Best Internet Providers in Lansing, Michigan – CNET
Posted on October 25, 2023
Best Internet Providers in Lansing, Michigan - CNET
What is the best internet provider in Lansing?
Xfinity is the best internet provider in Lansing, with extremely low starting prices, fast download speeds and equipment fees included in most plans. That said, prices increase significantly after the promotional period ends, and you’ll have to commit to a contract on most plans to get the best price.
AT&T Fiber is the fastest internet provider in Lansing, with symmetrical upload and download speeds up to 5,000Mbps, unlimited data and no equipment fees. Unfortunately, it isn’t as widely available as Xfinity. T-Mobile Home Internet isn’t as fast as Xfinity or AT&T Fiber, but it costs only $50 per month, and that price is locked in for as long as you remain a customer.
CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Lansing across a number 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 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.
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, while the text is specific to what’s available in Lansing. 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 Lansing, Michigan, in 2023
<div id="0c8ab087-b50d-4a0e-8455-ddab8fc08503" content="LIST ITEM" superlative="Best internet provider in Lansing, MI" linktext="Read our Xfinity Internet review" linkurl="https://www.cnet.com/home/internet/xfinity-internet-review/" like="" dislike="" offer="{"id":"0fb8868e-93e4-4bcb-af49-50ba635a602b","label":"Xfinity Internet","slug":"xfinity-internet","edition":["us"],"imageId":"","imgUrl":"","imageHeight":0,"imageWidth":0,"typeLabel":"Product","objectType":"content_product","icon":""}" techobjectinfo="{"uuid":"0fb8868e-93e4-4bcb-af49-50ba635a602b","name":"Xfinity Internet","slug":"xfinity-internet","productType":"PRODUCT","updateType":"PRISM","mod":1698098994405,"displayDate":"Mon Oct 23 2023 15:09:54 GMT-0700 (Pacific Daylight Time)"}" overridecredit="" overridecaption="
Xfinity offers some of the cheapest and fastest internet plans in Lansing, and it’s available at 96% of homes in the city, according to FCC data. Like with all cable internet providers, you’ll have to deal with slow upload speeds, which could be a problem for gamers or remote workers. Xfinity’s prices typically increase in the second or third year (or both) and sometimes require committing to a contract to get the best price. Still, Xfinity received above-average customer satisfaction scores from J.D. Power in Lansing’s region.
...Or call to learn more: 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
Show more details
<div id="4d5c9b44-08a0-4a53-8621-8d256da36030" content="LIST ITEM" superlative="Fastest internet in Lansing, Michigan" linktext="Read our AT&T home internet review" linkurl="https://www.cnet.com/home/internet/att-internet-review/" like="" dislike="" offer="{"id":"0647f8d4-96f3-4525-ab6c-f551c14e9ad2","label":"AT&T Fiber","slug":"at-t-fiber","edition":["us"],"imageId":"","imgUrl":"","imageHeight":0,"imageWidth":0,"typeLabel":"Product","objectType":"content_product","icon":""}" techobjectinfo="{"uuid":"0647f8d4-96f3-4525-ab6c-f551c14e9ad2","name":"AT&T Fiber","slug":"at-t-fiber","productType":"PRODUCT","updateType":"PRISM","mod":1698099050201,"displayDate":"Mon Oct 23 2023 15:10:50 GMT-0700 (Pacific Daylight Time)"}" overridecredit="" overridecaption="
When AT&T Fiber offers service in a city, it’s almost always our top recommendation. It’s not as widely available as Xfinity in Lansing — coverage is best in neighborhoods like Colonial Village and Old Forest — but if you can get it, you absolutely should. All AT&T Fiber plans offer the same upload and download speeds, equipment is included in the price and your bill won’t automatically go up after a year or two.
