Everyone needs internet, but between internet companies offering cell phone bundles, higher prices, 5G alternatives, and faster plans, it seems like it’s more confusing than ever to simply get online. Is your internet service provider (ISP) making your life easier or harder?
For this year’s edition of CableTV.com’s internet customer satisfaction survey, we talked to internet customers across the U.S. to see how they really felt about their ISPs. Read on to see which providers offer the best customer service.
Internet trends for 2024
2024’s best internet providers for customer satisfaction
The best major ISPs for overall customer satisfaction in 2024 are Google Fiber, T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T. Quantum Fiber, Starlink, and Metronet lead among smaller and regional ISPs.
Notably, all three of these smaller ISPs have substantially higher overall customer satisfaction scores than their major competitors. None of these providers have huge customer bases, but if you’re fortunate enough to be in one of their coverage areas, you can likely get great internet service.
Cable ISPs get failing grades with price, inflation concerns
Everything’s getting pricier these days, and internet service is no exception. But between fine-print tricks like contract price increases and equipment fees, cable ISPs rarely make things easier for themselves. For yet another year, cable internet providers had across-the-board failing grades for price satisfaction.
Starlink makes a splash
Satellite ISPs are often a last resort for people who live in areas with poor internet availability, but Starlink may be breaking that mold. The satellite internet provider earned multiple top-three finishes in our survey, and it regularly beat out larger competitors like Verizon, AT&T, and Xfinity.
- 91% of Starlink customers said Starlink completely or very much met their expectations as an internet provider.
- 88% of Starlink customers said they would continue or were very likely to continue to subscribe to Starlink.
- 87% of Starlink customers said Starlink was extremely or very effective at meeting their internet needs.
At the moment, Starlink’s high installation costs make it a tougher sell for many customers compared to fiber or cable ISPs. But as Starlink’s technology continues to mature, the carrier is well-equipped to maintain these high scores.
5G home internet gains a foothold
Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T are investing heavily in their 5G home internet services—5G internet refers to ISPs that provide service using 5G mobile data networks—and these efforts are paying dividends this year.
T-Mobile 5G Home Internet cracked the top 10 for the first time this year, and 77% of T-Mobile 5G Home Internet customers said they were fully or highly satisfied with their internet service. Plus, more than 6% of respondents reported using 5G home internet services compared to 2% of respondents from last year’s survey.
When you factor in 5G internet’s marketing pitch, it’s not hard to see why customers are responding positively to 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) services. Unlike cable ISPs, 5G internet providers don’t charge you out the nose, and they provide fast enough internet speeds. As 5G internet services continue to get investments and increase their market share, we expect this trend to continue in 5G home internet’s favor.
People aren’t ready for multi-gig internet … yet
Multi-gig internet—which refers to internet plans with speeds of more than 1Gbps—is the newest product line for many internet providers. But at the moment, are customers interested in the next best thing for internet service?
- CableTV.com found that 54% of customers know about internet plans that are faster than 1Gbps.
- But 66% of polled customers said they were uninterested in a multi-gig internet plan.
Check out our “Do Customers Care About Multi-Gig Internet?” news article for more insights.
Highest overall satisfaction
At the end of the day, customer satisfaction comes down to one thing: Are you satisfied with your internet service or are you planning to cut bait as soon as you can?
Our survey found that the best major ISPs balance national coverage with stellar customer satisfaction. But if you’re fortunate enough to have a great regional internet carrier in your area, you might want to shop locally.
What is your overall satisfaction with your internet service provider?
The best national ISPs for customer satisfaction
are Google Fiber, T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T.
One of the biggest upsets in this year’s survey is T-Mobile breaking into a top-five spot. T-Mobile 5G Home Internet’s footprint is smaller than cable and fiber ISPs, but the carrier’s high customer satisfaction scores illustrate how effectively T-Mobile positions its FWA service as a cable internet alternative.
Among midsize and regional ISPs, the top internet carriers in customer satisfaction are Quantum Fiber, Starlink, and Metronet.
The customer bases for all three ISPs are a fraction of the size of their major competitors. But notably, all three—along with Google Fiber—are the only providers to break the 80% satisfaction mark in our survey.
