Best Internet in New York City

Find the best internet in New York City by comparing providers and prices.

Known as the Big Apple, New York City is home to eight major sports teams, including the Yankees, the Giants, and the Jets. It also features hundreds of internationally known landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, and Central Park. Whether you’re drawn to the bright lights of Broadway, the renowned collection of colleges and universities, or the economic excitement of Wall Street, you’re sure to find something in New York City that appeals to you.Also known as the City That Never Sleeps, New York City is highly diverse and constantly bustling. More than 8 million people call the city home, along with businesses of every description.

As you might expect, “one size fits all” is a moniker that can’t be applied to anything in the city, and internet providers are no exception. If you’re looking for the best internet providers in NYC, it’s not as simple as Googling “internet service near me.” New York City is blanketed with internet plans and providers of all types and sizes, so it’s worth digging a little deeper to find out which is right for you. Here is a guide to the major players in New York City internet service, and what you need to know to choose between them.

New York City internet providers

The biggest internet providers in New York City are Verizon, Optimum, Spectrum, and RCN. If you want satellite internet, HughesNet and Viasat are reliable options that are widely available throughout the city. There are numerous other providers as well, but they tend to either provide slow, fixed-wireless service at high price points (BarrierFree and Xchange Telecom) or cover only a small portion of the region (Xfinity and Atlantic Broadband). Here’s a closer look at the top internet providers in NYC.

Verizon

Verizon offers high-speed Fios fiber-optic internet at 100 Mbps to 940 Mbps. If you prefer DSL, Verizon’s speeds are 0.5 Mbps to 15 Mbps. Prices start at $39.99 per month for Fios and $49.99 per month for DSL. Note that availability, speeds and pricing may vary throughout the city, so it’s best to check with Verizon directly to see what plans are offered at your home address.

Optimum

Optimum provides broadband cable internet to New York City at speeds of 10 Mbps to 1,000 Mbps. Prices start at $24.95 per month, with gigabyte internet topping out at a price of $139.99 per month. Availability varies across the city, so check with Optimum to find out the options in your neighborhood.

Spectrum

Spectrum is a broadband cable internet provider in NYC. Speeds of 300 Mbps to 1000 Mbps are available, with prices starting at $49.99 per month. Note that while Spectrum is widely available in the city, it is not yet everywhere. Check with Spectrum to find out what the company offers in your area.

RCN

Cable-fiber hybrid provider RCN is widely available in Manhattan, but less so in the other boroughs. The company offers speeds of 250 Mbps to 940 Mbps, at prices of $34.99 to $49.99 per month. Check with RCN to see if service is available at your address.

HughesNet

Satellite internet isn’t the fastest or the cheapest, but it provides reliable service that blankets 100% of the New York City area. HughesNet offers speeds of 25 Mbps for prices starting at $59.99 per month, depending on the data cap you choose.

Viasat

Like HughesNet, Viasat offers satellite internet service across greater New York City. Speeds range from 12 Mbps to 50 Mbps. Pricing depends on speed rather than data cap and ranges from $50 to $100 per month.

Internet availability in New York City

New York City is incredibly well-connected compared to most of the country, with 99% of city residents able to access connection speeds of 250 Mbps or higher. The most common type of internet throughout NYC is cable, although fiber-optic is readily available to many households. The majority of city residents have access to more than one internet provider, and a significant number of homes have at least two options for high-speed internet service.Spectrum has the most complete coverage city-wide, closely followed by Verizon, but coverage from each provider does vary between boroughs. Whether you are relocating to New York City for the first time, moving from one borough to another, or simply looking for a better internet deal at your current address, it’s important to understand who provides the best access in your borough.

Manhattan

With the highest population density in New York City, Manhattan also has the most internet provider options of the five boroughs. More than 20 separate internet providers offer service in Manhattan, although the majority of them cover only small portions of the island. Spectrum and Verizon have the most complete coverage across Manhattan, while RCN also has a strong presence.

The Bronx

Along with the Yankees, Optimum and Verizon reign supreme in New York City’s northernmost borough, the Bronx. Spectrum also offers fairly complete coverage, but other providers are hard to find. Fortunately, all three providers offer high-speed internet, and more than 85% of homes in the Bronx have access to fiber-optic internet.

Brooklyn

Spectrum, Verizon, and Optimum are the biggest players in Brooklyn, known for its complex mix of hipsters and ethnic enclaves, though some smaller internet providers are also available. Every household in Brooklyn has at least one option for internet speeds of 250 Mbps or above.

Queens

Spectrum and Verizon blanket Queens with availability, but residents of New York City’s largest borough have numerous choices. RCN coverage is fairly extensive, and some smaller players are also available. In fact, nearly all homes in Queens can access internet speeds of at least 250 Mbps, while more than 90% have three or more internet options.

Staten Island

Staten Island is sometimes known as NYC’s forgotten borough, and it lives up to its name in internet options. The majority of residents must choose between just two internet providers: Verizon and Spectrum. The news isn’t all bad, though, as nearly every Staten Island home can access the highest speeds with one or both providers.

New York City fastest internet

The fastest internet providers in NYC are RCN, Verizon FIOS, Spectrum, and Optimum. RCN’s Gig Internet plan, at $59.99 per month, offers 940 Mbps downloads on its cable-fiber hybrid network. The Verizon Fios Gigabit Connection plan, priced at $79.99 per month, provides 940 Mbps downloads on its fiber-optic network. Spectrum’s Internet GIG plan, costing $89.99 per month, offers 1000 Mbps downloads on the company’s cable network. Optimum 400, at $64.99 per month for 400 Mbps download speeds, is neither the fastest nor the cheapest of the high-speed plans, but the company will lock in your price for life.

Find the best internet in New York City

Ultimately, the best internet in New York City is the internet provider and plan that is truly right for you. Use Allconnect.com to help you find the best internet deals in New York City and choose the offer that is best for you and your family.