Best internet offers for seniors
This is your “cheat sheet” for the available providers above
Packages with SSI
- Access from AT&T
- Internet Essentials from Comcast
Easiest setup
Best customer service
Best bundles
What's a good internet speed?
50 Mbps
- Works best for 1-2 people with basic internet needs
- Can check emails or browse internet
- Available on subsidized cable internet plans
200 Mbps
- Works best for 2-3 people
- Fine for watching Netflix or YouTube
- Typically costs around $30/mo.
500 Mbps
- Works best for 3-5 people
- Fast enough for families
- Typically costs around $50/mo.
940 Mbps
- Works best for 4+ people who use internet for work or school
- Fastest home internet plan
- Typically costs around $70/mo.
How to avoid scams
Text and email scams are everywhere these days, and here are some tips to make sure your senior internet shopping plan goes smoothly.
- Only answer emails that end with your internet provider’s name. An example of this is an address like @xfinity.com
- Visit your provider’s retail store if they’re available in your area. At these locations, you can talk to customer service representatives in person and pay your bill onsite.
- Pay your bill online or directly through your provider. You’ll never need to use something like a gift card to cover your service fees.
How you can get low-income internet
Most internet providers have special low-income internet programs that offer cheap or free internet, but they have some application requirements. You’re a good candidate for most if your household makes less than or equal to 200% of the federal poverty guidelines or you already qualify for one or more government assistance programs:
- National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
- Public Housing (HUD)
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
The Lifeline program can save you $9.25 to $29.25 monthly. You can combine federal programs like Lifeline with internet provider initiatives that start at $9.95 monthly for 100 Mbps download speeds.
Low-income internet initiatives
| Provider low-income initiative | Price | Download speed | Qualifying programs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internet Essentials from Comcast (Xfinity) | $9.95/mo. | 50 Mbps | Federal Pell Grant HUD LIHEAP MEDICAID NSLP/Head Start SNAP SSI TANF Tribal assistance VA Pension WIC |
| Spectrum Internet Assist** | $24.99/mo. | Up to 50 Mbps | NSLP SSI |
| Access from AT&T | $10.00/mo. | Up to 25 Mbps | SNAP SSI |
| Cox Connect2Compete* | $9.95/mo. | Up to 100 Mbps | HUD NSLP SNAP TANF |
| Mediacom Connect-2-Compete* | $9.95/mo. | Up to 25 Mbps | NSLP |
| Internet First (Astound Broadband) | $9.95/mo. | Up to 50 Mbps | Federal Pell Grant HUD LIHEAP MEDICAID NSLP/Head Start SNAP SSI TANF Tribal assistance VA Pension WIC |
| Optimum Advantage Internet | $14.99/mo. | Up to 50 Mbps | NSLP SSI |
| Frontier Fundamental Internet | $19.99/mo. | N/A | CalFresh Medi-Cal SSI |
| Verizon Lifeline | $0.00-49.99/mo. | Up to 200 Mbps-940/880 Mbps | Lifeline |
| Cox ConnectAssist | $30.00/mo. | Up to 100 Mbps | Certain public housing Certain tribal programs Federal Pell Grant LIHEAP Head Start SNAP SSI TANF VA Pension WIC |
Low-cost internet through Lifeline and internet providers
The first option is a government assistance program called Lifeline, which offers $9.25 per month off either internet or phone services to low-income households. Lifeline offers less savings than the ACP or most internet provider initiatives, but it’s better than nothing.
Second, there are a variety of internet provider initiatives with discounted monthly rates, with some as low as $9.95 per month. Many are for low-income families with kids who qualify for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), but the qualifications vary by provider.
At first glance, ISP low-income plans are a stellar deal, but not all homes qualify. Find out if you meet the requirements before you decide which option to go with.
| Provider | Price of cheapest regular plan w/ Lifeline | Price of low-income initiative |
|---|---|---|
| xfinity | $15.74/mo. | $9.95/mo. |
| Spectrum | $40.74/mo. | $24.99/mo. |
| Optimum | $20.74/mo. | $14.99/mo. |
| AT&T | $25.75/mo. | $10.00/mo. |
| Google Fiber | $60.75/mo. | N/A |
| Astound Broadband powered by RCN | $10.74/mo. | $9.95/mo. |
| CenturyLink | $40.75/mo. | N/A |
| Cox | $10.94/mo. | $9.95/mo. |
| Frontier | $28.74/mo. | $19.99/mo. |
| Mediacom | $10.74/mo. | $9.95/mo. |
| Verizon Fios | $19.99/mo. | $0.00-$49.99/mo. |
| Windstream | $30.74/mo. | N/A |
Providers with the best customer support
Rated
easiest to work with
$35.00–$70.00/mo.
Rated best customer satisfaction
$45.00–$165.00/mo.
Rated best reliability among national providers
$55.00–$155.00/mo.
Which internet providers get the job done and which companies leave you angry when you get off the phone? Every year, CableTV.com interviews more than 7,000 real-life internet customers as part of our annual Internet Customer Satisfaction Survey.
Google Fiber is the BEST. Outages are extremely rare, and if one does occur, credit is applied on the monthly bill. Customer service representatives go above and beyond to resolve any issues and to answer questions. The customer is NEVER treated like he/she is a burden, which is my experience with some of the cable providers.
Quantum Fiber was really easy to set up. They have been great to work with. Our internet went down and their customer service was amazing and helped us fix it right away—ever since [then], we haven't had any problems.
We’re here to…
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