What is your overall satisfaction with your internet service?
| ISP | Completely or very satisfied | Hardly or not at all satisfied |
|---|---|---|
| Quantum Fiber | 89% | 5% |
| Starlink | 87% | 5% |
| Google Fiber | 83% | 4% |
| Metronet | 80% | 5% |
| T-Mobile | 77% | 7% |
| Verizon | 77% | 2% |
| AT&T | 74% | 5% |
| Other | 73% | 9% |
| Sparklight | 71% | 6% |
| Lumos | 67% | 17% |
| Spectrum | 67% | 8% |
| WOW! | 66% | 12% |
| Astound Broadband | 65% | 9% |
| Cox Communications | 64% | 10% |
| EarthLink | 64% | 14% |
| Frontier | 64% | 12% |
| Xfinity | 64% | 11% |
| Windstream | 62% | 13% |
| Xtream | 60% | 14% |
| Ziply Fiber | 60% | 11% |
| CenturyLink | 55% | 14% |
| Optimum | 52% | 17% |
| Breezeline | 51% | 23% |
| HughesNet | 41% | 33% |
| Viasat | 33% | 27% |
How enjoyable were your interactions with your ISP?
- Google Fiber (79%)
- Quantum Fiber (76%)
- Starlink (74%)
Our top-scoring ISPs have varying approaches to customer service. Google Fiber and Quantum Fiber staff their customer service desks up to seven days a week, while Starlink simply has a support page and email troubleshooting ticket system. But at the same time, customer support comes down to whether or not you solve customer questions, and our top-performing ISPs consistently do so.
[Starlink has] very good service, easy to set up, and no issues since I started using it. Better than our local internet provider. I disconnected my old service and bought Starlink as it saved me money. When I need something for this service, I just email it, and they reply right back. I don't know why our whole community doesn't have Starlink because it will save them a lot of money.
How enjoyable were your interactions with your ISP?
| ISP | Extremely or very enjoyable |
|---|---|
| Google Fiber | 79% |
| Quantum Fiber | 76% |
| Starlink | 74% |
| Metronet | 72% |
| T-Mobile 5G Home Internet | 72% |
| Lumos | 70% |
| Other | 69% |
| Verizon Fios / Verizon 5G Home Internet | 68% |
| AT&T | 65% |
| Sparklight | 62% |
| Ziply Fiber | 62% |
| Windstream | 61% |
| Astound Broadband | 60% |
| EarthLink | 59% |
| Spectrum | 59% |
| Frontier | 56% |
| Cox Communications | 55% |
| WOW! | 55% |
| Xfinity | 55% |
| Xtream | 55% |
| CenturyLink | 47% |
| Breezeline | 43% |
| Optimum | 43% |
| HughesNet | 40% |
| Viasat | 36% |
How well did your ISP’s services compare with the ideal internet provider?
- Metronet (82%)
- Starlink (80%)
- Google Fiber (78%)
Midwest-based Metronet continues to be a top performer in our survey, as the fiber ISP jumps from second to first place overall for this year’s survey question. We’ll credit Starlink’s high scores to the ISP’s strong internet speeds compared to the often lackluster satellite internet space.
How well did your ISP’s services compare with the ideal internet provider?
| ISP | Extremely close or very close to ideal |
|---|---|
| Metronet | 82% |
| Starlink | 80% |
| Google Fiber | 78% |
| Quantum Fiber | 78% |
| T-Mobile 5G Home Internet | 74% |
| Lumos | 73% |
| Sparklight | 72% |
| Verizon Fios / Verizon 5G Home Internet | 70% |
| AT&T | 69% |
| Other | 68% |
| EarthLink | 64% |
| Spectrum | 64% |
| Astound Broadband | 63% |
| WOW! | 62% |
| Xfinity | 62% |
| Cox Communications | 61% |
| Windstream | 61% |
| Frontier | 60% |
| Ziply Fiber | 60% |
| Xtream | 58% |
| CenturyLink | 51% |
| Optimum | 51% |
| Breezeline | 47% |
| HughesNet | 39% |
| Viasat | 35% |
To what extent has your ISP met your expectations as an internet provider?
- Starlink (91%)
- Quantum Fiber (86%)
- Google Fiber (84%)
Starlink lands another big win here, as the satellite ISP was the only provider to break the 90% positive satisfaction mark for a service-related polling question. Satellite internet speeds can be unpredictable, and Starlink’s strong baseline performance is a relief for internet customers who’ve been disappointed by competing satellite ISPs.
