Find Fiber Internet Providers Near You

Fiber is the gold standard for residential internet. It’s the only one capable of symmetrical download and upload speeds that are 1 Gbps or higher. Fiber internet providers have expanded their services to more cities and neighborhoods — not only to bridge the digital divide but also to meet the demands of modern users. See below which fiber internet providers are available in your area, along with speeds, pricing, and user experience.

Whether you work from home or play competitive online games, fiber internet reduces latency and improves video quality; it goes from SD to HD, or even 4K for compatible monitors. It also lets you upload large files as fast as you download them, usually within minutes. If your daily online activities require faster internet speeds, find out if — and which — fiber providers are near you.

The Best Fiber Deals Available Right Now

You’ll find everyday plan and pricing information about the best fiber providers in the chart above. But, don’t forget to look for fiber internet discounts and deals! Here are a few offers that we’re keeping an eye on right now:

AT&T Fiber Deals

• Six months of free AT&T Fiber internet (speeds up to 1 Gbps) when you add an unlimited wireless plan
• 20% off AT&T Fiber when paired with an unlimited wireless plan
• $150 Visa Reward Card with AT&T Fiber Internet 1000 or higher
• $100 Visa Reward Card with AT&T Fiber Internet 500
• $50 Visa Reward Card with AT&T Fiber Internet 300

CenturyLink Fiber Deals

• Free premium modem lease and installation ($329 value) with the CenturyLink Fiber Gigabit plan
• Free installation ($129 value) with the CenturyLink Simply Unlimited Fiber internet plan

EarthLink Fiber Deals

• Up to $200 Prepaid Mastercard with qualifying EarthLink Fiber purchase
• Free professional installation on EarthLink Fiber plans

Google Fiber Deals

• GFiber Wi-Fi 6E router included with the 2 Gig, 5 Gig, or 8 Gig plans

Optimum Fiber Deals

• Up to $400 on a Prepaid Mastercard for signing up ($400 8 Gig, $300 5 Gig, $200 2 Gig, $100 1 Gig, $50 500 Mbps)

Verizon Fios Deals

• Five-year price guarantee with all internet plans
• Free professional installation with Verizon Fios 1 Gig or 2 Gig plans

These fiber providers are the most popular. But, they still have limited coverage compared to traditional wired connections like DSL and cable. Before you commit to one of these providers, check if their fiber service is available in your area.

What to Know About Fiber Internet

Fiber internet transmits data over longer distances faster than other wired connections, such as DSL and cable. This is mostly thanks to its specialized cable structure, which is made of glass fibers rather than traditional copper wires. These glass fibers use light instead of electricity to transfer data. However, a fiber network requires a “fiber to the home” (FTTH) infrastructure. FTTH isn’t cheap and is the reason why its availability isn’t as expansive as DSL or cable.

If you’ve decided that fiber internet is the right fit for your needs, check for the available fiber providers that cover your area.

How Fast Is Fiber — and What Does That Speed Mean for You?

Fiber-optic internet is faster than other types of internet. But how fast is “faster,” and what does that mean for you?

The fastest fiber internet plans on the market today can reach 5, 8, or even 10 Gbps (and the theoretical “speed limit” for fiber is even higher). That’s mind-blowingly fast — up to 10 times faster than the fastest speeds available from cable providers (and DSL is even slower than that!).

It’s important to keep in mind that internet speeds actually have two dimensions: download and upload speeds. Download speed covers everything coming from the internet to your computer, like downloading files and loading streaming videos. Upload speed covers everything that’s moving from your computer out to the internet, like your smiling face on the webcam during your Zoom meetings.

One of fiber’s big appeals is that it offers symmetrical (meaning matching) upload and download speeds. That’s not true of cable or DSL; they both offer very slow upload speeds relative to their download speeds.

What about the difference between high-end and lower-tier fiber providers? The good news is that most users will find themselves very happy with 1 Gbps (so-called “gigabit speed”) internet. High-end plans may offer 5 to 10 Gbps. But, most residential users won’t even be able to tell the difference between 1-2 Gbps and 5-10 Gbps — both will seem instantaneous.

Shoppers should, however, be wary of providers that offer “fiber” plans that don’t actually use fiber connections for significant parts of their network. For example, some home internet plans boast fiber networks but use wireless connections for the “last mile” of the network that reaches your home. These plans can be good for some purposes, but they are not true high-speed, full-fiber options. Your connection will be bottlenecked by the nonfiber portion of the network.