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What is the best internet provider in Independence, Missouri?
AT&T Fiber is the best internet provider in Independence, offering the fastest speeds, free equipment and unlimited data. Because it uses a fiber connection, its upload speeds are just as fast as download speeds — perfect for online gamers and remote workers.
If you’re in the half of the city that can’t get AT&T Fiber, Xfinity is the cheapest internet provider in Independence. Plans start at just $20 per month, practically unheard of in the internet world. But there is a catch: Xfinity’s rates increase significantly after a year or two.
There are several other internet providers in Independence worth considering, and Verizon 5G Home Internet is our pick for the best fixed wireless internet. It’s not quite as reliable as AT&T Fiber or Xfinity, but it’s reasonably priced, and you can get great discounts by bundling with a Verizon cellphone plan.
methodology page.
Best internet in Independence, Missouri
Speed range
300 – 5,000Mbps
Price range
$55 – $250 per month
Our take – Independence residents are fortunate to have widespread access to one of the best internet providers in the entire country. AT&T Fiber has the highest score of any ISP in the most recent American Customer Satisfaction Index survey, and it’s the only fiber provider in the area. That means you’ll get upload speeds that are just as fast as download speeds, which is crucial for households that work from home or play online games.
Our take – Xfinity’s cable internet plans start at just $20 per month — as cheap as you’ll find anywhere in the country. But there’s a catch: You’ll have to commit to a contract to get the lowest price, and rates increase drastically on all plans after one or two years. For example, the $20 monthly plan goes up to $35 in year two and $54 in year three. You’ll still get decent value with Xfinity, but it’s worth reading the fine print before committing.
Our take – If you can’t get AT&T Fiber and don’t want to worry about Xfinity’s price hikes, Verizon’s 5G Home Internet is a great backup option. (T-Mobile Home Internet is also worth considering, but it’s slightly more expensive.) Wireless internet is more vulnerable to disruption than cable or fiber, but Verizon provides enough speed for all but the most connected households. Additionally, you can save by bundling with an eligible Verizon cellphone plan.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in Independence?
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
TriggerPhoto / Getty Images
How to find internet deals and promotions in Independence
The best internet deals and the top promotions in Independence depend on what discounts are available then. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Independence internet providers, such as Xfinity and T-Mobile Home Internet, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, however, including AT&T Fiber, Verizon 5G Home Internet and Wisper Internet, run the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
Fastest internet plans in Independence
Show more (2 items)
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
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 FCC. 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, streaming low-quality video.
5 to 40Mbps gives you higher-quality video streaming and videoconferencing.
40 to 100Mbps should give one user sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming.
500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Independence
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. So 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.
But 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:
Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?
Are customers happy with their service?
While the answers to those questions are often layered and complex, the providers who 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, though 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.
Internet providers in Independence FAQs
according to FCC data. AT&T Fiber is the only fiber provider in the city.
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