One major trend line from this year’s survey is the continued ascent of fiber and 5G internet providers over cable internet companies. With the exception of Sparklight, this year’s highest rated ISPs are non-cable alternatives like T-Mobile and Google Fiber. Cable ISPs like Spectrum and Xfinity fell under the 70% satisfaction threshold in this year’s survey. Price, speed, and reliability are internet customers’ biggest concerns, and cable internet companies frequently have trouble clearing the bar.
To what extent has your ISP met your expectations as an internet provider?
| ISP | Completely or very much |
|---|---|
| Starlink | 91% |
| Quantum Fiber | 86% |
| Google Fiber | 84% |
| Metronet | 81% |
| T-Mobile 5G Home Internet | 75% |
| AT&T | 74% |
| Sparklight | 74% |
| Verizon Fios / Verizon 5G Home Internet | 74% |
| Other | 73% |
| Astound Broadband | 68% |
| Spectrum | 68% |
| Xfinity | 68% |
| Lumos | 67% |
| WOW! | 66% |
| Cox Communications | 65% |
| Windstream | 64% |
| Ziply Fiber | 64% |
| Frontier | 63% |
| Xtream | 62% |
| EarthLink | 59% |
| CenturyLink | 56% |
| Optimum | 54% |
| Breezeline | 52% |
| HughesNet | 42% |
| Viasat | 36% |
Best customer service
If you have an internet problem or need to switch out your modem, can you swing by a store and get it done in an afternoon or will you be calling and emailing back and forth with customer service for days? Whether you’re getting in-person or remote support, the best ISPs quickly solve any problem you throw at them.
How satisfied are you with your ISP’s customer support?
Regional and midsize ISPs once again lead our customer support survey. Along with Metronet, Atlantic Coast-based fiber carrier Lumos sneaks into our top three, and Google Fiber is the only ISP to hit over 80% approval and under 10% disapproval ratings.
Notably, Starlink’s lack of traditional customer support resources made the provider drop out of our top ISPs. Unlike most internet providers, Starlink doesn’t have a direct support phone number and maintains only FAQ pages and an email support ticket system.
Among national ISPs with bicoastal service, AT&T leads our survey with a 69% high satisfaction rating. Generally, it’s harder to consistently clear the customer service bar when you have a national footprint, and Xfinity’s 58% approval rating shows that it’s possible to miss it considerably.
How satisfied are you with your ISP’s customer support?
| ISP | Completely or very much | Hardly or not at all satisfied |
|---|---|---|
| Google Fiber | 81% | 6% |
| Metronet | 79% | 10% |
| Lumos | 76% | 16% |
| Quantum Fiber | 76% | 15% |
| Other | 74% | 10% |
| Sparklight | 73% | 7% |
| T-Mobile 5G Home Internet | 73% | 8% |
| Starlink | 72% | 15% |
| Verizon Fios / Verizon 5G Home Internet | 70% | 9% |
| AT&T | 69% | 11% |
| Ziply Fiber | 69% | 12% |
| Spectrum | 67% | 13% |
| Astound Broadband | 66% | 13% |
| Windstream | 65% | 15% |
| Cox Communications | 64% | 14% |
| EarthLink | 64% | 16% |
| Frontier | 64% | 17% |
| WOW! | 63% | 16% |
| Xtream | 63% | 16% |
| Xfinity | 58% | 18% |
| Breezeline | 53% | 23% |
| CenturyLink | 53% | 23% |
| HughesNet | 51% | 24% |
| Optimum | 50% | 25% |
| Viasat | 43% | 26% |
How easy was it to work with your ISP?
- Quantum Fiber (86%)
- Metronet (83%)
- Google Fiber (80%)
Our polling results highlight how customer service comes from a variety of channels, and how it ultimately boils down to making things easier for customers.
Quantum Fiber, Metronet, and Google Fiber mainly offer online support agents and resources, but they still lead the pack thanks to their local technicians and quick response times. T-Mobile, Xfinity, and Verizon have a network of retail stores, which makes it easy to exchange hardware or work through technical problems. Conversely, Optimum also has stores across the country, but its low scores suggest that customers are regularly experiencing bumpy support experiences.
I gave T-Mobile 5G Home Internet that rating because their home internet coverage has been superior. I have six devices connected, streaming videos or content and gaming—not once have I had buffering or lost [my] connection. T-Mobile 5G Home Internet has been top notch.
