Are you looking for your perfect provider in Portland? Xfinity excels in variety, CenturyLink for fiber, T-Mobile for 5G and Starlink for satellite service.
Xfinity – Best overall internet provider in Portland
Prices from $20 – $300 per month
Speeds from 75 – 6,000Mbps
Data caps on some plans
CenturyLink – Best fiber internet service in Portland
Prices from $30 – $70 per month
Speeds from 200 – 940Mbps
Unlimited data
T-Mobile Home Internet – Best fixed wireless internet service in Portland
Prices from $50 per month
Speeds from 72 – 245Mbps
Unlimited data
Starlink – Best satellite internet option in Portland
Prices from $20 – $80 per month
Speeds from 20 – 250Mbp
1TB data limit
As a top destination for remote workers, Portland has many broadband options that make it easy to call the city home. Known for its excellent digital infrastructure, Portland provides some of the most reliable and fastest download speeds in the US. The Federal Communications Commission notes that internet penetration covers 99% of the Portland metro area.
Although there are many internet providers in the city, Xfinity (a subsidiary of Comcast), CenturyLink and T-Mobile top our list of the best internet providers in Portland.
Best internet providers in Portland
We’ve reviewed the top internet providers and our pick for the best ISP in Portland is Xfinity. Overall, we’ve narrowed the list so you don’t have to listen to unnecessary sales pitches and speed claims or comb through the fine print with a magnifying glass. Our list considers factors including affordability, speed and reliability.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Xfinity
Best overall internet provider in Portland
Product details
Price range $20 – $300 per month Speed range 75 – 6,000Mbps Connection Cable Highlights Data caps on some plans, lots of plan options, solid customer satisfaction numbers
Xfinity is the most dominant provider in the area, with the best plan variety and value of the big three ISPs in Portland.
Availability: Xfinity offers internet services that cover 99% of Portland residents, but there may be small pockets where the service is unavailable. According to Comcast service, there’s rarely any downtime and any significant service outages are restored to normal fairly quickly.
Plans and pricing: There are seven plans on Xfinity’s site. But bear in mind that the available service will depend on the area’s existing internet infrastructure. Portland has a well-developed copper cable network infrastructure, so cable internet service will be the predominant option with Xfinity. To take advantage of Xfinity’s Gigabit Pro plan, you must contact Xfinity and schedule a site survey. The closer your home is to a fiber node, the better the chances you can get on its 6Gbps fiber plan.
Fees and service details: Xfinity’s costs vary depending on whether you lock in a contract. The prices range from $20 to $300 monthly with a contract and $51 a month to $300 monthly without a contract. Expect data speeds of 75Mbps up to 6,000Mbps.
Price range $30 – $70 per month Speed range 200 – 940Mbps Connection Fiber Highlights Unlimited data, no contracts, equipment included with gigabit tier
CenturyLink is an excellent choice for reliable and affordable fiber internet service. The company is well known for offering no annual contracts.
Availability: One of the significant advantages of CenturyLink is that the company has partnered with several residential communities to preinstall the service, making it more convenient to use. To start using CenturyLink’s services, visit its website and check if it offers service in your area. If it does, follow the instructions on the website to get started. It’s a straightforward process that anyone can quickly complete. It’s important to note that CenturyLink also offers a much slower DSL service.
Plans and pricing: CenturyLink offers both DSL and fiber service. The DSL service has download speeds that go up to 100Mbps. CenturyLink’s fiber service (which might also go by Quantum Fiber in some areas) has a two-tiered pricing structure. Both plans offer unlimited data on a network that is 99.9% reliable. The download speed is 200Mbps for $30 monthly and 940Mbps for the $70 a month plan.
Fees and service details: CenturyLink’s fiber service has no installation fees or contract requirements. The 940Mbps fiber plan comes with a modem. All other plans have a $15 a month modem lease fee. There may be special pricing deals to entice new customers to try the service, but the only way to know if deals exist is to connect to the network where you want to set up the new service.
Price range $50 per month ($30 for eligible T-Mobile Magenta Max customers) Speed range 72 – 245Mbps Connection Fixed wireless Highlights Unlimited data, equipment included, no contracts, no additional fees
If you want to avoid dealing with installation headaches, then T-Mobile’s 5G wireless home internet service might be perfect for you.
Availability: According to the website, T-Mobile Home Internet is available throughout the greater Portland metro area. However, you must enter your address on the site to ensure the service covers your location. While you might be excited to jump on the 5G bandwagon, you need to know that having 5G service in your neighborhood does not mean that T-Mobile Home Internet will be available for your residence.
