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The best internet providers in Dallas: Top local ISPs compared
Everything is bigger in Texas, including your range of choices for an Internet service provider. For simplicity, we have listed four of the best internet service providers in the Dallas area, ranked by what we believed to be relevant information. We looked at several key characteristics, focusing more precisely on their overall connection and download speeds, contract length, and their starting prices, as well as other key features like customer satisfaction scores.
Here's a quick breakdown of the four providers we chose:
Connection type | Cable | Fiber-optic | Fiber-optic | Fiber-optic |
Download speeds | 60 - 1000Mbps | 5 - 1000Mbps | 75 - 1000Mbps | 60 - 1000Mbps |
Starting price | $40/mo. | $50/mo. | $27.99/mo. | $49.99/mo. |
Contract length | 1 year | 1 year | None of 2 years | 1 year |
Data cap | 400 - 6000GB | 1TB | None | N/A |
2/5 | 5/5 | 2/5 | 3/5 |
Data as of 01/22/2020.
Why stop at just internet? If you are looking for an additional cellphone, cable, or other bonuses when considering an internet service provider, AT&T Wireless offers a number of cable packages -- including DIRECTV -- which starts at $89.99 / mo. for 12 months (plus taxes).
Whether you are looking to provide television and internet service for your home or a variety of cell phone options for a sprawling family, AT&T offers a number of different packages to suit your digital needs. AT&T's got the firepower to back up their offers: Their 1TB data cap generates enough data to host all the appliances you want under your plan.
Scrimpers and savers, rejoice. Frontier's offerings are some of the cheapest starting plans around, with $27.99 a month for up to 24 months with their starter services. You can download at up to 500Mbps for $39.99 with a simple upgrade, which made Frontier one of the cheapest rates for downloading quality upgrades.
Frontier's fiber network, FiberOptic, is a great fit for your home Wi-Fi hotspot delivering download speeds up to 940Mbps that can power up the wireless internet connections for your tablets, laptops, smartphones, gaming consoles and connected home gadgets.
Frontier also features unlimited data caps, as well as technical support. You can also apply to receive a Visa Rewards Card through their online programs as well, depending on the promotions running when you sign up.
Mediacom boasts impressive high-speed internet ranging from 60 Mbps to a whopping 1,000 Mbps. It's unlikely that you'll need speeds that high; even 100 Mbps is plenty for a household of video streamers, although the extra speed is a nice buffer if you live with many online gamers. And if your home has previously had trouble maintaining those high speeds, Mediacom has you covered: Its Xtream WiFi mesh system helps eliminate dead zones.
As a small redemption for its subpar customer service, Mediacom does offer a 90-day money-back guarantee. If you experience any grievances within the first 90 days of service, you may cancel your service without penalty.
Spectrum covers all of the Dallas and Fort Worth areas but with some limitations near the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. If you are a small business looking to power your company's internet (and you're not near the airport), then Spectrum uniquely offers Spectrum Business, with perks such as free business email accounts for all employees, as well as your own web hosting and domain services.
With three plans, Spectrum Internet prices ranging from $50 to $105 and speeds ranging from 200Mbps to 940Mbps. Their plans come with no contracts, data caps, or extra fees. They include a free modem rental, free access to a nationwide network of WiFi hotspots, and security software. However, unless you request self-installation, there is an installation fee.
How we found the best internet providers in Dallas
We looked at several key features when determining the best Dallas internet service providers:
- Coverage: What makes a good Internet service provider? More than anything, it is the range of coverage they provide, and as such, this was the number one characteristic we investigated.
- Value: Specific pricing, monthly contracts, speed ranges – all of these qualities add up to the overall value you search for in an Internet service provider. These concepts informed our research when looking to meet your customer needs, as the best providers will have combinations of any or all of these.
- Customer Satisfaction: We used customer satisfaction reports from J.D. Power to get an indication of each company's reputation among their customer base. Typically, most internet companies do not score highly, but these votes correlate with metrics like billing, customer-to-provider communication, and service reliability.
See also: Best internet provider 2021
What are the average starting prices of internet in Dallas?
Most low-end packages in the Dallas area range from $30 - $45 a month for your first year or so, depending on the terms of the agreement. Be sure to read the fine print on the provider you choose, as several plans range from a year to two years.
A number of additional characteristics often defines starting price, so make sure you meet your household's internet needs before making a selection.
What are the internet service providers with the greatest range of service in Dallas?
AT&T, Frontier, and Spectrum currently provide the widest range of service in the Dallas area.
Looking for additional perks to your internet service provider?
What should I look for when choosing an internet service provider?
Need help on specifics? Feel free to use our guide for all the information and guidance you need to help you choose the internet service provider best suited for your needs.