What is the best internet provider in Cambridge?
Wireless internet providers outnumber wired in the area, but Xfinity will be the best internet service provider for most in Cambridge. Xfinity’s cable internet service has the best broadband coverage in Cambridge, low introductory pricing and some of the fastest download speeds available, up to 1,200 megabits per second.
Fellow cable ISP Astound offers the fastest download speeds of any local provider, up to 1,500Mbps, starting at just $55 a month, but availability is highly limited in Cambridge. Better availability would be ideal as the provider offers the fastest tier and the cheapest internet plan in Cambridge — $20 per month for download speeds up to 300Mbps.
Like Astound, fiber provider Verizon Fios offers home internet in Cambridge but with little availability. Aside from Xfinity, your choices for broadband in Cambridge are instead likely to include fixed wireless providers Starry Internet, T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet.
Starry Internet provides a simple, low-cost internet connection if you’re moving into a building wired for service. Otherwise, look to Verizon 5G Home Internet for the best 5G speeds and value in Cambridge.
Our methodology
150 – 6,000 Mbps
$20 – $300 per month
Cable
Fixed wireless
Our take – Available speeds will vary (50 to 300Mbps or 85 to 1,000Mbps based on your plan), so the overall value will depend on the speeds you can get at your address. If the available speeds meet your needs, the contract-free service includes unlimited data, free equipment rental and a discount for qualifying Verizon mobile customers.
85 – 1,000 Mbps
$50 – $70 per month
50 – 1,000 Mbps
$30 – $80 per month
Fixed wireless
Cambridge, Massachusetts, internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Astound Broadband Read full review |
Cable | $20-$55 | 300-1,500Mbps | None | None | None | 7 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $60 ($40-$50 with eligible mobile plans) | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| Starry Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $40-$80 | 200-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 with eligible mobile plans) | 50-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
| Verizon Fios Read full review |
Fiber | $50-$90 | 300-940Mbps | None | None | None | 7.6 |
| Xfinity Read full review |
Cable | $25-$70 | 300-1,200Mbps | $15 (optional) | None | None | 7 |
Show more (2 items)
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 Cambridge, Massachusetts
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 Cambridge, Massachusetts, FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in Cambridge?
According to FCC data from June 2023, only around 5% of Cambridge residential addresses are serviceable for fiber-optic internet. Serviceability is greatest along the Charles River in the East Cambridge and Lechmere Square communities. Verizon Fios is the main fiber internet provider in the area.
What is the cheapest internet provider in Cambridge?
Astound offers the fastest internet plan with speeds up to 1,500Mbps starting at just $55 per month, but, again, the provider has limited availability in the area. Xfinity’s Gigabit Extra plan offers nearly the same download speed potential, 1,200Mbps, and is much more widely available throughout the Cambridge area.
