Top Fiber Internet Providers With the Highest Verified Speeds, By Region
An internet connection is almost essential to existence in today’s world. Whether people work from home or play video games every minute of free time they have, picking the best provider is important to ensuring a stable connection. The internet also goes beyond the normal Wi-Fi nowadays. Fiber Internet is often a faster and stronger option.
What Is Fiber Internet?
The difference between fiber internet and “regular” internet providers is that fiber internet uses fiber optic cables instead of traditional copper wires or other materials. Fiber optic cables are more resistant to weather, experience fewer outages and are not prone to shutting down during electrical issues.
Top Fiber Internet Providers by Region
The area where potential customers live usually determines the best provider for them. Below is a list of the strongest internet providers in each major region of the United States.
Top Northeast Fiber Internet Provider: Verizon Fios
Verizon Fios has the fastest fiber internet in the Northeast. Like many providers, Verizon Fios offers several perks when signing up. For example, if customers choose their Fios 1 Gig internet plan, they can enjoy a five-year price guarantee. Normally, they have a three-year price lock guarantee for their traditional plan. There are also no hidden fees or equipment charges when signing up. However, there is a setup charge that can be waived in some cases.
The company also offers new customers their usual Verizon Perks, which are fun add-ons to their service. One such perk is a discount on the top streaming services. Like many providers, Verizon has a bundle that combines mobile and home and saves some money per month, as well as adding Verizon Perks. There are also some gifts to choose from when signing up for a new plan, including gaming equipment, free subscriptions to streaming services, and a free choice of Perks.
On the logistical side, Verizon Fios promises its service is 100% a fiber optic network. It also offers Wi-Fi extenders for select plans, which basically gives devices in the same room or hooked up via a cord a stronger internet connection. Some places charge fees for terminating a contract early. To entice customers, Verizon Fios offers a credit when switching to hopefully cover or reduce that fee.
Top Features:
- Price guarantee of five years with the Fios 1 Gig plan
- Verizon Perks offerings
Top Midwest Fiber Internet Provider: i3 Broadband
i3 Broadband Fiber Internet is the Midwest’s top fiber internet provider. I3 Broadband is a 100% fiber network with a 30-day risk-free, money-back guarantee upon signing, meaning customers can try their internet for free for about a month with the option to opt out if it is not up to their standards. Included with this is free installation, free technology support visits, unlimited data and no overage changes. The company also offers a credit when switching to cover some of the fees from a previous provider.
The Better Business Bureau gave i3 Broadband an A+ rating for its services. It is also 300 times faster than some cable services and has 99.9% network availability. It offers equal upload and download speeds, which leads to buffer-free video, easy music streaming, and lag-free online gaming. If customers purchase their i3 Smart Wi-Fi, they can get constant digital and data security for every device on their network and built-in advertisement blocking.
Through i3 Broadband’s Sense application, customers can monitor movement in each connected room or from any device, increasing customer safety. Customers can also set up guest passwords to prevent guests from automatically connecting to the service every time they return to the residence.
Top Features:
- 30-day risk-free, money-back guarantee
- Security protection with i3 Smart Wi-Fi
Top Southeast Fiber Internet Provider: AT&T Fiber
The best fiber internet provider in the Southeast is AT&T Fiber. The company offers fast speeds even during peak internet times throughout the day, and their reliability is 99%. There are no contracts or equipment fees when signing up, and AT&T offers a fairly large credit if a customer terminates their old provider early to join them.
The company promises not to increase the price of their service in a year, which is a common disadvantage for some providers. If customers have had this happen before, they are more inclined to check for a hidden fee like that. There is also no annual contract or data caps with AT&T Fiber.
Their service has a unique security measure called Smart Home Manager. It is an app and offers additional security protocols and features to help customers feel safer. In an age that gets scarier by the day, extra security measures are becoming increasingly more popular.
Top Features:
- No price increase after one year
- Smart Home Manager app
Top Southwest Fiber Internet Provider: Quantum Fiber
Though the strongest connection truly depends on the customer’s specific address, Quantum Fiber is the best option in most areas of the Southwest. The company has a 99.9% reliability rating, unlimited data and a promised fast fiber speed. There is no annual contract and no bundling required for a good deal.
Quantum offers equal upload and download speeds as long as the storage does not exceed two gigabytes. A notable perk is that the monthly rate stays the same for as long as customers have the plan.
Quantum Wi-Fi also adapts as customers use it, directing extra bandwidth to active devices on the network. The company also promises a 100% fiber-optic network and Wi-Fi coverage for the whole home. Their main motto is budget-friendly value with a reliable internet connection.
Top Features:
- Same price for life
- Budget-friendly value, reliable connection
Top Western Fiber Internet Provider: Google Fiber
Google Fiber is the top fiber internet provider in the West. Upon signing up, Google Fiber offers a personalized, in-home network setup from a technology professional, which is great for people who do not want to do it themselves. Service also comes with an internet battery backup in case of an outage, which is a great perk for customers who work from home.
Additionally, if internet service is down for more than 45 minutes, Google will refund a percentage of the customer’s bill that month. The company is gradually trying to grow their internet service, offering the same perks in new regions beyond the West. The latest technology is also always being implemented to strengthen service for customers.
Google Fiber’s prices are also supposed to stay the same for the first thirteen years of service, so customers do not have to worry about immediate rising costs once they have had their plan for a while. The company website also offers a speed test for potential customers to check their current internet speed and compare it to Google Fiber’s speed.
Top Features:
- Internet battery backup
- Same price for the first 13 years
Methodology
These providers were chosen based on careful research of the top fiber internet providers in each region of the United States. They were also compared via their websites and different features to determine their ranking on this list.
Choosing the Best Provider
Because internet connection is so important today, choosing the best provider requires careful research on not only each company’s offerings but also how good their connection is in the region where a customer lives. Hopefully, this list got the gears turning for some possible options.