The Best Fiber Internet Providers

Fiber-optic internet, also known as fiber, is a very fast type of internet that is becoming increasingly popular. Chances are that you’ve heard about fiber internet and how great it can be and are now looking to get it in your home. The problem is that with all the different internet service providers, it can be hard to find out which providers offer fiber internet and which have the best fiber internet plans.

Well, that’s precisely why we’re here - to help you find companies with the best fiber internet plans around!

Understanding Fiber Internet

While we touched on what fiber internet is in the intro, it’s a little more complicated than just a “faster type of internet.” So, let’s look at some of the specifics of fiber internet.

Definition of Fiber Internet

Fiber internet is a broadband connection that uses small glass and plastic fibers to deliver an internet connection to your home or business. The information transferred through these fiber cables is done through light, making it much faster than other forms of internet, which usually use electricity.

The Types of Fiber Internet

When searching for fiber internet, you’ll likely come across several different acronyms. Some of these include FTTH, FTTP, FTTC, and FTTN. We’ll explain each of these below:

• FTTH or FTTP - these acronyms are short for fiber to the home and fiber to the premises. This fiber infrastructure uses a fiber line to deliver fiber to a cabinet (the little box you’ll see on the street) and then from that cabinet into your home. This makes the connection very fast and reliable.
• FTTC - this stands for fiber to the cabinet. Unlike FTTH, which uses a fiber line to the cabinet and your home, FTTC only uses a fiber line to the cabinet. The cable that connects your home to the cabinet is made of copper. While this is still a good option, it is limited by the copper cable. On top of that, the further away your home is from the cabinet, the worse the connection quality will be.
• FTTN - This acronym stands for fiber to the node. A node is a connection point that is near a neighborhood. ISPs use fiber lines to deliver a connection to this node and then use copper lines from that node to your home - thereby using the least amount of fiber compared to the other options. Unfortunately, since copper cables can’t handle the same bandwidth as fiber and due to the possibility of nodes being far away from some homes, your connection may not be as strong as the other options.

What You Should Know About Fiber Internet

At this point, you may be thinking, “So what? It’s just a faster internet. Why are people excited about it?” You might also wonder what issues it comes with or how hard it is to switch to fiber. Let’s answer those questions: 

What Makes Fiber Internet Fast?

As we already mentioned, the thing that makes fiber internet so fast is how it is transferred. It’s quite a complex technology to explain, but the basics of it are that light is used to transfer data as opposed to electricity. Two components allow you to have fast fiber internet - the optical fibers themselves and what is known as the “last mile”.

• Optical Fibers - The optical fibers are made up of glass which is then covered in either plastic or another layer of glass. This covering is known as “cladding” and allows the light to reflect off the walls of the cable instead of escaping, allowing the connection to go much further while remaining strong and reliable. The light travels through the optical fibers through high-speed pulses that distinguish the information being sent and received.
• The Last Mile - The last mile is the final stretch between the main fiber network line and the end user. The main fiber network line handles most of the work and usually stretches between cities and across oceans. The last mile allows your home to connect to that line, and since so many different homes need to be connected, the “last mile” infrastructure is much more complex than the main fiber line.

What Makes Fiber Internet Great?

As we’re sure you can already tell, fiber internet has its advantages, two of these being reliability and bandwidth.

• Reliability - Due to the way fiber lines work and the way they are set up, fiber is much more reliable than other forms of internet. This means that you’ll have less downtime and a longer-lasting connection.
• Bandwidth - Fiber lines have a much higher bandwidth than other cable internet services. It can therefore handle high volumes of data (which also contributes to the reliability we just spoke about).

What Should I Look Out For With Fiber Internet?

Of course, there are also downsides to using fiber internet. Two of these include its availability and its short-term costs. 

• Availability - Since it’s a new technology, fiber isn’t as easy to find as many other forms of internet. So, while it might be very appealing to you, you may not even be able to get it in your area yet. With that being said, companies are working hard to grow fiber infrastructure and deliver it to more homes across the world.
• Short-Term Costs - Due to fiber infrastructure still being built, the costs are generally higher than some other forms of internet (at least for now). As more infrastructure is built, these costs are slowly dropping, and we will likely continue to see a drop in fiber internet prices. 

Why Fiber Internet Providers Can’t Provide in Some Areas

Now you might be wondering: “Well if fiber internet is so good, why is there an availability issue? Why don’t ISPs bring it out in more areas?” To answer your question:

Infrastructure Problem

You may have noticed that we mentioned fiber internet infrastructure a few times. Since it’s a new technology, there simply isn’t a vast fiber infrastructure yet built. And being the type of technology it is, it can’t suddenly be released to everyone in one go. There is a slow process of buying the equipment, digging up the ground, laying the lines, and much more. All this takes time and money, meaning it will take a while for the technology to get to all areas. 

Post-Pandemic Supply Shortage

You’ve probably been living off the grid if you haven’t heard about the global supply chain shortage by now. The pandemic disrupted many supply chains and caused significant delays - especially in the world of technology. As a result, fiber internet was also affected. There is a global shortage of fiber optic cables, meaning that companies couldn’t build new infrastructure for everyone even if the other factors were not involved. Another downside to the supply chain shortage is that it drives up fiber prices in some areas.

Last Mile Costs

Lastly, deploying fiber internet isn’t cheap. It’s so expensive that the cost to build fiber infrastructure is rated as one of the top reasons for the delays with the roll-out of fiber internet. As much as ISPs want to get it to everyone (and trust us, they do because it would give them a competitive advantage), the cost is simply too high, and they must strategize deployment to different areas carefully.

