Best Internet Providers in Norfolk, Virginia – CNET

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Other available internet providers in Norfolk

• Metronet: Only available to a small percentage of residents, Metronet is one of the only fiber providers in Norfolk besides Verizon Fios. This provider offers plans up to 1 gigabit in speed, costing only $60 per month. 
• Spectrum: While you won’t find coverage directly in Norfolk, households in Suffolk and Chesapeake can access Spectrum’s services as low as $50 per month for 300Mbps of speed. Spectrum is worth checking out if Cox is not available at your address.
• Satellite internet: Satellite internet from HughesNet, Viasat or Starlink is an option wherever you live. But it shouldn’t be your first choice: satellite internet’s high prices and slow speeds mean cheaper and faster options should be available. 
• Verizon 5G Home Internet: If Verizon Fios isn’t available at your location, the provider’s fixed wireless service might be. Verizon 5G Home Internet offers two monthly plans, costing $50 to $70 for up to 1 gigabit of speed. 
• Xfinity: This cable ISP is widely available around the Richmond area but doesn’t extend to most of Norfolk, according to the FCC. However, Xfinity offers the second fastest plan in the city, so it’s a solid pick if you can access it.

Cheap internet options in Norfolk

The average starting price for internet in Norfolk is around $44, but there are a couple of options under that price if you’re looking to pay the least amount of money each month on home broadband. Xfinity Connect More and Metronet’s base plan cost $30 monthly for up to 100Mbps and 200Mbps, respectively. However, eligible mobile customers under T-Mobile or Verizon can receive a $15 to $25 discount each month, lowering your bill to only $30 to $35. 

Most of the providers we’ve mentioned also participate in the FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program, which gives eligible low-income households a $30 monthly discount (or up to $75 for households on tribal lands) for high-speed internet. You can use the ACP toward any internet plan — not just the cheapest ones — from participating providers.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Norfolk

The best internet deals and top promotions in Norfolk depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers. 

Norfolk internet providers, such as Cox, Spectrum and Xfinity, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, including Verizon and T-Mobile, run the same standard pricing year-round. 

For a more extensive list of promotions, check out our guide on the best internet deals. 

How fast is Norfolk broadband?

The nearby city of Richmond places among the bottom 20 for the fastest broadband speeds across the US. So how does Norfolk stack up? According to Ookla Speedtest data, Norfolk’s median download speed is 224Mbps, much faster than Richmond’s 183Mbps. 

If you’re looking for service faster than the city’s median speed, consider Cox’s 2,000Mbps plan, costing $150 per month. Spectrum, Metronet, Verizon and Xfinity also offer gigabit speeds, but it depends on which providers are available at your household. 

Source: CNET 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 FCC. 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, 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 CNET chose the best internet providers in Norfolk

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every internet service provider in a given city. So what’s our approach? For starters, we tap into a proprietary database of pricing, availability and speed information that draws from our own historical ISP data, partner data and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov. 

But 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 answer to those questions is often layered and complex, the providers who 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, though 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.

To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.

What’s the final word on internet providers in Norfolk?

In Norfolk, fiber internet through Verizon Fios, Metronet and Cox is available in only a small percentage of addresses, so you may be unable to access it. Instead, Cox’s cable service is your best bet, offering faster speeds and wider coverage than Verizon does.

Internet providers in Norfolk FAQs