How easy was it to work with your ISP?
| ISP | Extremely or very easy | Hardly or not at all |
|---|---|---|
| Quantum Fiber | 86% | 8% |
| Metronet | 83% | 4% |
| Google Fiber | 80% | 3% |
| Starlink | 80% | 9% |
| Sparklight | 78% | 4% |
| Lumos | 77% | 13% |
| T-Mobile 5G Home Internet | 77% | 6% |
| Verizon Fios / Verizon 5G Home Internet | 76% | 4% |
| Other | 76% | 7% |
| AT&T | 74% | 6% |
| Spectrum | 71% | 7% |
| Windstream | 68% | 8% |
| Frontier | 67% | 12% |
| Xfinity | 67% | 10% |
| Xtream | 67% | 10% |
| Astound Broadband | 66% | 8% |
| WOW! | 66% | 9% |
| Ziply Fiber | 66% | 11% |
| Cox Communications | 65% | 8% |
| EarthLink | 61% | 11% |
| CenturyLink | 58% | 13% |
| Optimum | 55% | 16% |
| HughesNet | 52% | 18% |
| Breezeline | 51% | 14% |
| Viasat | 48% | 15% |
Thinking about your recent interactions with your ISP, how effectively did they meet your needs?
- Google Fiber/Starlink (87%)
- Quantum Fiber (87%)
- Metronet (86%)
Scheduling technician visits, dealing with hardware returns, and working through troubleshooting problems all come with the territory of setting up internet service, but the best ISPs won’t leave you empty-handed.
The majority of our top ISPs had dissatisfaction scores under 10%, so they’ll ultimately be able to solve your customer service problem. But at the same time, solving your problem and easily solving your problem are two different things. Larger providers like Cox, Xfinity, and Optimum had polling results that dipped under the 70% approval mark.
Thinking about your recent interactions with your ISP, how effectively did they meet your needs?
| ISP | Extremely or very effective | Hardly or not at all |
|---|---|---|
| Google Fiber | 87% | 5% |
| Starlink | 87% | 3% |
| Quantum Fiber | 86% | 5% |
| Metronet | 81% | 6% |
| Verizon Fios / Verizon 5G Home Internet | 79% | 2% |
| Sparklight | 78% | 3% |
| AT&T | 77% | 3% |
| T-Mobile 5G Home Internet | 77% | 5% |
| Other | 74% | 6% |
| Astound Broadband | 73% | 7% |
| Spectrum | 71% | 6% |
| Cox Communications | 69% | 7% |
| Xfinity | 69% | 7% |
| Windstream | 68% | 8% |
| WOW! | 68% | 6% |
| Ziply Fiber | 68% | 11% |
| Frontier | 67% | 9% |
| Xtream | 64% | 8% |
| Lumos | 63% | 13% |
| EarthLink | 61% | 18% |
| CenturyLink | 59% | 9% |
| Optimum | 57% | 11% |
| Breezeline | 56% | 12% |
| HughesNet | 42% | 22% |
| Viasat | 35% | 23% |
Best bang for your buck
Everything’s getting more expensive these days, and internet service is no exception. While ISPs have increasingly gotten into the bundle game with streaming services, cell phone plans, and more, are you getting the most service out of your monthly bill?
Given the quality of your ISP’s internet service, how would you rate the price that you pay for them?
Our top-scoring ISPs have a few things in common: Straightforward pricing, high performance, and no annual price increases.
Google Fiber’s second-place finish speaks to how effectively Google navigates the price-performance divide. Even though Google Fiber’s plans start at $70 monthly—which is hardly a budget-friendly price—its high-quality service still makes it more of a deal for customers compared to other ISPs. As for Quantum Fiber, the provider has no monthly price increases.
Given the quality of your ISP’s internet service, how would you rate the price that you pay for them?
| ISP | Excellent or good given the quality |
|---|---|
| Google Fiber | 78% |
| Quantum Fiber | 78% |
| Lumos | 77% |
| T-Mobile 5G Home Internet | 72% |
| Metronet | 70% |
| Starlink | 70% |
| AT&T | 64% |
| EarthLink | 62% |
| Other | 62% |
| Frontier | 60% |
| Verizon Fios / Verizon 5G Home Internet | 60% |
| Ziply Fiber | 60% |
| Astound Broadband | 58% |
| WOW! | 56% |
| Cox Communications | 52% |
| Sparklight | 52% |
| Spectrum | 52% |
| Windstream | 51% |
| CenturyLink | 50% |
| Xfinity | 49% |
| Xtream | 44% |
| Breezeline | 43% |
| Optimum | 43% |
| HughesNet | 33% |
| Viasat | 29% |
Given competitors’ prices, how would you rate the price that you pay for your ISP’s internet services?
