HomeUncategorizedBest Internet Providers in Maryland – CNET

Best Internet Providers in Maryland – CNET

October 21, 2023

Best Internet Providers in Maryland - CNET

What is the best internet provider in Maryland?

Verizon Fios is the best internet service provider overall for most households in Maryland because of speed, straightforward plans and availability across most of the state’s major metro areas. That being said, Verizon Fios service isn’t available everywhere in Maryland, so Xfinity or T-Mobile Home Internet are also solid picks, depending on what’s available in your area. 

If you’re on the hunt for the lowest prices or the fastest speeds, we’ve also found those top options. The cheapest internet in Maryland is Breezeline’s cable offering of 100 megabits per second for $20 a month. Shentel’s Glo Fiber 5,000Mbps plan is one of the fastest in Maryland, but availability is limited. Xfinity’s 2,000Mbps and 1,200Mbps plans are easier to find across the state. There are more ISPs in Maryland than we cover in this guide, but you’ll find a range of large and small ISPs alongside providers with the widest coverage across the state.

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Our methodology

CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Maryland across several 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 are variable: certain addresses may qualify for different service tiers, 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. 

Also, 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. At the same time, the text is specific to what’s available in Maryland. 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 signing a term contract or bundling with multiple services. 

To learn more about how we review internet providers, visit our full methodology page.

Best internet in Maryland in 2023

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Verizon Fios

Best internet provider in Maryland

Read full review

Verizon’s fiber network (not to be confused with its DSL, LTE or 5G home internet offerings) hits the sweet spot for speed, availability, straightforward plans and customer satisfaction. It’s the most wide-reaching residential fiber ISP in the Old Line State.

. . . Or call to order: Call to Learn More (877) 545-6781

Check with Verizon

Product details

Price range $50 – $120 per month Speed range 300 – 2,000Mbps Connection Fiber Key Info Unlimited data, no contracts, free equipment with gig service

Pros and Cons

Pros

• All Verizon Fios plans are 100% fiber, with symmetrical download and upload speeds
• No data caps or allowances on any plans
• No term agreements necessary on any plans

Cons

• Low fiber availability for a national company
• While Fios and 5G are affordable, LTE and DSL options are pricey

Availability Verizon Fios fiber internet is available in the Baltimore, Bethesda, Columbia and Germantown metro areas. In April 2023, Verizon announced a major rural fiber expansion push in the counties of Charles, Garrett, Cecil, Howard, St. Mary’s and Washington. Notably, some sections of central Baltimore aren’t covered by Fios but may be included instead by Verizon 5G Home Internet with speeds up to 1,000Mbps.

Plans and pricing There are three plans to choose from: 300Mbps for $50 per month, 500Mbps for $70 or 940Mbps for $90. Speeds are symmetrical, except for the 940Mbps plan, which has 880Mbps uploads. When bundling with an eligible phone plan, Verizon mobile customers can save $25 monthly.

Fees and service details A setup charge of $99 applies to some plans, but you may be able to get it waived with the gig plan. A router is included. There’s no data cap or contract. Keep an eye out for gift card offers of up to $200.

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Xfinity

Broadest coverage in Maryland

Read full review

No matter where you live in Maryland, chances are good Xfinity services your address with its cable network. The ISP offers some decent introductory pricing deals, including a 200Mbps service for $30 a month. It’s also one of the few multigigabit providers in the state, with speeds topping out at 2,000Mbps. 

. . . Or call to order: Call to Learn More (877) 498-5506

Check with Xfinity

Product details

Price range $20 – $300 per month Speed range 75 – 6,000Mbps Connection Cable Key Info Data caps on some plans, lots of plan options, solid customer satisfaction numbers

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Good variety of plans
• Some of the fastest residential plans available
• Above average scores in almost all customer satisfaction metrics

Cons

• Data caps for some plans
• Contracts often required to get the lowest price
• Steep jump from promo price to regular rates

Availability Xfinity covers nearly 87% of Maryland homes, according to FCC National Broadband Map data. That’s the most of any wired provider in the state. That means you’ll likely have Xfinity as an option unless you live in a rural area. 

Plans and pricing Xfinity’s most affordable plan is $30 a month for 200Mbps service, with pricing good for a year. The top-end 2,000Mbps Gigabit X2 service runs $120 a month. You’ll also find 400, 800, 1,000 and 1,200Mbps plans within that range, giving you many choices. 

