Internet providers in Madison, WI

What is the best internet provider in Madison?

AT&T - Great valueAQS Plans for AT&T
Spectrum - No data capsAQS Plans for Spectrum
EarthLink - Multiple service types availableAQS Plans for EarthLink
Frontier - No-contract plans availableAQS Plans for Frontier
Verizon Home Internet - Fast upload and download speedsAQS Plans for Verizon Home Internet
Hughesnet - Perfect for rural areasAQS Plans for Hughesnet
Viasat - Widely availableAQS Plans for Viasat

Of the 14 internet providers in Madison, AT&T is the best internet provider in terms of speed. It boasts a wide range of fiber-optic plans, including one with maximum download speeds of 5 Gbps (5,000 Mbps). Spectrum AQS Plans for Spectrum comes in second because it gives you unlimited data and doesn’t require annual contracts. It offers gigabit internet in many parts of the city and surrounding suburbs with its Internet GIG package, which tops out at 940 Mbps.

Want to see if you can get AT&T in your home? Find out by searching your zip code below.

Other Wi-Fi service providers in Wisconsin

Madison has several locally based providers that will be a good pick if you value great customer service and supporting your community.

There are also satellite internet providers in Madison that can give you internet if you’re living in a rural area with no other internet options.

Local providers LiteWire and Netwurx market Wi-Fi specifically to businesses and people living in the countryside. A local ISP usually means better customer service since they have a bigger stake in serving the community.

That said, both of these providers tend to have higher billing rates and lower speeds compared to national ISPs, so check other options before going with these companies.

Viasat and HughesNet hold it down with satellite connections in rural areas. Satellite is basically the Wi-Fi of last resort, and it’s less reliable than fiber, cable, or DSL. It will likely be patchy on occasion in Wisconsin, where heavy snowfalls and other winter conditions will interfere with the signal beaming down from space. We recommend choosing this only if there are no other options in your area.

Summary of Madison internet providers

Provider	Type	Download speeds up to	User rating	Order online
AT&T	Fiber	5000 Mbps	3.5/5	View Plans for AT&T
T-Mobile Home Internet	5G Home	245 Mbps	4.0/5	View Plans for T-Mobile Home Internet
Spectrum	Cable	1000 Mbps (wireless speeds may vary)	3.5/5
EarthLink	Fiber	5000 Mbps	4.0/5	View Plans for EarthLink
Frontier	DSL & Fiber	5000 Mbps	3.5/5
Verizon Home Internet	5G Home	300 Mbps	4/5	View Plans for Verizon Home Internet
TDS Telecom	Fiber	8000 Mbps	2.0/5
Hughesnet	Satellite	100 Mbps	3/5
Viasat	Satellite	150 Mbps	3/5
Easy Internet Now	Fiber	5000 Mbps	4.5/5
ResTech Services	Fiber	1000 Mbps	N/A
LiteWire Internet Services, Inc.	Fixed Wireless	35 Mbps	N/A
SupraNet	Fiber	1000 Mbps	0.5/5

Availability and speeds displayed are not guaranteed and are subject to change.

Technology Type

DSL:

DSL provides internet service via phone cables and is up to ten times faster than dial-up service.

Cable:

Cable provides internet speeds faster than DSL through the same cables used for cable TV.

Satellite:

Satellite internet is widely available, but offers slower speeds due to a far-traveling signal.

Fiber:

Fiber relies on glass strands to relay digital code and is much faster than both DSL and cable.

What is the fastest internet provider in Madison?

AT&T is the fastest internet provider in Madison. AT&T’s 5G Internet plan delivers internet at 5,000 Mbps (or 5 Gbps)—that’s the fastest speed you can get on a residential plan from a major internet provider. EarthLink has similar speeds (albeit in more limited areas) because it uses AT&T’s fiber network.

Frontier is also a fast internet provider in Madison, with a fiber plan that reaches up to 5,000 Mbps speeds. It’s unclear how widely available that plan is in the city, though, so we recommend sticking to gigabit plans from providers like Spectrum and CenturyLink. Both offer plans that reach speeds up to 940 Mbps (CenturyLink) or 1,000 Mbps (Spectrum).

If you’re looking for sheer speed, we definitely recommend AT&T. Most of its plans run over a fiber network, giving you a lot more reliability and incredibly fast upload speeds. But Spectrum’s cable internet is more widely available, and you can still get great service on a cable plan.

