Best Internet Providers in Mississippi – CNET [CNET]

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What is the best internet provider in Mississippi?

AT&T Fiber’s plan selection, pricing, service terms, high customer satisfaction and overall value make it the best high-speed internet service provider in Mississippi. The 100% fiber connection delivers fast, symmetrical speeds ranging from 300 to 5,000 megabits per second.

AT&T and its multigigabit plans are fast, but they surprisingly aren’t the fastest in Mississippi. Local provider MaxxSouth Broadband has the fastest plan in the state, boasting 10,000Mbps (10 gigabits per second) for only $999 monthly.

How about something a little cheaper? Xfinity has the cheapest internet plan in Mississippi, with download speeds up to 75Mbps starting at $20 per month. Mediacom and Sparklight are also top choices for cheap internet, as both offer 100Mbps starting at $25 monthly. 

Whether you’re looking for the fastest speeds, the cheapest plan or the best overall value, you’ll find everything you need to know about the top ISPs in Mississippi below.

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Best internet in Mississippi

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The connection type can be as important as the providers and plans when shopping for the internet. Fiber internet is often preferred, especially if it’s from AT&T Fiber.

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Cable internet is a runner-up to fiber in terms of speed and reliability. It’s also often where you’ll find the cheapest rates. Case in point: Xfinity.

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Fixed wireless internet is ideal for internet in rural areas. The low pricing, decent speeds and simple service terms of T-Mobile Home Internet may be enough to lure you away from the big cable or fiber providers. 

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While Xfinity largely sticks to Mississippi’s more densely populated areas, Sparklight’s cable internet service covers many of the state’s smaller cities. 

Mississippi internet providers compared

Provider Internet technology Monthly price range Speed range Monthly equipment costs Data cap Contract CNET review score
AT&T DSL, fiber $55 DSL, $55-$250 fiber 10-100Mbps DSL, 300-5,000Mbps fiber None None None 7.4
HughesNet Satellite $50-$150 15-50Mbps $15 monthly or $450 purchase fee Varies, 15-100GB 2 years 5.7
Kinetic DSL, fiber $40-$70 15-100Mbps DSL, 100-1,000Mbps fiber $10 (optional) None None 6.7
MaxxSouth Broadband Fiber $30-$999 150-10,000Mbps None None None N/A
Mediacom Cable $25-$60 100-1,000 $13 (optional) 350-3,000GB None 6.4
Sparklight Cable $25-$85 100-940Mbps $13 (optional) 5TB soft cap None 6.9
Starlink Low orbit satellite $90-$120 20-220Mbps $599 purchase fee None None N/A
T-Mobile Home Internet Fixed wireless $50 ($30 with eligible mobile plans) 72-245Mbps None None None 7.4
Verizon 5G Home Internet Fixed wireless $50-$70 ($35-$45 for eligible Verizon Wireless customers) 50-1,000Mbps None None None 7.2
Viasat Satellite $70-$300 12-100Mbps $13 monthly or $299 purchase fee Varies, 40-300GB 2 years 6.1
Xfinity Cable $20-$85 75-1,200 $13 (optional) 1.25TB or unlimited 1-2 years 7

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Other available internet providers in Mississippi

View of Jackson Mississippi skyline at night.
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Cheap internet options in Mississippi

Xfinity has the cheapest plan of any major provider in Mississippi, starting at $20 per month for speeds up to 75Mbps. Other providers, including Mediacom, MaxxSouth, Sparklight and Kinetic, also offer plans under $50 monthly and come with faster speeds than you’ll get with Xfinity’s cheapest plan.

T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet may be options for cheap internet as well for those who qualify for a mobile discount.

Cheapest internet plans in Mississippi

Plan Starting price Max download speed Monthly equipment fee
Xfinity Connect $20 75Mbps $13 (optional)
Mediacom Xtream 100 $25 100Mbps $13 (optional)
Sparklight Connect 100 $25 100Mbps $13 (optional)
MaxxSouth Starter Internet $30 150Mbps None
Kinetic 200 $40 200Mbps $10 (optional)
T-Mobile Home Internet $50 ($30 with eligible mobile plans) 72-245Mbps None
Verizon 5G Home Internet $50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) 50-300Mbps None
AT&T Fiber 300 $55 300Mbps None

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Mississippi

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

Mississippi internet providers, such as Xfinity, may offer lower introductory pricing or special offers for a limited time. Many, however, including AT&T, Kinetic and Sparklight, 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 Mississippi broadband?

Ookla speed test data from the third quarter of 2023 shows Mississippi had a median download speed of 162Mbps, ranking 40th among US states and Washington, DC. Arkansas is the only neighboring state with a lower median speed (147Mbps).

While speed tests indicate actual speeds people across Mississippi are getting, they aren’t necessarily representative of the speeds you could get. Many factors affect speed test results, including using Wi-Fi and the internet plan’s max speeds. If you want faster speeds, they are available from a variety of providers in Mississippi.

Fastest internet plans in Mississippi

Plan Starting price Max download speed Max upload speed Data cap Connection type
MaxxSouth Fiber 10000 $999 10,000 10,000 None Fiber
AT&T Fiber 5000 $250 5,000Mbps 5,000Mbps None Fiber
Xfinity Gigabit Extra $85 1,200Mbps 35Mbps 1.25TB or unlimited Cable
Kinetic 1 Gig $70 1,000Mbps 1,000Mbps None Fiber
Mediacom 1 Gig $60 1,000 50 3,000GB Cable
Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet $70 ($45 with qualifying Verizon 5G mobile plans) 85-1,000Mbps 50-75Mbps None Fixed wireless
Sparklight Freedom Connect 1 Gig $85 940 50 No hard cap Cable

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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.

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

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Mississippi

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:

  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?

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 Mississippi?

While not the outright cheapest or fastest provider in the state, AT&T Fiber is our top recommendation for internet in Mississippi. All things considered — speeds, pricing, free equipment, unlimited data — the value of AT&T Fiber is tough to beat.

Xfinity, Sparklight and Mediacom are your best bets for cheap internet in Mississippi, with plans starting below $30 monthly. However, all have price increases at some point, and renting a Wi-Fi router will add $13 or more to your bill — something to keep in mind when shopping for cheap internet.

Other providers, such as Kinetic and MaxxSouth Broadband, are worth checking out if available. Depending on the speeds you can get, T-Mobile Home Internet is ideal for broadband in rural areas or as an alternative to other providers in your area.

Internet providers in Mississippi FAQs

according to the FCC. AT&T Fiber is by far the largest fiber internet provider in the state, with coverage in many major metro areas, including Jackson, Gulfport, Southaven, Hattiesburg and Tupelo.

Kinetic and MaxxSouth Broadband are also leading fiber internet providers in Mississippi.



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