The Best Fiber Internet Providers For Your Needs

So now you want to know what providers to look out for to help you choose the best one in your area. We’ve made a list of five providers that we think are excellent choices for various reasons. Remember that it’s essential that you think about your needs when it comes to fiber internet because that will help you choose an ISP that is best for you.

Best Overall Provider - AT&T

We’ve classified AT&T as the best internet service provider overall, and here’s why:

Technical Info

• AT&T has the most extensive reach out of all the service providers in the United States, reaching more than 16 million people in 21 states. In addition, it offers some excellent speeds, from 300 Mbps up to 5000 Mbps. And it delivers those speeds at very competitive prices. It also doesn't use data caps or contracts, making its services easy to use and get out of if you’re unhappy.

Why It’s a Great Choice

• The competitive pricing and the lack of contracts and data caps make AT&T an excellent choice. If you want something affordable and convenient, especially if you don’t know what your future holds, it might be just what you need. The availability of its services also isn’t something to be ignored.

Best Suited For

• AT&T is best suited for high-data-usage households. Suppose you regularly use the internet for data-heavy activities. In that case, you won’t have to worry about going over a data cap and needing to spend more than you planned on your internet connection. 

Best Low-Cost Plans - Frontier

If you’re looking at the cost specifically, Frontier will likely be the best option for you. Here are some of the reasons we’ve added Frontier to our list:

Technical Info

• Frontier internet also reaches quite a wide area, providing its services to 19 states. While its higher speeds of up to 2000 Mbps are more expensive than what you may be able to find with other ISPs, it’s the slower (but still fast) speeds that we want to focus on here. Starting at 500 Mbps, you’ll only have to pay $45 per month. In addition, Frontier includes equipment costs in this pricing - something that many other providers do not - so you know that you’re getting a low price overall.

Why It’s a Great Choice

• The obvious reason why Frontier is a great choice is the price. But other reasons it’s a good option is that it doesn’t have contracts and comes with unlimited data for its plans.

Best Suited For

• Frontier’s slower plans are still great options for heavy data usage. Since the plans are unlimited, you’ll be able to use the internet as much as you’d like. The 500 Mbps line isn’t the fastest line that it offers, but that’s still more than enough for most households.

Best For Rural Areas - Kinetic by Windstream

If you live in a rural area, you’ll probably already know how hard it is to find fiber internet and other forms of internet in your area. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Windstream’s Kinetic option is likely your best chance at getting fiber in a rural area.

Technical Info

• Windstream can be found in 18 states and starts at prices as low as $37 per month. What’s great about Kinetic’s packages is that you can get speeds of up to 1000 Mbps, which will likely be one of the fastest internet connections you can find in most rural areas. 

Why It’s a Great Choice

• Windstream’s Kinetic is an excellent choice for rural areas because you can finally get a fast, reliable connection. Not only that, but it also doesn’t come with any contracts. 

Best Suited For

• With the fast speeds you can get when using one of Windstream’s Kinetic plans, you’re pretty much capable of doing any high-usage tasks that you’d be able to do in bigger cities with great access to fiber internet.

Best Customer Service - Verizon

You’ll quickly realize the importance of customer service when you have an internet connection. If something goes wrong, you want your ISP to be available. Verizon is at the top of the list for us regarding customer service.

Technical Info

• Customer service aside, Verizon has some great prices on offer and some excellent sign-up deals. In some cases, you can get a 300 Mbps line for as low as $25 per month. While Verizon’s speeds only reach 940 Mbps - thereby not matching some of the other providers’ top speeds - it’s still a fast and reliable connection.

Why It’s a Great Choice

• Using a service where a customer support team is accommodating and manages to do what you need is extremely important, especially when we use the internet for so much in our modern lives. With Verizon’s support team at your side, you’ll have peace of mind about dealing with issues quickly and efficiently to get your connection up and running if something has gone wrong.

Best Suited For

• Verizon can be used efficiently for high-data-usage tasks. While its top speeds are slower than some other options, it’s undoubtedly still a high-speed connection. And if you’re the type of person who needs help with various aspects of your internet connection, then this is the best option for you.

Editor’s Choice - CenturyLink

CenturyLink is another well-rounded provider with good customer service, prices, and speeds. Here’s some more info:

Technical Info

• CenturyLink has speeds ranging from 100 Mbps to 940 Mbps, meaning it competes with many of the top providers. As we’ve mentioned, while it might not reach multi-gig speeds, 940 Mbps is still high-speed. The prices you can get with CenturyLink are also competitive and range from $30 to $70, depending on your area. 

Why It’s a Great Choice

• CenturyLink is an excellent choice because it, too, doesn’t come with contracts. In addition, you can get 24/7 tech support, and you’ll have unlimited data for infinite browsing potential. 

Best Suited For

• Much like with the other options that provide speeds of around 940 Mbps, you’ll be able to do quite a lot with a CenturyLink fiber line. It’s good to remember that the speed and reliability of the plan you choose will determine what your internet is capable of - and CenturyLink offers some good speeds and outstanding reliability.

The Bottom Line

So there you have it - all the info you need to choose a good fiber internet provider in your area for your exact needs. It’s always important to weigh up your options carefully and select the provider that is best suited for you. Weighing up your options will also allow you to determine what technical issues different providers may have and whether or not you’re happy to deal with those issues. Ultimately, it will be up to you, so choose wisely.