Best Internet Providers in Tampa, Florida - CNET
Tampa is a top relocation destination — and for good reason. The city has a lot to like, from its sandy beaches to championship-winning sports teams. Home internet options in Tampa aren’t half bad, either.
CNET considers speed, customer service, pricing and overall value to recommend the best internet providers in a city. After evaluating the available ISPs in Tampa, CNET’s pick for the best internet provider overall goes to Frontier Fiber. However, it’s not Tampa’s only ISP, so you’ll want to explore all available internet options in your area before deciding on the best provider for your needs.
Best internet service providers in Tampa
In my opinion, Frontier Fiber delivers the best mix of speed and value, but Spectrum or a wireless ISP like Verizon 5G Home Internet may make more sense for your home. I’ve listed what I consider to be the best internet providers in Tampa, along with plan and pricing details to help you decide which ISP is right for you. All prices listed on this page reflect available discounts for setting up paperless billing. If you decide not to go with automatic monthly payments, your price will be higher.
Note: The prices, speeds and features detailed in the article text may differ from those listed in the product detail cards, which represent providers’ national offerings. Your particular internet service options — including prices and speeds — depend on your address and may differ from those detailed here.
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Frontier Fiber
Best overall
Product details
Fiber internet is easy to recommend. It’s fast, reliable and, though it’s not always the go-to for cheap internet, it typically presents the best overall value. Frontier Fiber is a perfect example of the benefits of fiber internet service.
Availability: Frontier Fiber is available to around 70% of Tampa households, according to the Federal Communications Commission. Service can be found throughout the city and many surrounding areas, but those in the Sulfur Springs, Tampa Heights and West Tampa neighborhoods are most likely to be serviceable for Frontier Fiber.
Plans and pricing: You’ll have up to four options with Frontier Fiber, three of which come with max speeds of 1,000Mbps (1 gigabit) or higher. The fast speeds are tempting, but I consider the lowest Frontier Fiber plan one of the best internet deals on the market, with symmetrical speeds up to 500Mbps from $50 to $60 per month.
Service details: Frontier Fiber is very much “what you see is what you pay.” There are no equipment rental fees, data caps or contracts. Opting for Whole-Home Wi-Fi, which includes up to two mesh Wi-Fi devices, will add $10 to your monthly bill.
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Spectrum
Best for bundling
Product details
One of the few advantages cable internet has over fiber is bundling options. The coaxial cables that deliver cable TV service are also ideal for home internet. So, if you want to bundle internet and TV together, Spectrum will be your best bet in Tampa.
Availability: Spectrum’s cable network covers around 90% of households in Tampa. Many serviceability gaps are around public spaces such as Raymond James Stadium, the USF campus and Tampa International Airport. There are select residential areas throughout Tampa, particularly in Tampa Heights and Ybor City, that may be unserviceable for Spectrum Internet.
Plans and pricing: Spectrum offers two standalone internet plans in Tampa: download speeds of 500Mbps starting at $50 per month and gig service (up to 940Mbps) starting at $70 per month. That’s on par with Frontier Fiber, but upload speeds are much slower, 35Mbps max.
If you just need internet and both providers are available at your address, I’d recommend Frontier Fiber over Spectrum. On the other hand, Spectrum is the way to go if you want to bundle. The cable provider’s cheapest bundle includes speeds up to 500Mbps and around 75 streaming TV channels starting at $75 a month.
For those who prefer a more traditional cable TV package, Spectrum Internet plus the Select TV package, with up to 150 channels, starts at $110 per month. For $10 more per month, you can upgrade to the TV Select Plus package and get your regional sports networks for coverage of Lightning and Rays games, among other local sports.
Service details: Spectrum Internet comes with unlimited data and requires no contract. Renting a Wi-Fi router will add just $5 to your monthly bill.
If you add TV service, expect a few more fees, including a broadcast fee, higher equipment rental costs and a regional sports fee with the TV Select Plus package.