Best Internet Providers in Erie, Pennsylvania
Our Experts
What is the best internet provider in Erie?
Spectrum is the best internet service provider in Erie, Pennsylvania, due to its broad local high-speed coverage and straightforward pricing. The area’s largest cable internet provider, Spectrum covers nearly 95% of Erie households, offering plans with speeds ranging from 300 to 1,000 megabits per second that include free modem rental, unlimited data and no contract requirements.
At $50 a month, Spectrum ties Verizon 5G Home Internet for the cheapest internet in Erie. You’re likely to get a bit more speed and better reliability with Spectrum, but Verizon includes free equipment rental (a $7 monthly value compared to Spectrum) and a potential discount for qualifying Verizon mobile customers.
T-Mobile Home Internet also offers a mobile bundle discount, although standard pricing is higher, while potential maximum speeds are lower than Verizon 5G Home Internet. Still, the fixed wireless provider has the local availability and customer-friendly service terms to be a practical broadband alternative to Spectrum.
VNET Fiber is the area's primary fiber provider if you're looking for fiber-optic connectivity. Availability is limited, but if your address is serviceable, VNET Fiber is perhaps the best choice in Erie for speed, reliability and overall value. VNET Fiber ties Spectrum for the fastest download speeds in Erie, up to 1,000Mbps, but also has the advantage of offering symmetrical upload speeds.
Our methodology
CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Erie 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, while the text is specific to what's available in Erie. 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 Erie, Pennsylvania
Spectrum
Best internet provider in Erie, PA
Our take - Spectrum has the best wired broadband coverage, by far, in Erie. Aside from availability, Spectrum stands out for its fast speeds, up to 1,000Mbps, and simple service terms that include a free modem rental, unlimited data and no contract requirements.
Verizon 5G Home Internet
Fastest fixed wireless internet in Erie, PA
Our take - If wireless internet is going to compete with traditional wired connections, it needs to be fast. Verizon 5G Home Internet offers the fastest fixed wireless speed potential in Erie, with speeds ranging from 50 to 300Mbps or 85 to 1,000Mbps, depending on the plan you choose. Both plans include free equipment, unlimited data and a potential discount for Verizon mobile customers.
T-Mobile Home Internet
Best fixed wireless coverage in Erie, PA
Our take - While Verizon 5G Home Internet’s advantage is speed, T-Mobile Home Internet is available. More than two-thirds of Erie addresses are serviceable for fixed wireless internet from T-Mobile, according to the Federal Communication Commission. The provider’s single plan offers speeds ranging between 72 to 245Mbps, unlimited data, free equipment rental and no contract requirements, plus a discount for qualifying T-Mobile customers.
VNET Fiber
Best fiber internet provider in Erie, PA
Our take - Fiber internet is preferable to other connection types, but availability can be an issue. Per the latest FCC data, VNET Fiber is available to less than a tenth of Erie households, so consider yourself lucky if your address is eligible for service. While slightly more expensive for comparable download speeds, the symmetrical upload speeds and free equipment rental give VNET Fiber an edge over Spectrum.
Erie, Pennsylvania, internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Spectrum Read full review | Cable | $50-$70 | 300-1,000Mbps | $7 (optional) | None | None | 7.2 |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review | Fixed wireless | $60 ($40 with eligible mobile plans) | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review | Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 with eligible mobile plans) | 50-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
| VNET Fiber | Fiber | $60-$80 | 300-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | N/A |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What is the cheapest internet plan in Erie?
| Plan | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Spectrum Internet Read full review | $50 | 300Mbps | $7 (optional) |
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review | $50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 300Mbps | None |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review | $60 ($40 with eligible mobile plans) | 245Mbps | None |
| VNET Fiber 300 | $60 | 300Mbps | None |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Erie
The best internet deals and the top promotions in Erie depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Erie internet providers, such as Spectrum, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many providers, including VNET Fiber and Verizon 5G Home Internet, run the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
Fastest internet plans in Erie
| Plan | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VNET Fiber 1Gbps | $80 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
|
Spectrum Internet Gig Read full review | $70 | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | None | Cable |
|
Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet Read full review | $70 ($45 with eligible mobile plans) | 1,000Mbps | 75Mbps | None | Fixed wireless |
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 and 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 online 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 Erie, Pennsylvania
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. 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.
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 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 selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, although 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 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 Erie, Pennsylvania FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in Erie?
Spectrum is the best internet service provider in Erie. The ISP’s cable network provides the best high-speed coverage in the area, offering speeds of 300, 500 and 1,000Mbps to around 95% of local households. Regardless of the plan you choose, the service comes with free modem rental (renting a router runs $7 a month, but is optional), unlimited data and no contract requirements.
Is fiber internet available in Erie?
Local fiber ISP VNET Fiber offers fiber internet service to approximately 8% of Erie households, according to the most recent FCC data. Serviceability is greatest in Southwest Erie, particularly along W. 30th St.
What is the cheapest internet provider in Erie?
Spectrum and Verizon 5G Home Internet share the lowest starting price for internet in Erie at $50 per month. Spectrum presents better availability and maximum speeds (300Mbps compared to a range between 50 and 300Mbps with Verizon), but Verizon offers free equipment rental and a $15 discount on home internet for qualifying mobile customers.
Which internet provider in Erie offers the fastest plan?
Spectrum and VNET Fiber offer the fastest internet plans in Erie, offering maximum download speeds of up to 1,000Mbps. Again, Spectrum has the availability advantage, but VNET Fiber can offer symmetrical upload speeds, whereas Spectrum uploads top out at 35Mbps. Technically, Verizon 5G Home Internet also offers downloads up to 1,000Mbps, but actual speeds are likely to be slower as the plan presents a speed range of 85 to 1,000Mbps.
Home Internet Guides
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