Fees and service details Xfinity has been offering plans with no data caps and no contracts in Maryland. Equipment pricing can vary. Some plans include a gateway, while it costs $15 to add the gear to other plans. You can choose to skip that cost by providing your own equipment. Keep an eye on how long your introductory pricing period lasts, and prepare to negotiate when it expires.

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T-Mobile Home Internet

Best 5G home internet in Maryland

Read full review

T-Mobile and Verizon run neck and neck when providing 5G home internet. The choice between the two comes down to availability, the speeds you can get at your location and whether or not you’re a phone customer. Both offer an alternative to regular wired ISPs. T-Mobile gets a nod here thanks to its coverage area across Maryland. Here’s what you need to know about 5G home internet.

. . . Or call to order: Call to Learn More (877) 687-6988

Check with T-Mobile

Product details

Price range $50 per month Speed range 72 – 245Mbps Connection Fixed wireless Key Info Unlimited data, equipment included, no contracts, no additional fees

Pros and Cons

Pros

• No contracts
• No data caps
• Simple, affordable pricing
• Aggressively competitive with its terms and perks

Cons

• Speeds may vary
• Max download speeds don’t match fiber and cable
• Home internet customers deprioritized over mobile

Availability Check in on T-Mobile’s coverage map to see if its 5G Ultra Capacity network covers your area. Maryland is a bit patchwork, but the network is concentrated around more populated areas. However, network coverage doesn’t necessarily mean a home internet slot will be open. You may be asked to sign up for a waitlist.

Plans and pricing T-Mobile has one plan at $50 monthly for typical download speeds of 72 to 245Mbps. Bundle that with an eligible phone plan to get your home internet for as low as $30 a month. 

Fees and service details There are no data caps or contracts. Equipment is included. T-Mobile typically charges a $35 service fee when you sign up, but keep an eye out for a gift card to offset that charge.

Show more details

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Verizon 5G Home Internet

Best fixed wireless internet in Baltimore

Read full review

The Verizon Fios fiber network is our top pick for Maryland overall, but it doesn’t reach every part of Baltimore. If you don’t want to go with Xfinity and can’t get Fios, check into Verizon 5G Home Internet instead. It’s an especially good deal for Verizon mobile customers who bundle an eligible phone plan.

. . . Or call to order: Call to Learn More (877) 545-6781

Check with Verizon

Product details

Price range $50 – $70 per month (50% off for eligible 5G mobile customers) Speed range 85 – 1,000Mbps Connection Fixed wireless Key Info Unlimited data, no contracts, free equipment, 50% discount for qualifying Verizon mobile customers

Pros and Cons

Pros

• No data caps or contracts
• Straightforward pricing
• Faster download speeds than other fixed wireless services

Cons

• Speeds are not guaranteed and can fluctuate
• Home customers are second priority to mobile users on the network
• Upload speeds are comparable to cable but fall short of fiber

Availability Zoom in on Verizon’s coverage map and look for the dark red areas that mark the company’s 5G Ultra Wideband network. There’s good availability across Baltimore, alongside some patchwork areas of standard 5G coverage.

Plans and pricing There are two plans to choose from. The 5G Home plan offers up to 300Mbps downloads for $50 a month ($35 with eligible phone plan). The 5G Home Plus Plan has download speeds up to 1,000Mbps for $70 a month ($45 with eligible phone plan). That top speed eclipses T-Mobile Home Internet quite a bit, so the extra cost can be worth it if you need extra fast downloads. 

Fees and service details There are no data caps, contracts or equipment fees. Verizon has been dangling some bonus offers like a gift card or a HomePod for new home internet customers.

Show more details

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Rural internet options in Maryland

