2025 Internet Customer Satisfaction Awards: Cable ISPs Improve, But Fiber, 5G Still Lead

Flexibility and bundles rule: Home internet trends for 2025

2025’s best internet providers for customer satisfaction

The best major ISPs for overall customer satisfaction in 2025 are Starlink, Google Fiber, T-Mobile, Xfinity, and Verizon. Most of these providers are 5G and fiber internet ISPs, but Xfinity is the sole exception.

Xfinity saw a 16% jump in its overall satisfaction score compared to last year, which helped it earn a top-five finish. The cable ISP’s prices were largely unchanged, but the provider made huge strides in internet performance and value. Among other perks, Xfinity launched its StreamSaver bundle and increased download speeds on its budget and mid-tier plans.

Your dollar’s going slightly further

Prices are always a major concern for shoppers, but ISPs worked to address those concerns in this year’s survey. More than 60% of CableTV.com respondents were highly satisfied with the cost of their internet service this year. While there’s still a long way to go until customers love their ISP pricing—we generally consider 70% to be our threshold for positive customer satisfaction—this was generally around an 8% jump compared to our 2024 survey.

That said, these changes rarely came in the form of a straight price cut. Some providers, like WOW, introduced flat-rate pricing that eliminated annual price hikes, while others, like Spectrum, upgraded their download speeds for free.

Fiber internet coverage still trails cable internet

Fiber internet offers the best performance for homes, but it continues to be the exception instead of the rule among our survey respondents.

DSL’s dwindling market share reflects its age, and this trend is reflected among ISPs and consumers alike. In this year’s survey, ISPs with fiber and DSL networks saw an approval rating gap of up to 20% between DSL and fiber customers. ISPs are also working to sunset their DSL service—for instance, AT&T has been migrating DSL customers onto its 5G Internet Air service, while parent company Lumen continues to move CenturyLink fiber subscribers onto Quantum Fiber.

The fiber internet space also saw new entrants last year thanks to T-Mobile’s acquisition of Lumos, Verizon’s Frontier purchase, and Bell’s acquisition of Ziply Fiber. We’ll see if this consolidation spurs additional network investment among competing fiber and cable ISPs.

Younger subscribers love internet and cell phone bundles

ISP cell phone services like Xfinity Mobile are commonplace nowadays as ISPs look for ways to keep subscribers around. Twenty-one percent of CableTV.com survey respondents reported having a cell phone and internet bundle, and this group also had a surprising demographic split.

Millennial and Gen Z respondents overwhelmingly prefer to bundle cell phone and internet service compared to older shoppers. Unsurprisingly, respondents above the age of 60 were also the most likely to have a landline phone.

Cost generally outweighs features for most shoppers when it comes to phone service. Additionally, ISP cell phone plans have virtually identical plan benefits when compared to major providers: You’ll get 5G speeds, large data caps, and nationwide coverage since many of these carriers run on Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile’s networks.

Considering these similarities, it’s easy to see why many younger and cost-conscious shoppers consider internet and cell phone bundles a great deal. Check out our full phone service section below for more insights.

Gigabit internet interest continues to lag

Multi-gig internet is the next technological frontier for home internet, but consumer interest is a sizable step behind ISP investments.

• 51% of respondents said they’d never heard about multi-gig internet plans.
• 66% of respondents said they wouldn’t need a multi-gig internet plan.
• Respondents were most willing to pay $70 for a 2Gbps internet plan and $80 for a 10Gbps plan.

These results were virtually identical to our 2024 poll, which indicates that multi-gig internet is far from crucial for most households.

What is your overall satisfaction with your internet service provider?

How enjoyable were your interactions with your ISP?

1. Starlink (82%)
2. Google Fiber (77%)
3. T-Mobile (75%)

On paper, there’s little in common with our three top-scoring ISPs. But all three offer strong customer service resources to help you solve any technical problem.

Starlink maintains a 24/7 support team that’ll reach out by email or phone, while Google Fiber has a full online support team alongside a small network of retail stores. T-Mobile has the biggest footprint compared to either provider thanks to its nationwide network of retail stores and full-sized customer service team. The best ISPs ensure that you’ll leave satisfied no matter how you engage with their customer service team.

How well did your ISP’s services compare with the ideal internet provider?

1. Starlink (89%)
2. Google Fiber (80%)
3. T-Mobile/Verizon (76%)

Chalk it up to Starlink’s reliability or its ability to outperform the lackluster satellite ISP market, but Starlink customers continue to show up for the ISP. Starlink’s high 89% approval score earned it first place and lapped Google Fiber, T-Mobile, and Verizon by a sizable margin. Starlink’s prices are certainly higher compared to traditional fiber and cable ISPs. But if you’re a rural internet customer who previously settled for mobile hotspots or unreliable satellite ISPs, Starlink’s internet performance will likely turn you into a convert.

To what extent has your ISP met your expectations as an internet provider?

1. Starlink (94%)
2. Google Fiber (84%)
3. T-Mobile (82%)

Starlink continues its first-place sweep in this section with a whopping 94% approval score, and it’s once again followed by Google Fiber and T-Mobile 5G Home Internet. These three ISPs target very different markets but found success by overdelivering on customer expectations for areas like reliability, performance, and value.

For this year’s survey, we also broke out our results by service type, which gave us separate results for a provider’s fiber internet, DSL, 5G, or cable internet customers. 5G home internet continues to outperform expectations, as Verizon 5G Home Internet’s approval rating ranked first among 5G ISPs and would’ve ranked second overall.

Similarly, DSL customers continue to be underwhelmed by their internet performance:

How satisfied are you with your ISP’s customer support?

How easy was it to work with your ISP?

