Best Online Services in Washington, DC

What is the best online company in Washington, DC?

Residents of Washington, DC have three major internet service provider options: , and — alongside mobile home online and local ISPs like and DC Access. But who should you choose for your computer service? What you can find at your address is what. Because it offers asymmetric speeds and comes with straightforward company words, is CNET’s top pick for the best internet service providers in Washington, DC. You can choose between four plans ( three in some areas ), that range from$ 50 to$ 110 monthly.

If you’re looking for speed, Xfinity has 1- and 2-gigabit plans for$ 60 and$ 95 respectively, with no data caps. If you’re outside the coverage area for Xfinity, don’t panic– you should have access to Astound or Starry, which have value-for-money programs offering good speeds. If you want the cheapest internet in the area, take a look at Astound’s 300 megabits per second plan, which comes in at just$ 20 a month.

Our strategy

CNET considers speeds, costs, customer service and total value to recommend the best web support in Washington, DC, across many categories. Our analysis includes references to a specialized database created from years of internet service reviews. By spot-checking regional addresses for company availability, we compare that to provider information. We also check the terms and conditions of the companies and contact ISPs to check the details when necessary.

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Despite our best efforts to provide the most recent and reliable data, our approach has some limitations that you should be aware of. Prices and speed data are changing: Some addresses may qualify for various service levels, and monthly costs may vary, yet within a city. The best way to find out which options are best is to enter your address into a company’s site.

Additionally, the company cards below and the prices, rate, and other details may not match what we found in our analysis. According to our database of strategy information provided instantly by ISPs, the cards show the complete range of a company’s pricing and speed across the US. At the same time, the word is certain to what’s attainable in DC. The costs referenced in the text of this article are based on our research and include relevant discounts for setting up monthly automatic payments, which is a common industry offer. For terms of service agreements or the bundling of multiple companies, discounts and promotions might also be attainable.

Visit our entire to learn more about how we evaluate internet providers.

Verizon Fios

For its symmetrical download and upload speeds and consistency, Verizon Fios consistently ranks among the best customers in customer satisfaction surveys. Its obvious costs, which may be the same even after its opponents raise your monthly rate considerably, sets it apart from the other major ISPs in DC.

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Availability: Fios is only available in eight states and, fortunately for DC residents, in the nation’s capital. The service is available throughout most of the city, including Adams Morgan, Brightwood, Capitol Hill, Cleveland Park, Downtown DC, Dupont Circle, Fort Totten, Georgetown, Glover Park, Trinidad, University Heights and Woodley Park.

Plans and pricing: Hooray for clarity! Fios is available in four speeds: 300Mbps at$ 50 a month, 500Mbps at$ 75, 1, 000Mbps ( gigabit ) at$ 90 and 2, 000Mbps at$ 110. These prices should remain the same throughout your service, even though the business has the right to change them at any time.

Fees and service details: Verizon Fios has no equipment fees or data caps and doesn’t require a contract.

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Other available internet providers in Washington, DC

  • DC Access: This local internet provider, founded in 1999, serves the Capitol Hill and Adams Morgan neighborhoods. Its plans cost more and move slower than those of its bigger competitors, and they have a$ 99 installation fee, but they don’t need a contract.

  • : Of course, satellite internet from , or is an option wherever you live. But it shouldn’t be your first pick – with high prices and slow speeds, there are cheaper and faster options available.

  • T-Mobile Home Internet: Some DC residents may have access to T-Mobile’s home broadband option. Plans range between$ 50-$ 70, all offering speeds from 87 to 415Mbps with plan differences linked to customer service and Wi-Fi hardware.

Cheap internet options in Washington, DC

Look no further than Astound’s 300Mbps plan for$ 20 a month for the most affordable internet service in the nation’s capital. This promotional price will last 24 months, but it offers incredible savings. Astound also provides the best value overall with its$ 55, 1, 500Mbps plan, but the same caveats apply.

What’s the cheapest internet plan in Washington, DC?

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Washington, DC

What discounts are offered at that time will determine the best online deals and top promotions in Washington. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.

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Washington, DC internet providers, such as Xfinity and Astound Broadband, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, however, including Verizon, run the same standard pricing year-round.

Check out our guide to the best online deals for a more in-depth list of promotions.

Summer sunrise over Washington, DC.

John Baggaley/Getty Images

How fast is Washington, DC broadband?

With a median of about 232Mbps, Federal City, , is at the back of the pack when it comes to download speeds compared to the rest of the nation. ( Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis. ) However, a few higher-speed plans are available for under$ 100 with promotional pricing.

The fastest download speed you’ll find in the capital are provided through Xfinity and Verizon Fios which offer 2, 000Mbps plan for$ 95 per month and$ 110 per month, respectively. For high speeds at a lower price, Astound offers a 1, 500Mbps plan at$ 55 for the first 24 months.

Fastest internet plans in Washington, DC

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

What’s a good internet speed?

Most internet connection plans are now able to perform simple tasks like communication and productivity. 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, . Please take note that these are only general guidelines and that each connection type, provider, and address has a different internet speed, service, and performance.

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  • 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 gaming.

  • 500 to 1, 000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.

For more information, refer to our guide on .

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Washington, DC

There are numerous and local Internet service providers. Unlike the latest , , or , it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. So what’s our approach? We begin by researching the pricing, availability, and speed information, using historical ISP data, provider websites, and mapping data from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC. gov.

But it doesn’t end there. We visit the FCC’s website to review our data and make sure we take into account each ISP that offers services in a particular area. We also enter local addresses to find out what options are available to residents on provider websites. 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. All information provided is current and accurate at the time of publication. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes.

Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:

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  1. Does the provider provide access to reasonably quick internet speeds?

  2. Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?

  3. Are customers happy with their service?

The providers we recommend are the ones who come closest to “yes” on all three of those questions, even though the answers to those questions are frequently layered and complex. We look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee when choosing the least expensive internet service, but we also take into account costs like equipment fees, price increases, and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. We consider sources like and for advertised upload and download speeds and take actual-world speed measurements into account.

Visit our page to learn more about our process.

What’s the final word on internet providers in Washington, DC?

There are a number of options in the District of Columbia when choosing your internet service provider, many of which are fairly affordable. For most city residents, the choice will come down to Verizon Fios, Astound or Xfinity, which are all competitive in price and speed.

Internet service providers in Washington, D.C.

Which is the best internet service provider in Washington, DC?

Our top pick for the best internet service provider in Washington is Verizon Fios. It’s available in most of the city and offers four service tiers at$ 50,$ 75,$ 90 and$ 110 per month. Best of all, there’s no price trickery here: These rates will be what you pay over the long term.

Is fiber internet available in Washington, DC?

Fiber internet is available in the nation’s capital. It’s provided by Verizon Fios, which we think is the best ISP in the city. Rates start at$ 50 and go up to$ 110.

What is the cheapest internet provider in Washington, DC?

For Astound’s 300Mbps plan, the District of Columbia offers the cheapest internet for just$ 20 per month. The only drawback of this plan is that the low cost will only apply for your first 24 months, with a potential three to five-fold increase in the rate thereafter. Fortunately, you can change your mind before the jump or try to bargain with the provider for a lower price.

Is Verizon Fios or Xfinity better?

In contrast to Verizon Fios, Xfinity has a slight advantage in terms of promotional costs and gigabit download speeds, according to an article on CNET about Verizon Fios. Verizon Fios has risen to the top of recent years in terms of customer satisfaction thanks to stable pricing, as well as the speed and dependability of a 100 % fiber connection.

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