• Antietam Broadband: Cable and fiber provider Antietam Broadband services Washington County, including some rural areas. It’s been actively expanding its Flight Fiber network to include Hagerstown. Fiber speeds top out at 2,300Mbps for $100 a month. Equipment costs vary with service, but the company offers specials that cover the cost, or you can provide your own equipment. 
• Choptank Fiber: If you live on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and crave fiber internet, check in with your local provider, Choptank. The ISP is expanding its network and offers symmetrical speeds up to 2,500Mbps. Pricing ranges from $85 monthly for a 100Mbps plan to $280 for its fastest speed tier. There are no data caps or equipment fees, but Choptank requires a two-year commitment.
• Satellite internet: Starlink, HughesNet and Viasat compete to offer satellite internet service to households with few or no other options. Speeds can be slow, and the price is often more expensive than other kinds of internet connections, but it may be the only way for some rural homes to get online. 
• Shentel Glo Fiber: Shentel’s Glo Fiber service is available in parts of Frederick and is expanding into rural areas of Frederick County as well as the city of Salisbury. Glo Fiber plans run from $65 a month for 600Mbps up to $285 a month for 5,000Mbps. That top speed is one of Maryland’s fastest residential internet plans. The downside is the small Glo Fiber service area.
• Telegia: Telegia’s Skyburst fixed wireless service offers download speeds of 10 to 100Mbps across a broad area around Frederick County. The ISP is based in Frederick. Telegia reaches into rural areas that may have no other options besides satellite. You’ll have to contact Telegia for availability and pricing for your location. A router is included. Here’s how fixed wireless compares to other types of internet connections. 
• Towerstream: Rural residents of Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carrol, Frederick and Howard counties can check into fixed wireless ISP Towerstream. It’s not the cheapest service, so compare it with other options if you have any. Prices range from $45 per month for a 5Mbps service to $125 for 25Mbps.
• Verizon High Speed Internet: Verizon’s older DSL network reaches into areas where its fiber service doesn’t. Speeds may be very slow, however. You may get 15Mbps, or you may only be able to pull down 1Mbps. A phone plan is required, which brings your monthly cost to $75. You can choose between buying a $100 router or providing your own. There’s no annual contract. Consider this a last-ditch option if you can’t get faster or more affordable service at your address.

Internet breakdown by city in Maryland

CNET has covered the best ISPs in several major cities in Maryland. We’ve compiled information on internet connection types, data caps, max speeds and more. If you don’t see your hometown below, don’t worry — we’re working to add more city lists each week.

• Annapolis
• Baltimore 

Cheap internet options in Maryland

Most ISPs in Maryland have plans that cost around $50, but there are ways to slim that down. Xfinity’s widely available 200Mbps Connect More plan runs $30 a month for the first year of service. It’s an especially good deal if you have your own equipment and don’t have to add $15 a month for an xFi Gateway rental. Verizon mobile customers with an eligible phone plan can pull down some pretty sweet home internet savings. With Fios, for example, you can get $25 off, bringing the lowest-price home internet plan down to $25 a month. 

Bethesda, Gaithersburg or Anne Arundel County residents with access to Astound Broadband’s network can get a one-year intro price of $25 a month for 300Mbps cable service. Breezeline’s cable plans start at $20 monthly for 100Mbps for the first year. Low-income households should check on eligibility for the federal Affordable Connectivity Program. Most ISPs participate, and it can get you free or cheap home internet.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Maryland

The best internet deals and the top promotions in Maryland depend on the discounts available during that period. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers. 

Maryland internet providers such as Xfinity may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, including Verizon Fios and Point Broadband, tend to 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 Maryland broadband?

Maryland does pretty well when it comes to broadband speeds. A recent Ookla ranking put Maryland in 12th place for fastest median download speeds among the states and Washington, DC. The Old Line State logged a median download speed of 216Mbps. That general peppiness in home internet speed is thanks in part to wide coverage by Verizon Fios and Xfinity across the state. Both offer plans in the gig range, making fast internet available to most households. 

The speeds you get at home will depend on many factors, including which ISPs are available and the internet technology you choose. Fiber has the advantage of fast uploads, which makes a difference if you move large files around. Maryland’s cable providers offer plans at the gig level or above, making them solid options for fast downloads.

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.

• 0 to 5Mbps allows you to tackle the basics — browsing the internet, sending and receiving email, streaming low-quality video.
• 5 to 40Mbps gives you higher-quality video streaming and videoconferencing.
• 40 to 100Mbps should give one person sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming. 
• 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two people to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming. 
• 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more people to engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming all at the same time.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Maryland

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. So 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. 

But 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: 

• Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds? 
• Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying? 
• Are customers happy with their service? 

While the answer to those questions is often layered and complex, 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, though 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, you can visit our How we test ISPs page.

What’s the final word on internet providers in Maryland?

Verizon Fios and Xfinity are the home internet heavyweights in Maryland. Thanks to reliability and fast upload speeds, fiber is nice if you can get it. That’s why we picked Fios as the top ISP in the state. With cable providers like Xfinity, you can typically get great introductory rates and access to gig speeds or above, but you’ll find yourself wrestling with a price hike down the line. Be sure to check which other ISPs are available at your address. You may find service from a local or regional ISP or another cable provider that works well for your speed needs or pocketbook.

Internet providers in Maryland FAQs

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