Highest-rated internet providers in Portland
Of all the providers available in Stumptown, EarthLink is the clear standout in our 2020 customer satisfaction survey, coming in first place on a list of 15 ISPs across the country. Xfinity also performs well in our survey, taking fifth place overall and getting the top spot for speed rankings.
CenturyLink and Frontier took eighth and ninth place respectively in terms of overall satisfaction. Both ISPs rank low in terms of speed. The results could be skewed because these ISPs provide both fiber-optic and DSL connections. DSL runs through the copper wiring of your landline phone, making it much slower than fiber technology. CenturyLink and Frontier both deliver much faster speeds on their fiber networks.
Nationwide, only 25% of the population can access fiber-optic service. Lucky for you, CenturyLink and Frontier are both widely available in Rip City and the wider metro area. Make sure to check if a fiber connection through either ISP is available in your neighborhood, as it can vastly improve your download and upload speeds and cut down on streaming latency.
When it comes to cheap Wi-Fi, EarthLink takes the lead in our survey, ranking first in terms of monthly billing. CenturyLink also gets high ratings, no doubt owing to the fact that it has Price for Life guarantees on DSL and a great deal on fiber internet. Frontier takes seventh place and Xfinity comes in ninth place for billin’.
Fastest internet service providers in Portland
Xfinity offers internet at speeds up to 1000 Mbps
CenturyLink offers internet at speeds up to 1000 Mbps
Ziply Fiber offers internet at speeds up to 1000 Mbps
Sawtooth Technologies offers internet at speeds up to 50 Mbps
Those with a truly ravenous need for internet speed should look into Xfinity’s Gigabit Pro internet plan, which offers speeds of 2 Gbps (i.e., 2,000 Mbps) and goes for $299.95 a month with a two-year agreement. Don’t worry if you can’t afford the price: 2 Gbps download speeds are like having a Formula One race car in your garage. You won’t need it unless you’re a competitive gamer, video editor, or other kind of super-internet user, consuming tons of bandwidth on a regular basis.
For everyone else, Xfinity boasts 1 Gbps (1,000 Mbps) speeds on its cable network, which is still lightning fast, with packages starting at $70 a month for the first 12 months with a one-year agreement. If that’s too painful for your wallet, Xfinity’s Performance Starter plan only costs $29.99 a month, although it’s considerably slower at 15 Mbps.
As for other gigabit plans, CenturyLink edges in with a more affordable option, featuring up to 940 Mbps download speeds in some parts of Portland, starting at $65 per month.* Make sure to check if CenturyLink’s fiber network covers your area, because otherwise you’ll have to settle for slower (but still dependable) DSL. Or, you can go with Frontier’s fiber plans if you’re in the suburbs.
Frontier doesn’t cover much of Portland itself, but its network does span across the surrounding metro area. The company’s much-ballyhooed fiber network allows for max speeds of 940 Mbps. Frontier also offers the Frontier FiberOptic 50 Mbps Internet plan featuring symmetrical upload and download speeds of 50 Mbps each. This makes it easier to upload large files and use cloud-based services. And it’s an affordable $49.99 a month.†
*Rate requires paperless billing and excludes taxes. Additional fees apply. Speeds may not be available in your area. Maximum download/upload speed of up to 940 Mbps via a wired connection.
†per month for 12 months. Actual speeds may vary. Installation, Equipment fees, Internet Infrastructure Surcharge, taxes & other fees apply. Services subject to availability and all applicable terms and conditions.