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What is the best internet provider in Wilkes-Barre?
High availability, fast speed and low introductory price Xfinity the best internet service provider in Wilkes-Barre. With download speeds ranging from 300 megabits per second to 2,000Mbps, the fastest available in Wilkes-Barre, and with service starting at $30 per month, Xfinity is a top choice for cheap internet in that place.
Xfinity is the largest in the country cable internet providerbut local cable ISP, Electric Cable Television Serviceboasts better coverage in Wilkes-Barre. The price is higher for the speeds you get, so Xfinity is the best value in areas where both providers are available.
Select areas may also be available for Astound cable internet. With a starting monthly rate of $20 for speeds up to 300Mbps, Astound offers the cheapest internet in Wilkes-Barre, but availability is very limited.
Besides the many cable internet options, Wilkes-Barre residents can count on 5G home internet from Verizon 5G Home Internet or T-Mobile Home Internet for broadband service. T-Mobile voice customers may want to opt for T-Mobile Home Internet for the potential bundle discount, but Verizon 5G Home Internet is otherwise the better choice for availability, speed and overall amount in Wilkes-Barre.
Best internet in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, internet providers compared
| giver | internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | The monthly cost of equipment | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Astound Broadband Read the full review |
Cable | $20-$80 | 300-2,000Mbps | nothing | nothing | nothing | 7 |
| THE SECTV | Cable | $48-$147 | 200-1,500Mbps | $11 (optional) | nothing | nothing | N/A |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$55 with eligible mobile plans) | 87-415Mbps | 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 | $30-$95 | 300-2,000Mbps | $15 (optional) | nothing | 1 year with select plans (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 Wilkes-Barre?
| plan | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazing 300 Read the full review |
$20 | 300Mbps | nothing |
| Xfinity Connect Connect Read the full review |
$30 | 300Mbps | $15 (optional) |
| Amazing 600 Read the full review |
$30 | 600Mbps | nothing |
| Plus Xfinity Connect Read the full review |
$30 | 300Mbps | $15 (optional) |
| SECTV 200 | $48 | 200Mbps | $11 (optional) |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read the full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 250Mbps | 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 Wilkes-Barre
The best deals on the internet and the highest promotions in Wilkes-Barre 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.
Wilkes-Barre internet providers, such as Xfinity, may offer lower introductory prices or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, including Service Electric Cable Television and Verizon 5G Home Internet, run the same standard price year-round.
For a more extensive list of promos, see our guide to best deals on the internet.
Fastest internet plans in Wilkes-Barre
| plan | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xfinity Gigabit x2 Read the full review |
$95 | 2,000Mbps | 200Mbps | nothing | Cable |
| Astound 2000 Read the full review |
$80 | 2,000Mbps | 50Mbps | nothing | Cable |
| Amazing 1500 Read the full review |
$55 | 1,500Mbps | 50Mbps | nothing | Cable |
| SECTV 1.5 Gig | $147 | 1,500Mbps | 40Mbps | nothing | Cable |
| Surprised 1000 Read the full review |
$40 | 1,000Mbps | 20Mbps | nothing | Cable |
| SECTV 1 Gig | $132 | 1,000Mbps | 40Mbps | nothing | Cable |
| Xfinity Gigabit Read the full review |
$60 | 1,000Mbps | 20Mbps | nothing | 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 Wilkes-Barre, 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 started by researching pricing, availability and speed information, drawing on our own historical ISP data, provider sites and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission on 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?
While the answer to these questions is often layered and complex, 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. (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.
Internet providers in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in Wilkes-Barre?
Xfinity is the best internet service provider in Wilkes-Barre. While not the most widely available cable ISP (that’s Service Electric) or the cheapest (Astound), it has the best all-around mix of availability, speed and overall value of any internet provider in place
Is fiber internet available in Wilkes-Barre?
Less than 32% of residential addresses are available for fiber internet, according to the latest FCC data. Frontier offers fiber-optic internet in the area, but Wilkes-Barre residents are more likely to use the provider’s slower, less reliable DSL service.
What is the cheapest internet provider in Wilkes-Barre?
Astound technically has the cheapest internet plan in Wilkes-Barre — $20 a month for download speeds up to 300Mbps — but availability is limited. Xfinity is more widely available in Wilkes-Barre and offers competitive pricing on all plans, including its cheapest plan, which starts at $30 a month for speeds up to 300Mbps.
Which internet provider in Wilkes-Barre offers the fastest plan?
Xfinity’s Gigabit x2 is the fastest internet plan in Wilkes-Barre, with advertised speeds of 2,000Mbps down and 200Mbps up. Astound offers a 1,500Mbps plan with a maximum upload speed of 50Mbps, but again, availability is limited to Wilkes-Barre. Local cable ISP Service Electric has a gig plan with speeds of 1,000Mbps down and 40Mbps up but at a higher price than Xfinity’s 2 gig or Astound’s 1.5 gig plans.
