TV and Internet Providers in Chicago, Illinois
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TV Providers in Chicago, IL
Provider | Service Type | Channel Count | Customer Rating (out of 5) |
Features | Prices Starting At* | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Spectrum | Cable | 125+ | 3.4 | Enjoy FREE HD. | $49.99/mo. | View Plans |
Xfinity | Cable | 260+ | 3.5 | Find shows fast with the X1 Voice Remote. | $20.00/mo. | View Plans |
DISH | Satellite | 290+ | 3.8 | Enjoy a 2-year price guarantee. | $64.99/mo. | View Plans |
Google Fiber | Fiber | + | N/A | Pick your perfect live TV service. | $70.00/mo. | View Plans |
DIRECTV | Satellite | 330+ | 3.7 | See out-of-market games on NFL SUNDAY TICKET. | $74.99/mo. | View Plans |
WOW! | Cable | 75+ | N/A | Thousands of on-demand movies and TV shows. | $64.99/mo. | View Plans |
Astound Broadband powered by RCN | Cable | 285+ | 3.9 | Sync recorded shows to your mobile devices. | $83.80/mo. | View Plans |
*Pricing subject to change. Not all offers available in all areas.
Internet Providers in Chicago, IL
Provider | Service Type | Max Download Speeds up to | Customer Rating (out of 5) |
Features | Prices Starting At* | Area Availability* | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Spectrum | Cable | 1,000 Mbps (wireless speeds may vary) | 3.4 | Get a high performance modem included. | $49.99/mo. | 20% | View Plans |
Xfinity | Cable | 1,000 Mbps | 3.5 | Access millions of Wi-Fi hotspots throughout the US. | $19.99/mo. | 100% | View Plans |
Google Fiber | Fiber | 2,000 Mbps | N/A | No data caps. | $70.00/mo. | 6% | View Plans |
AT&T | DSL/Fiber | 1,000 Mbps | 4.1 | Get help anytime with 24/7 customer service. | $55.00/mo. | 71% | View Plans |
Earthlink | Fiber | 1,000 Mbps | 4.0 | Download as much as you want with unlimited data. | $49.95/mo. | 69% | View Plans |
Viasat | Satellite | 100 Mbps | 3.9 | Fastest residential satellite internet in the U.S. | $30.00/mo. | 100% | View Plans |
WOW! | Cable | 1,000 Mbps | N/A | $19.99/mo. | 16% | View Plans | |
Astound Broadband powered by RCN | Cable | 1,000 Mbps | 3.9 | Get the help you need with 24/7 customer support. | $19.99/mo. | 16% | View Plans |
HughesNet | Satellite | 30 Mbps | Simple contracts and pricing | $64.99/mo. | 100% | View Plans | |
Rise Broadband | DSL | 25 Mbps | Residential internet plans with speeds up to 50 Mbps | $35.00/mo. | 7% | View Plans | |
Ultra | Cable | 110 Mbps | Wide availability in rural areas | $54.99/mo. | 100% | View Plans |
*Pricing subject to change. Not all offers available in all areas.
TV and internet in Chicago, IL
Being the third-largest metropolis in the US, Chicago offers more choices in local TV and internet service than most other cities, from both big brands and smaller regional providers. Finding a good deal in the Windy City should be as easy as stumbling into a pro game (Chicago is a serious sports town).
What are the best TV providers in Chicago?
- DIRECTV—NFL SUNDAY TICKET
- DISH—Powerful Hopper 3 DVR
- Xfinity—X1 receiver/DVR with built-in apps
- Astound Broadband powered by RCN—No-contract packages
- WOW!—Low-priced plans
What are the best internet providers in Chicago?
- AT&T Fiber—Fast fiber internet
- Xfinity—Wi-Fi hotspots nationwide
- Astound Broadband powered by RCN—Eero Plus Wi-Fi security
- WOW!—No data caps
Cable internet comes in as a close second to fiber, and Chicago has three providers that offer it: giant Xfinity (99% coverage) and smaller companies like RCN (22%) and WOW (16%). HughesNet and Viasat satellite internet are also available, but with all of the other internet choices in Chicago, we can’t recommend them. Satellite internet is slow, expensive, and best avoided if possible.
