Best ISPs in West Des Moines, Iowa

What is the best ISP in West Des Moines?

Covering nearly 98% of households in West Des Moines, according to the latest data from the Federal Communications CommissionMediacom has the widest coverage and some of the best broadband plans in town. With speeds up to 1000 megabits per second and an affordable price, Mediacom is CNET’s top pick for Best Internet Service Provider in West Des Moines. this cable internet provider offers download speeds between 100 megabits per second to 1000Mbps. Some areas can expect higher speeds depending on your location. Plans start at just $20 for a 250Mbps plan and go up to $85 per month.

On the bright side, Google Fiberis fast multi-gigabit plans it can knock you off your feet. Its symmetrical speeds reach up to 8000 Mbps in some areas. Residents with the greatest coverage will be along Valley Junction and adjacent areas near Ashworth Park and the Western Hills Greenway. Google Fiber won’t win any awards for the cheapest plan — the lowest monthly price is $70 for its 1-gigabit plan — but you can expect excellent value. The cost per Mbps of its gigabit plan is a really cheap 7 cents per Mbps, but its most expensive tier (the 8 Gig plan at $150 per month) is a whopping 2 cents per Mbps, one of the best rates you’ll find anywhere in the country.

Aside from Mediacom, if you’re looking for more affordable plans, one of the cheapest plans in West Des Moines is US Cellular’s fixed wireless plan for $60 per month for 300Mbps download speeds. However, expect additional fees and possible equipment installation fees included in your plans. T-Mobile and Verizon are also available as alternatives if the above options do not serve your location. The prices of the plans offered by both providers are quite similar and you can get an additional discount by pairing them with an eligible mobile plan.

The best internet in West Des Moines, Iowa

Source: CNET analysis of vendor data.

Source: CNET analysis of vendor data.

How to Find Internet Deals and Promotions in West Des Moines

The best internet deals and the best promotions in West Des Moines depend on what discounts are available at any given time. Most deals are short-lived, but we’re often on the lookout for the latest deals.

West Des Moines Internet providers, such as Mediacom and T-Mobile Home Internet, may offer lower introductory rates or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, however, incl CenturyLink and Google Fiber, maintain 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 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 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 West Des Moines

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 FCC.gov.

But it doesn’t end there. We use the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure that 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 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. (Disclaimer: 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.

West Des Moines ISP FAQs