Best ISPs in Worcester, MA

What is the best ISP in Worcester?

Of the few broadband providers serving Worcester, Spectrum is CNET’s top pick for most households. Spectrum’s network covers most of the area and has plans that are competitively priced and have simple service details. Fibers and fixed wireless connectivity are also available at selected Worcester addresses via Verizon Fios and T-Mobile Home Internet. Ultimately, the best provider for your home will depend on your location.

For affordability, you’ll be better off with either Spectrum or Verizon’s fixed wireless plans under its 5G home internet network, both of which offer $50 base plans. Selco also offers significantly slower speeds of 50 megabits per second for just $40 a month. Spectrum, Verizon Fios and Verizon 5G Home Internet Offer 1 gigabit speed for $70 per month, the fastest speed available in Worcester. SELCO also offers a 1 Gig Plan Plan with symmetrical upload speeds for $105.

The best internet in Worcester in 2024

Source: CNET analysis of vendor data.

Source: CNET analysis of vendor data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Worcester

The best internet deals and promotions in Worcester depend on what discounts are available during that period. Most deals are short-lived, but we often review the latest offers.

Worcester internet providers such as Spectrum may offer lower introductory prices or streaming add-ons for a limited time. However, others, like Verizon, run 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 accommodate video conferencing, video streaming, or gaming, you’ll have a better experience with a stronger 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 5Mbps lets you handle the basics: Browsing the Internet, sending and receiving email, streaming low-quality video.
• 5 to 40Mbps gives you higher quality video streaming and video conferencing.
• 40 to 100Mbps should give a user enough bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommunications, video streaming and online gaming.
• 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities such as video conferencing, streaming and online gaming.
• 500 to 1000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities simultaneously.

How CNET chose the best ISPs in Worcester

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest ones smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen toolIt is impractical to personally test every ISP in a city. So what is our approach? We start by researching pricing, availability and speed information, pulling in our historical ISP data, provider sites and mapping information on fcc.gov.

But it doesn’t end there. We go to the FCC website to check our data and ensure we are 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 happy customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent change; All information provided is accurate as 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 factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and also look at real-world speed data from sources like Oookla 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 Worcester FAQ