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Internet Providers in Des Moines, Iowa

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Home Internet in Des Moines, IA
  • Provider
    • CenturyLink
    • AT&T
    • Viasat
    • T-Mobile
    • Verizon
    • Mediacom
    • Hughesnet
    • XNET WiFi
    • Google Fiber
    • Metronet
    • UScellular
    • Starlink
    • Select All
  • Fastest Internet
  • Availability
  • 1. CenturyLink
    Speeds Up To
    940 Mbps
    Not all internet speeds available in all areas.
    Connection: DSL, Fiber
    Availability: 69.2%
    Des Moines speed tests confirm high speeds for CenturyLink
  • 2. AT&T
    Speeds Up To
    300 Mbps
    Not all internet speeds available in all areas.
    Connection: 5G Internet
    Availability: 41.4%
  • 3. Viasat
    Speeds Up To
    150 Mbps
    Not all internet speeds available in all areas.
    Connection: Satellite
    Availability: 100%
  • 4. T-Mobile
    Download Speeds:
    133 - 415 Mbps
    All-In Internet plans can experience faster speeds with T-Mobile’s latest 5G gateway, delivering typical download speeds between 133 Mbps – 415 Mbps. 25% of our customers see speeds below and 25% see speeds above these ranges. Mobile 5G Home Internet is delivered via 5G cellular network and speeds vary due to factors affecting cellular networks.
    Connection: 5G Internet
    Availability: 47.6%
  • 5. Verizon
    Speeds Up To
    50 Mbps
    Not all internet speeds available in all areas.
    Connection: 5G Internet
    Availability: 45.4%
  • 6. Mediacom
    Speeds Up To
    1 Gbps
    Not all internet speeds available in all areas.
    Connection: Cable
    Availability: 98.7%
    Des Moines speed tests confirm high speeds for Mediacom
  • 7. Hughesnet
    Speeds Up To
    100 Mbps
    Not all internet speeds available in all areas.
    Connection: Satellite
    Availability: 100%
  • 8. XNET WiFi
    Download Speeds:
    25 - 150 Mbps
    Not all internet speeds available in all areas.
    Connection: Fixed Wireless
    Availability: 41.4%
  • 9. Google Fiber
    Speeds Up To
    8 Gbps
    Not all internet speeds available in all areas.
    Connection: Fiber
    Availability: 5.4%
  • 10. Metronet
    Speeds Up To
    5.12 Gbps
    Not all internet speeds available in all areas.
    Connection: Fiber
    Availability: 52.2%
    Des Moines speed tests confirm high speeds for Metronet
  • UScellular
    Speeds Up To
    25 Mbps
    Not all internet speeds available in all areas.
    Connection: Fixed Wireless
    Availability: 95.4%
  • Starlink
    Download Speeds:
    50 - 220 Mbps
    Not all internet speeds available in all areas.
    Connection: Satellite
    Availability: 100%

Best Internet Providers in Des Moines, IA

The best connection type for home internet is fiber-optic internet, and Des Moines has several fiber providers. The most widely available is Quantum Fiber, which serves about a quarter of Des Moines and offers speeds up to 8 Gbps. Also worth noting is Google Fiber, which is available only to a small share of Des Moines residents but popular among those who can get it. Metronet also offers fiber to a small portion of Des Moines.

Fiber coverage in Des Moines may be a big spotty with these major providers, but getting cable internet is relatively easy. Virtually all of Des Moines is served by Mediacom’s Xtream, a cable internet provider that can deliver speeds up to 1 Gbps. Xtream is a sub-brand of Mediacom, which is a larger internet service company.

Des Moines is also home to some wireless home internet plans, including the popular wireless home internet brand AT&T Internet Air, which uses AT&T’s 5G network. Des Moines also has access to Starlink, a satellite internet provider owned by Elon Musk.

What’s a Good Internet Speed?

