What is the best internet provider in La Crosse?
recommends Spectrum as the top internet provider in La Crosse, Wisconsin, for its extensive coverage, fast speeds and straightforward pricing. As the region’s largest cable provider, Spectrum offers unlimited data, free modem rentals, no contracts and competitive rates, making it the best overall choice.
If you’re seeking lower prices or faster speeds, TDS is worth considering. It offers the cheapest plan at $40 per month for up to 600Mbps and leads in speed with options up to 8Gbps, though its availability in La Crosse is limited. For wider fiber coverage, Brightspeed is a strong contender but lacks TDS’s ultra-affordable high-speed plans. Other alternatives include Mediacom — an affordable cable option with less coverage than Spectrum — and T-Mobile Home Internet, which stands out for its easy setup, free equipment, unlimited data and no contracts.
Best internet in La Crosse, Wisconsin
La Crosse, Wisconsin, internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brightspeed | DSL, Fiber | $50-$65 | 200-940Mbps DSL, up to 940Mbps fiber | None | None | None | N/A |
| Bug Tussel | Fixed wireless | $35-$120 | 5-100Mbps | Varies | None | None | N/A |
| Mediacom Read full review |
Cable | $20-$60 | 250-1,000Mbps | $15 | 350-3,000GB | None | 6.4 |
| Spectrum Read full review |
Cable | $25-$70 | 50-1,000Mbps | $10 (optional) | None | None | 7.2 |
| TDS | Fiber | $40-$295 | 600-8,000Mbps | $12 (optional) | None | None | N/A |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
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Source: analysis of provider data.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in La Crosse?
| Plan | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| TDS Extreme 600 | $40 | 600Mbps | $12 (optional) |
| Mediacom Prime Internet 250 Read full review |
$20 | 250Mbps | $15 |
| Spectrum Internet Read full review |
$25 | 50Mbps | $10 (optional) |
| Brightspeed 200Mbps | $50 | 200Mbps | None |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 245Mbps | None |
| Brightspeed 940Mbps | $65 | 940Mbps | None |
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Source: analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in La Crosse
The best internet deals and top promotions in La Crosse depend on what discounts are available during a given time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
La Crosse internet providers, such as Spectrum and T-Mobile Home Internet, may offer lower introductory pricing or gift cards for a limited time. Others, including Brightspeed and TDS, run the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
Fastest internet plans in La Crosse
| Plan | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brightspeed 940Mbps | $65 | 940Mbps | 940Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Mediacom Prime Internet 1 Gig Read full review |
$60 | 1,000Mbps | 50Mbps | 3TB | Cable |
| Spectrum Internet Gig Read full review |
$70 | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | None | Cable |
| TDS 8Gig | $295 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
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Source: analysis of provider data.
What’s a good internet speed?
Most internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you’re looking for an internet plan that can accommodate videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you’ll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here’s an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the Federal Communications Commission. Note that these are only guidelines and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.
For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need.
- 0 to 5Mbps allows you to tackle 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 give one user sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming.
- 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.
How chose the best internet providers in La Crosse
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 consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as 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?
While the answers to those questions are often layered and complex, the providers that come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, 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 like Ookla and FCC reports. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as , Ziff Davis.)
To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.
Internet providers in La Crosse, Wisconsin, FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in La Crosse?
Spectrum is the best internet service provider in La Crosse due to its broad local coverage, variety of high-speed plans, low pricing and customer-friendly service terms. Spectrum is available to more than 90% of La Crosse homes, offering competitively priced plans that include unlimited data, no contracts and a free modem rental.
Is fiber internet available in La Crosse?
According to the FCC, around 40% of La Crosse households, or approximately 9,200 residences, are serviceable for fiber-optic internet. Serviceability is greatest in the Bluffside and Washburn communities, although availability is also high to the north approaching Onalaska. Brightspeed is the largest fiber internet provider in La Crosse, while TDS has a smaller fiber presence in the city.
What is the cheapest internet provider in La Crosse?
TDS offers the cheapest internet plan in La Crosse, starting at $40 per month for speeds up to 600Mbps. Availability is limited, so La Crosse residents may have better luck shopping for cheap internet from Mediacom or Spectrum. Mediacom has a lower starting monthly rate at $20 compared to $50 from Spectrum, but Spectrum has a lower (and optional) equipment fee and delivers more speed for the price.
Which internet provider in La Crosse offers the fastest plan?
TDS offers the fastest internet service in La Crosse with 2,000, 5,000 and 8,000Mbps speed tiers though most people will top off at 1000Mbps. Other La Crosse high-speed providers, including Brightspeed, Mediacom and Spectrum, offer maximum speeds of around 1,000Mbps.
