What is the best internet provider in Richardson?
Whether you’re looking to upgrade from your current internet provider or signing up for the first time, CNET has everything you need to know. As of right now, AT&T Fiber is the best internet provider overall for most households in Richardson. With symmetrical speeds and no data caps or monthly equipment costs, it’s a great choice for home internet in the city. If AT&T Fiber isn’t available at your address, Spectrum and T-Mobile are solid picks that also offer unlimited data.
If you’re hunting for the lowest monthly cost in Richardson, Astound Broadband offers a 300 megabits per second connection for $20 a month. Astound’s coverage is sparse in the area, so Spectrum's 100Mbps for $30 a month may be the cheapest option for most residents. And for those in need of speed, the fastest available internet speed in the city is 5,000Mbps, which is offered by AT&T Fiber for $245 a month.
Best internet in Richardson, Texas
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Other available internet providers in Richardson
Cheap internet options in Richardson
Astound Broadband offers 300Mbps for $20 a month for those searching for the cheapest option possible. Yet many residents in the area won’t be serviceable for Astound Broadband, according to the FCC’s coverage map. A more widely accessible option for cheap broadband is Spectrum’s Advantage plan, which offers download speeds of 100Mbps for only $30 a month.
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Richardson
The best internet deals and the top promotions in Richardson depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
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How Fast Should Your Home Internet Be?
Answer 3 easy questions to discover our recommended speed for your household.
Richardson internet providers, such as Spectrum and Astound Broadband, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, including AT&T and Verizon, run the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
How fast is Richardson broadband?
Recent Ookla speed test data ranks Texas as the 15th fastest state for broadband, with a median download speed of 224Mbps. For Richardson, Ookla reports that the city’s median download speed is around 318Mbps, surpassing the state average and the nearby city of Dallas’ median speed of 143Mbps. (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)
If you're searching for blazing-fast plans in Richardson, you have a few providers. AT&T Fiber offers speeds up to 5Gbps, which is pretty fast for home internet. AT&T's speediest plan will cost you $245 a month. Spectrum offers 1 gig of speed for $70 monthly if you can only access a cable connection.
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 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.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Richardson
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. What's our approach? For starters, we tap into a proprietary pricing, availability and speed database that draws from our own historical ISP data, partner data 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:
The answer to those questions is often layered and complex, but 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.
What's the final word on internet providers in Richardson?
Although you might have to go with whatever provider is available at your household, there are still plenty of speedy plans and affordable options in Richardson. AT&T Fiber ranks as the top choice for residents due to its symmetrical download and upload speeds and simple service details. If you want to bundle your TV service and internet, Spectrum is the best option in town. For smaller households, T-Mobile Home Internet is also a solid choice in the area and might fit your home internet needs better.