Best Internet Providers in Superior, Wisconsin [CNET]

Residents of the port city don’t have a lot of good options when it comes to home internet but Spectrum proves a dependable internet provider.

What’s the best internet provider in Superior?

Superior, Wisconsin, is located at one of the state’s most northern points and is famous for its waterways, thick forests and, of course, cheese. Less well-known, perhaps, are the different internet service providers in the area and which ones can offer the fastest speeds, lowest prices and best availability. 

Although infamous for steep price increases, CNET’s pick for the best internet provider in Superior is Spectrum Internet. Spectrum is broadly available to the city, around 87%, according to the latest data from the Federal Communications Commission, and offers a competitive introductory rate for 300 megabits per second, the fastest speed for the lowest price in the area. If your address isn’t serviceable for Spectrum or you’d prefer to avoid a price hike after one to two years, Brightspeed and T-Mobile Home Internet are also broadly available, 84% and 64%, respectively, according to the FCC. 

There are a few other fixed wireless providers in Superior, like AirFiber, Inc. and Nextera, but their plans are pricier for speeds that don’t technically qualify as an internet connection. T-Mobile Home Internet is the most dependable fixed wireless provider in the city. With the broadest availability of any fixed wireless provider in the country, reliable speeds and discounts for qualifying phone plans, it’s an appealing option if you can’t get Spectrum or Brightspeed. 

Most internet providers in the area start at around $50 a month, but if you’re looking to trim that down and find a dependable, cheap internet provider, you have a few options. Look into Wisconsin’s Digital Equity Plan, which was created to replace the Affordable Connectivity Program. You may be eligible for further discounts from some service providers, like Spectrum, which offers Spectrum Internet Assist for qualifying low-income households. Lastly, consider negotiating for a lower price with your internet provider. 

The fastest internet provider in Superior is Brightspeed. It’s the only fiber internet provider in the city and has plans up to 2,000Mbps, outpacing Spectrum’s gig-tier plan. Unfortunately, Brightspeed’s fiber option is less widely available than its DSL. The chances of your home qualifying for fiber internet from Brightspeed are low, but if it is a viable option, we can’t recommend anything better.

Superior internet providers compared

Provider	Internet technology	Monthly price range	Speed range	Monthly equipment costs	Data cap	Contract	CNET review score
Spectrum Read full review	Cable	$50-$80	300-1,000Mbps	$7 (optional)	None	None	7.2
Brightspeed	DSL, fiber	$49-$99	20-2,000Mbps	$15 (optional) for DSL	None	None	N/A
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review	Fixed wireless	$50-$70	72-245Mbps	None	None	None	7.4

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

What’s the cheapest internet plan in Superior?

Provider	Starting price	Max download speed	Monthly equipment fee
Brightspeed Fiber	$49	200Mbps	None
Spectrum Internet Read full review	$50	300Mbps	$7 (optional)
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review	$50	245Mbps	None

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Superior

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

Superior internet providers, like Spectrum and T-Mobile, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, however, including Brightspeed, 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 Superior

Plan	Starting price	Max download speed	Max upload speed	Data cap	Connection type
Brightspeed Fiber 2 Gig	$99	2,000Mbps	2,000Mbps	None	Fiber
Spectrum Internet Gig Read full review	$80	1,000Mbps	35Mbps	None	Cable
Brightspeed Fiber 1 Gig	$75	1,000Mbps	1,000Mbps	None	Fiber

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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.

• 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 Superior

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? For starters, we tap into a proprietary pricing, availability and speed database that draws from our own historical ISP data, partner data 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.

To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.

Internet providers in Superior FAQs