Mbps.
Many factors can affect speed tests, such as Wi-Fi usage and the maximum speed of the internet plan, but the Tampa speed test results are impressive and a good indication of the speeds you could experience with Spectrum and Frontier .
The slowest available plan from both providers (excluding Spectrum's Internet Assist) comes with download speeds of up to 500Mbps. Faster plans are available from both providers, with EarthLink offering speeds of up to 5,000 Mbps in certain areas.
Fastest internet plans in Tampa
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How CNET picked the best ISPs in Tampa
Internet providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest ones smart phone, laptop, router or kitchen toolit is impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. What is our approach? We start by researching price, availability and speed information based on our historical data from ISPs, provider locations and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.
It doesn't stop there: We go to the FCC website to check our data and make sure we're looking at every ISP that provides service in a certain area. We also enter local addresses on supplier websites to find specific options for residents. To gauge how satisfied customers are with an ISP's service, we look at sources including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and JD Power. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent change; all information provided is correct as of the time of publication.
Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:
- Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
- Are customers getting decent value for what they are paying for?
- Are customers satisfied with their service?
The answer to those questions is often layered and complex, but the providers who come closest to saying yes to all three are the ones we recommend.
To explore our process in more detail, visit our page at how we test ISPs.
Tampa Home Internet FAQs
Is the internet good in Tampa?
Recent data from Ookla's speed test shows that Tampa has an average download speed of 298 Mbps in the fourth quarter of 2023, ranking 50th among all major US cities. Frontier Fiber is probably the most significant contributor to high speeds, advertising a maximum download speed of 500Mbps at its lowest speed.
However, the spectrum does not cover the entire Tampa area. Where wired service is not available, a wireless broadband connection from Verizon 5G Home Internet or T-Mobile Home Internet — with speeds of 50 to 250Mbps and 72 to 245Mbps, respectively — may be available to help residents of Tampa to be connected.
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How can I get free Wi-Fi in Tampa?