...Or call to learn more: Call to Learn More (866) 431-6052
Check with AT&T
Product details
Price range $55 – $250 per month Speed range 300 – 5,000Mbps Connection Fiber Key Info Unlimited data, no contracts, equipment included
Pros and Cons
Pros
No contracts required to receive the lowest available price
No data caps for any fiber plans
Valuable perks and promotional offers
Cons
Much slower DSL plans are more prevalent than fiber options
Data caps enforced on all non-fiber plans
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<div id="c583f9ab-9940-4030-88eb-cdcba40697fb" content="LIST ITEM" superlative="Best fixed wireless internet in Lansing, Michigan" linktext="Read our T-Mobile Home Internet review" linkurl="https://www.cnet.com/home/internet/t-mobile-5g-home-internet-review/" like="" dislike="" offer="{"id":"fa4df4a3-5127-4e42-b8f9-4709b107a4c3","label":"T-Mobile","slug":"t-mobile-tmobilebroadband","edition":["us"],"imageId":"","imgUrl":"","imageHeight":0,"imageWidth":0,"typeLabel":"Product","objectType":"content_product","icon":""}" techobjectinfo="{"uuid":"fa4df4a3-5127-4e42-b8f9-4709b107a4c3","name":"T-Mobile","slug":"t-mobile-tmobilebroadband","productType":"PRODUCT","updateType":"PRISM","mod":1698099110038,"displayDate":"Mon Oct 23 2023 15:11:50 GMT-0700 (Pacific Daylight Time)"}" overridecredit="" overridecaption="
If you’re sick of dealing with the traditional ISPs, T-Mobile’s fixed wireless internet is a refreshingly simple alternative. There’s only one plan available for $50 per month, there are no hidden fees and they won’t ever raise your price. Because it uses a wireless signal, T-Mobile is more prone to network congestion than other providers. Still, most people are happy with their service — T-Mobile has the highest customer satisfaction score of any non-fiber ISP in the American Customer Satisfaction Index’s survey.
...Or call to learn more: 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
Show more details
<div id="3f757dec-eb2e-4a69-be64-9e3b437702b7" content="LIST ITEM" superlative="Best regional internet in Lansing, Michigan" linktext="Read our Metronet home internet review" linkurl="https://www.cnet.com/home/internet/metronet-home-internet-review/" like="" dislike="" offer="{"id":"308b7378-07bb-4e96-9e0c-9f23a32ea582","label":"Metronet","slug":"metronet","edition":["us"],"imageId":"","imgUrl":"","imageHeight":0,"imageWidth":0,"typeLabel":"Product","objectType":"content_product","icon":""}" techobjectinfo="{"uuid":"308b7378-07bb-4e96-9e0c-9f23a32ea582","name":"Metronet","slug":"metronet","productType":"PRODUCT","updateType":"PRISM","mod":1698099154774,"displayDate":"Mon Oct 23 2023 15:12:34 GMT-0700 (Pacific Daylight Time)"}" overridecredit="" overridecaption="
Metronet’s fiber internet plans are available to 27% of Lansing residents, starting at just $30 per month. Normally, that combination of fiber internet at low prices would be enough to grab our top spot, but Metronet has some frustrating shortcomings. There’s a monthly $12 “Tech Assure” fee on all plans, and prices increase multiple times on each plan.
...Or call to learn more: Call to Learn More (877) 643-9162
Check with Metronet
Product details
Price range $55 – $115 per month Speed range 200 – 3,000Mbps Connection Fiber Key Info Unlimited data, no contracts, no equipment fee
Pros and Cons
Pros
Unlimited data
No contracts required
Monthly price includes a wireless router
100% fiber across its entire footprint
Cons
Solid overall pricing offset by middle-of-the-road cheapest plan
How to find internet deals and promotions in Lansing
The best internet deals and the top promotions in Lansing depend on what discounts are available during that period. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Lansing internet providers such as Xfinity may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, however, including AT&T Fiber, T-Mobile and Metronet, run the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of promotions, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
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.
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 user sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming.
500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Lansing
Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. So what’s our approach? We start by researching the pricing, availability and speed information drawing on our own historical ISP data, the provider sites 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.
What is the best internet service provider in Lansing?
Xfinity is Lansing’s best internet service provider, with the best combination of availability, price and speed. AT&T Fiber isn’t as widely available, which keeps it out of the top spot. If you can get it at your address, we’d recommend it over Xfinity.
