AT&T and Cox are popular internet providers in Kansas, but they may not be your only options. Here’s a look at the best broadband in the Sunflower State.
AT&T is the best internet provider in Kansas, both for its fast, high-value fiber internet and the broad coverage it provides via its copper-based service. Speeds are much faster with AT&T Fiber, but AT&T Internet, the copper-based DSL service, could provide a reliable broadband connection in rural or suburban areas.
AT&T Fiber, along with Google Fiber, offers the fastest internet speeds in Kansas, with symmetrical upload and download speeds up to 5,000 megabits per second (5 gigabits per second). AT&T Fiber’s 5 gig plan is more widely available throughout Kansas, but Google Fiber’s plan is considerably cheaper, starting at $120 compared with $250.
If you’re looking for something more budget-friendly, Mediacom offers the cheapest internet plan in Kansas with speeds up to 100Mbps starting at $25 per month, followed by Vyve Broadband and its $30 monthly 105Mbps plan. Availability for both internet service providers is highly limited in Kansas, however. Nearly all other major ISPs have a starting price of around $50 per month, including Cox, the largest cable internet provider in Kansas.
AT&T has the greatest wired internet coverage of any ISP in Kansas. Much of that coverage comes from its copper network (DSL), but AT&T is also the largest fiber provider in the state.
Fixed wireless internet, especially that of T-Mobile Home Internet, is proving to be a decent, low-cost internet option in suburban and rural areas. Even in larger cities, T-Mobile Home Internet is worth considering as a possible alternative to cable or fiber ISPs.
Brightspeed: CenturyLink’s parent company Lumen recently sold its operations in a number of states, including Kansas. Areas in the state where CenturyLink was once available, mostly in eastern Kansas, are now serviceable for Brightspeed. Its DSL service starts at $50 per month for the best speeds available (up to 100Mbps), while fiber service offers speeds up to 1 gigabit for $79 per month.
Google Fiber: It’s only available in the greater Kansas City area, but Google Fiber is a premier gig service provider. Speeds of 1, 2 and 5 gigs are available starting at $70, $100 and $120 per month, respectively, with no equipment fees, data caps or contracts.
Kwikom: Local fiber provider Kwikom is available in Fredonia, Iola, Garnett, Osawatomie and a few other Kansas towns. Speeds range from 100 to 2,000Mbps, starting at $55 to $105 per month. There are no equipment fees, data caps or contracts.
Mercury Broadband: Extending fixed wireless service to much of the northeast part of the state, Mercury Broadband isn’t the fastest ISP with max speeds of 150Mbps, but it may be the best option outside of satellite internet in rural areas.
Nextlink: Similar to Mercury Broadband, Nextlink is a fixed wireless provider and covers much of the central part of the state. Potential speeds are higher than Mercury Broadband, with 500Mbps available in select areas, but there is a $9 equipment fee and a contract required.
Rise Broadband: Fixed wireless internet from Rise Broadband is available just north of Wichita from Newton, north to McPherson and east to Marion. Speeds of 25 and 50Mbps with unlimited data are available for $45 to $55 per month.
Spectrum: A top pick for cable internet, Spectrum is unfortunately available only in the greater Kansas City area. Plans range from 300 to 1,000Mbps for $50 to $90 per month with no data caps or contracts required.
Verizon 5G Home Internet: Faster than T-Mobile Home Internet but less widely available in Kansas, Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband network serves much of Wichita and Topeka along with the greater Kansas City area and other random regions throughout the state. Two plans — $50 per month for a speed range of 50 to 300Mbps and $70 for a speed range of 85 to 1,000Mbps — are available with no equipment fees, data caps or contracts. Verizon mobile customers may qualify for a discount on home internet.
Vyve Broadband: Local cable (and sometimes fiber) provider Vyve Broadband serves Abilene, Russell, Goodland, Ottawa and other select Kansas towns. Speeds and pricing may vary from one market to the next, but most customers can expect speeds of 105 to 960Mbps starting at $30 to $80 per month.
Satellite internet: When no other internet options are available, there’s satellite. HughesNet and Viasat are available so long as you have a clear view of the southern sky. HughesNet is likely to be the cheaper option, but Viasat may come with faster speeds and more data. Starlink is also worth considering, as its fleet of low-orbiting satellites can deliver faster speeds, lower latency and more data (unlimited) than either HughesNet or Viasat.
Kansas internet options by city
It’s hard to cover the internet options of an entire state like Kansas while giving individual cities the in-depth attention they deserve. That’s why we’ve also put together lists of the best internet providers in cities across the US, including those in Kansas. If you don’t find your hometown below, check back later. We’re working to add more every day.
Mediacom has the cheapest plan in Kansas at $25 per month for speeds up to 100Mbps, but again, availability is limited. The same goes for Vyve Broadband, whose cheapest plan comes with max speeds of 105Mbps starting at $30 per month.
Rise Broadband has the next cheapest plan, but with max speeds of only 25Mbps, it would be worth paying a bit extra for faster speeds from another provider, if available.
Most Kansas residents can anticipate home internet rates starting at $50 or higher, plus equipment costs when applicable.
Cheapest internet plans in Kansas
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Kansas
The best internet deals and top promotions in Kansas depend on what discounts are available during any given period. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Kansas internet providers, such as Mediacom, may offer lower introductory pricing or special offers for a limited time. Many, however, including AT&T, Cox and Spectrum, run the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of promotions, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
How fast is Kansas broadband?
In Ookla speed test data from the third quarter of 2023, Kansas had a median download speed of 203Mbps. That’s around 10Mbps lower than the national average but good enough to rank 19th among all US states and Washington, DC.
Ookla lists Google Fiber as the fastest provider in the state with average speeds of 287Mbps, but it’s worth noting that test results for AT&T combine its DSL and fiber services, bringing down average AT&T speeds.
Wichita was the fastest city in the state and ninth in the nation, with a median download speed of 264Mbps. AT&T was the fastest ISP in Wichita, with average speeds around 300Mbps.
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 Kansas
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 answer to those questions is 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.
What’s the final word on internet providers in Kansas?
AT&T is the largest wired internet provider in Kansas, thanks to its combination of fiber and copper networks. Fiber is the preferable service by far, but AT&T Internet, the copper-based service, may be suitable for broadband in suburban and rural parts of Kansas.
Mediacom and Vyve Broadband are the only Kansas internet providers to offer service at or below $30 per month, but service from either is limited to select areas. Fellow cable ISP Cox is much more widely available in Kansas and is the best bet for gigabit service in Kansas outside of AT&T Fiber.
Excluding the greater Kansas City area where Spectrum and Google Fiber are available, AT&T, Cox and possibly Mediacom or Vyve Broadband are the primary wired internet providers. Locations where these providers are unavailable may have to rely on fixed wireless internet. While wired connections are generally better for speed and reliability, fixed wireless isn’t a bad option, particularly if T-Mobile Home Internet is available.
Internet providers in Kansas FAQs
According to the FCC, around 47% of Kansas households are wired for fiber internet service. AT&T Fiber is the largest fiber internet provider in the state, but fiber internet service may be available from Kwikom, Google Fiber or others, depending on where you live in Kansas.
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