Best ISPs in Roanoke, Virginia

What is the best ISP in Roanoke?

CNET recommends Coke as the best internet provider for most households in Roanoke, Virginia. With widespread coverage and budget plans starting at just $30 per month, Cox delivers reliable cable Internet to nearly every home in the area. Also associated with T-Mobile Home Internet for the lowest starting price locally. However, Cox’s service comes with a few trade-offs, including a 1.25TB monthly limit on select plans and slower upload speeds typical of cable connections.

If you’re looking for the fastest Internet in Roanoke, Glo Fiber is a strong contender. This local fiber optic supplier offers symmetrical speeds of up to 5000 Mbps and unlimited data. Plans start at $55 per month, with premium options going up to $290.

For a more flexible alternative, T-Mobile Home Internet provides unlimited data and includes free rental equipment, saving you $12 to $15 a month compared to Cox or Glo Fiber. Although speeds range from 72 to 245 Mbps, it’s a hassle-free solution that can meet your household’s needs.

The best internet in Roanoke, VA

Source: CNET analysis of vendor data.

Source: CNET analysis of vendor data.

How to Find Internet Deals and Promotions in Roanoke

The best internet deals and the best promotions in Roanoke depend on what discounts are available during a given time period. Most deals are short-lived, but we’re often on the lookout for the latest deals.

Roanoke ISPs like Cox may offer lower introductory rates or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many providers, including Glo Fiber and T-Mobile Home Internet, offer the same standard rates 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: web browsing, 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 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 Internet providers in Roanoke

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 stop there: We go to the FCC website to check our data and make sure we account for 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 access to relatively fast internet speeds?
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. (Disclosure: 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 Roanoke VA FAQ