Fastest internet providers in Madison

Provider	Max speeds	Internet type	View plans
AQS Plans for AT&T	5,000 Mbps	Fiber	View Plans
AQS Plans for EarthLink	5,000 Mbps	Fiber	View Plans
AQS Plans for Frontier	5,000 Mbps	Fiber	View Plans
AQS Plans for Spectrum	1,000 Mbps (wireless speeds may vary)	Cable	View Plans
AQS Plans for CenturyLink	940 Mbps	Fiber	View Plans
AQS Plans for Quantum Fiber	940 Mbps	Fiber	View Plans

Looking for an easy way to test and track your internet speed anywhere?

Download our free, easy-to-use speed test app for quick and reliable results.

What is the cheapest internet provider in Madison?

Spectrum, EarthLink, Frontier, and AT&T are the cheapest internet providers in Madison. All three have internet plans that cost around $50 per month. AT&T’s lower tier fiber plan is the best of the bunch because it gives you speeds of up to 300 Mbps over a fiber network for $55 per month, whereas the other plans can’t surpass 100 Mbps and likely are much slower because they work over cable and DSL.

Cheapest internet plans in Madison

Plan	Price	Speeds	View plan
EarthLink 15 Mbps Internet	$49.95/mo.*	15 Mbps	View Plans
Spectrum Internet^®	$49.99/mo.^†	Up to 300 Mbps	View Plans
Frontier Internet (DSL)	$49.99/mo.^‡	Call for details	View Plans
AT&T Fiber Internet 300	$55.00/mo.^║	300 Mbps	View Plans

*with a 12 month contract.

†Limited time offer; subject to change; valid to qualified residential customers who have not subscribed to any services within the previous 30 days and who have no outstanding obligation to Charter.

‡w/ Auto Pay & Paperless Bill per month for 24 mos. One-time charge on disconnect applies. Call for details. In select areas where available

║Price after $5/mo Autopay & Paperless bill discount (w/in 2 bills). Plus taxes & fees. Monthly State Cost Recovery Charge in TX, OH, NV applies. One time install chrg may apply. Ltd. avail/areas. Call or go to www.fiber.att.com to see if you qualify.

Internet Deals and Promotions in Madison, WI

Provider	Available Deal	View on Provider’s Site
AQS Plans for AT&T	Get a gift card worth up to $150 when you sign up for AT&T Fiber and an eligible wireless plan through March 31, 2025 Get free extended Wi-Fi and internet security when you choose a 2 Gig or 5 Gig plan Save 20% on internet every month when you bundle with wireless service from AT&T	Get the Deal
AQS Plans for Spectrum	Get internet service for $50 per month for a year, plus free self-installation	Get the Deal
AQS Plans for Frontier	Get free rental of the Amazon eero router with a qualifying Frontier fiber internet plan Save $25–$45 per month on your first year of service, depending on the plan you choose Get a gift card worth $200 when you choose a Fiber 5 Gig plan	Get the Deal
AQS Plans for EarthLink	Get a gift card worth up to $200 when you sign up for Earthlink fiber internet	Get the Deal
AQS Plans for CenturyLink	Get $50–$100 for you and a friend when you refer them to CenturyLink plus a $10 donation to your choice of charity Get free installation when you sign up for a fiber internet plan with 940Mbps speeds	Get the Deal
AQS Plans for T-Mobile Home Internet	Get a free Blink smart security package when you switch to T-Mobile Home Internet Get Netflix Standard with ads included with most Go5G plans	Get the Deal
AQS Plans for Hughesnet	Save up to $25 every month in your first year of service Get free professional installation, including Wi-Fi setup and device connection Get a $100 gift card when you order by Feb 17	Get the Deal
AQS Plans for Viasat	Get free professional installation (with credit qualification) when you sign up for a qualifying home internet plan Get $20 off per month for six months when you sign up through HighSpeedInternet.com	Get the Deal

What are the fiber internet providers in Madison?

AT&T AQS Plans for AT&T, EarthLink AQS Plans for EarthLink, Frontier AQS Plans for Frontier, CenturyLink AQS Plans for CenturyLink, and Quantum Fiber AQS Plans for Quantum Fiber are the fiber internet providers in Madison. AT&T is the most prominent of the bunch, with the best pricing, plans, and speeds (reaching up to 5,000 Mbps).

Most of these providers also offer DSL internet, which is more widely available but a lot slower. By comparison, fiber is extremely fast, reliable, and cheap—and we highly recommend signing up if you can get fiber in your area.

