Our picks
90001 Edit ZIP code
Best fiber internet provider overall
$55 – $250 per month
Best cheap fiber internet plan
$50 – $155 per month
Best signup bonuses with fiber internet
$50 – $120 per month
Best price guarantee among fiber providers
$30 – $165 per month
Best fiber provider for gig and multi-gig internet
$70 – $150 per month
Best rural fiber internet provider
$40 – $70 per month
Fastest fiber internet provider
$20 – $900 per month
What is the best fiber internet provider?
CNET picks AT&T Fiber as the best fiber internet service provider overall in the country thanks to its fast symmetrical speeds, varied plan selection, competitive pricing, favorable service terms and a leading customer satisfaction record. There’s a lot to like — if you can get its plans at your address.
However, I wouldn’t pass on these other fiber providers either. In terms of availability, high speeds and straightforward pricing, we recommend Frontier Fiber, Quantum Fiber, Kinetic by Windstream and Verizon Fios. We love to see the big names. But if these providers aren’t available at your address, regional providers deserve some love, too. Providers like Brightspeed, Metronet or Ziply Fiber — the fastest ISP nationwide — may offer internet service in your area.
It’s important to note that fiber internet isn’t the most broadly available internet connection type, but CNET considers fiber the gold standard of broadband connections. Let’s take a closer look at what the top fiber internet service in the country.
Best fiber internet providers
Fiber
300 – 5,000 Mbps
$55 – $250 per month
500 – 5,000 Mbps
$50 – $155 per month
Our take – Frontier Communications recently expanded its fiber internet coverage to 19 states and then rolled out a new multi-gig service to the entire footprint simultaneously, becoming the first major ISP to do so on such a wide scale.
Fiber
Fiber
300 – 2,000 Mbps
$50 – $120 per month
200 – 8,000 Mbps
$30 – $165 per month
Our take – If you thought Verizon Fios’s price lock guarantee was great, Quantum Fiber offers a price-for-life guarantee for all plans. You can choose from three main plans: 200Mbps for $50 monthly, 500Mbps for $50 monthly or 940Mbps for $70 monthly. Select locations may have the choice of faster speeds, including the 2,000Mbps and 8,000Mbps tiers.
Fiber
Fiber
1,000 – 8,000 Mbps
$70 – $150 per month
100 – 1,000 Mbps
$40 – $70 per month
Our take – Select neighborhoods in larger cities often have fiber internet. But if you’re living in the suburbs or a rural area, your best chance to get fiber internet is from Kinetic by Windstream. Roughly a third of Windstream’s network — which spans rural and suburban areas across 18 states in over 350 communities — is fiber optic.
Fiber
Fiber
100 – 50,000 Mbps
$20 – $900 per month
Show more (10 items)
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Fiber internet honorable mentions
- Brightspeed: A relatively new DSL and fiber internet provider, Brightspeed operates networks in many markets in the eastern half of the US that were previously owned by Lumen Technologies (CenturyLink, Quantum Fiber). Fiber service starts at just $30 per month for speeds up to 200Mbps and maxes out at 2,000Mbps for $89 per month.
- Metronet: As one of the largest independently owned fiber internet companies, Metronet has a smaller footprint than other fiber providers but still offers fast speeds for decent prices. Based in Evansville, Indiana, Metronet is available primarily to cities in the Midwest. Service starts at $35 monthly for 150Mbps and select areas can see speeds as fast as 2,000 or 5,000Mbps.
- Optimum: Optimum is primarily a cable internet provider, but it does have a growing fiber network, particularly in the greater NYC area. Approximately 2.8 million households are available for fiber service in the area. Optimum offers six plans for houses eligible for fiber, 300-,500-,1-gig, 2-gig, 5-gig, and 8-gig plans, which range in cost from $40 to $280 a month. It’s important to note that only select households may have access to the multi-gig plans.
What is fiber internet?
Fiber-optic internet sends data as light signals via thin glass wires either straight to the home, known as FTTH, or to an access point just outside the home, commonly referred to as fiber to the node or fiber to the curb. The technology allows for higher bandwidth and faster data transmission than any other connection type and has the unique capability of delivering symmetrical or near-symmetrical download and upload speeds.
Fiber internet uses a different type of modem than DSL or the DOCSIS equipment used for cable. In fact, fiber technically doesn’t use a modem at all but an optical network terminal that performs the same function. To learn more, read our fiber internet explainer.
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Ziply Fiber has the fastest speed tier of any major fiber internet provider, with max speeds of 50,000Mbps, or 50Gbps. Many other fiber providers top out at 5Gbps, 2Gbps or 1Gbps.
Fiber internet is not cheap. The faster the speeds, the more costly your monthly bill will likely be. Starting plans with fiber internet typically range from $30 to $50 a month, with gigabit service ranging from $60 to $90 a month. While there are cheaper plans available with cable or 5G internet service in select areas, fiber service is likely to come with better speed and connection quality for the price.
Will 5G replace fiber-optic internet?
When will fiber be available near me?
