What is the best internet provider in Vermont?
Xfinity is the best internet provider in Vermont for most households thanks to its fast speeds, reasonable prices and widespread availability throughout the state. It’s also the go-to option if you want the cheapest internet in Vermont with its $35 plan that gets you 300 megabits per second. If you live outside Xfinity’s coverage area, you might want to take a look at some of the other options available.
If you want the fastest speeds in Vermont, you should take a look at one of the fiber providers. You can get 10 gigabits a second from local ISPs VTel and Boundless, available in some southern parts of the state and around the St. Johnsbury area. If that is more speed than you need, Xfinity’s 1,200Mbps and 2 gig plans also offer solid value. Some areas may also be eligible for T-Mobile and Verizon plans that start at $50. We’ve put together this guide to the best internet you can get in Vermont. It doesn’t include every provider in the state, but represents the most widely available providers alongside a selection of smaller and local internet companies.
Best internet in Vermont in 2024
Vermont internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington Telecom | Fiber | $58-$73 | 150-1,000Mbps | Varies | None | None | N/A |
| ECFiber | Fiber | $72-$134 | 75-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | N/A |
| Consolidated Communications | DSL | $54-$74 | 10-100Mbps | $12 (included in pricing) | None | 2-year | N/A |
| Fidium Fiber | Fiber | $35-$95 | 100-2,000Mbps | None | None | None | N/A |
| Spectrum Read full review |
Cable | $50-$70 | 500-1,000Mbps | $10 | None | None | 7.2 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$55 with eligible mobile plans) | 87-415Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 for eligible Verizon Wireless customers) | 50-250Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
| VTel | Fiber | $49-$400 | 100-10,000Mbps | None | None | 2-year | N/A |
| VTel Wireless | Fixed Wireless | $35-$110 | 10-300Mbps | Varies | Soft cap varies with plan | Optional | N/A |
| Xfinity Read full review |
Cable | $35-$95 | 300-2,000Mbps | $15 (optional) for some plans | None | None | 7 |
| Plan | Starting monthly price | Monthly equipment fee | Max download speed (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fidium Fiber 100 | $35 ($55 after 12 months) | None | 100Mbps |
| Xfinity Connect More Read full review |
$35 ($90 after 12 months) | $15 (optional) | 300Mbps |
| Xfinity Fast Read full review |
$45 ($105 after 12 months) | $15 (optional) | 300Mbps |
| VTel GigE Solo | $49 | None | 1,000Mbps |
| Spectrum Internet Read full review |
$50 | $10 | 500Mbps |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | None | 415Mbps |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | None | 85Mbps |
| Burlington Telecom | $58 | None | 150Mbps |
Show more (7 items)
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What’s a good internet speed?
Most internet connection plans can handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you want 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 person sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two people to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming.
- 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more people to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Vermont
Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every internet service provider in a given city. So what’s our approach? For starters, we tap into a proprietary database of pricing, availability and speed information that draws from our own historical ISP data, partner data and mapping information from FCC.gov.
But it doesn’t end there. We use 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 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, 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.
What’s the final word on internet providers in Vermont?
For a small state, there are a lot of different ISPs covering Vermont. The best option for you will depend on which ones service your address. Fiber is nice if you can get it. Most Burlington residents will be in luck with Burlington Telecom. Elsewhere, look for Fidium Fiber or a local ISP like VTel or Tilson Broadband. Xfinity covers much of the state (except for some Spectrum territory in the northeast). It has a variety of plans to choose from and a good top speed of 2,000Mbps. It also has some of the most affordable introductory deals, but you must be prepared for future price hikes.
Internet providers in Vermont FAQs
What is the cheapest internet provider in Vermont?
Regarding widely available plans, Xfinity’s 2,000Mbps download speeds are the fastest. Depending on your location, though, you may get speeds up to 10,000Mbps from local fiber providers VTel or Boundless. If you’re in Burlington, check into Burlington Telecom’s symmetrical 1,000Mbps fiber plan for speedy uploads.
Is fiber internet available in Vermont?
When looking at wired internet providers, Xfinity has the widest coverage across Vermont to the tune of nearly 65% of homes, according to FCC data. Consolidated Communications, which offers DSL and some fiber through its Fidium brand, reaches 64% of homes.
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