What is the best internet provider in St. Paul?
Quantum Fiber is the best internet provider for most people in St. Paul. It offers fast, symmetrical speeds at a reasonable price, and you won’t have to worry about equipment fees, data caps or contracts. The downside: It’s only available to about half of St. Paul residents, but Xfinity and T-Mobile are both solid backup options.
Xfinity has the cheapest internet in St. Paul by a mile, with plans starting at just $20 a month. That said, prices increase significantly after one or two years (or both), and some plans require a contract to get the lowest price. If those caveats sound like they’re not worth the headache, T-Mobile offers a refreshingly simple option: one plan for $50 a month with no price increases, hidden fees or data caps.
Our methodology
Quantum Fiber
Best internet provider in St. Paul
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Xfinity
Cheapest internet in St. Paul
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T-Mobile Home Internet
Best fixed wireless internet in St. Paul
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Other available internet providers in St. Paul
- Nextera Communications: Nextera offers fixed wireless internet in St. Paul, but it’s an undesirable combination of expensive and slow. Plans start at $125 a month for just 10/3Mbps speeds — and that’s with a two-year contract. Another minor annoyance: Nextera makes you fill out a form to see what its plans cost and you’ll have to wait for it to email you back to find out. This is one of the rare situations where I’d go with a satellite provider instead.
- Satellite internet: You can technically get satellite internet from HughesNet and Viasat everywhere in St. Paul, but I’d only recommend it if your only other option is Nextera. Both ISPs have slow speeds, steep prices and data caps that make things like streaming TV and working from home unrealistic. SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet gives you faster speeds, but it’s expensive at $120 per month for service, plus $599 upfront for the equipment.
- Verizon 5G Home Internet: Like T-Mobile, Verizon 5G Home Internet uses its mobile network to offer home internet services in St. Paul. It’s not as widely available in the city as T-Mobile, but it reaches faster speeds and you can save by bundling with an eligible Verizon cellphone plan.
Is fiber internet available in St. Paul?
Which internet provider in St. Paul offers the fastest plan?