Best Internet Providers in Tampa, Florida
Beautiful sunsets, waterfront real estate, diverse culture, thriving economy — all of these are the ingredients that make Tampa. However, good internet can make or break your experience in the city. That said, the best overall internet provider by our standards is Frontier Fiber, based on customer service, pricing and overall value. But if it isn’t available at your address, there are other internet service provider options worth checking out before committing.
Best internet service providers in Tampa
In my opinion, Frontier Fiber delivers the best mix of speed and value, but Spectrum or a wireless ISP like Verizon 5G Home Internet may make more sense for your home. I’ve listed what I consider to be the best internet providers in Tampa, along with plan and pricing details to help you decide which ISP is right for you. 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 in the article text 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 and may differ from those detailed here.
All available Tampa home internet providers
The providers listed above aren’t the only ones to serve Tampa, but they are the ones I would recommend most. Here’s a quick comparison of the practical internet options you may come across in the Tampa area.
Tampa internet provider details at a glance
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Top Tampa ISP honorable mentions
EarthLink: A name nearly as old as home internet itself, EarthLink now offers service by piggybacking off of the networks of other providers and municipalities. As a result, you’re likely to pay a bit more for service compared to other providers. Pricing and speeds vary widely by location, but all plans come with a one-year contract.
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According to the FCC, roughly 70% of Tampa households are serviceable for fiber-optic internet. Frontier is the primary fiber provider in Tampa, though fiber service from EarthLink may be available as well in select areas of the city.
Recent Ookla speed test data shows Tampa clocked median download speeds of 220Mbps in Q2 of 2023, ranking 48th among all major US cities. Frontier Fiber is likely the most significant contributor to the high speeds, advertising a max download speed of 500Mbps with its lowest speed tier.
Spectrum does not cover the entire Tampa area, however. Where wired service is unavailable, a wireless broadband connection from Verizon 5G Home Internet or T-Mobile Home Internet — with speeds of 85 to 1,000Mbps and 72 to 245Mbps, respectively — may be available to help keep Tampa residents connected.
There are many places throughout Tampa where you can take advantage of free public Wi-Fi networks. Many restaurants, cafes and retail stores offer free Wi-Fi to customers. Free Wi-Fi is available at all Tampa public libraries and many other local government buildings.