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Find the best fiber providers in your area

  • Fastest tested speeds
    • Fastest fiber-optic speeds according to our speed test
    • Very limited availability
    • Speeds: 1,000–2,000 Mbps
    • Prices: $70.00–$100.00/mo.
  • Lowest latency
    • Lowest latency rates
    • Expensive gigabit plan
    • Speeds: 300–2,048 Mbps
    • Prices: $49.99 - $119.99/mo.
  • Best satisfaction ratings
    • Top-rated customer service
    • Slow bottom-tier plans
    • Speeds: 10–5,000 Mbps
    • Prices: $49.99 - $189.95/mo.
  • Fast advertised speeds
    • Multi-gigabit internet plans
    • Unnecessarily fast speeds on fastest plans
    • Speeds: 100–5,000 Mbps
    • Prices: $55.00–$180.00/mo.

Popular fiber internet providers

ProviderFiber speeds up toPriceCustomer ratingOrder online
Up to 2,048 Mbps$49.99–$119.99/mo.*3.8/5.0
5,000 Mbps$55.00–$180.00/mo.3.8/5.0
2,000 Mbps$70.00–$100.00/mo.N/A
940 Mbps$30.00–70.00/mo.§3.5/5.0
Frontier 2,000 Mbps$49.99–$149.99/mo. w/Auto Pay & Paperless BillN/A
Optimum 940 Mbps$29.99–$79.99/mo.**3.5/5.0
EarthLink 5,000 Mbps$59.95–$189.95††4.2/5.0

Best fiber internet plans

PlanSpeedPricesOrder online
Google Fiber 1 Gig1,000 Mbps$70.00/mo.**
Verizon Fios Gigabit ConnectionUp to 940 Mbps$89.99/mo.*
CenturyLink Fiber Internet940 Mbps$70.00/mo.
Frontier Fiber Fiber Gig940 Mbps$74.99/mo. w/Auto Pay & Paperless Bill§
AT&T Internet 5000Up to 5,000 Mbps$180.00/mo.***

Cheapest fiber internet plans

PlanDownload/upload speedPricesOrder online
Optimum Fiber Internet 100100 Mbps/100 Mbps$29.99/mo.
Verizon Fios Internet 200/200200 Mbps/200 Mbps$49.99/mo.
Frontier Fiber Internet 500500 Mbps/500 Mbps$49.99/mo. w/Auto Pay & Paperless Bill
MetroNet 500/500 Mbps500 Mbps/500 Mbps$49.95/mo.

Fiber internet FAQ

How does fiber internet work?

Fiber uses bundled strands of fiberglass to deliver internet to your home. It’s the most reliable internet connection you can get and has better upload speeds than cable and DSL. The fastest fiber plan available today is 10,000 Mbps (10 Gbps), while cable stops at 1,200 Mbps (1.2 Gbps).

So, why is fiber the best? Both light and electricity travel at the same speed in a vacuum, but they slow down when they interact with atoms. But unlike the radio waves used in cable and DSL internet, light signals aren’t affected by radio interference. Fiber by design is simply more efficient and can reach speeds up to 10,000 Mbps—much faster than any other internet type. Fiber networks are newer, too, compared to the aging infrastructure of DSL and cable, which helps boost performance.

Fiber is so reliable that the world’s major data routes and network access points are linked together between oceans and continents through massive bundles of fiber-optic cabling.3 If fiber is good enough for the vast global backbone of the internet infrastructure, then you know it’s the best way to wire up your own home internet.

Where can I get fiber internet?

You can get fiber internet from more than 200 fiber internet providers in the US, but those providers are found mainly in cities. According to FCC data, about 42% of the US has access to fiber internet. But the actual number is possibly lower, considering the unreliable way the FCC collected that data.4

How fast is fiber internet?

Fiber internet reaches speeds up to 10,000 Mbps, but most fiber providers offer top speeds of 1,000 Mbps.

