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Best Internet Providers in Las Vegas, Nevada [CNET]

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What is the best internet provider in Las Vegas?

With a wide availability and variety of plans, Cox is the best internet service provider in Las Vegas according to CNET. If you live in an area where Cox doesn’t provide service, Quantum Fiber might be your next best bet. If neither of those options is available, Verizon or T-Mobile may be the perfect fall-back alternatives, although speeds won’t be quite as fast since they’re fixed wireless options.

If you’re hunting for the cheapest internet plan in the city, Quantum Fiber starts at $50 a month while Verizon 5G Home Internet starts at $60 a month unless you have a qualifying mobile plan, then it drops to $35. You’ll get more speed with Quantum Fiber, up to 500 megabits per second. Verizon, on the other hand, will offer a range between 50 and 300Mbps depending on network conditions. Some households may be eligible to get Cox’s ConnectAssist plan, which offers 100Mbps speed for $30 per month.

Overall, the cheapest plan might come down to what’s available at your address. If you want the fastest speeds in Las Vegas, check out Cox’s 2-gigabit plan, which costs $150 per month for the first two years.

Best internet in Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas internet providers compared

Provider Internet technology Monthly price range Speed range Monthly equipment costs Data cap Contract CNET review score
CenturyLink
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DSL $55 20-100Mbps $15 for modem/router rental (optional) None None 6.7
Cox Communications
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Cable $30-$150 100-2,000Mbps None 1.2TB None 6.2
ISP.Net Fixed wireless $50-$150 50-500Mbps None None 1 year N/A
Quantum Fiber Fiber $50-$95 500-940Mbps None None None 6.7
Rise Broadband
Read full review
Fixed wireless $55 25-50Mbps None 250GB on some plans None 6.2
T-Mobile Home Internet
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Fixed wireless $50-$70 ($30-$50 for eligible mobile customers) 72-245Mbps None None None 7.4
Valley Communications Association Fixed wireless/Fiber $55-$100 40-2,000Mbps (varies by location) $9 router and modem None None N/A
Verizon 5G Home Internet
Read full review
Fixed wireless $60-$80 ($35-$45 with qualifying mobile plans) 50-1,000Mbps None None None 7.2

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Other available internet providers in Las Vegas

  • CenturyLink: As a DSL internet provider, CenturyLink is better than most, with maximum speeds of up to 100Mbps for $55 per month. Speeds will vary widely with a DSL connection, and speeds around 60Mbps or below are much more likely with CenturyLink in Las Vegas. In that case, your dollar will go farther with Cox versus CenturyLink.
  • ISP.Net: Formerly known as LV.Net, this fixed wireless provider broadcasts broadband signals throughout much of the city. While its availability is convenient, prices are too high and speeds are too slow. ISP.Net isn’t a viable alternative to Cox, Quantum Fiber, Verizon 5G or even CenturyLink’s DSL service.
  • Rise Broadband: Another fixed wireless provider, Rise Broadband is an excellent choice for internet in rural areas. If you’re in Las Vegas, the 26th largest city in the US, you aren’t exactly in a rural area. Considering the speeds you get for the price, there are better ISPs in the Vegas vicinity than Rise. On the other hand, if you’re just outside the city limits and on the edge of rural desert territory, Rise Broadband is worth checking out.
  • T-Mobile Home Internet:T-Mobile has the advantage over Verizon regarding nationwide 5G home internet availability, but not in Las Vegas. T-Mobile has less availability than Verizon 5G in the Vegas area. But the Verizon prices are a bit higher.
  • Valley Communications Association:This regional provider offers fixed wireless and fiber connections in parts of Las Vegas and surrounding communities. Plans on either side of the service are priced slightly higher than comparable plans from competing providers like Cox, Quantum Fiber and Verizon 5G. I recommend going with those providers over Valley Communications Association.
  • Satellite internet: In an honest effort to cover all your internet options in Las Vegas, we have to include satellite internet from Hughesnet, Viasat and Starlink. Speeds are relatively slow, and pricing is high, so I’d only recommend satellite internet if you’re in a rural area with no other practical internet options.

Cheap internet options in Las Vegas

If you’re looking for the cheapest internet plan in Las Vegas, start by seeing if you’re eligible for either T-Mobile or Verizon’s discount for qualifying mobile customers, putting your monthly internet bill around $30 to $50 per month. Otherwise, Quantum Fiber’s base plan will be your best option. For $50 per month, customers can get symmetrical speeds up to 500Mbps with no data cap, monthly equipment fee or required contract.

What’s the cheapest internet plan in Las Vegas?

