Best Internet Providers in Albuquerque - CNET
- Prices from $30 – $70 per month
- Speeds from 200 – 940Mbps
- Unlimited data
- Prices from $50 per month
- Speeds from 72 – 245Mbps
- Unlimited data
- Prices from $20 – $300 per month
- Speeds from 75 – 6,000Mbps
- Data caps on some plans
According to the city tourism website, sunny Albuquerque is growing at 1 to 2% a year. With that growth comes increased internet options. For instance, Vexus Fiber announced in the fall of 2021 that it is bringing a fiber-to-the-home network for the entire city, with construction ongoing for at least three years.
However, Albuquerque currently ranks 74th for internet speeds in a list of the top 100 cities listed by Ookla. The city had a median download speed of approximately 180 megabits per second, below the 202Mbps download speeds for fixed broadband nationally. Ookla ranks Xfinity’s speed as the fastest in the city, at nearly 238Mbps median download speeds.
You need to look beyond any speed test results to get a broadband plan that works best for your home. Yes, CNET considers speeds, but we also look at key factors like internet connection type, customer service, pricing and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Albuquerque.
Best internet providers in ABQ
Another thing to note when reviewing our recommendations for the best internet providers: All prices listed include applicable discounts for setting up automatic monthly payments.
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Product details
CenturyLink is notable for the low price-to-speed ratio of its fiber plans. However, it should be noted that many serviceable locations will only have access to its much slower DSL tiers, which are less appealing as far as speed goes, but still reasonably priced for DSL.
Availability: According to the Federal Communications Commission, CenturyLink has wide availability in Albuquerque, with about 88% of residents covered. Some notable areas that don’t receive service are east of South Valley, west of Arenal and north of Netherwood Park.
Plans and pricing: CenturyLink has pricing in the $30- to $70-a-month range. Notably, its fiber internet has speeds up to 940Mbps and is $70 monthly. The $50 monthly price covers all its DSL plans, ranging up to 100Mbps for speeds. The lowest fiber tier, 200Mbps, is priced at $30 a month.
Fees and service details: All plans boast no annual contract. The Gigabit fiber plan features no monthly charge for the modem. All other tiers have an optional $15 monthly modem fee, but none of the plans have data caps.
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T-Mobile Home Internet
Best fixed wireless among internet providers in Albuquerque
Product details
T-Mobile stands out as a top provider because of its affordability, availability and the ease of no contracts or data caps.
Availability: T-Mobile Home Internet is a fairly recent addition to Albuquerque, as it came in the spring of 2021. That said, coverage is pretty widespread in the Albuquerque area, to the tune of over 93%, according to the FCC map. A few gaps exist, including the Armijo area, spots west of Arenal and around Barelas. But most importantly, even if the service is available in your area, you’ll need to plug in your address on the T-Mobile Home Internet eligibility site to determine if there’s an open spot.
Plans and pricing: The one no-fuss plan is a flat $50 a month. However, you might be able to get internet for $30 monthly if you bundle internet and a Go5G Plus or Magenta Max phone line.
Fees and service details: T-Mobile Home Internet features no equipment fees, data caps or contracts. There is a one-time activation fee of $35, but several deals might cover that expenditure’s cost.