Plans and pricing: T-Mobile Home Internet offers a single plan for $50 a month. The data speeds range from 33Mbps to 182Mbps. In addition, if you’re a T-Mobile phone customer, you’re in luck. You can get a $20 monthly discount if you sign up for an eligible plan.
Fees and service details: If you’re on the fence about 5G home internet, T-Mobile has a 15-day “worry-free” test drive, meaning you can try it out for two weeks without having to commit to a contract or even cut ties with your current provider until you’re sure T-Mobile Home Internet will work for you. The company’s price-lock guarantee ensures that your monthly bill will never increase. Additionally, T-Mobile offers unlimited data, no annual contracts and no additional equipment required. It might be time to ditch your wired internet connection permanently.
Price range $20 – $80 per month Speed range 20 – 250Mbp Connection Satellite Highlights 1TB data limit, no term contract, low latency
Starlink is the new kid on the satellite internet block. The company’s website shows there is coverage in the Portland metro area. However, the service isn’t cheap. You’ll have to fork over nearly $600 to get the standard equipment or $2,500 if you’re going for the premium service.
Availability: Though Starlink is available in Portland, there may be a waiting list, so be prepared for a delay in setting up your service.
Plans and pricing: Starlink has two plans on its website: a standard and a premium plan. The standard plan costs you $599 for the mountable satellite dish and router, while the premium plan will cost $2,500 for the equipment. On the pricing side, the company has noted that by April 24, there will be a $120 monthly fee if you live in an area with limited capacity and a $90 monthly fee in locations with excess capacity.
Fees and service details: Data speeds for either plan range from 20Mbps to 100Mbps for the standard package and 60Mbps to 250Mbps for the premium service. According to the internet speed-tracking site Ookla, which analyzed satellite internet performance during the third quarter of 2022, the company has an average data speed of approximately 53 Mbps. It’s worth noting that the premium tier offers a different satellite dish and equipment for higher download speeds.
All available Portland residential internet providers
There are other ISPs that operate in the Portland metropolitan area, but their coverage and reliability do not score as high as the other providers we’ve mentioned earlier.
Astound Broadband Powered by Wave: This ISP provides a cable internet service and covers 25% of the Portland area. The service starts at $25 monthly and offers data speeds between 100Mbps to 1,200Mbps.
EarthLink: This ISP provides internet service and covers 33% of the Portland area. The EarthLink service starts at $50 a month and offers plans with data speeds starting from 10Mbps up to 1,000Mbps.
Verizon 5G Home Internet: As one of the largest mobile phone operators in the US, Verizon has expanded into the 5G home internet market like its competitor T-Mobile. The company offers home internet services that start at $50 per month (and 50% off with eligible mobile plans). The data speed for the 5G service is between 85Mbps to 1,000Mbps. There are no data caps, no contracts and no equipment charges.
Ziply Fiber: Ziply offers both DSL and fiber internet service. The fiber service starts at $40 per month and has a $10 monthly router rental fee. The data speed for the fiber service starts at 50Mbps and goes all the way up to 10,000Mbps.
Satellite service from HughesNet and Viasat is also available throughout the greater Portland metro area, including all suburbs and rural areas. But with plenty of other internet options available, including Starlink, most satellite internet is not worth the cost.
Luis Henrique Boucault/Getty Images
Portland internet details at a glance
If you’re looking for an ISP that will provide reliable and secure internet for your home or office, you must first decide which service will best suit your needs. The main options in Portland include fiber, DSL, satellite, fixed wireless and cable.
Broadband availability
N/Apeople have access to broadband internet of any type
In Portland, the average starting price for broadband service is approximately $50 a month. Xfinity offers the lowest starting price at $20 a month for speeds up to 75Mbps. However, your cost depends on whether you’re locked into a contract.
Cheap internet options in the Portland metro area
Xfinity’s lowest tier plan is the cheapest internet service in Portland. If you commit to a contract, the monthly fee is $20.
We’ve compiled a list of providers participating in the FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program. It gives a $30 monthly discount to help low-income households afford high-speed internet. Some ISPs offer low-cost internet plans targeted at disadvantaged communities.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in Portland?
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Here are the internet speeds you can find in Portland
Regarding data speeds, the ISPs’ data speeds range from 20 Mbps to 6,000 Mbps. A report published by Ookla shows that Xfinity has the fastest median data speed in Portland.
*Data sourced from M-LAB speed tests taken by real users in Portland.
What’s the final word on internet providers in Portland?
When choosing an internet service provider, you’re always better off choosing fiber internet over all other options, if it’s available. Ziply Fiber and CenturyLink offer the best fiber internet plans in Portland. If fiber is unavailable in your neighborhood, cable internet or 5G fixed wireless providers offer fast and reliable connections. Just steer clear of data caps or any binding long-term contracts.
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