About home internet in Chicago
Updated on September 18, 2025
Most of the greater Chicago area has only two major options for home internet, but people living near the shoreline—either in the Hyde Park area or around Wrigley Field—will have a few more.
The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) defines broadband as internet service with at least 100Mbps download speed and at least 20Mbps upload speed. Those speeds are enough for most internet activities, including streaming video or playing games online.
Based on the latest available census data, 100% of Chicagoans have access to broadband internet. AT&T and Xfinity offer broadband to most communities around Chicago. RCN and Atlantic Broadband also offer home internet service to some neighborhoods close to Lake Michigan.
The provider WOW! also offers internet service in a few blocks around UIC (University of Illinois at Chicago) and in areas north of O’Hare or south of Midway, as well as some of the western suburbs. If these options don’t work for you, Viasat offers satellite internet service to nearly the entire Chicagoland area.
Most of these providers also offer TV service, which means you can save when you bundle the two services together. Even AT&T, the major internet provider for much of Chicago, offers discounts when you bundle with DIRECTV.
What is the fastest home internet provider in Chicago?
AT&T is the fastest home internet provider in Chicago with fiber speeds up to 5000 Mbps—that’s really fast, but probably more speed than you need. The Chicago area also has access to the smaller fiber internet service providers (ISPs) Upstream and Everywhere Wireless, each offering plans up to 1,000 Mbps.
Chicago has two very fast cable ISPs for those that don’t have access to fiber. Xfinity is the fastest, with plans up to 1,200 Mbps. Xfinity came in at second in our fastest internet providers in 2022 analysis, higher than any other cable ISP.
Fastest home internet providers in Chicago
Wireless speeds may vary.
Looking for an easy way to test and track your home internet speed anywhere?
Download our free, easy-to-use speed test app for quick and reliable results.


What is the cheapest home internet provider in Chicago?
Astound Broadband is the cheapest major home internet service provider in Chicago, with its 300Mbps plan starting at $30 per month. Xfinity also offers affordable plans starting at $55, but you get almost double the download speed with the 500 Mbps plan. While we recommend going with Astound Broadband’s speeds if your can, both of these reliable cable internet plans offer good value.
Cheapest home internet providers in Chicago
Home internet deals and promotions in Chicago