Best ISPs in Duluth, MN

What is the best ISP in Duluth?

Spectrum is the best internet service provider in Duluth, MN. The area is the largest cable internet the provider offers fast speeds and unlimited data with no contractual requirements. All plans include a free modem, although renting a Wi-Fi router will add $10 to your monthly bill (unless you sign up for the 1000 Mbps plan).

others top internet providers in Duluth include T-Mobile Home Internet, Mediacomand the Lumen Technologies brands CenturyLink and Quantum fiber. CenturyLink has the best broadband coverage in the area, while Mediacom offers the cheapest internet in Duluth, with service starting at $20 per month for download speeds of up to 250 megabits per second.

Mediacom and Spectrum offer the fastest download speeds in Duluth, up to 1000Mbps, starting at $60 and $70 per month, respectively. Quantum fiber and Verizon 5G Home Internet can deliver similar speeds, but availability of both providers is severely limited in Duluth.

Besides T-Mobile home internet and possibly Verizon 5G home internet, other potential fixed wireless internet options in Duluth include AirFiber and Nextera. Although the providers offer service to much of Duluth, the speeds are too slow and the prices too high to recommend.

Best ISPs in Duluth, MN

Source: CNET analysis of vendor data.

Source: CNET analysis of vendor data.

How to Find Internet Deals and Promotions in Duluth

The best internet deals and top promotions in Duluth 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.

Duluth ISPs like Mediacom may offer lower introductory rates or bonus add-ons for a limited time. Many, including Spectrum and CenturyLink, maintain the same standard rates throughout the year.

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 FCC. Note that these are guidelines only — and that Internet speed, service, and performance 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, 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 meet 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 chose the best ISPs in Duluth, MN

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. So 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.

But 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 answers to these questions are often multi-layered and complex, the vendors that come closest to saying yes to all three are the ones we recommend. When it comes to 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 also consider real-world speed data from sources such as 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 Duluth, MN FAQ