- Google Fiber/Metronet (75%)
- T-Mobile (74%)
- Lumos (70%)
Alongside Google Fiber and Metronet, T-Mobile sneaks into our top three thanks to the carrier’s straightforward 5G billing. If you’re with T-Mobile 5G Home Internet, you’ll pay one flat rate and won’t have to deal with hidden fees or annual increases. (Most fiber internet providers have similar pricing structures for their internet plans.)
Conversely, cable ISPs like Xfinity, Spectrum, and Cox offer none of these benefits, and our surveying reflects how their customers feel about this feature gap. All four providers are hovering at or below 50% approval ratings. Customers know that they shouldn’t be paying more for the same internet plans, and they’re increasingly aware of alternatives outside of the major providers.
Xfinity has been good, but the prices are getting to be a real pain in the wallet. A senior can hardly afford them anymore.
Given competitors’ prices, how would you rate the price that you pay for your ISP’s internet services?
| ISP | Excellent or good given competitors' prices |
|---|---|
| Google Fiber | 75% |
| Metronet | 75% |
| T-Mobile 5G Home Internet | 74% |
| Lumos | 70% |
| Quantum Fiber | 70% |
| Ziply Fiber | 70% |
| EarthLink | 66% |
| Starlink | 66% |
| Other | 64% |
| AT&T | 60% |
| Verizon Fios / Verizon 5G Home Internet | 58% |
| Astound Broadband | 57% |
| Frontier | 57% |
| WOW! | 56% |
| Windstream | 53% |
| CenturyLink | 52% |
| Sparklight | 52% |
| Spectrum | 51% |
| Cox Communications | 49% |
| Xfinity | 47% |
| Optimum | 41% |
| Xtream | 40% |
| Breezeline | 38% |
| HughesNet | 35% |
| Viasat | 30% |
Given your initial expectations, how would you rate the price that you pay for your ISP’s internet services?
- Google Fiber (78%)
- T-Mobile 5G Home Internet (76%)
- Starlink (74%)
Starlink and T-Mobile landing in our top ISPs reflects the value of affordable pricing and decent speeds. T-Mobile has great plans that start at less than $50, while Starlink’s pricing is far more competitive than competing satellite internet companies.
Among national cable ISPs, Spectrum leads the pack with a 54% approval rating and it’s followed by Cox, Xfinity, and Optimum in the lower half of our survey. But across the board, high cable internet prices are a big turnoff for new and existing customers.
Given your initial expectations, how would you rate the price that you pay for your ISP’s internet services?
| ISP | Excellent or good given my expectations |
|---|---|
| Google Fiber | 78% |
| T-Mobile 5G Home Internet | 76% |
| Starlink | 74% |
| Lumos | 70% |
| Metronet | 70% |
| Quantum Fiber | 65% |
| Other | 65% |
| AT&T | 63% |
| Verizon | 63% |
| EarthLink | 62% |
| Ziply Fiber | 60% |
| Frontier | 59% |
| Astound Broadband | 57% |
| Spectrum | 54% |
| Windstream | 54% |
| CenturyLink | 53% |
| Sparklight | 53% |
| WOW! | 53% |
| Cox Communications | 51% |
| Xfinity | 50% |
| Breezeline | 45% |
| Xtream | 44% |
| Optimum | 42% |
| HughesNet | 35% |
| Viasat | 27% |
Highest customer loyalty
Are you riding with your ISP for the long haul or are you ready to split at a moment’s notice? Whether it’s affordable prices or ample deals, internet providers create customer loyalty through a variety of channels.
How likely are you to continue subscribing to your ISP for internet services?
National providers Google Fiber, T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon lead the pack in continued customer loyalty. As for regional and midsize ISPs, Starlink, Quantum Fiber, and Metronet continue their reign atop our survey.
Our top-scoring ISPs share a few things in common: They’re cable internet alternatives with high reliability and affordable or flat-rate pricing. Metronet is a rare exception to this rule, as it uses promotional pricing offers that have generally fallen out of favor among top providers. But at the same time, its pricing is fairly affordable and far more reasonable than cable internet competitors.