TV choices are even better in Chicago, with six providers that can hook you up: DIRECTV, DISH, Xfinity, RCN, and WOW. DIRECTV and DISH are satellite TV services; Xfinity, RCN, and WOW are cable.
All six of these companies feature similar packages loaded with popular channels across different pay tiers. But DIRECTV has the edge in sports (only DIRECTV carries NFL SUNDAY TICKET—a must-have for most football fans). Also, of the six, RCN and WOW have more limited availability in Chicago than the bigger TV players on the list.
Streaming Providers in Chicago, IL
Streaming Type | Customer Rating (Out of 5) | Features | Prices | Area Availability | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
YouTube TV | Livestreaming + On demand | 4.5 | 100+ channels, Simultaneous streams: 1–3 | $64.99/mo. | 100% |
Amazon Prime Video | Livestreaming + On demand | 4.2 | 18,000+ movies, Simultaneous streams: 1–3 | $12.99/mo. | 100% |
Hulu | Livestreaming + On demand | 4.2 | 70+ channels, Simultaneous streams: 1-2 | $5.99-$70.99/mo. | 100% |
Sling TV | Livestreaming + On demand | 3.9 | 30-50 channels, Simultaneous streams: 1–4 | $35.00-$50.00/mo. | 100% |
HBO Max | On demand | 4.5 | Every HBO series on demand, Simultaneous streams: 1-3 | $14.99/mo. | 100% |
Disney+ | On demand | 4.5 | Up to 4k resolution, Simultaneous streams: 1–4 | $7.99/mo. | 100% |
Netflix | On demand | 4.3 | 4,500+ movies, Simultaneous streams: 1–4 | $8.99-$17.99/mo. | 100% |
Chicago FAQs
How can I watch TV without cable or satellite service?
If you want absolutely free TV, get an antenna—there are plenty of local broadcast channels to enjoy at no cost.
Internet-based streaming TV services charge monthly fees, but they’re almost always cheaper than those of cable or satellite. On-demand services (like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video) offer thousands of shows and movies; livestreaming TV providers (like Sling TV and YouTube TV) emulate the live TV channels and interface of cable, usually with a high-capacity cloud DVR.
Who has the fastest internet in Chicago?
Xfinity and RCN’s cable internet, thanks to recent DOCSIS 3.1 upgrades, can hit download speeds up to 940 Mbps. Meanwhile, AT&T Fiber gets up to 940 Mbps—with 880 Mbps upload speeds.
The major difference is this: fiber internet allows for equal (or close to equal) download and upload speeds, while cable’s upload speeds still max out at around 35 Mbps. If your internet usage doesn’t involve heavy file uploading (home-business owners take note), either type should meet your household’s needs.
- AT&T Fiber: download speeds up to 940 Mbps, upload speeds to 880 Mbps
- Xfinity: download speeds up to 1 Gbps (1,000 Mbps), upload speeds to 35 Mbps
- RCN: download speeds up to 940 Mbps, upload speeds to 20 Mbps
How can I learn which TV and internet provider services are available in Chicago?
Don’t want to click through every TV and internet provider’s site to find out who services your neighborhood? We’ve made it easy with CableTV.com’s availability map—just enter your zip code once, and we’ll give you all the services available in your area.
Is Xfinity available in Chicago?
Xfinity offers internet plans starting as low as $19.99 per month in Chicago.
Is Verizon internet available in Chicago?
Verizon Fios doesn’t offer internet service in Chicago, but AT&T and Google Fiber both offer fiber internet packages in the Windy City.
Find Store Locations Near Chicago
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Compare providers in Chicago, IL
With so many provider choices in Chicago, picking the right one for your needs can be daunting. Read over some of our side-by-side comparison reviews if you’re stuck on which to go with.
* For the first 12 months with a 1-year agreement.
† For 12 months with a 2-Year Agreement + AutoPay & Paperless Billing.
‡ For the first 12 months.
§ For 12 mos. plus taxes and RSN fee.
for 24. months. New customers only. All offers require 2-year commitment with early termination fee and eAutopay. Price includes Hopper Duo for qualifying customers.
• For 12 mos. plus taxes.
¶ /mo. for 12 mos. plus taxes.