Internet Speed Appropriate For Providers in your Area offering this Speed Availability in your Area
25 Mbps
  • Email
  • Web browsing
  • Light streaming
  • Smaller households
  • UScellular
95.36%
100 Mbps
  • Streaming
  • Video chat
  • Online gaming
  • Larger households
  • CenturyLink
  • AT&T
  • Viasat
  • T-Mobile
  • Hughesnet
  • XNET WiFi
  • Starlink
100%
1000 Mbps (1 Gbps)
  • Heavy streaming (4K video
  • multiple devices
  • etc.)
  • Video chat
  • Lag-free gaming
  • Large households
  • Mediacom
  • Google Fiber
  • Metronet
98.68%

Learn more about internet speeds:

Internet Availability in Des Moines, IA

Des Moines residents have access to several wired internet providers, which offer a range of speeds and availability in select neighborhoods. Let’s take a look at the providers with the most presence in Des Moines and their coverage areas.

One of the most predominant providers in Des Moines is Mediacom, which covers 98.7% of the city. Several pockets of downtown don’t fall under Mediacom’s coverage. However, residents living in West Des Moines — specifically Sherman Hill and Woodland Heights — have access to the provider. Most public locations, such as MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center and the Iowa State Capitol, are outside of Mediacom’s cable internet coverage.

Another provider in the city is Metronet, though it offers fiber internet instead of cable. It covers 52.2% of Des Moines and has the strongest presence in North of Grand, which is west of downtown Des Moines.

Quantum Fiber is a viable alternative fiber internet provider, though its availability is far more limited than Metronet’s. Its coverage is scattered throughout Des Moines, with the greatest availability west and north of Drake University. It does overlap with Metronet, but its coverage is still less than the other provider.

If you’re one of the few residents living within Google Fiber’s coverage zones, then you’ll have access to fast gigabit speeds. Its availability is very limited in scope — farther west of Des Moines in neighborhoods along the I-235 freeway. Even if you don’t live in these neighborhoods, Des Moines has plenty of fiber internet providers to choose from.

Internet Coverage Map and Store Locations for Des Moines, Iowa

Looking for internet providers near you? This map can help. Use the drop-down menu to select an internet provider in your area, then enter your address into the address bar. The map will show your neighborhood and overlay the internet provider's availability by address, so that you can see which providers are available exactly where you live. You can also use the map to find internet store locations near you — just toggle the switch to "stores" and choose a provider in your area from the drop down menu to see exactly where that ISP's local stores are.

Provider Connection Types in Des Moines, IA

Connection Type About this Connection Type Availability in Des Moines, IA
Satellite
  • Available even in very rural areas
  • Typically has high latency (lag)
100%
DSL
  • Typically about 100 Mbps
  • Slower than Cable or Fiber
41.11%
Cable
  • Typically 250 Mbps - 1 Gbps
  • Widely available
  • A good choice for most users
99.00999999999999%
Fiber
  • Typically 1 Gbps or faster
  • Upload speeds match download speeds
28.79%

Internet Providers in Des Moines, IA

Provider Plans Starting At Speeds Up To Connections
CenturyLink $50/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan 940 Mbps Not all internet speeds available in all areas. DSL, Fiber
AT&T Internet Air $60/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan 300 Mbps Not all internet speeds available in all areas. 5G Internet
Viasat Internet $99.99/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan 150 Mbps Not all internet speeds available in all areas. Satellite
Verizon $50/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan 50 Mbps Not all internet speeds available in all areas. 5G Internet
Mediacom $19.99/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan 1 Gbps Not all internet speeds available in all areas. Cable
Hughesnet $49.99/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan 100 Mbps Not all internet speeds available in all areas. Satellite
XNET WiFi $85/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan 150 Mbps Not all internet speeds available in all areas. Fixed Wireless
Google Fiber $70/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan 8 Gbps Not all internet speeds available in all areas. Fiber
Metronet $34.95/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan 5.12 Gbps Not all internet speeds available in all areas. Fiber
UScellular $50/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan 25 Mbps Not all internet speeds available in all areas. Fixed Wireless
Starlink $120/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan 220 Mbps Not all internet speeds available in all areas. Satellite

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