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What is the best internet provider in Reading?
Xfinity is the best internet service provider in Reading, Pennsylvania. It tops our list because it’s the only viable wired internet option in the area. Xfinity offers the cheapest internet in Reading ($25 a month for speeds up to 150 megabits per second) and the fastest speeds, up to 2,000Mbps for $95. If you’re looking for alternatives to Xfinity in Reading, however, there aren’t many to be had. Frontier offers DSL internet in parts of Reading, but speeds tend to be lower what qualifies as broadbandand at $65 per month, the price is higher than what you’d pay for up to 800Mbps from Xfinity.
Wireless internet, from Verizon 5G Home Internet and T-Mobile Home Internetis the only reasonable broadband option other than Xfinity in Reading. Verizon 5G Home Internet has a better price while T-Mobile Home Internet has better coverage. Both providers offer a discount for bundling mobile service.
Best internet in Reading, Pennsylvania
Reading, Pennsylvania, internet providers compared
| giver | internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | The monthly cost of equipment | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier Read the full review |
DSL | $65 | different | nothing | nothing | nothing | 6.3 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$50 with eligible mobile plans) | 72-245Mbps | nothing | nothing | nothing | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read the full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 with eligible mobile plans) | 50-250Mbps | nothing | nothing | nothing | 7.2 |
| Xfinity Read the full review |
Cable | $25-$95 | 150-2,000Mbps | $15 (optional) | nothing | 1 year (optional) | 7 |
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Providers of the store at my address
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What is the cheapest internet plan in Reading?
| plan | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xfinity Connect Connect Read the full review |
$25 | 150Mbps | $15 (optional) |
| Plus Xfinity Connect Read the full review |
$35 | 300Mbps | $15 (optional) |
| Easy Xfinity Read the full review |
$45 | 500Mbps | $15 (optional) |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read the full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 85Mbps | nothing |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 245Mbps | nothing |
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Providers of the store at my address
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find deals and promotions on the internet in Reading
The best deals on the internet and top promotions in Reading depend on what discounts are available at that time. Most deals don’t last, but we’re always on the lookout for the latest offers.
Reading internet providers, such as T-Mobile Home Internet and Xfinity, may offer lower introductory prices or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, including Verizon 5G Home Internet and Frontier, run the same base price year-round.
For a more extensive list of promos, see our guide to best deals on the internet.
Fastest internet plans in Reading
| plan | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xfinity Gigabit x2 Read the full review |
$95 | 2,000Mbps | 300Mbps | nothing | Cable |
| Xfinity Gigabit Read the full review |
$65 | 1,000Mbps | 150Mbps | 1.2TB | Cable |
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Providers of the store at my address
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What is a good internet speed?
Most internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you are looking for an internet plan that can accommodate videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you will have a better experience with a stronger connection. Here is an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for different applications, according to the Federal Communications Commission. Note that these are only guidelines and internet speed, service and performance will vary by connection type, provider and address.
For more information, see our guide to how much internet speed do you need?.
- 0 to 5Mbps allows you to deal with the basics: browsing the internet, sending and receiving email and streaming low-quality video.
- 5 to 40Mbps gives you higher quality video streaming and videoconferencing.
- 40 to 100Mbps should provide a user with enough bandwidth to satisfy the needs of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities such as videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming.
- 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to participate in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.
How CNET picks the best internet providers in Reading, Pennsylvania
Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphones, laptop, router or kitchen utensilsit is not practical to personally test every ISP in a city. What is our approach? We start by researching price, availability and speed information, drawing on our own historical ISP data, provider sites and mapping information from FCC.gov.
It doesn’t end there: We go to the FCC website to check our data and make sure we consider every ISP that provides service in one area. We also input local addresses into provider websites to find specific options for residents. We looked at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and JD Power, to assess how happy customers are with ISP service. ISP plans and prices are subject to constant change; All information provided is accurate in the publication.
Once we have this local information, we ask three main questions:
- Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
- Are customers getting decent value for what they paid for?
- Are customers happy with their service?
The answers to these questions are often layered and complex, but providers who are close to “yes” to all three are the ones we recommend. When choosing the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fees, although we also factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and consider real world speed data from sources such as Ookla and FCC reports. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)
To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.
Reading, Pennsylvania, internet provider FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in Reading?
As the only wired broadband provider in the area, Xfinity is the best internet provider in Reading, Pennsylvania. Xfinity has the best available and most diverse Reading plans, including the cheapest and fastest internet plans in the area.
Is fiber internet available in Reading?
According to the latest FCC data, fiber internet is not available in Reading, Pennsylvania. Frontier and Verizon, two of the nation’s largest fiber internet providers, are in Reading, but neither offers fiber service in the area. Xfinity also offers fiber internet in select areas, although Reading is not one of them.
What is the cheapest internet provider in Reading?
Xfinity has the cheapest internet plan in Reading, with service starting at $25 per month for download speeds of up to 150Mbps. Xfinity offers two plans with starting prices lower than the standard Verizon 5G Home Internet and T-Mobile Home Internet rates.
Which internet provider in Reading offers the fastest plan?
Xfinity is the only provider that offers speeds higher than 1Gbps in Read. The Xfinity Gigabit x2 plan offers up to 2,000Mbps.
