Comcast’s Xfinity is CNET’s pick for the best internet provider in Trenton, New Jersey, as it offers the widest coverage of any internet service provider in the area. According to the latest data from the Federal Communications Commission, Xfinity serves 99% of households in Trenton, so most residents can expect their address to be eligible for service. But that’s not all. This cable internet provider also offers one of the cheapest plans in the area, starting at $25 monthly for 150 megabits per second.
While the FCC highlights that at least 69% of Trenton residents have access to gigabit speeds, we’re here to tell you this isn’t always the case. CNET spoke with a spokesperson from Optimum who said, “While Optimum does not currently offer internet services to customers in Trenton, NJ (either via our fiber or HFC network), the company does provide service in Hamilton Township, which lies just outside of Trenton. Customers in this area can access speeds of up to 1 Gig, and a majority of them have additional access to multi-gig speeds of up to 8 Gig via Optimum Fiber.”
If available at your address, Optimum’s fiber multi-gigabit plans reach up to blazing speeds of 8,000Mbps for $280 per month. You can bump down that cost with Verizon Fios’ 2-gigabit plan with symmetrical download and upload speeds of up to 2,300Mbps for $110 monthly. The cost per Mbps of its 2-gigabit plan is a very cheap 5 cents per Mbps. Residents can find the most coverage along South Trenton and the Lamberton area.
Xfinity isn’t the only provider offering cheap internet in the area. Fixed wireless provider Andrena comes in second for its $30-a-month plan for speeds of 50Mbps. Equipment is included in that plan, so customers don’t have to worry about additional fees.
Our methodology
Speed range
150 – 6,000Mbps
Price range
$20 – $300 per month
Our take – Comcast’s Xfinity offers the cheapest internet plan and has the widest coverage of any internet provider in the Trenton area, serving 99% of households with a cable internet connection.
...
Speed range
150 – 6,000Mbps
Price range
$20 – $300 per month
Connection
Fiber
Connection
Fiber
Speed range
72 – 245Mbps
Price range
$60 per month
Our take – If cable or fiber is unavailable at your address or you just want to avoid the steep monthly prices, then a 5G fixed wireless connection from T-Mobile is a good alternative. While it might not be the fastest internet provider in the area, T-Mobile does offer unlimited data and features no contracts or equipment fees.
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.
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 Trenton
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 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, 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.
Internet providers in Trenton FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in Trenton?
Yes, fiber is available to approximately 88% of households in Trenton, per the latest data from the FCC. Verizon Fios covers most of those Trenton households and is CNET’s choice for the best fiber internet in the area, but you can also get fiber-optic service from Optimum.
What is the cheapest internet provider in Trenton?
Optimum’s multi-gigabit plans are the fastest in the area. Optimum’s 8-gigabit plan offers symmetrical download and upload speeds of 8,000Mbps starting at $280 monthly. Optimum offers other speed tiers such as 5-, 2- and 1-gigabit plan tiers.
