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Best Internet Providers in Duluth, Minnesota – CNET

What is the best internet provider in Duluth?

Spectrum is the best internet service provider in Duluth, Minnesota. The area’s largest cable internet provider offers fast speeds and unlimited data with no contract requirements. All plans include a free modem, though renting a Wi-Fi router will add $7 to your monthly bill.

Other top internet providers in Duluth include T-Mobile Home Internet, Mediacom, and Lumen Technologies brands CenturyLink and Quantum Fiber. CenturyLink has the best broadband coverage in the area, while Mediacom offers the cheapest internet in Duluth, with service starting at $35 per month for download speeds up to 100 megabits per second.

Mediacom and Spectrum offer the fastest download speeds in Duluth, up to 1,000Mbps, starting at $70 and $80 per month, respectively. Quantum Fiber and Verizon 5G Home Internet can deliver similar speeds, but the availability of both providers is highly limited in Duluth. 

Aside from T-Mobile Home Internet and possibly Verizon 5G Home Internet, other potential fixed wireless internet options in Duluth include AirFiber and Nextera. Though the providers offer service throughout much of Duluth, speeds are too low and pricing too high to recommend.

Our methodology

Speed range

100 – 1,000 Mbps

Price range

$30- $90 per month

Our take – With essentially no fiber internet coverage in Duluth, cable internet is the area’s best choice for broadband. Spectrum’s cable internet service covers around 90% of Duluth residences, offering speeds ranging from 300 to 1,000Mbps.

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Check with Spectrum

Connection

Cable

Speed range

72 – 245 Mbps

Price range

$60 per month

Our take – Considering availability, speeds and service terms, T-Mobile Home Internet is the best alternative to Spectrum in Duluth. Service costs $60 per month ($10 or $20 less for qualifying mobile customers) for speeds from 72 to 245Mbps. It’s not the fastest, but it can deliver faster speeds than CenturyLink and comes with no equipment fees, data caps or contracts.

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Check with T-Mobile

Connection

Fixed wireless

Speed range

100 – 1,000 Mbps

Price range

$25 – $80 per month

Our take – Mediacom has the lowest starting price of any major Duluth ISP at $35 per month for speeds up to 100Mbps. Gig service is also cheaper than Spectrum, starting at $70 versus $80 per month. However, a $14 modem rental fee may add to the monthly costs, and all plans come with a data cap and fees for going over.

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Check with Mediacom

Connection

Cable

Speed range

10 – 140 Mbps

Price range

$55 per month

Our take – CenturyLink slightly edges out Spectrum regarding wired internet coverage in Duluth and is available to more than 91% of households, according to the FCC. Though CenturyLink is a leading DSL provider, speeds are slower than you’re likely to get with cable, fiber or even some fixed wireless providers.

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Check with CenturyLink

Connection

DSL

Provider Internet technology Monthly price range Speed range Monthly equipment costs Data cap Contract CNET review score CenturyLink DSL $55 20-100Mbps $15 (optional) None None 6.7 Quantum Fiber Fiber $50-$75 500-940Mbps None None None 6.7 Mediacom Cable $35-$70 100-1,000Mbps $14 350-3,000GB None 6.4 Spectrum Cable $40-$80 300-1,000Mbps $7 (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

View of the Duluth, Minnesota harbor View of the Duluth, Minnesota harbor

Plan Starting price Max download speed Max upload speed Data cap Connection type Mediacom Prime Internet 1 Gig $70 1,000Mbps 50Mbps 3TB Cable Spectrum Internet Gig $80 1,000Mbps 35Mbps None Cable Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet $70 ($45 with eligible mobile plans) 1,000Mbps 75Mbps None Fixed wireless Quantum Fiber $75 940Mbps 940Mbps None Fiber

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 Duluth, Minnesota

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. So 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.

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 the time 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 answers to those questions are often layered and complex, the providers who come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend. When it comes to 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 also take into account 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 Duluth, Minnesota, FAQs

What is the best internet service provider in Duluth?

According to the FCC, less than 2% of Duluth households, or around 500 addresses, are serviceable for fiber internet. Serviceability is greatest just east of the airport and around the Miller Hill Mall, though availability is scarce throughout Duluth. Quantum Fiber is the area’s sole fiber internet provider.

What is the cheapest internet provider in Duluth?

Spectrum and Mediacom offer download speeds up to 1,000Mbps, starting at $80 and $70 monthly, respectively. As cable internet providers, Spectrum and Mediacom don’t offer symmetrical upload and download speeds. Spectrum’s upload speeds max out at just 35Mbps, while Mediacom offers slightly faster max upload speeds of 50Mbps. Quantum Fiber can deliver symmetrical upload and download speeds, but serviceability is highly limited in Duluth.

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