How likely are you to continue subscribing to your ISP for internet services?
| ISP | Completely or very likely |
|---|---|
| Starlink | 88% |
| Quantum Fiber | 84% |
| Google Fiber | 83% |
| Metronet | 80% |
| T-Mobile 5G Home Internet | 77% |
| Other | 77% |
| AT&T | 75% |
| Verizon Fios / Verizon 5G Home Internet | 75% |
| Lumos | 73% |
| Sparklight | 73% |
| Windstream | 72% |
| Frontier | 71% |
| Spectrum | 71% |
| WOW! | 69% |
| Ziply Fiber | 68% |
| Astound Broadband | 67% |
| CenturyLink | 67% |
| Xfinity | 67% |
| Cox Communications | 66% |
| Xtream | 64% |
| EarthLink | 62% |
| Breezeline | 59% |
| Optimum | 59% |
| Viasat | 48% |
| HughesNet | 47% |
How likely are you to recommend your ISP as an internet provider to a friend or colleague?
- Starlink (83%)
- Google Fiber/Quantum Fiber (81%)
- Metronet (80%)
A personal recommendation holds a lot of weight these days, and that goes double for a negative recommendation.
It’s no coincidence that non-cable and fiber ISPs (with the exception of Pacific Northwest-based Ziply Fiber along with Lumos) lead our survey with high satisfaction ratings and disapproval ratings of less than 10%. Customers want decently fast speeds, reliable performance, and straightforward pricing—if a provider checks off all three boxes, customers are far more likely to give them positive word of mouth.
On the opposite end, cable, DSL, and satellite internet customers don’t have much affection for their providers. Across the board, nearly a fifth of polled cable internet customers said they wouldn’t recommend their service to someone else.
I had to replace my modem/router at the store myself and install it with little help from Optimum. Then the modem/router did not mesh well with my PC. It took well over 10 days for the people at the office to press the button to make it mesh with my computer. Of course, it was not the same modem/router, it was a 'newer model.’
How likely are you to recommend your ISP as an internet provider to a friend or colleague?
| ISP | Completely or very likely | Hardly or not at all likely |
|---|---|---|
| Starlink | 83% | 6% |
| Google Fiber | 81% | 5% |
| Quantum Fiber | 81% | 11% |
| Metronet | 80% | 5% |
| Lumos | 77% | 17% |
| T-Mobile 5G Home Internet | 73% | 8% |
| AT&T | 67% | 11% |
| Verizon Fios / Verizon 5G Home Internet | 67% | 8% |
| Other | 65% | 17% |
| EarthLink | 61% | 20% |
| Sparklight | 60% | 16% |
| Ziply Fiber | 60% | 17% |
| WOW! | 59% | 19% |
| Frontier | 58% | 19% |
| Windstream | 58% | 18% |
| Astound Broadband | 57% | 19% |
| Spectrum | 57% | 18% |
| Cox Communications | 54% | 18% |
| Xfinity | 52% | 21% |
| Xtream | 50% | 25% |
| CenturyLink | 48% | 24% |
| Optimum | 45% | 29% |
| Breezeline | 44% | 36% |
| HughesNet | 37% | 42% |
| Viasat | 29% | 45% |
How likely are you to increase the amount you purchase from your ISP for internet services?
- T-Mobile (51%)
- Quantum Fiber (46%)
- EarthLink (41%)
Upgrading an internet plan continues to be a non-starter for most customers. As with previous editions of this survey, interest in increasing an internet bill was generally below 50%.
Quantum Fiber showcases a possible way for ISPs to boost these numbers in the future—the price difference between its plans is only $25, and it also offers flat-rate pricing without contracts. If your household’s internet needs suddenly increase, a $10 price hike isn’t as much of a deal breaker as a scenario where you’d have to sign a new contract and deal with new pricing and other fine-print hassles.
These tepid scores also illustrate why ISPs have gotten into diversifying their income streams. Mobile phone bundles continue to be a huge growth area for internet providers and an attractive product for customers, as services like Spectrum Mobile, Optimum Mobile, and Xfinity Mobile become a central part of ISP bundle offerings.
How likely are you to increase the amount you purchase from your ISP for internet services?
| ISP | Completely or very likely |
|---|---|
| T-Mobile 5G Home Internet | 51% |
| Quantum Fiber | 46% |
| EarthLink | 41% |
| Google Fiber | 41% |
| AT&T | 40% |
| Starlink | 39% |
| Lumos | 37% |
| Verizon Fios / Verizon 5G Home Internet | 35% |
| Other | 32% |
| Metronet | 31% |
| Astound Broadband | 30% |
| Frontier | 29% |
| Windstream | 28% |
| Breezeline | 27% |
| Sparklight | 27% |
| Xfinity | 27% |
| Ziply Fiber | 26% |
| Cox Communications | 25% |
| CenturyLink | 24% |
| Spectrum | 24% |
| WOW! | 24% |
| HughesNet | 21% |
| Xtream | 21% |
| Optimum | 19% |
| Viasat | 17% |
Best internet experience
Can your ISP deliver steady internet service through thick and thin conditions, or should you prepare for outages whenever a storm passes through your town? Our top providers offer reliable and consistent internet service under any condition.
