Jacksonville, Florida, has warm weather and beautiful beaches, but did you know it’s also known for its excellent and reliable internet service providers? In fact, Jacksonville ranks among the top 30 US cities for fast broadband, with median download speeds exceeding 249Mbps. With that in mind, AT&T Fiber is the best internet provider in Jacksonville, according to CNET experts.
AT&T Fiber offers average download speeds of over 300Mbps, with plans ranging up to 5,000Mbps, making it the fastest ISP in the area. If you’re looking for a more affordable option, Xfinity has a $55 plan that provides speeds of up to 300Mbps.
CNET’s analysis reveals that internet providers may advertise download speeds that differ from those experienced by users. When searching for the best internet in Jacksonville, you should consider factors such as pricing, connection type, speed and availability. CNET reviews these factors, along with customer service, to recommend broadband options.
Best internet providers in River City
Our recommendations for the best internet providers are based on analyzing contract flexibility, speed, price, data caps and extra fees. 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 here 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.
Overview of internet providers in Jacksonville
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Fiber Read full review |
Fiber | $55-$245 | 300-5,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| HughesNet Read full review |
Satellite | $50-$95 ($75-$120 after 12 months) | 50-100Mbps | $15 or $350 one-time purchase | 15-200GB (no hard data cap) | 2 years | 5.7 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$55 with eligible phone plan). | 87-415Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$75 ($35-$60 with eligible phone plan) | 25-250Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
| Viasat | Satellite | $70-$400 | 25-150Mbps | $15 a month or $300 one-time purchase | 40GB-300GB | 2 years | 6.1 |
| Xfinity Read full review |
Cable | $55-$115 | 300-1,200Mbps | $15 (optional) | 1.2TB on some plans | Varies by plan | 7 |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
All available Jacksonville residential internet providers
Beyond the top providers we’ve listed, several other ISPs are available in Jacksonville, though some cover only small portions of the city.
- Kinetic by Windstream: This provider offers DSL in the Jacksonville area that goes up to 100Mbps. Kinetic also offers fiber service in surrounding cities like Bryceville. Fiber runs about $20 per month for 100Mbps, $40 per month for 300Mbps, $40 per month for 1,000Mbps and goes up to $100 for 2,000Mbps. DSL is $30 to $60 per month.
- NEFCOM Communications: NEFCOM offers 15 to 500Mbps plans with prices ranging from $80 to $150 monthly. In 2019, it started its Fiber to the Home initiative in Baker County.
- Satellite internet: There are several options for satellite internet. Providers include HughesNet, Viasat and Starlink. Satellite providers can be more expensive for lower speeds, but HughesNet stands out for its $50 per month starting price. Viasat offers 25 to 150Mbps for $70 to $400. Starlink is a new offering from SpaceX that is still expanding.
- Verizon 5G Home Internet: Verizon starts at $35 per month if you pair home internet with an eligible mobile line and autopay. The service features 25 to 250Mbps for average speeds.
Pricing details on Jacksonville home internet service
The average starting price for internet service in Jacksonville is approximately $46 per month. Of the major cities CNET has covered thus far, that figure puts it right in the middle, on par with cities like Atlanta, Houston and Phoenix.
Cheap internet options in the Jacksonville metro area
The cheapest price for internet service in Jacksonville is $50 per month. At that price, you can get Verizon or T-Mobile’s 5G home plans, which feature up to 100Mbps and 318Mbps download speeds, respectively, but you can drop these prices even more if you have mobile service with them. Otherwise, there are also AT&T Fiber or Xfinity 300Mbps plans for $55.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in Jacksonville?
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Fastest internet providers in Jacksonville
The fastest internet speed providers in the Jacksonville area are AT&T and Xfinity. Each provider offers plans that hit 1 Gig or higher. If you want more details on optimizing speed, check out CNET’s guide on the best multi-gig plans.
What are the fastest internet plans in Jacksonville?
| Provider | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Starting price | Data cap | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Fiber 5 Gig Read full review |
5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | $245 | None | None |
| AT&T Fiber 2 Gig Read full review |
2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | $145 | None | None |
| Xfinity Gigabit Extra Read full review |
1,200Mbps | 35Mbps | $115 | 1.2TB | 2 years |
| AT&T Fiber 1 Gig Read full review |
1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | $80 | None | None |
| Xfinity Gigabit Read full review |
1,000Mbps | 20Mbps | $65 | 1.2TB | 2 years |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What’s the final word on internet providers in Jacksonville?
Jacksonville is a large city with updated technology, so you have some decent options for internet service. You can get fast speeds up to 5,000Mbps from AT&T Fiber (in some locations) and prices as low as $50 per month from Xfinity.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Jacksonville
There are many internet service providers out there, and they’re also 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. And while ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes, we make sure all information provided is accurate as of the time of publication.
Once we’ve 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?
The answer to those questions is often layered and complex, but 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, although we also factor in variables including 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. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)
To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.
Internet providers in Jacksonville FAQs
Is fiber internet available in Jacksonville?
Yes. Your best option for fiber internet in Jacksonville is AT&T. It offers the fastest speeds in the area. You might also find fiber offerings from EarthLink, but it’s using the AT&T network and requires a one-year contract, so you’re better off going to the source.
Which internet provider in Jacksonville offers the fastest plan?
A few internet providers in Jacksonville go above 1 Gig, including Xfinity and AT&T. If you have intense speed needs — like a high amount of streaming and gaming from multiple devices — look into these plans. The fastest overall is AT&T’s 5 Gig plan, but it’s not available at all addresses.
Is AT&T or T-Mobile Home Internet better?
Both ISPs can be a decent option for Jacksonville residents, depending on what you’re looking for in your home internet. AT&T Fiber offers faster plans (up to 5,000Mbps in some areas) and symmetrical download and upload speeds. However, if you don’t have multiple users in your household and don’t need extreme speed, T-Mobile offers the more affordable option at $50 per month, which is $5 less than AT&T’s cheapest plan. Neither provider requires contracts or data caps.