Provider Starting price Max download speed Monthly equipment fee
Cox
Read full review
$30 100Mbps None
ISP.Net HomeNet 50 $50 50Mbps None
Quantum Fiber 500 $50 500Mbps None
Verizon 5G Home
Read full review
$60 ($35 for eligible phone customers) 300Mbps None
CenturyLink Simply Unlimited
Read full review
$55 10-100Mbps $15 modem
Rise Broadband
Read full review
$55 50Mbps None
Valley Communications Association Basic $55 40Mbps/100Mbps (Wireless/Fiber) $9 router and modem
T-Mobile Home Internet
Read full review
$50 ($30 for eligible phone customers) 245Mbps None

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How many members of your household use the internet?

How to find internet deals and promotions in Las Vegas

The best internet deals and top promotions in Las Vegas depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers. 

Las Vegas internet providers, such as Cox and Rise Broadband, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many providers, including Quantum Fiber and Verizon, run the same standard pricing year-round. 

For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals

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Photo by Rebecca Ang/ Getty Images

How fast is Las Vegas broadband?

Average tested internet speeds are on par with the rest of Nevada and the US. If you’d like faster-than-average speeds for your home, Cox, Quantum Fiber and Verizon 5G Home Internet offer download speeds up to 940Mbps or higher.

If you’re looking for high-speed internet in Las Vegas, Cox will be your best option. It’s one of the only providers that offers gig speeds throughout the entire region, and some neighborhoods may be eligible for fiber service, which can deliver equally fast upload speeds. Cox’s 2-gigabit plan is also available to select households in the area, which is the fastest speed offered in Las Vegas.

Fastest internet plans in Las Vegas

Provider Starting price Max download speed Max upload speed Data cap Connection type
Cox 2 Gig
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$150 2,000Mbps 100Mbps 1.28TB Cable
Cox 1 Gig
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$110 1,000Mbps 100Mbps 1.28TB Cable
Valley Communications Ultimate $100 2,000Mbps 2,000Mbps None Fiber
Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet
Read full review
$80 ($45 for eligible mobile customers) 1,000Mbps 75Mbps None Fixed wireless
Quantum Fiber 1 Gig $75 940Mbps 940Mbps None Fiber
Quantum Fiber 2 Gig $95 2000Mbps 1071Mbps None Fiber

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Internet providers in popular cities near Las Vegas

See all results for internet providers in Nevada.

What’s 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 videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you’ll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here’s an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the Federal Communications Commission. Note that these are only guidelines and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.

  • 0 to 5Mbps allows you to tackle the basics: browsing the internet, sending and receiving email and streaming low-quality video.
  • 5 to 40Mbps gives you higher-quality video streaming and videoconferencing.
  • 40 to 100Mbps should give one person sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming. 
  • 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two people to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming. 
  • 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more people to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.

For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Las Vegas

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. What’s our approach? We start by researching the pricing, availability and speed information, drawing on our own historical ISP data, the provider sites and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.

It doesn’t end there: We go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; 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 reasonably fast internet speeds?
  2. Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?
  3. Are customers happy with their service?

The answers to those questions are often layered and complex, but the providers that come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend. When selecting 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 consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports.

To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.

What’s the final word on internet providers in Las Vegas?

Cox, Quantum Fiber and Verizon 5G will be your three best bets for high-speed internet in Las Vegas. Cox boasts the greatest coverage in the area and the best plan selection around, but all plans come with a data cap and possibly a one-year contract. The contract is no big deal if you plan to stay in the area and keep your service for a year or longer.

Internet providers in Las Vegas FAQs

Does Las Vegas have fiber internet?

Yes. Roughly a third of Las Vegas households are eligible for fiber-optic internet service. Quantum Fiber offers the greatest fiber internet coverage in Las Vegas and surrounding areas, but Cox and Valley Communications also have a small fiber presence in Las Vegas.

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Is Cox or CenturyLink better?

Both providers have their pros and cons, but the better provider will ultimately come down to which service type is available at your address. Cox’s cable connection offers faster speeds and more variety than CenturyLink’s DSL service. On the other hand, while CenturyLink’s sibling company, Quantum Fiber, presents only two plan options, both are a better value than similar speed tiers from Cox.

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Can I get free Wi-Fi in Las Vegas?

Free Wi-Fi is available in many public places throughout Las Vegas, including most local restaurants, hotels and casinos. Free Wi-Fi for your home is more difficult to come by as you’ll need a home internet connection to get Wi-Fi. Cox’s Connect2Compete is the cheapest internet service in the Vegas area, starting at $10 per month and comes with free Wi-Fi equipment, but is available only to qualifying low-income households.

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