Best ISPs in Poughkeepsie, New York

What is the best ISP in Poughkeepsie?

In Poughkeepsie, Verizon Fios is CNET’s top pick for best ISPr. Along with the fastest speeds in town – up to 2,300 megabits per second – Fios offers multiple plans with symmetrical speeds, meaning upload speeds are just as fast as downloads. This symmetrical service is thanks to its optical internet network, making it the best choice for speed, reliability and overall value.

While Verizon Fios offers free equipment, unlimited data, and no contracts, it’s not the only ISP with these benefits. You’ll find similar benefits from other local providers – Spectrum includes a free modem, Optimum gives you both a modem and router for free, and neither have contracts or data caps.

Search for the cheapest internet in Poughkeepsie? Optimum’s plans start at $40 per month for speeds up to 300Mbps – $10 less than Verizon Fios for the same download speed plan. Spectrum is also a solid alternative, offering a 500Mbps plan for $50 per month, but charging an extra $10 for a router. Overall, Optimum will come out as the cheapest cable internet provider in Poughkeepsie.

Fixed wireless providers such as Verizon 5G Home Internet and T-Mobile Home Internet are also available in Poughkeepsie. Since Verizon Fios already covers much of the area, Verizon’s 5G home service has limited availability here. If you’re considering fixed wireless Internet, T-Mobile Home Internet is probably your better choice.

The best internet in Poughkeepsie, NY

Source: CNET analysis of vendor data.

Source: CNET analysis of vendor data.

How to Find Internet Deals and Promotions in Poughkeepsie

The best internet deals and the best promotions in Poughkeepsie 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.

Poughkeepsie ISPs, such as Optimum and Spectrum, may offer lower introductory rates or other incentives for a limited time. However, others, including Verizon Fios, have the same standard prices 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 emails, 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 person with enough bandwidth to meet the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
• 100 to 500Mbps allows one or two people to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities such as video conferencing, streaming and online gaming.
• 500 to 1000 Mbps allows three or more people to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.

How CNET chose the best ISPs in Poughkeepsie, New York

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 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 Poughkeepsie, NY FAQ