Are you satisfied with your ISP’s reliability?
In our survey, the best national ISPs for reliability are Google Fiber, Verizon, and AT&T. Among regional and midsize providers, Starlink and Metronet earn top marks.
It’s no coincidence that all five providers deliver internet wirelessly or over fiber. Fiber networks are typically dug underground, which protects them against damage in inclement weather. Starlink’s low-Earth orbit satellite system also offers high reliability for customers.
Breezeline is a joke of a company who do nothing but take people's money and give nothing in return. The only thing higher than the outrageous prices are the number of outages we experience. The ONLY reason my household is still with Breezeline is because there is no other company currently available in our rural area. If another company becomes an option, we will switch IMMEDIATELY without a second thought.
Are you satisfied with your ISP’s reliability?
| ISP | Completely or very satisfied | Hardly or not at all satisfied |
|---|---|---|
| Starlink | 84% | 6% |
| Google Fiber | 83% | 4% |
| Metronet | 80% | 7% |
| Verizon Fios | 76% | 6% |
| AT&T | 75% | 9% |
| Quantum Fiber | 75% | 6% |
| T-Mobile 5G Home Internet | 74% | 8% |
| Ziply Fiber | 74% | 14% |
| Sparklight | 71% | 9% |
| Lumos | 70% | 17% |
| Other | 70% | 10% |
| Spectrum | 68% | 11% |
| Xfinity | 67% | 12% |
| Cox Communications | 65% | 13% |
| Windstream | 65% | 17% |
| Frontier | 64% | 14% |
| Astound Broadband | 63% | 14% |
| WOW! | 63% | 12% |
| Xtream | 62% | 15% |
| EarthLink | 59% | 20% |
| Breezeline | 56% | 23% |
| Optimum | 56% | 18% |
| CenturyLink | 54% | 20% |
| HughesNet | 39% | 35% |
| Viasat | 31% | 39% |
Best speeds
Whether you’re a gamer downloading 150 GB games every week or someone trying to take Zoom calls for work, internet speed is the most essential part of your internet plan. The best ISPs ensure that everyone in your household has the hardware to get a good internet connection.
Are you satisfied with your ISP’s internet speeds?
Google Fiber, Metronet, and Starlink lead our survey with a three-way tie for first place.
Across the board, ISPs generally maintain high-performing networks when it comes to internet speeds—14 of the carriers we tracked have customer speed satisfaction scores above 70%. Internet reliability can be hit or miss, but if you get a non-DSL provider, you’ll more often than not get the speeds you’re paying for.
Starlink’s top-three finish also speaks to its impressively consistent and reliable speeds for a satellite ISP. Typically, satellite internet speeds are impacted by everything from location to sky sightlines, but Starlink customers aren’t experiencing these kinds of severe technical problems.
I got Google Fiber when it first came out. I had it for several years, and then I moved to a neighborhood that didn't have it. I was forced to use another provider for a couple of years before it came to my hood. I used to get outages with the other provider and was constantly resetting my router. Since I've had Google, I've had no outages. I have no problems with Google Fiber, you set it and forget it.
Are you satisfied with your ISP’s internet speeds?
| ISP | Completely or very satisfied |
|---|---|
| Google Fiber | 85% |
| Metronet | 85% |
| Starlink | 85% |
| Quantum Fiber | 83% |
| T-Mobile 5G Home Internet | 77% |
| Verizon Fios / Verizon 5G Home Internet | 77% |
| AT&T | 75% |
| Lumos | 75% |
| Sparklight | 75% |
| Astound Broadband | 74% |
| Spectrum | 73% |
| Xfinity | 70% |
| Ziply Fiber | 70% |
| Cox Communications | 69% |
| Xtream | 69% |
| Other | 69% |
| WOW! | 68% |
| Frontier | 65% |
| Windstream | 63% |
| Breezeline | 58% |
| Optimum | 58% |
| EarthLink | 56% |
| CenturyLink | 55% |
| HughesNet | 37% |
| Viasat | 27% |
Are you satisfied with your ISP’s installation and setup process?
