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What is the best internet provider in Billings?
Spectre is the best internet service provider in Billings. It has flaws, but it’s the only widely available cable or fiber ISP in town, and you get fast speeds for competitive prices (at least for the first two years).
It is not available at most addresses, but TDS Telecom has the fastest Internet in Billings by a long shot. It uses a fiber optic connection, so you get symmetrical upload and download speeds – essential for online gamers and remote workers.
Both wireless options are also worth it: T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet. Both use their cellular network to offer home internet in the area, and the speeds are sufficient for all most connected homes.
The best internet in Billings, Montana
Comparison of Internet Billing Providers
| Supplier | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Head of data | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CenturyLink Read a full review |
DSL | $55 | 20-100Mbps | $15 (optional) | No one | No one | 6.7 |
| Spectre Read a full review |
Cable | $50-$70 | 500-1,000 Mbps | $10 (optional) | No one | No one | 7.2 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read a full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$55 with eligible mobile plans) | 87-415 Mbps | No one | No one | No one | 7.4 |
| TDS Telecom | Fiber | $40 – $250 | 600-8,000 Mbps | $12 – $15 (optional) | No one | No one | N/A |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read a full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 for eligible Verizon Wireless customers) | 50-250Mbps | No one | No one | No one | 7.2 |
| Wispwest | Fixed wireless | $48 – $90 | 15-50 Mbps | $10 | No one | A year | N/A |
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Business suppliers to my address
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What is the cheapest internet plan in Billings?
| Supplier | Starting price | Maximum download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| TDS Extreme 600 | $40 | 600Mbps | $12 – $15 (optional) |
| Wispwest | $48 | 15 Mbps | $10 |
| Internet Spectrum Read a full review |
$50 | 500Mbps | $10 (optional) |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read a full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 318 Mbps | No one |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read a full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 85 Mbps | No one |
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Business suppliers to my address
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find Internet deals and promotions in Billings
The best deals on the Internet and the best promotions in Billings depend on what discounts are available at that time. Most offers are short-lived, but we often look for the latest offers.
Internet Billing providers such as Spectrum may offer a lower introductory price or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, however, including T-Mobile and Verizon, run the same standard price year-round.
For a more extensive list of promotions, check out our guide on the best deals on the internet.
The fastest internet plans in Billings
| Supplier | Starting price | Maximum download speed | Maximum upload speed | Head of data | Type of connection |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TDS 8Gig | $250 | 8,000 Mbps | 8,000 Mbps | No one | Fiber |
| TDS 5Gig | $120 | 5,000 Mbps | 5,000 Mbps | No one | Fiber |
| TDS 2Gig | $80 | 2,000 Mbps | 2,000 Mbps | No one | Fiber |
| TDS 1 Gig | $50 | 1,000 Mbps | 1,000 Mbps | No one | Fiber |
| Spectrum Internet Gig Read a full review |
$70 | 1,000 Mbps | 35 Mbps | No one | Cable |
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Business suppliers to my address
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What is a good internet speed?
Most internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you’re looking for an Internet plan that can accommodate video conferencing, video streaming or gaming, you’ll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here is an overview of the minimum recommended download speed for different applications, according to the FCC. Note that these are only guidelines – and that Internet speed, service and performance will vary by connection type, provider and address.
For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed do you really need.
- From 0 to 5 Mbps lets you tackle the basics – surfing the Internet, sending and receiving email, streaming low-quality video.
- 5 to 40 Mbps gives you superior video streaming and video conferencing.
- From 40 to 100 Mbps should give a person enough bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500 Mbps allows one to two people to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities such as video conferencing, streaming and online gaming.
- 500 to 1,000 Mbps allows three or more people to engage in broadband activities at the same time.
How CNET picked the best Internet providers in Billings
Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latter smartphones, laptop, router o kitchen toolit is not practical to personally test every ISP in a given city. So what is our approach? We start by researching pricing, availability, and speed information based on our historical ISP data, provider sites, and mapping information from FCC.gov.
But it doesn’t end there. We use the FCC website to check our data and make sure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also gather local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and JD Power, to gauge how happy customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate at the time of publication.
Once we have this information located, we ask three main questions:
- Does the provider offer access to a reasonably fast internet speed?
- Are customers getting decent value for what they are paying for?
- Are customers happy with their service?
While the answer to these questions is often layered and complex, the providers who are closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend. When it comes to selecting the cheapest Internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, although we also factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively simple. We look at advertised upload and download speeds, and also take into account actual speed data from sources such as Ookla and FCC reports. (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)
To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test the ISP page
Internet Providers in Billings FAQs
What is the best Internet service provider in Billings?
Spectrum is the best Internet service provider in Billings. It is the only cable or fiber provider widely available and offers fast speeds at reasonable prices. A recent speed and price adjustment in Spectrum saw all 300Mbps plans increased to 500Mbps – for the same price of $50 a month. Now you can choose between 500 Mbps for $50 monthly or 1,000 Mbps for $70 monthly. The main drawback with Spectrum is that prices increase significantly after two years.
Is fiber internet available in Billings?
Yes, fiber internet is available to 32% of Billings residents, according to FCC data. TDS Telecom is the primary fiber provider in the area, but Quantum Fiber also has some coverage in southwest Billings.
Who is the cheapest internet provider in Billings?
TDS Telecom is the cheapest Internet provider in Billings, with plans starting at $40 per month for speeds of 600 Mbps.
Which internet provider in Billings offers the fastest plan?
TDS Telecom offers the fastest plan in Billings, with upload and download speeds of 8,000 Mbps.
