Are your video calls freezing or games lagging even with fast internet? The issue might be your upload speed, not download. Here’s how to check it.
Fastest internet providers in the US – Where’s yours on this list?
Sick of slow Wi-Fi? Your provider might be to blame.
Let’s look at the fastest (and slowest) average download speeds for providers across the U.S.
- Spectrum: 243.02 Mbps
- Cox: 241.78 Mbps
- Xfinity: 233.25 Mbps
- AT&T Internet: 210.12 Mbps
- Frontier: 200.95 Mbps
- Optimum: 200.41 Mbps
- Verizon: 184.03 Mbps
Your mileage may vary
Test your connection speed here. Oh, I hear you — “My speed isn’t anywhere near those, Kim.” It depends on your location, plan, number of connections and lots more. Even your devices can limit connection. You won’t see 300 Mbps speeds on a 10-year-old laptop, sorry.
Location, location, location
Router feng shui is critical. Don’t expect a strong signal in the living room if it’s in some far corner of the house.
- Put your router in a central location, away from kitchen appliances, Bluetooth devices and other electronics.
- Place it high up on a bookshelf or mount it to the wall to ensure the signals can go where needed.
- Put kids and guests on their own network: When too many devices share the same network, internet speed can slow to a grinding halt.
Are you overpaying for the internet? Find out now
Reliable internet may be something you take for granted, but even the most basic plans represent a financial hardship for low-income households.
Free internet service is available in some cases. Here’s the criteria to qualify for free internet.
Want faster satellite internet? The price of Starlink's new tier is out of this world
If you live in a busy city, you can be excused for taking fast, reliable internet service for granted. Internet service providers prefer densely populated areas for the more extensive potential customer base, which means more subscribers.
Money-saving tip: Find out if you're paying too much for internet service
When you signed up for home internet service, you had to choose from several options. Each plan promises certain download and upload speeds, but how do you know which one is right for you?
Those speeds are a big factor in how much you’ll shell out for the internet each month. Faster capabilities mean higher costs and you’ll pay less for slower speeds. But speed is just one factor when it comes to your internet bill. There are others you might not know about. Tap or click here to change this one setting for faster internet speeds.
Binge Netflix without eating up all your data
It’s great to have Netflix on your smartphone, particularly when you’re traveling. But if you’re out and about, and not on Wi-Fi, streaming video like that really eats up your data.
Unless you download videos ahead of time, Netflix eats up 5 Mbps just to run. Tap or click here to learn what speed is necessary for other streaming services. That kind of requirement will consume your data fast — unless you have an Android.
Not just a bigger network, a better one than before - T-Mobile's most powerful signal is live!
Choosing a wireless provider is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make in your digital life. Smartphones are no longer just luxury items, they’re necessities — which makes the need for reliable service even more important.