Best Internet Providers in Waco, Texas [CNET]

What is the best internet provider in Waco?

When it comes to fast and reliable internet service in Waco, CNET’s top pick is Spectrum. It’s got unlimited data, and decent first-year pricing to go with fast speeds. There’s no contract requirement either. Your next best bet will be Astound Broadband, and Nextlink.

Astound offers some of the most affordable broadband in Waco with a plan that starts at 300 megabits per second at just $20 a month including equipment. If you need speed, check out AT&T Fiber, which offers symmetrical speeds up to 5 gigabits per second. That’s the fastest plan in the area.

Best internet in Waco

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Waco

The best internet deals and top promotions in Waco depend on the discounts available during that period. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers. 

Waco internet providers, such as Nextlink and Astound Broadband, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, including AT&T and T-Mobile, run the same standard pricing year-round. 

For a more extensive list of promos, our guide on the best internet deals has you covered.

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 Federal Communications Commission. 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 Waco

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 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:

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 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 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 Waco FAQ