1. Starlink (87%)
2. T-Mobile (85%)
3. Google Fiber (81%)

Starlink continues its dominant streak, as the satellite ISP swapped places with Google Fiber to take yet another first-place finish. Among national cable ISPs, Xfinity led the pack with a 79% approval score, followed by Spectrum (74%), Cox (71%), and Optimum (66%).

It’s not impossible for smaller ISPs to compete on customer service, as Armstrong and Midwest-based fiber ISP Metronet cracked the top 10. But when ISPs eliminate phone agent teams, outsource their work to third-party technicians, or cut corners, it’s easy for customer service to get put on the wayside.

Thinking about your recent ISP interactions, how effectively did they meet your needs?

1. Starlink (95%)
2. Google Fiber (86%)
3. T-Mobile (82%)

We’ve already covered Starlink’s hot streak in this year’s survey, but the satellite ISP broke an additional record here. Starlink’s 95% approval mark was the highest for any provider this year, and the ISP managed to hit this mark twice.

Elsewhere, our polling results broke down along expected lines. National ISPs like Cox, AT&T, and Spectrum filled out the middle 70% tier, while smaller and regional ISPs like Astound and Breezeline struggled to break through the 60% approval threshold and bottom tier of our results.

Given your ISP’s internet service quality, how would you rate the price that you pay for them?

Given competitors’ prices, how would you rate the price that you pay for your ISP’s internet services?

1. T-Mobile (79%)
2. Google Fiber (77%)
3. Metronet/Starlink (72%)

T-Mobile’s first-place finish is little surprise here given how it’s been positioned as a cable internet alternative. With 5G home internet, you’ll get cable internet speeds at cheaper prices and without a contract. It also finished first ahead of other home 5G ISPs—Verizon 5G Home Internet had a 72% approval rating.

Other national ISPs also worked to boost their standing among respondents, although there’s still a lot of room for improvement. Some providers, like AT&T and Verizon, slightly hiked their prices, while others, like Spectrum and Xfinity, kept prices steady but upgraded their download speeds.

Given your initial expectations, how would you rate the price that you pay for your ISP’s internet services?

1. Google Fiber (82%)
2. T-Mobile 5G Home Internet (79%)
3. Starlink (72%)

Once again, Google Fiber, T-Mobile, and Starlink landed atop our survey results. As for the middle tier of ISPs, their static position reflects their lackluster standing among consumers regarding pricing.

Many of these ISPs either kept prices flat or raised them over the past year, but some have tried to work the margins to keep subscribers around. For example, Spectrum increased download speeds for its base internet plan to 500 Mbps, while Xfinity has started to roll out contract-free service in several regions.

What do internet customers think about their phone service?

Phone and internet bundles mean more than hooking up a landline these days. Numerous ISPs have gotten into the cell phone game with mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) brands like Xfinity Mobile and Optimum Mobile. In this section, we’ll highlight which MVNOs customers think are worth the money and how they stack up to the big carriers.

What phone services, if any, do you bundle with your internet?

How satisfied are you with the cost of your cell phone bundle?

How likely are you to continue subscribing to your ISP for internet services?

How likely are you to recommend your ISP as an internet provider to a friend or colleague?

1. Starlink (90%)
2. Google Fiber (82%)
3. T-Mobile (80%)

Word of mouth goes a long way, and it helps explain why satellite ISPs Starlink and HughesNet had first-place and last-place finishes in this section. HughesNet’s worked to bridge the gap between itself and Starlink with improvements like streamlined pricing, but Starlink’s high score in this category reflects the strong loyalty it inspires among subscribers.

Armstrong, Metronet, and Verizon were also the only other providers (alongside our top three finishers) to crack the 70% approval mark among respondents.

How likely are you to increase the amount you purchase from your ISP for internet services?

1. T-Mobile (54%)
2. Armstrong/Google Fiber (52%)
3. AT&T (48%)

T-Mobile led this category for the second year in a row, although the margins remain low. T-Mobile, Armstrong, and Google were the only providers to crack the 50% approval mark.

Notably, Starlink’s high base pricing finally knocked it out of a top-three finish for the first time. As for T-Mobile, Google, AT&T, and Armstrong, all four providers have additional internet service tiers alongside bundle options. Internet upgrades continue to be a rare occurrence for subscribers—most people won’t upgrade unless their household’s internet needs change dramatically—but the best ISPs provide options and incentives for customers.

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.

Are you satisfied with your ISP’s reliability?

Are you satisfied with your ISP’s internet speeds?

Are you satisfied with your ISP’s installation and setup process?

1. Starlink (90%)
2. Spectrum (84%)
3. Armstrong/Google Fiber/T-Mobile/Verizon (82%)

The best ISPs ensure that you spend minimal time troubleshooting during the internet setup process. Most of our top-rated ISPs rely on a similar playbook of self-installation kits, strong network coverage, and responsive technicians to ensure that your internet connection will be ready to go out of the box.

Few ISPs dropped the ball here—only two providers fell under the 70% approval mark, and six providers exceeded 80% approval scores. Cable ISP Spectrum also made its first top-three appearance and narrowly avoided the third-place logjam between Armstrong, Google, T-Mobile, and Verizon.

Are you satisfied with your ISP’s modem/internet equipment?

1. Starlink (87%)
2. Google Fiber/Metronet (79%)
3. Verizon (76%)

This year’s top-performing providers used differing approaches when it comes to modem and internet hardware. Google Fiber and Verizon offer bundled hardware at no additional cost, while Starlink and Metronet have equipment fees or charges. But performance always wins out in the end, and these providers hit the mark when it comes to getting your home online.

Methodology

We surveyed more than 8,800 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.

For more information on our Customer Satisfaction Awards methodology, check out our Why You Can Trust CableTV.com page. If you’re a member of the media or an ISP and have follow-up questions, feel free to contact us at pr@cabletv.com.