- Lumos (92%)
- Quantum Fiber (86%)
- Google Fiber (85%)
From receiving a provider’s self-installation kit to waiting for technicians to come out to your house, installation can cover a lot of bases. Lumos chalks up another win for small regional ISPs, as it took first place in our survey despite its small, 200,000-customer base.
Are you satisfied with your ISP’s installation and setup process?
| ISP | Completely or very satisfied |
|---|---|
| Lumos | 92% |
| Quantum Fiber | 86% |
| Google Fiber | 85% |
| Starlink | 83% |
| Sparklight | 82% |
| T-Mobile 5G Home Internet | 81% |
| Other | 80% |
| Verizon Fios / Verizon 5G Home Internet | 79% |
| Metronet | 78% |
| Windstream | 78% |
| Spectrum | 77% |
| AT&T | 76% |
| WOW! | 76% |
| Frontier | 74% |
| Xfinity | 74% |
| Ziply Fiber | 74% |
| Astound Broadband | 73% |
| Xtream | 73% |
| Cox Communications | 72% |
| EarthLink | 68% |
| CenturyLink | 66% |
| Viasat | 65% |
| Breezeline | 64% |
| HughesNet | 63% |
| Optimum | 62% |
Are you satisfied with your ISP’s modem/internet equipment?
- Starlink (81%)
- Google Fiber (78%)
- Lumos (77%)
Multiple FWA and wireless ISPs fill out the top quarter of our survey results for good reason. Providers like Starlink typically design their internet equipment from the ground up, which reduces the likelihood of user-provided hardware throwing a wrench into the setup process.
Plus, the ISP overlap between service reliability and equipment goes hand in hand. If your internet is working fine, you likely have zero problems with your equipment as well.
Are you satisfied with your ISP’s modem/internet equipment?
| ISP | Completely or very satisfied |
|---|---|
| Starlink | 81% |
| Google Fiber | 78% |
| Lumos | 77% |
| Metronet | 76% |
| T-Mobile 5G Home Internet | 74% |
| Verizon Fios / Verizon 5G Home Internet | 73% |
| Sparklight | 72% |
| Quantum Fiber | 71% |
| Other | 70% |
| AT&T | 69% |
| Ziply Fiber | 69% |
| Cox Communications | 65% |
| Spectrum | 65% |
| WOW! | 65% |
| Xfinity | 65% |
| Astound Broadband | 64% |
| EarthLink | 64% |
| Windstream | 64% |
| Frontier | 63% |
| Xtream | 61% |
| CenturyLink | 57% |
| Optimum | 52% |
| Breezeline | 51% |
| HughesNet | 41% |
| Viasat | 38% |
Are you satisfied with your internet service (in other areas)?
- Starlink (83%)
- Google Fiber/Quantum Fiber (81%)
- Metronet (80%)
Verizon and T-Mobile hit a tie for seventh place with 77% satisfaction ratings—Verizon’s 5G Home Internet’s market share is slightly behind T-Mobile, but it offers similarly competitive bundle deals, internet speeds, and pricing. Elsewhere, ISPs that fell below the 70% approval mark include Xfinity, Xtream, and CenturyLink.
Are you satisfied with your internet service (in other areas)?
| ISP | Completely or very satisfied |
|---|---|
| Starlink | 83% |
| Google Fiber | 81% |
| Quantum Fiber | 81% |
| Metronet | 80% |
| Lumos | 78% |
| T-Mobile 5G Home Internet | 77% |
| Verizon | 77% |
| Ziply Fiber | 76% |
| Other | 73% |
| AT&T | 72% |
| Sparklight | 71% |
| Spectrum | 67% |
| Windstream | 67% |
| WOW! | 66% |
| Frontier | 65% |
| Astound Broadband | 64% |
| Xtream | 64% |
| Cox Communications | 63% |
| Xfinity | 61% |
| EarthLink | 59% |
| CenturyLink | 55% |
| Breezeline | 52% |
| Optimum | 52% |
| HughesNet | 43% |
| Viasat | 34% |
Methodology
We surveyed more than 7,000 people across the U.S. to measure their satisfaction with their internet providers. Our sample reflected broader U.S. demographics (e.g., gender, race, age, etc.) and was analyzed using prevailing industry standards by our data experts. If you’re a member of the media and you have follow-up questions, feel free to contact us at pr@cabletv.com.
