Cox - Fastest Provider
Hughesnet - Cheapest Provider
Verizon - Widely Available
Viasat - Great for Rural Areas
AT&T - Offers 5G Home Internet
Cox - Great Value

Fastest Internet Providers in Providence, RI

Cox is the fastest provider in Providence, with speeds up to 2 Gbps.

The fastest internet provider in Providence is Cox, closely followed by Verizon Fios. Cox’s cable network offers top speeds up to 2 Gbps, just the kind of bandwidth you need for our modern landscape. However, since Cox runs on a cable internet connection, you will face slower upload speeds up to 100 Mbps. That said, the Cox Panoramic Wifi Gateway is configured to keep your network secure and reliable throughout your use.

The second-fastest internet provider in Providence is Verizon Fios. Verizon Fios offers symmetrical speeds up to 2 Gbps on a fiber network. While not as fast as Cox, it is still fast enough to support several devices without slowing down your connection. Verizon Fios includes your router equipment with your plan purchase and all plans above a gigabit also come with Wi-Fi 6E technology.

What’s a Good Internet Speed?

Internet Speed	Appropriate For	Providers in your Area offering this Speed	Availability in your Area
100 Mbps	Streaming Video chat Online gaming Larger households	AT&T Verizon Viasat T-Mobile EarthLink Hughesnet Starlink	100%
1000 Mbps (1 Gbps)	Heavy streaming (4K video multiple devices etc.) Video chat Lag-free gaming Large households	Cox XNET WiFi	92.34%

Learn more about internet speeds:

Internet Availability in Providence, RI

Residents in Providence are lucky enough to have widespread availability from multiple top internet providers. With 9 providers to pick from in the smallest state’s capital, the primary contenders are Earthlink and Verizon for fiber service and Cox for cable internet.

Having robust fiber coverage from two providers is rare, but residents from Pawtucket to Cranston — Providence’s neighboring towns in the north and south, respectively — are privileged, with Earthlink covering 92.3% of the area and Verizon covering 92.1%. Unfortunately, proximity to colleges in the city can affect coverage. If you’re near Brown University, Rhode Island College, or Providence College, fiber availability is limited.

Despite Verizon’s large coverage area, locations between Franklin Street and the Providence River have spotty coverage. Luckily, cable service from Cox can fill the gaps for Providence residents in those areas.

For a traditional cable connection, Cox provides 92.3% availability to the Renaissance City. With sprawling coverage on Federal Hill and wide availability on both sides of the Seekonk River, Cox can suit Rhode Islanders’ cable internet needs. With coverage from North Main Street to Douglas Avenue, there’s no need to fight traffic at the Providence Place Mall when you can shop online with a reliable internet connection.

Provider Connection Types in Providence, RI

Connection Type	About this Connection Type	Availability in Providence, RI
Satellite	Available even in very rural areas Typically has high latency (lag)	100%
Cable	Typically 250 Mbps - 1 Gbps Widely available A good choice for most users	99.99%
Fiber	Typically 1 Gbps or faster Upload speeds match download speeds	90.14999999999999%