Best Internet Providers in Virginia [CNET]

What is the best internet provider in Virginia?

As far as internet goes, Virginia has some pretty high median speeds — thanks to its small selection of large internet service providers. The one ISP that rises above the rest in the state is Verizon, whose Fios boasts high-median speeds of about 235 megabits per second and even faster speeds in Chesapeake and Virginia Beach. It’s partly why CNET selects Verizon Fios as the best internet provider in Virginia. It should be an easy choice if you can access its excellent fiber offering (mostly available in Virginia’s cities and the Washington, DC, area). If Verizon Fios is unavailable in your area, fret not. Virginians can also get online through T-Mobile, Xfinity, Cox, satellite internet providers and smaller ISPs.

Best internet options in Virginia

Source: CNET analysis of provider data

Virginia broadband at a glance

Virginia is for lovers of fast internet speeds. The southern state formerly held the distinction of having the fastest internet speeds in the country, at an impressive average of 13.7 megabits per second. That was in 2014, and the state has come a long way since then. Old Dominion now sees median download speeds of about 203Mbps, according to Ookla, placing it in a respectable 20th place among the 50 states and neighboring Washington, DC, regarding internet speeds. 

One of its cities fared even better on Ookla’s rankings, with Chesapeake ranking 15th among the 100 most populous US cities with median download speeds of about 253Mbps. Virginia Beach was in the top half at 42nd with median speeds of approximately 233Mbps. Norfolk can be found further down in the rankings in 72nd place, with median download speeds of about 209Mbps.

Every Virginian has access to internet speeds of at least 25Mbps, according to the Federal Communication Commission, but that’s likely due to pricier options from satellite internet providers Hughesnet and Viasat. Speeds in the state are solid overall, with median download speeds of about 203Mbps. Virginia likely gets a boost from about 45% of its households having access to fiber internet with speeds of 250Mbps (particularly in cities such as Chesapeake and Virginia Beach) and a much smaller portion of 10% who can access speeds of 1,000Mbps.

Internet breakdown by city in Virginia

It’s hard to cover the broadband options of an entire state and give individual areas the attention they deserve. That’s why we also compile lists of the best internet providers in cities across the US, including those in Virginia. We tackle details such as internet connection types, maximum speeds and cheapest providers. Check back later if you don’t find the city you’re looking for below. We’re working to add more locations every week. 

• Best internet providers in Alexandria
• Best internet providers in Arlington
• Best internet providers in Charlottesville
• Best internet providers in Chesapeake
• Best internet providers in Lynchburg
• Best internet providers in Norfolk
• Best internet providers in Richmond
• Best internet providers in Roanoke
• Best internet providers in Virginia Beach

Internet pricing in Virginia

The starting price for internet service in Virginia will vary based on where you live, with people in rural areas forced to pay a premium for slower speeds. For a ballpark figure, expect to pay around $50 per month to get online, but cheaper plans are available from Xfinity. Existing customers of certain T-Mobile or Verizon plans can get discounted rates on their 5G home internet offerings.

Future of broadband in Virginia

More Virginians will have access to high-speed internet shortly, WDBJ reports, thanks to a $1.4 billion investment from the federal government’s Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program. The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration estimates 364,156 Virginia homes and small businesses lack access to high-speed internet, but is this number accurate? The FCC wants input from Virginians, according to Virginia Mercury. Separately, Verizon announced it would install more than 120 miles of fiber-optic cables in Caroline County and Greensville County, expanding access to 3,000 households and businesses, WRIC reports.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Virginia

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. 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 FCC.gov.

It doesn’t end there: We go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we’re considering every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. To evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service, we look at sources including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power. 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. 

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

Internet in Virginia FAQs