Best Internet Providers in Arlington, Virginia
Our Experts
What is the best internet provider in Arlington?
We recommend Xfinity as the best internet service provider for most Arlington households. In addition to providing service to most addresses in the city, this provider also offers the fastest plan in Arlington. For $120 per month, Xfinity customers can reach download speeds up to 2 gigabits per second, with no data caps or monthly equipment charges. Providers like Verizon Fios and T-Mobile are also solid picks for home internet, depending on availability.
Xfinity also offers one of the cheapest plans in Arlington, tied with Astound Broadband. While Astound does provide faster speeds with its base plan, availability is much more sparse. Xfinity Connect costs $25 per month for speeds up to 75 megabits per second.
Our methodology
CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Arlington across several categories. Our evaluation includes referencing a proprietary database built over years of reviewing internet services. We validate that against provider information by spot-checking local addresses for service availability. We also do a close read of providers' terms and conditions and, when needed, will call ISPs to verify the details.
Despite our efforts to find the most recent and accurate information, our process has some limitations you should know about. Pricing and speed data are variable: Certain addresses may qualify for different service tiers, and monthly costs may vary, even within a city. The best way to identify your particular options is to plug your address into a provider's website.
Also, the prices, speed and other information listed above and in the provider cards below may differ from what we found in our research. The cards display the full range of a provider's pricing and speed across the US, according to our database of plan information provided directly by ISPs. At the same time, the text is specific to what's available in Arlington. The prices referenced within this article's text come from our research and include applicable discounts for setting up automatic payments each month -- a standard industry offering. Other discounts and promotions might also be available for things like signing a term contract or bundling with multiple services.
To learn more about how we review internet providers, visit our full methodology page.
Best internet in Arlington, Virginia
Xfinity
Best internet provider in Arlington, VA
Our take - According to data from the Federal Communications Commission, Xfinity is available to over 98% of Arlington households. This cable ISP offers fast speeds -- up to 2 gigabits -- and low prices. Plans start at $25 per month for speeds up to 75Mbps, one of the city's cheapest rates. Unlimited data and equipment are included, but a one-year contract may be required on some plans.
Verizon Fios
Best fiber provider in Arlington, VA
Our take - We often say fiber is your best bet for home internet. So why didn’t Verizon Fios take the No. 1 spot? Although Verizon is available to about 95% of Arlington residents, that includes Verizon’s DSL, fixed wireless and fiber networks. Verizon Fios costs between $50 and $90 per month for speeds up to 1,000Mbps, with no data caps or contracts.
T-Mobile Home Internet
Best fixed wireless internet in Arlington, VA
Our take - If you don’t need too much speed at your address, T-Mobile Home Internet might be the perfect fit for your broadband needs. Costing a flat rate of $50 per month, customers can reach speeds up to 245Mbps with no data caps, equipment fees or required contracts. Eligible mobile customers can receive a $20 discount, making the service only $30 a month.
Arlington internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Astound Broadband Read full review | Cable | $25-$60 | 300-1,500Mbps | None | None | None | 7 |
|
Cox Communications Read full review | Cable | $50-$80 | 100-1,000Mbps | None | 1.25TB on some plans | None | 6.2 |
|
Starry Internet Read full review | Fixed wireless | $30-$80 | 50-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7 |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review | Fixed wireless | $50 ($30 for eligible Go5G Plus and Magenta Max mobile customers) | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
|
Verizon Fios Read full review | Fiber | $50-$90 | 300-940Mbps | None | None | None | 7.6 |
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review | Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 with qualifying Verizon 5G mobile plans) | 50-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
|
Xfinity Read full review | Cable | $25-$120 | 75-2,000Mbps | $15 (optional) | None | 1 year on some plans | 7 |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in Arlington?
| Provider | Starting monthly price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Astound 300Mbps Read full review | $25 | 300Mbps | None |
|
Xfinity Connect Read full review | $25 | 75Mbps | $15 (optional) |
|
Starry Basic Read full review | $30 | 50Mbps | None |
|
Cox 100 Read full review | $50 | 100Mbps | None |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review | $50 ($30 with eligible mobile plan) | 245Mbps | None |
|
Verizon Fios 300 Read full review | $50 | 300Mbps | None |
|
Verizon 5G Home Read full review | $50 ($35 with eligible mobile plan) | 300Mbps | None |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Arlington
The best internet deals and top promotions in Arlington depend on what discounts are available during that period. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Arlington internet providers, such as Xfinity, Cox and Astound Broadband, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, however, including Verizon and T-Mobile, run the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
Bruce Yuanyue Bi/Getty Images
Fastest internet plans in Arlington
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Xfinity Gigabit X2 Read full review | $120 | 2,000Mbps | 200Mbps | None | Cable |
|
Astound 1,500Mbps Read full review | $60 | 1,500Mbps | 50Mbps | None | Cable |
|
Xfinity Gigabit Extra Read full review | $80 | 1,200Mbps | 50Mbps | None | Cable |
|
Cox 1 Gig Read full review | $80 | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | None | Cable |
|
Starry Gigabit Read full review | $80 | 1,000Mbps | 500Mbps | None | Fixed wireless |
|
Verizon 5G Home Plus Read full review | $70 ($45 with eligible mobile plan) | 1,000Mbps | 75Mbps | None | Fixed wireless |
|
Xfinity Gigabit Read full review | $70 | 1,000Mbps | 20Mbps | None | Cable |
|
Astound 940Mbps Read full review | $50 | 940Mbps | 20Mbps | None | Cable |
|
Verizon Fios 1 Gig Read full review | $90 | 940Mbps | 880Mbps | None | Fiber |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What’s 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 videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you'll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here's an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the FCC. Note that these are only guidelines -- and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.
For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need.
- 0 to 5Mbps allows you to tackle the basics -- browsing the internet, sending and receiving email, streaming low-quality video.
- 5 to 40Mbps gives you higher-quality video streaming and videoconferencing.
- 40 to 100Mbps should give one user sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and gaming.
- 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Arlington
Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. So what’s our approach? We start by researching the pricing, availability and speed information, drawing on our own historical ISP data, the provider sites and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.
But it doesn’t end there. We go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate 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?
- Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?
- Are customers happy with their service?
While the answer to those questions is often layered and complex, the providers who come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend. When it comes to selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, though we also factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service 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.
To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.
Internet providers in Arlington FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in Arlington?
Xfinity is Arlington’s best internet provider due to its wide coverage map, variety of plans and blazing-fast speeds.
Is fiber internet available in Arlington?
Yes. Verizon Fios is the largest fiber provider in Arlington, but select households may also be serviceable for fiber connectivity under Astound or Cox.
What is the cheapest internet provider in Arlington?
Xfinity and Astound Broadband tie for the cheapest service in Arlington, offering base plans for $25 per month. However, Xfinity’s coverage is much wider than Astound, so it all comes down to what’s available at your address.
Which internet provider in Arlington offers the fastest plan?
Xfinity offers the fastest plan in Arlington: 2 gigabits, or 2,000Mbps, for $120 monthly.
Home Internet Guides
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