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Best Internet Providers in Staten Island, New York – CNET

What is the best internet provider in Staten Island?

Most Staten Island households will have the option of Spectrum or Verizon Fios for home internet. While the former offers the cheapest plan in the area, Verizon Fios is the best internet service provider in Staten Island overall for a variety of reasons. The 100% fiber provider is known for its fast download and upload speeds — up to 2,300 megabits per second, the fastest in Staten Island — competitive pricing, simple service terms and high customer satisfaction.

Spectrum is arguably the better option for cheap internet, at least for the first 24 months, with service starting at $40 monthly for download speeds up to 500Mbps. That said, Verizon Fios plans come with free equipment rental, longer price guarantees than Spectrum, and potential signup bonuses such as free streaming services, gift cards or electronic devices. 

Verizon’s 5G home internet service isn’t half bad, either, offering speeds ranging from 50 to 300 megabits per second or 85 to 1,000Mbps, starting at $50 and $70 per month, respectively. Like Verizon Fios, Verizon 5G Home Internet includes free equipment rental, unlimited data and no contract requirements. T-Mobile Home Internet is also available in Staten Island and comes with similar service terms, but pricing is slightly higher at $60 per month, and maximum speeds are a bit slower at 72 to 245Mbps.

Our methodology

Speed range

300 – 2,000 Mbps

Price range

$50 – $120 per month

Our take – Fast speeds, straightforward pricing and unique promotional offers for new customers — there’s a lot to like about Verizon Fios. Customer satisfaction numbers further boost Verizon’s reputation, as J.D. Power named Verizon Fios the top provider in the East region in 2023, scoring 760 out of 1,000. Spectrum came in at 686, well below Verizon Fios and the region average.

. . .

Check with Verizon

Connection

Fiber Show more details

Speed range

100 – 1,000 Mbps

Price range

$30- $90 per month

Our take – Spectrum is an enticing option for those who want to get the most speed for their money. The provider’s 500Mbps and gig plans have a lower starting price than Verizon Fios for similar speeds. Rates are set to increase after 24 months, bringing the price more in line with what you’d pay with Verizon Fios. Additionally, renting your Wi-Fi router will add $5 to your monthly bill.

. . .

Check with Spectrum

Connection

Cable Show more details

Speed range

85 – 1,000 Mbps

Price range

$50 – $70 per month

Our take – Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband network, capable of delivering the provider’s fastest mobile and home internet speeds, is available throughout much of New York City, including most of Staten Island. That doesn’t necessarily mean home internet is available at your address, even if you can get 5G on your phone, but if it is, it’s worth checking out to see what kind of speeds you can get.

. . .

Check with Verizon

Connection

Fixed wireless Show more details

Provider Internet technology Monthly price range Speed range Monthly equipment costs Data cap Contract CNET review score Spectrum Cable $40-$70 500-1,000Mbps $5 (optional) None None 7.2 T-Mobile Home Internet Fixed wireless $60 ($40-$50 with eligible mobile plans) 72-245Mbps None None None 7.4 Verizon 5G Home Internet Fixed wireless $50-$70 ($35-$45 for eligible Verizon Wireless customers) 50-1,000Mbps None None None 7.2 Verizon Fios Fiber $50-$110 300-2,300Mbops None None None 7.6

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

What’s the cheapest internet plan in Staten Island?

Entrance to the Staten Island ferry terminal Entrance to the Staten Island ferry terminal

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 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 CNET chose the best internet providers in Staten Island

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:

  1. Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
  2. Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?
  3. 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, 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.

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

Internet providers in Staten Island FAQs

What is the best internet service provider in Staten Island?

Fiber internet is available to more than 90% of Staten Island households, according to the most recent FCC data. Verizon Fios is the largest fiber-optic internet provider in Staten Island and is responsible for much, if not all, of the fiber internet availability in the area.

Who is the cheapest internet provider in Staten Island?

Verizon Fios offers the fastest internet plan in Staten Island, advertising maximum speeds up to 2,300Mbps, or 2.3 gigabits per second, starting at $110 monthly. As a fiber internet provider, Verizon Fios has the advantage of symmetrical (or close) speeds, so the plan comes with download and upload speeds up to 2.3Gbps.

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