Best Internet Providers in Dover, Ohio - CNET
Like many rural towns in Ohio, Dover residents don’t have a lot of options when it comes to internet. There are essentially only three high-speed internet providers operating in Dover, but all of them have widespread coverage in the city. CNET’s top pick for the best internet provider overall in Dover is Frontier Fiber, which has both the fastest speeds and the lowest prices. If you can’t get Frontier, you could do a lot worse than Spectrum and T-Mobile as backups, but both come with their own drawbacks.
Our team considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Dover across various categories. Our evaluation includes 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.
Our process has some limitations though. Pricing and speed data are 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 Dover. 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 also be available for things like committing to a contract or bundling with a cellphone plan.
To learn more about how we review internet providers, visit our full methodology page.
Top internet providers in Dover
Dover residents essentially have three options when it comes to home internet: Frontier Fiber, Spectrum and T-Mobile Home Internet. That’s fewer than most places, but the good news is that fast speeds are available just about everywhere. According to FCC data, 98% of Dover households have access to 250Mbps speeds, compared to 83% of Ohio and 87% of the country as a whole.
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Frontier Fiber
Best internet provider in Dover overall
Product details
Fiber internet is almost always the best choice for internet in any area, and most Dover residents have access to Frontier’s fiber plans. These give you fast upload and download speeds, and prices are on par with other providers in the area. However, Frontier scored below average nationwide for fiber providers in the most recent American Customer Satisfaction Index survey.
Availability: Fiber internet from Frontier is available to 71% of homes in Dover.
Plans and pricing: There are four Frontier Fiber plans in Dover: 500Mbps download and 500Mbps upload speeds for $40 a month, 1,000/1,000Mbps for $60, 2,000/2,000Mbps for $100 and 5,000/5,000Mbps for $155.
Fees and service details: There are no contracts, data caps or equipment charges with Frontier.
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Product details
If you can’t get Frontier Fiber at your address, Spectrum’s cable internet service is a solid backup option. The main drawback is its low upload speeds. On Spectrum’s 500Mbps plan, upload speeds only reach 20Mbps; Frontier’s same tier hits 500Mbps in both download and upload speed.
Availability: Spectrum is available to 93% of Dover residents.
Plans and pricing: Spectrum offers three plans in Dover: 100/10Mbps for $30 a month, 500/20Mbps for $50 and 1,000/35Mbps for $70. At some addresses, the cheapest plan available will be Spectrum’s 500Mbps plan. The price is guaranteed for two years; after that, Spectrum may increase the price.
Fees and service details: Spectrum charges $5 a month to rent a router, but you can also use your own to skip the fee. There are no data caps or contracts required.