What is the best Internet provider in Juneau?
GCI is the best Internet provider in Juneau. The service offers speeds of up to 2,500Mbps with prices starting at $90 per month. It's the only wired connection in town, which makes it less susceptible to the weather than other providers' services, but you'll have to deal with data caps on most plans.
If you want lower prices (and higher data caps), the cheapest Internet in Juneau is Snowfood, which offers plans starting at $65 per month for speeds of 200mbps. Satellite Internet from Starlink is another decent option, but you'll have to buy the equipment upfront for a fee of $349, and may even have to pay a congestion charge.
Best Internet in Juneau, Alaska
Juneau Internet Providers Compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Agreement | CNET Review Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Communications in Alaska | DSL | $85 to $95 | 10-50Mbps | Nothing | Nothing | Nothing | NA |
| GCI | Cable | $90-$190 | 250-2,500Mbps | Nothing | 250 GB-unlimited | Nothing | NA |
| Hughesnet Read full review |
Satellite | $50-$150 | 15-50Mbps | $14 per month | 15-200 GB | Two years | 5.7 |
| Snowy | Fixed wireless | $65 to $95 | 200mbps | Nothing | 500-2,000 GB | Nothing | NA |
| Starlink Read full review |
Satellite | 90 dollars | 25-220mbps | $349 upfront, $100 congestion charge (varies by location) | Nothing | Nothing | NA |
Show more (1 item)
Store providers at my address
Source: CNET analysis of carrier data
Other available Internet providers in Juneau
- Communications in Alaska: Although technically offering fiber service to several Juneau addresses, Alaska Communications is primarily a DSL provider. Speeds depend on your specific address, but the highest I saw was 75Mbps for $100 a month. In most areas, you'll be looking at 15-30Mbps for $95—an extremely high price for such a low speed. That said, Alaska Communications is one of the few ISPs in Juneau that includes unlimited data with all of its plans, so it's worth a look.
- Hughesnet: Along with Starlink, Hughesnet is your other option for satellite Internet in Juneau. You won't have to pay a huge price upfront—Hughesnet charges $14 a month for equipment—but it's significantly worse in every other area. Speeds range from 15Mbps to 50Mbps, but the more worrisome issue for most people are data caps. Prices start at $50 for 15GB and go up to $150 for 200GB. Once you hit these limits, Hughesnet slows your speed down to 1 to 3Mbps for the rest of the month, making things like streaming TV or video conferencing impossible.
Cheap Internet options in Juneau
There aren't many real “cheap” options on the Internet in Juneau. The lowest starting price comes from Hughesnet, which offers two plans for $50 a month (for the first year, at least), but adds an extra $14 for equipment. Snowcloud is a cheaper all-in-one provider, with plans starting at $65 for 200Mbps speeds and no equipment fees.
What is the cheapest Internet plan in Juneau?
| Provider | Starting price | Maximum download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hughesnet 15 GB Read full review |
50 dollars | 15Mbps | 14 dollars |
| Hughesnet 50 GB Read full review |
$50 ($75 after one year) | 25Mbps | 14 dollars |
| Snowy | 65 dollars | 200mbps | Nothing |
Show more (0 item)
Store providers at my address
Source: CNET analysis of carrier data
How to Find Online Deals and Promotions in Juneau
The best online deals and top promotions in Juneau depend on what discounts are available at that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we often see the latest offers.
Juneau Internet providers, such as GCI, may offer lower introductory rates or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, however, including Snowcloud, Starlink and Alaska Communications, operate at the same standard rate year-round.
For a more extensive list of deals, check out our guide to Best deals on the Internet.
How fast is Juneau broadband?
Internet in Juneau is extremely slow compared to cities in the lower 48, but it stacks up well compared to other cities in Alaska. 97% of Juneau residents have access to speeds of 250/25Mbps, compared to only 75% of the entire country. That's entirely thanks to GCI; It is the fastest provider in the state and is available virtually anywhere in Juneau.
Fastest Internet plans in Juneau
| Provider | Starting price | Maximum download speed | Maximum upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GCI Red Unlimited | $190 | 2,500Mbps | 75Mbps | Unlimited | Cable |
| GCI fastest unlimited | 165 dollars | 1,000Mbps | 40Mbps | Unlimited | Cable |
| GCI faster unlimited | 115 dollars | 500Mbps | 20Mbps | Unlimited | Cable |
| GCI fast+ | 90 dollars | 250Mbps | 10Mbps | 250 GB | Cable |
| Starlink Read full review |
90 dollars | 220Mbps | 20Mbps | Unlimited | Satellite |
Show more (1 item)
Store providers at my address
Source: CNET analysis of carrier data
What is a good internet speed?
Most Internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you're looking for an Internet plan that can accommodate video conferencing, streaming video or games, you'll have a better experience with a stronger connection. Here is an overview of the recommended minimum download speed for various applications, According to the FCC. Note that these are guidelines only – and that Internet speed, service and performance will vary by connection type, service provider and address.
For more information, see our guide to How much Internet speed do you really need?
- 0 to 5Mbps lets you handle the basics—browsing the Internet, sending and receiving email, streaming low-quality video.
- 5 to 40Mbps gives you higher quality video streaming and video conferencing.
- 40 to 100Mbps should give a user enough bandwidth to meet the demands of modern telecommunications, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to engage in wide-band activities such as video conferencing, streaming and online gaming. simultaneously.
- 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in wide-band activities such as video conferencing, streaming and online gaming simultaneously.
How CNET picked the best Internet providers in Juneau
Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest ones smart phone, laptop, router or A kitchen toolit is impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. So what is our approach? We start by researching pricing, availability, and speed information, drawing on our own historical ISP data, service provider sites, and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission in fcc.gov.
But it doesn't end there. We go to the FCC website to check our data and make sure we account for every ISP that provides service in an area. We also enter local addresses into service provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look to sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and JD Power, to gauge how happy customers are with an ISP's service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; All information provided is correct as of the time of publication.
Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:
- Does the service 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?
While the answer to those questions is often layered and complex, providers who come close to saying yes to all three are the ones we recommend. When it comes to choosing the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fees, although we also factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest service on the Internet is relatively straightforward. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and also consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC Reports. (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)
What's the last word on Juneau ISPs?
Compared to the country as a whole, the internet landscape in Juneau leaves a lot to be desired. But that's apples to oranges—by Alaskan standards, it fares pretty well. The best Internet provider for most people is GCI, which is the only wired connection in town. It's Juneau's fastest internet by far, but it's on the expensive side and you'll have to deal with data caps on 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 reasonable speeds, but requires $349 of equipment upfront.
ISPs in Juneau FAQ
What is the best Internet service provider in Juneau?
GCI is the best Internet service provider in Juneau, with plans starting at $90 per month for speeds of 250Mbps. There are more unlimited options available now, although depending on your area you may see more plans with data caps.
Is fiber internet available in Juneau?
Internet – Internet is available to less than 1% of Juneau, according to FCC data. This is offered through Alaska Communications, which has introduced fiber service to several streets in the city.
What is the cheapest Internet provider in Juneau?
Snowcloud is the cheapest Internet provider in Juneau, with plans starting at $65 per month for 200Mbps speeds. Hughesnet also offers satellite service starting at $50 per month for 15Mbps, but the equipment costs an additional $14 per month, and requires a two-year commitment.
Which ISP in Juneau offers the fastest plan?
GCI offers the fastest Internet plan in Juneau, with speeds of 2,500Mbps available for $190 per month.