Top 6 Internet Providers in New York City (NYC), NY (Oct 2024) (2024)

If there’s one thing Manhattanites love, it’s speed. So, if you’re looking for an internet provider in the city, you’ll want to know which ones can keep up with your fast-paced lifestyle. Manhattan is a big place and the best internet option for you will depend on your neighborhood. For those who have access to them, we recommend Verizon Fios and Astound Broadband Powered by RCN as the two best providers in the borough of Manhattan.

Verizon Fios is known for its high speeds, which start at 300 Mbps and can reach 2 Gbps. Consumers are happy with Verizon Fios’ customer service, and plans that start at $49.99. Its internet service can be bundled with phone, mobile, and TV, with bundles starting around $34.99.

Astound Broadband Powered by RCN (which was formerly known as just “RCN” in New York), offers both cable and fiber services and is known for its low prices. Its relatively new fiber internet has expanded to cover much of the city, and all of its plans include unlimited data usage.

If fiber isn’t an option in your part of the city, your best fallback option is the area’s omnipresent cable internet provider: Spectrum. Though New Yorkers love to complain about cable monopolies, our data shows that customer satisfaction with Spectrum’s internet plans and cable bundles is high. With speeds up to 1 Gbps on its fastest plans and prices that start at $50 per month. Like Verizon Fios, you can also get more for your money with TV and phone bundles that start at $90 and include perks like Disney+ and ESPN+. Spectrum offers a pretty good all-around deal for the typical Manhattanite, even if we don’t all like to admit it.

There are other options for New Yorkers, including 5G and satellite home internet options, but we generally recommend that you go with a wired connection. Wired options are more reliable and generally faster than wireless alternatives, so residents of well-connected urban areas like Manhattan should focus on wired broadband offers.

To get the best deals on internet in New York, look out for promotions from internet providers, especially for new customers. Major internet providers like Verizon Fios and Spectrum give frequent discounts and deals that can take a big chunk out of your internet bill. Currently, Verizon Fios offers free professional installation. Spectrum is offering a free Xumo stream box for six months, plus discounted bundle deals like Spectrum One Stream (which includes internet, Wi-Fi, mobile service, and the aforementioned Xumo box, among other perks). Make sure to check back for new deals often, as promotions are subject to monthly updates.

• Optimum - Fastest Provider
• RCN - Cheapest Provider
• HughesNet - Widley Available
• Viasat - Great for Rural Areas
• Optimum - Great Value
• Verizon - Great for large Households

The fastest advertised internet speed in Manhattan is up to 8 Gbps, which is offered by Optimum. Many of the borough’s internet providers can deliver you about 1 Gbps or more, which is plenty for most households.

We recommend that you pay particular attention to the fiber internet providers. Fiber internet providers use a fiber-optic connection, which allows them to offer higher speeds, more reliable service, and symmetrical upload and download speeds. Symmetrical speeds make a big difference when gaming, streaming, or uploading files. That means that where Verizon Fios can offer upload speeds of 2 Gbps while Spectrum upload only reach 1 Gbps. Fiber networks are also less susceptible to being overloaded with traffic, which could be a big issue in a city as dense as New York.

Data caps can also restrict your internet speed, or trigger extra charges when you exceed certain data downloads. New Yorkers who choose fiber internet don’t have to worry about caps, because fiber providers don’t have them. Cable providers often do, but luckily the city’s biggest cable provider, Spectrum, doesn’t enact data caps in New York. It is, however, something to watch for if you choose from other companies.

Depending on where you are in Manhattan, you may have access to different providers. While Spectrum is available pretty much everywhere in the borough, there is at least a little variation in the availability of Verizon Fios and Astound Broadband Powered by RCN.

The good news is that our top choice of internet service, Verizon Fios, covers 85.3%of the city. Only a few spots are missing from its service footprint, and those are mostly commercial areas of lower Manhattan and Midtown, plus a couple blocks near Columbia’s campus up in Morningside Heights.

As for Astound (formerly RCN), it offers cable coverage almost everywhere in Manhattan — with two exceptions. The first is up in Washington Heights and Inwood, where things get a little spottier. Inwood, in particular, is missing some RCN coverage. The second is Roosevelt Island, which is mostly not served by RCN (except for in a small patch at its northernmost tip, near the hospital).

You’re most likely going to have access to Spectrum offers ubiquitous coverage of 82.7% of the city.

Generally speaking, Manhattan’s internet providers are pretty consistent from neighborhood to neighborhood, particularly if you’re downtown of Harlem and Morningside Heights. You won’t see much difference between options on the Upper East Side and Upper West Side, and things aren’t much different over in Hell’s Kitchen or down in the Village, SoHo, and other lower Manhattan neighborhoods.

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Internet Providers in New York City (NYC), NY