Fiber providers in Madison

AT&T AQS Plans for AT&T — Fiber speeds up to 5,000 Mbps
EarthLink AQS Plans for EarthLink — Fiber speeds up to 5,000 Mbps
Frontier AQS Plans for Frontier — Fiber speeds up to 5,000 Mbps
CenturyLink AQS Plans for CenturyLink — Fiber speeds up to 940 Mbps
Quantum Fiber AQS Plans for Quantum Fiber — Fiber speeds up to 940 Mbps

Highest-rated internet providers in Madison

T-Mobile Home Internet AQS Plans for T-Mobile Home Internet gets the best rankings out of 15 internet providers in our annual customer satisfaction survey. The budding provider’s 5G service takes the top spot for overall satisfaction, customer service, speed, and price.

AT&T AQS Plans for AT&T gets excellent ratings as well, sitting pretty in the top-two or top-three in categories like speed, price, and reliability. There’s also Spectrum AQS Plans for Spectrum, which gets mostly average or above-average ratings.

Run a search with your zip code to see which providers are available in your corner of Madtown.

How much speed do you need?

Take a quick quiz to decide what speeds are best for your household

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Wanna know more? Check out these internet resources.

AT&T vs. Spectrum: Which Internet Provider Is Best for You?

AT&T is perfect for speed demons who don’t want to pay too much. Spectrum offers a faster average speed over its coverage area, thanks to extensive cable infrastructure.

Spectrum vs. Frontier

If it’s Spectrum vs. Frontier, go with Frontier. Frontier’s fiber-optic internet offers speeds fast enough for any home, and the 50/50 and 500/500 plans are a great value.

Cable vs. Fiber: Which Internet Type Is Right for You?

Both fiber and cable internet are common types of broadband internet, but which connection is right for you?

Madison residential internet coverage

AT&T AQS Plans for AT&T and Spectrum AQS Plans for Spectrum both operate the largest networks in Madison and the surrounding suburbs of Dane County. AT&T provides DSL and fiber connections across downtown and the Madison Isthmus, out to distant neighborhoods like Cardinal Glenn and McClellan Park, and further into northeast and southeast Dane County.

Spectrum’s cable network is even more widespread, covering the whole city as well as suburbs like Sun Prairie and Fitchburg. It also provides internet in smaller villages and towns in the outskirts of the county.

Frontier AQS Plans for Frontier‘s DSL network covers parts of Madison, including areas along the Southwest Commuter Path and around the intersection of Verona Road and the West Beltline Highway. Frontier’s network also stretches out across Dane County going north, south, and east—from the city of Monona out to Deerfield, Oregon, and parts of DeForest.

CenturyLink AQS Plans for CenturyLink doesn’t cover the city limits, nor parts of popular suburbs like McFarland or Middleton. But it does pop up in the villages of DeForest, Waunakee, Windsor, and other areas north of Lake Mendota.

Viasat and HughesNet hook up satellite internet to rural areas—though, by the looks of it, rural internet users will likely also find coverage by much faster (and cheaper) DSL or cable networks.

Type in your zip code below to see which internet providers are available in your neighborhood.

How to get free internet (Wi-Fi) in Madison

For folks who can’t afford high-end internet packages or need free Wi-Fi away from home, there’s free, high-speed internet at nine public libraries across the city. The connections are available wirelessly and from library computers.

The city also provides fiber-optic service at 14 community and cultural centers, including the Goodman Community Center on Madison’s east side and Boys & Girls Clubs branches in Bram’s Addition and Fitchburg. This is a great way to provide the fastest connections possible to the people of Madison, especially in underserved areas.

Methodology

HighSpeedInternet.com compares internet providers within cities and metro areas to give customers the most relevant insights into their internet options. When comparing providers, we consider the following:

Provider coverage areas
Advertised speeds
Real-world speeds (speed test data)
Customer feedback
Other relevant localized data

We source localized coverage data displayed on our coverage maps from the FCC coverage database, which is updated every six months. For the most current summary of providers in your area, we recommend you use our zip code search tool, which offers the most recent coverage data straight from internet service providers (ISPs).

Our city overviews compare advertised provider speeds. We may also include real-world speed data gathered from millions of annual speed test results. To process our speed test data, we first filter out outliers and providers with low test counts. We then calculate speed averages with every ISP subject to the same parameters.

We gather ISP customer feedback data from our comprehensive annual surveys and direct customer feedback submitted to HighSpeedInternet.com. Unless stated otherwise, average ratings are calculated nationally.

Internet providers in Madison, WI

What’s a good internet speed?

What is the best internet provider in Madison?

Other Wi-Fi service providers in Wisconsin