What is the best internet provider in Tampa, Florida?
Frontier Fiber is ‘s top pick for the best internet provider in Tampa. We recommend it for most households in the area because it offers solid speeds at reasonable prices and has high customer satisfaction scores. If you’re outside the coverage area of Frontier Fiber or need alternatives, you can consider wireless internet from Verizon 5G Home Internet or T-Mobile Home Internet. The two wireless providers have solid offerings and bundling with a mobile plan will get you further discounts. Another solid alternative is Spectrum, which has widespread coverage throughout Tampa and offers good pricing. Keep in mind, however, that availability, speeds and monthly pricing will vary according to your location, so what you can get might differ from national listings.
All available Tampa home internet providers
The providers mentioned above aren’t the only ones serving Tampa, but they are the ones I would recommend the most. Here’s a quick comparison of the practical internet options available in the Tampa area.
Tampa internet provider details at a glance
| Provider | Pricing | Download speed range (Mbps) | Equipment cost | review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EarthLink Read full review |
$54-$204 | 100-5,000 | $15 | 6.3 |
| Frontier Fiber Read full review |
$30-$110 | 200-7,000 | None | 6.3 |
| Spectrum Read full review |
$30-$50 (First year prices) | 100-1,000 | $10 | 7.2 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
$50-$70 ($40-$55 with eligible mobile plan) | 87-415 | None | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
$50-$70 ($35-$55 with eligible mobile plan) | 50-1,000 | None | 7.2 |
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Source: analysis of provider data.
Top Tampa ISP honorable mentions
EarthLink: A name nearly as old as home internet itself, EarthLink now offers service by piggybacking off of the networks of other providers and municipalities. As a result, you’re likely to pay a bit more for service compared to other providers. Pricing and speeds vary widely by location, but all plans come with a one-year contract.
Rapid Systems: Local fixed wireless provider Rapid Systems is a decent choice for internet in rural central Florida, but pricing is high and speeds are low in the Tampa Bay area. You’ll want to check out other internet options at your address before opting for Rapid Systems, as residential pricing in Hillsborough County starts at $79 per month for max speeds of 10Mbps.
T-Mobile Home Internet: With speeds of 87-415Mbps starting at $50 per month ($40 for qualifying customers), T-Mobile rivals Verizon regarding 5G home internet. Although T-Mobile doesn’t have the same speed potential, it does boast greater coverage than Verizon, making it an excellent choice for home internet in suburban and rural areas outside of Tampa.
WideOpenWest: You won’t find WideOpenWest, aka WOW, in Tampa, but it is available in much of the Tampa Bay area, including Clearwater, East Lake, Oldsmar and St. Petersburg. The cable internet provider is a great choice for low-cost, high-speed internet, with service starting at $30 per month for speeds up to 300Mbps.
Satellite internet: HughesNet, Viasat and possibly even Starlink are available in Tampa, but there are plenty of other cheaper, faster options in the area to avoid having to settle for satellite internet.
How much is internet in Tampa?
The cost of internet in Tampa depends on the provider and plan you choose. The cheapest internet plans in Tampa will run you $30 per month plus taxes and fees unless you qualify for a discount with Verizon or T-Mobile.
Cheapest internet plans in Tampa
| Plan | Starting monthly price | Equipment fee | Max download speeds (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spectrum Internet Advantage Read full review |
$30 | $10 per month (optional) | 100 |
| Frontier Fiber 500 Read full review |
$30 | None | 200 |
| Verizon 5G Home Read full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible mobile plan) | None | 300 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
$50 ($40 with eligible mobile plan) | None | 318 |
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Source: analysis of provider data.
Internet options for low-income households in Tampa
The financial barrier for home internet service in Tampa is a bit higher than in other parts of Florida. However, both Spectrum and Frontier Fiber offer plans that cost $30 per month, at least for the first 12 months.
The Spectrum Internet Advantage plan comes with download speeds of up to 100Mbps, starting at $30 per month. While Frontier offers 200Mbps and 500Mbps speeds for $30 per month.
How fast is internet in Tampa?
According to the most recent Ookla speed test data, the state of Florida ranked number 3 in Q4 2023 for fastest median download speeds in the US at around 238Mbps. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as , Ziff Davis.) Tampa came in slightly slower than the state, ranked 50th overall among US cities with a median download speed of 232Mbps.
Spectrum clocked the fastest median speed in Tampa at 314Mbps.
Many factors can affect speed tests, such as using Wi-Fi and an internet plan’s maximum speeds, but Tampa’s speed test results are impressive and a good indicator of the speeds you could experience with Spectrum and Frontier.
Fastest internet plans in Tampa
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Source: analysis of provider data.
How chose the best internet providers in Tampa
Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. What’s our approach? We start by researching the pricing, availability and speed information drawing on our own historical ISP data, the provider sites and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.
It doesn’t end there: We go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we’re considering every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. To evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service, we look at sources including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of the time of publication.
Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:
- Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
- Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?
- Are customers happy with their service?
The answer to those questions is often layered and complex, but the providers who come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend.
To explore our process in more depth, visit our page on how we test ISPs.
Tampa home internet FAQs
Does Tampa have fiber internet?
According to the FCC, roughly 73% of Tampa households are serviceable for fiber-optic internet. Frontier is the primary fiber provider in Tampa, though fiber service from EarthLink may be available as well in select areas of the city.
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Is internet in Tampa any good?
Recent Ookla speed test data shows Tampa clocked median download speeds of 232Mbps in Q4 of 2023, ranking 50th among all major US cities. Frontier Fiber is likely the most significant contributor to the high speeds, advertising a max download speed of 500Mbps with its lowest speed tier.
Spectrum does not cover the entire Tampa area, however. Where wired service is unavailable, a wireless broadband connection from Verizon 5G Home Internet or T-Mobile Home Internet — with speeds of 50 to 1,000Mbps and 87 to 415Mbps, respectively — may be available to help keep Tampa residents connected.
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How can I get free Wi-Fi in Tampa?
There are many places throughout Tampa where you can take advantage of free public Wi-Fi networks. Many restaurants, cafes and retail stores offer free Wi-Fi to customers. Free Wi-Fi is available at all Tampa public libraries and many other local government buildings.
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