What is the best internet provider in West Virginia?
Frontier is the best internet provider in West Virginia for most households, according to CNET. The provider has the best wired internet availability in the state, plus it offers simple service terms and a straightforward pricing structure, giving it an advantage over many of West Virginia’s competing ISPs. Frontier’s fiber service is preferred, but in areas where fiber or cable internet connections are unavailable, its DSL service is a step above satellite internet.
Frontier’s DSL speeds will vary by location, but Frontier Fiber offers the fastest speeds in West Virginia, up to 7,000 megabits per second. At $300 per month, Frontier’s fastest plan isn’t the cheapest around; cable internet provider Breezeline has the cheapest plans in West Virginia, with service prices starting at $20 per month.
The cheapest, fastest and all-around best internet services for your home will depend on where you live in West Virginia. You’ll find everything you need to know about the leading ISPs in West Virginia below.
How to find internet deals and promotions in West Virginia
The best internet deals and top promotions in West Virginia depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
West Virginia internet providers, such as Breezeline and Xfinity, may offer lower introductory pricing or special offers for a limited time. Many providers, including Frontier Fiber and Shentel, run the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of promotions, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
How fast is West Virginia broadband?
Ookla speed test data from January 2025 ranked West Virginia 43rd for fastest median download speeds at around 172Mbps. That’s well below the national average (274Mbps), but it’s worth noting that speeds of 159Mbps are sufficient for many internet uses, including streaming in HD or 4K, on multiple devices.
Keep in mind that the speed test data is a statewide average and isn’t necessarily representative of the speeds you can get in your home. Many West Virginia internet providers offer plans with maximum speeds significantly faster than the state’s median download speed.
Fastest internet plans in West Virginia
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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 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; 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 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 West Virginia
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.
We also go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We input local addresses on provider websites, as well, 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. (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)
To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.
What’s the final word on internet providers in West Virginia?
Regardless of location, I’d recommend a fiber internet connection when available. In West Virginia, fiber internet will likely come from Frontier — CNET’s pick for the best provider in the state — or possibly Armstrong.
If you can’t get fiber internet, look to cable internet for comparable speeds and potentially lower introductory rates. Xfinity, Breezeline and Armstrong are top cable ISPs in West Virginia, although Shentel, Spectrum and others may be available depending on where you live.
Fixed wireless internet, specifically that of T-Mobile Home Internet (though Micrologic and US Cellular may be worth a look), is a practical option for broadband in rural areas where cable or fiber connections do not reach. As a last resort, satellite internet from Hughesnet, Viasat or Starlink may provide the only access to broadband speeds in West Virginia’s more rural areas.
Internet providers in West Virginia FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in West Virginia?
Yes, but availability is unfortunately limited. Approximately 25% of West Virginia households are eligible for fiber internet. Frontier Fiber is the largest fiber provider in the state, although Armstrong and select regional providers also offer fiber internet in West Virginia.
Who is the cheapest internet provider in West Virginia?
Fiber internet providers are often the source of the fastest internet speeds in a state, and that holds true in West Virginia. Frontier Fiber offers the fastest internet plan by a wide margin, with symmetrical upload and download speeds up to 7,000Mbps, and plans starting at $300 per month.
Frontier Fiber also has the second fastest internet plan in West Virginia, offering symmetrical speeds up to 5,000Mbps starting at $130 per month. All other major cable and fiber internet providers in the state have maximum download speeds of around 1,000Mbps or slightly higher (Xfinity offers 2,000Mbps starting at $95 per month).
