Best Internet Providers in Bismarck, North Dakota - CNET
- Prices from $49 – $79 per month
- Speeds from 250 – 1,000Mbps
- Unlimited data
- Prices from $49 – $65 per month
- Speeds from 200 – 940Mbps
- Unlimited data
- Prices from $50 per month
- Speeds from 72 – 245Mbps
- Unlimited data
Bismarck residents don’t have a ton of options when it comes to picking an internet plan — at least compared to bigger cities. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t still excellent options, according to CNET’s analysis of locally available internet service providers.
Midco, our pick for the best internet in Bismarck, recently announced that it would invest $200 million to expand its fiber network in North Dakota, with the goal of servicing 10-gigabit speeds by 2030. Multiple other providers in the state’s capital currently offer gig speeds, the connections required to stream and game from several devices at once. That’s a rarity in a US city of this size — and you should be able to access fast, reliable internet at just about any address in the area.
Our team considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Bismarck 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 Bismarck. 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 full methodology page.
Best internet providers in Bismarck
The best internet providers in Bismarck strike a balance between speed, price and availability. Those listed below are widely available in the area, but you’ll still need to check your address to see what plans you can get.
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Product details
Midco offers fast, reliable cable internet to almost every address in Bismarck. Cable internet doesn’t provide the same symmetrical speeds as fiber, but Midco still reaches gig speeds. Midco is also the highest-rated ISP in the region by overall satisfaction, according to J.D. Power.
Availability: Midco plans are available virtually everywhere in Bismarck, covering 99% of households, according to Federal Communications Commission mapping data.
Plans and pricing: Midco has four internet plans in Bismarck. You can get download speeds of 250Mbps for $49, 500Mbps for $59, 750Mbps for $69 and 1,000Mbps for $79.
Fees and service details: Though Midco’s plans are competitively priced, the monthly price increases by $11 after the first year. All Midco internet plans feature unlimited data. The company charges $9 per month for a modem or $11 per month for a modem/router combo (if you don’t have your own Wi-Fi router).
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Product details
CenturyLink offers fiber-optic internet plans featuring speeds up to 940Mbps, with unlimited data and no contracts. Fiber internet is the fastest and most reliable connection available, providing the same upload and download speeds.
CenturyLink has a mixed reputation for customer satisfaction. According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index, CenturyLink scores below average for nonfiber service, though J.D. Power’s evaluation is more positive. Many of the specific complaints focus on CenturyLink’s slower DSL service — so it might be wise to avoid that.
Availability: CenturyLink is available to 74% of households in Bismarck, according to FCC data, but in much of the area, only its slower DSL plans are available.
Plans and pricing: CenturyLink’s fiber plans cost $50 per month for 100Mbps and $70 for 940Mbps, though pricing may vary by address. In fact, we saw the faster plan’s price fluctuate between $65 and $70 during our research before publishing this guide. The 100Mbps plan is among the cheapest you’ll find anywhere in Bismarck, though the higher-end plan is the better deal on a dollar-per-Mbps basis.
Fees and service details: CenturyLink doesn’t require a contract or credit check, and there’s no installation fee (if you set it up yourself). All plans feature unlimited data. You can use your own modem or lease one from CenturyLink for an additional $15 per month.