Best Internet Providers in Scottsdale, Arizona - CNET
- Prices: $30 – $70 per month
- Speeds: 200 – 940Mbps
- Unlimited data
- Prices: $40 – $100 per month
- Speeds: 25 – 2,000Mbps
- 1.25TB monthly data allowance
- Prices: $50 per month
- Speeds: 72 – 245Mbps
- Unlimited data
There’s a clear decision tree when it comes to picking an internet provider in Scottsdale. If your household can get a fiber connection from CenturyLink (now known as Quantum Fiber), that’s a slam dunk. Otherwise, you’re best off with Cox, which offers cable internet to just about every address in the area.
That noted, Cox is unpopular with some residents. In 2015, Scottsdale’s city council delayed a decision to allow Google Fiber to open up shop in the area after Cox filed a lawsuit against the city of Tempe over a similar deal.
That has stunted the fiber rollout in Scottsdale. Cox refers to some area plans as “fiber,” but with much lower upload speeds than download speeds, they’re a lesser variant that’s closer to a cable connection. True fiber internet offers symmetrical upload and download speeds.
Our team considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Scottsdale across a variety of categories. Our evaluation includes referencing a proprietary database built over years of reviewing internet services. We validate that against provider information by spot-checking local addresses for service availability. We also do a close read of providers’ terms and conditions and, when needed, will call ISPs to verify the details.
Despite our efforts to find the most recent and accurate information, our process has some limitations you should know about. Pricing and speed data is variable: Certain addresses may qualify for different tiers of service and monthly costs may vary, even within a city. The best way to identify your particular options is to plug your address into a provider’s website.
Note that the prices, speed and other information listed above and in the provider cards below may differ from what we found in our research. The cards display the full range of a provider’s pricing and speed across the US, according to our database of plan information provided directly by ISPs, while the text is specific to what’s available in Scottsdale. The prices referenced within this article’s text come from our research and include applicable discounts for setting up automatic payments each month — a standard industry offering. Other discounts and promotions might be available as well, for things like committing to a contract or bundling with a cellphone plan.
To learn more about how we review internet providers, visit our methodology page.
Best internet options in Scottsdale
Scottsdale residents have three main options when it comes to internet: CenturyLink (now known as Quantum Fiber), Cox and T-Mobile Home Internet. We’ve also outlined some other providers below, but they’re only worth considering if you can’t get one of the top three.
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CenturyLink/Quantum Fiber
Best overall internet provider in Scottsdale
Product details
Scottsdale residents looking for reliable and fast fiber internet need look no further than CenturyLink (now known as Quantum Fiber). Offering speeds up to 940 megabits per second, no long-term contract requirements, unlimited data and symmetrical download and upload speeds, CenturyLink’s fiber internet provides the best of both worlds: a reliable connection at a reasonable price, which is part of the reason it ranks second among all US providers in the 2023 American Customer Satisfaction Index’s evaluation. That noted, CenturyLink’s slower DSL plans are more widely available than its fiber service and we would only recommend them if you can’t get fiber service or a cable connection from Cox, T-Mobile or Verizon.
Availability: CenturyLink offers broadband to 62% of Scottsdale households, according to Federal Communications Commission mapping data, with fiber-optic connections clustered around the Arcadia, Papago Parkway and Vista Del Camino neighborhoods.
Plans and pricing: Two fiber plans are available in Scottsdale from CenturyLink: 200Mbps upload and download speed for $30 per month and 940Mbps for $70.
Fees and service details: CenturyLink offers installation and a CenturyLink modem for free to new customers. A mesh Wi-Fi system is included with the $70 plan, but costs an extra $15 each month on the $30 plan. You can use your own router to skip that $15 charge.
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Product details
Though Cox has been the default option for internet in the Scottsdale area for a long time, we think CenturyLink’s fiber plans offer a better value. Still, Cox is a worthy backup, with both cable and fiber plans. It’s worth noting that the company’s cable service is more widely available, and what Cox calls “fiber” is a bit misleading; the upload speeds are significantly slower than the download speeds. Most pure fiber service features “symmetrical” or equal upload and download speeds, which is optimal for HD videoconferencing and online gaming.
Availability: You can get Cox almost anywhere in Scottsdale, with coverage reaching over 99% of the city’s households.
Plans and pricing: Cox’s cable or fiber plans cost about the same: You can get 100Mbps download/5Mbps upload speeds for $50 a month, 250/10Mbps for $70, 500/10Mbps for $90 ($70 in first year on Cox’s cable plans) and 1,000/35Mbps for $110 ($100 with a one-year contract).
Fees and service details: Cox’s internet plans don’t require an annual contract, and its router is included at no extra cost. All plans include a 1.25TB monthly data cap, but it’s currently waived on all plans for the first two years.