Best ISPs in Coon Rapids, MN

What is the best ISP in Coon Rapids?

Coon Rapids doesn’t have the widest selection of broadband providers, but Xfinity is CNET’s pick for the best ISP in the area. We chose Xfinity for its wide availability and fast speeds. Plans start at an affordable $20 per month for 150 megabits per second and go up to 1200Mbps, ensuring something for everyone.

CenturyLink also covers much of the Coon Rapids area, but relatively slow speeds make it a less practical broadband option. Brand Fellow Lumen Technologies Quantum fiber is also available in select parts of Coon Rapids, but coverage is much more limited than in Minneapolis.

If you are looking for more high speed internet choice, consider fixed wireless Internet from Verizon 5G Home Internet or T-Mobile Home Internet. Both services are competitively priced and offer a discount for qualified mobile customers in addition to free equipment, unlimited data and without contracts.

The best alternative to Xfinity in Coon Rapids could be Gateway Fibera new ISP offering speeds from 300 to 2000 Mbps, the fastest in the area, starting at $65 to $150 per month with no additional fees or contracts. Availability is currently random and limited in Coon Rapids as the provider continues to expand, but a spokesperson for Gateway Fiber confirmed that service is now available to thousands of households in the area.

The best internet in Coon Rapids, MN

Source: CNET analysis of vendor data.

Source: CNET analysis of vendor data.

How to Find Internet Deals and Promotions in Coon Rapids

The best internet deals and top promotions in Coon Rapids depend on what discounts are available at that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we’re often on the lookout for the latest deals.

Coon Rapids Internet providers, such as Xfinity and T-Mobile Home Internet, may offer lower introductory rates, unlimited data, or additional benefits for a limited time. Others, including Gateway Fiber and Verizon 5G Home Internet, have the same standard prices year-round.

For a more extensive list of promotions, see our guide to the best internet deals.

Source: CNET analysis of vendor data.

What is a good internet speed?

Most internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you’re looking for an Internet plan that can include video conferencing, streaming video, or gaming, you’ll have a better experience with a more stable connection. Here’s an overview of recommended minimum download speeds for different apps, according to the Federal Communications Commission. Note that these are guidelines only and that internet speed, service and performance will vary by connection type, provider and address.

For more information, see our guide to how much internet speed do you really need?.

• 0 to 5 Mbps lets you handle the basics: surfing the web, sending and receiving email, and streaming low-quality video.
• 5 to 40 Mbps gives you higher quality video streaming and video conferencing.
• 40 to 100 Mbps should provide a single user with enough bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
• 100 to 500Mbps allows one or two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities such as video conferencing, streaming and online gaming.
• 500 to 1000 Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities simultaneously.

How CNET picked the best ISPs in Coon Rapids

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest ones smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen toolit is not practical to personally test every ISP in a given city. What is our approach? We start by researching pricing, availability, and speed information, drawing on our own historical data from ISPs, provider sites, and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission on FCC.gov.

It doesn’t end there. We go to the FCC website to check our data and make sure we’re looking at every ISP that provides service in an area. We also enter local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and JD Power to gauge how satisfied customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent change; all information provided is accurate at the time of publication.

Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:

1. Does the provider offer relatively fast internet access?
2. Are customers getting decent value for what they pay?
3. Are customers satisfied with their service?

While the answer to these questions is often layered and complex, the vendors that come closest to saying yes to all three are the ones we recommend. When choosing the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, although we also take into account things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively easy. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports. (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)

To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.

ISPs in Coon Rapids, MN FAQ