HomeUncategorizedBest Internet Providers in Columbia, Missouri – CNET

Best Internet Providers in Columbia, Missouri – CNET

October 27, 2023

Best Internet Providers in Columbia, Missouri - CNET

What is the best internet provider in Columbia?

Brightspeed is Columbia’s best internet service provider, offering the best combination of speed, price and availability. The fiber internet provider reaches upload and download speeds up to 940Mbps, and there are no data caps or contracts required. 

Socket Fiber is the fastest internet provider in Columbia, with speeds reaching 1,000Mbps. It’s significantly more expensive than Brightspeed, but the local provider has earned rave reviews from Columbia residents for its speed and reliability. 

If you’re looking for the lowest prices, Mediacom offers the cheapest internet in Columbia, with plans starting at $25 a month for download speeds up to 100Mbps. That plan increases to $40 a month in the second year, but it’s still the cheapest plan in the city even after the price hike.

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Our methodology

CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Columbia 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 Columbia. 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 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 Columbia, Missouri

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Brightspeed

Best internet provider in Columbia, MO

Read full review

Fiber internet is usually your best bet in any city, and in Columbia, that means Brightspeed. (The provider also offers slower DSL plans in the area; if you only see one plan available when you put in your address, it’s DSL, and we wouldn’t recommend it.) Brightspeed offers symmetrical upload and download speeds — ideal for gamers or remote workers — and you won’t have to worry about data caps or contracts.

. . . Or call to learn more: Call to Learn More (877) 510-6246

Check with Brightspeed

Product details

Price range $50 – $79 per month Speed range 10 – 940Mbps Connection DSL, fiber Key Info Unlimited data, no contracts

Show more details

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Socket Fiber

Fastest internet in Columbia, MO

Read full review

If you’re looking for the fastest speeds, Socket’s fiber internet has a slight edge on Brightspeed. It offers symmetrical upload and download speeds up to 1,000Mbps, and you won’t have to worry about data caps or contracts. You will pay a premium for that speed, though — Socket’s prices are significantly more expensive than Brightspeed and Mediacom’s. But if you ask Columbia’s subreddit what the best internet in Missouri is, the most common answer is Socket by far, with one person describing it as “lightning fast.”

. . . Or call to learn more: Call to Learn More

Check with Socket

Product details

Price range $70 – $125 per month Speed range 100 – 1,000Mbps Connection Fiber Key Info No data caps or contracts, optional equipment fee

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Symmetrical upload and download speeds
• Unlimited data
• Contracts aren’t required
• Great user reviews

Cons

• Expensive plans
• Limited availability

Show more details

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Mediacom

Cheapest internet in Columbia, MO

Read full review

Mediacom is the cheapest internet available in Columbia, but prices increase significantly in year two. You’ll pay $25 per month for 100/10Mbps (increases to $40 after a year), $45 for 300/20Mbps (increases to $95) and $55 for 1,000/50Mbps (increases to $150). Each Mediacom plan also comes with a data cap between 300 and 3,000GB. For context, the average US household uses 534GB of data each month. 

. . . Or call to learn more: Call to Learn More (877) 453-6401

Check with Mediacom

Product details

Price range $25 – $80 per month Speed range 100 – 1,000Mbps Connection Cable Key Info Up to 6TB monthly data allowance, low introductory rates, no contracts

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Gigabit download speeds available to over 97% of customers
• Great router hardware available to rent at a fair price

Cons

• Prices go up two years in a row with some plans

Show more details

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T-Mobile Home Internet

Best fixed wireless internet in Columbia, MO

Read full review

If shopping for internet gives you a migraine, T-Mobile Home Internet is one ISP that keeps things simple. There’s only one plan to pick from, and everything you’ll need is included in the $50 monthly price — no equipment fees, data caps or price increases. T-Mobile doesn’t offer speeds as fast as other ISPs in Columbia, but it’s still plenty for most households. 

. . . 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

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Columbia

Columbia’s best internet deals and top promotions depend on what discounts are available during a given period. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers. 

Columbia internet providers, such as Mediacom, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, however, including Brightspeed, Socket and T-Mobile, run the same standard pricing year-round. 

For a more extensive list of promotions, check out our guide on the best internet deals.

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 at the same time.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Columbia

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:

1. Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
2. Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?
3. 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 it comes to 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 also take into account real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports.

Internet providers in Columbia FAQs

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