Utica doesn’t have many options when it comes to home broadband, and you’ll likely only have access to satellite, fixed wireless and cable internet connections. Spectrum is CNET’s top pick for the best internet in Utica. It’s our top pick because it offers an easy set of plans, and wide coverage, available to over 94% of households, according to the latest data from the Federal Communications Commission. In addition to being widely available in the area, Spectrum is also among the cheapest internet providers in the city — at least in the first year.
Spectrum has a $50-a-month plan for download speeds of 500 megabits per second. Although it’s a tad more expensive than the cheapest plans found in most cities, it offers a good value for the price. Fixed wireless ISPs Verizon and T-Mobile also start at the same price but offer far lower maximum speeds.
If you’re looking for fast internet in Utica, you don’t have a ton of options. Spectrum is the only provider in the area offering download speeds of up to a gig. According to the latest Ookla speed test data, Utica has a fixed median download speed of 295Mbps, on par with New York State average. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)
A wide shot image of Downtown Utica in Oneida County, New York.
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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 video conferencing, 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 and streaming low-quality video.
5 to 40Mbps gives you higher-quality video streaming and video conferencing.
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 video conferencing, 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 service providers in Utica
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:
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?
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 Utica FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in Utica?
What is the cheapest internet provider in Utica?
Spectrum is the only internet provider in Utica that offers download speeds of 1,000Mbps.
