Best Internet Provider in Riverside, CA

What is the best internet provider in Riverside?

Spectrum is the best Internet service provider for most homes in Riverside, CA. In addition to Spectrum’s extensive network, the cable TV giant offers affordable prices, speeds and service to more than 90 percent of households, according to the Federal Communications Commission. If you want to get a fiber or fixed wireless connection, CNET recommends AT&T Fiber or T-Mobile Home Internet for your residential internet. Ultimately, the Internet provider that’s best for you will depend on availability in your location.

We’ve also found the lowest prices and fastest service in Riverside, making your broadband shopping even easier. Frontier Fiber offers the cheapest plan at just $45 per month, with symmetrical speeds up to 500 megabits per second. If Frontier’s service isn’t available at your location, Spectrum’s 300Mbps plan ($50) is your next best and affordable option. People who need the fastest plans in Riverside should look at AT&T Fiber and Frontier Fiber, both of which offer 5Gb plans in the area, but Frontier’s starting prices are much lower.

The Best Internet in Riverside in 2024

Source: CNET analysis of provider profiles.

Source: CNET analysis of provider profiles.

How to find Riverside online deals and promotions

The best online deals and top promotions in Riverside depend on the discounts available during the period. Most offers are short-lived, but we’re often on the lookout for the latest deals.

Riverside Internet providers (such as Spectrum) may offer lower promotional prices or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, including AT&T, Frontier and Verizon, use the same standard pricing year-round.

For a more extensive list of deals, check out our guide to the best internet deals.

Source: CNET analysis of provider profiles.

What is a good internet speed?

Most Internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you’re looking for a network plan that can accommodate video conferencing, streaming video, or gaming, you’ll get a better experience with a stronger connection. Below is an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications according to the FCC. Please note that these are guidelines only and network speeds, service, and performance vary based on connection type, provider, and address.

For more information, see our guide on the internet speed you really need.

• 0 to 5Mbps lets you handle the basics: browsing the Internet, sending and receiving email, and streaming low-quality video.
• 5 to 40Mbps provides you with higher quality video streaming and video conferencing.
• 40 to 100Mbps should provide enough bandwidth for one user to meet the needs of modern remote working, video streaming, and online gaming.
• 100 to 500Mbps allows one or two users to participate in high-bandwidth activities such as video conferencing, streaming media, and online gaming at the same time.
• 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities simultaneously.

CNET How to choose the best Internet provider in Riverside

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router, or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. What is our approach? We first looked at pricing, availability, and speed information, using our own historical ISP data, provider websites, and map information on FCC.gov.

It didn’t end there: We visited the FCC’s website to check our data and make sure we accounted for every ISP offering service in a certain area. We will also enter your local address on the provider website to find specific options for residents. We evaluate customer satisfaction with ISP services by looking at sources such as the US Customer Satisfaction Index and JD Power. ISP plans and prices may change frequently; all information provided is accurate as of publication time.

Once we have localized information, we ask three main questions:

1. Does the provider offer reasonably fast internet speeds?
2. Are customers getting value for money?
3. Are customers satisfied with their service?

The answers to these questions are often layered and complex, but we recommend the provider who comes closest to a “yes” on these three questions. When choosing the cheapest internet service, we look for plans with the lowest monthly fees, although we also consider factors like price increases, equipment costs, and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively simple. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports.

To explore our process in more depth, visit our How to Test ISPs page.

Riverside Internet Provider FAQs