To put that in perspective, Netflix recommends just 25 Mbps to stream video in 4K on one device. But supercharged gigabit speeds (1,000 Mbps) give you the ability to perform many more tasks on many more devices simultaneously. That way, you and everyone else on your Wi-Fi will never have to worry about whether your internet speed will slow down or cut out, because it will always be humming smoothly with bountiful bandwidth.

In practical terms, fiber is fast enough to keep up with extremely heavy internet use and a range of advanced online activities. It can also maintain a steady and reliable internet connection for multiple users who need to do speed-intensive tasks over the same Wi-Fi network at the same time.

Fiber is great for any of these tasks:

  • Streaming 4K video on numerous devices
  • Downloading massive files
  • Uploading content to cloud servers and social media accounts
  • Gaming online
  • Teleconferencing on Zoom
  • Connecting multiple smart home devices

What is Google Fiber?
Google Fiber is a fiber-optic internet service provider (ISP) operating in 18 cities across the US. The ISP offers internet speeds up to 1,000 Mbps (1 Gbps) for residential customers as well as business internet plans. None of its residential internet plans have contracts or data caps, and it provides free installation.

Google Fiber also offers fiber TV and home phone services in a few markets.

What is AT&T Fiber?
AT&T Fiber Internet offers speeds ranging from 300 Mbps to 1,000 Mbps (1 Gbps). It’s one of two types of internet service that AT&T offers: DSL and fiber. The internet provider’s fiber internet service is faster and more reliable. It isn’t as widely available as the DSL service, but we recommend it if it’s available in your area.

You can bundle TV and home phone services with your AT&T internet plan. The company also offers mobile service.

How much does Google Fiber cost?
Google Fiber internet plans start at $70 per month for 1,000 Mbps speeds and go up to $100 per month for 2,000 Mbps speeds.

What is gigabit internet?
Gigabit internet is any internet connection that can transfer one gigabit of data per second (1 Gbps or 1,000 Mbps). A bit is a single piece of internet data, and a gigabit is one million bits.

Are fiber internet and gigabit internet the same thing?
Many fiber-optic internet providers offer gigabit speeds, but fiber internet and gigabit internet are not the same thing. Fiber refers to the type of internet, while gigabit refers to the speed. It is possible to have gigabit internet that is not fiber—for example, many cable internet providers offer gigabit internet speeds. And many fiber internet providers offer slower speed tiers.

But even if it doesn’t offer gigabit speeds, fiber internet is still the best option for fast upload speeds, minimal network congestion, and low latency.

How do I get fiber internet?
You can get fiber internet if it’s available in your area. But unless you already live in an area with fiber internet service, it will be difficult to get connected to fiber. If you live close enough to a fiber service area, you might be able to convince your local provider to run a dedicated line to your home, but that could cost thousands of dollars.

If you’re not sure whether you live in a fiber area or not, run your zip code in our tool to check for fiber internet providers near you.

Do I need fiber internet for home security systems?
You don’t need fiber internet for a home security system.

A fiber connection comes in handy for Wi-Fi–connected home security systems and security devices like Nest cameras and Ring doorbells. Fiber’s fast speeds and symmetrical uploads ensure you get a smooth connection and make it a lot less likely you’ll experience a security breach due to a lost connection. However, many of these tools also work well over cable internet, so long as you have adequate speeds.

Sources

  1. Federal Communications Commission, “Compare Broadband Availability in Different Areas,” December 2020. Accessed May 23, 2022.
  2. Jessica Rosenworcel, Federal Communications Commission, “Statement of Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, Dissenting,” January 2021. Accessed March 24, 2021.
  3. Peter Christiansen, HighSpeedInternet.com, “Why Can I Only Get a Few Internet Providers?,” October 27, 2020. Accessed March 24, 2021.
  4. Kate Patrick, Government Technology, “FCC to Rework Its Inaccurate National Broadband Maps,” August 6, 2019. Accessed March 29, 2021.
  5. Seattle Times staff, The Seattle Times, “Frontier to Finalize $1.35 Billion Sale of Northwest Assets to Kirkland-Based Ziply Fiber,” May 1, 2020. Accessed June 16, 2021.