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What is the best internet provider in Rockford, Illinois?
Xfinity is the best internet service provider in Rockford. That’s not because it offers incredible service — Xfinity’s customer satisfaction scores are slightly above average — but because it’s the only wired provider in the area. That means it has the fastest and most reliable plans, but caveats like price increases, data caps and contracts can make Xfinity feel like a cheap trick (and I don’t mean the rock band from Rockford).
T-Mobile Home Internet is the best alternative to Xfinity, and it’s available to about half of Rockville, according to FCC data. (Verizon’s 5G Home Internet is an even better wireless option, but only 7% of Rockford residents can access it.) You may sacrifice some reliability with wireless internet, but it offers plenty of speed for most households.
Starlink is the best satellite internet provider in Rockford. It’s not often we recommend satellite internet in a city, but since there are few other options in Rockford, Starlink is a viable alternative. Just be prepared to pay $599 for equipment when you sign up.
methodology page.
Best internet in Rockford, Illinois
Speed range
75 – 2,000Mbps
Price range
$20 – $120 per month
Our take – Xfinity is the only wired internet provider in Rockford, which means it will be the best choice for most people. It has the fastest and cheapest plans in the city, but there are some caveats to look out for. You’ll need to commit to a one- or two-year contract to get the best price on most plans, and your price will increase significantly after that contract is up. Like all cable internet providers, Xfinity also has slower upload speeds, but that’s the case with all internet providers in Rockford.
Our take – In Rockville, the best alternative to Xfinity is T-Mobile Home Internet, although FCC data shows it’s only available at around half of the homes in the city. Its wireless internet gets you download speeds up to 245Mbps for $60 a month, or $40 to $50 with a T-Mobile cellphone plan. That price includes all the equipment you need, and there are no data caps or contracts. That noted, wireless internet tends to be less reliable than wired internet like Xfinity.
Our take – We’d usually only recommend satellite internet in rural areas, but since Rockford has few options outside of Xfinity, Starlink is worth considering here — especially if you’re desperate for another option. You’ll have to purchase the satellite equipment upfront for $599, and the monthly cost isn’t cheap at $120. But Starlink provides solid speeds and doesn’t automatically increase prices after a year or two.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Rockford
Rockford’s best internet deals and top promotions depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Rockford internet providers, such as T-Mobile Home Internet and Xfinity, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, however, including Verizon 5G Home Internet and Starlink, 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 Rockford
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 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.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Rockford
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 the time 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 it comes to 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 also take into account 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 Rockford FAQs
according to FCC data. Xfinity offers fiber connections to a smattering of homes on the city’s south side.
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