Best Internet Providers in Portland, Maine

What is the best ISP in Portland, Maine?

It has gigabit speeds, an extensive network covering 89% of Portland, and good service. That’s enough to do Spectrum is the best overall Internet provider in Portland, according to CNET. When you need more, Fidium Fiber is also a great choice for fiber connectivity in the city thanks to its multi-gigabit plans.

We’ve also found the best options if you’re looking for the lowest prices or fastest speeds. The cheapest Internet in Portland, Maine is Fidium Fiber, which offers 100 megabits per second for $25 per month. Fidium’s fiber connection is also responsible for Portland’s fastest plan: its 2-gigabit (2,000Mbps) tier.

The best internet in Portland, Maine

Portland, Maine Internet Providers Compared

Supplier	Internet technologies	Monthly price range	Speed ​​range	Monthly equipment costs	Data Limitation	A contract	CNET review result
Fidium Fiber	fiber	$25-$75	100-2000 Mbps	None	None	None	N/A
Spectrum	Cable	$30-$60	300-1000 Mbps	No modem; $7 for router (optional)	None	None	7.2
T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review	Fixed wireless	$50 ($40 with eligible mobile plans)	72-245 Mbps	None	None	None	7.4

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Source: CNET analysis of vendor data.

Other available ISPs in Portland, Maine

• RedZone Wireless: RedZone Wireless is available to nearly 93% of Portland residents and offers speeds up to 50Mbps for $48 per month with a five-year price lock. This might be an option if you’re looking for a basic package without the stress of increasing rates every year.
• TK networks: TK Networks offers speeds up to 500Mbps, with packages starting at $59 per month for 50Mbps service and going up to $129. Its fixed wireless network covers 97% of the Portland area.
• Satellite internet: Satellite Internet is available at almost every address in the country. However, this is not always the best option due to the slower speeds and two-year contractual obligations required by HughesNet and Viasat. An intriguing option is Starlink, which has unlimited data and no contract requirement, but has a hefty upfront price of nearly $499 for its equipment.

Cheap Internet Options in Portland, Maine

If you’re looking for the cheapest internet plan in Portland, Fidium Fiber offers a 100Mbps plan for $25 per month. If you don’t have access to these fiber plans, T-Mobile’s home internet plan is only $40 if you also have one of the Go5G Next, Go5G Plus, or Magenta Max cell phone plans.

What is the cheapest internet plan in Portland, Maine?

Supplier	Starting price	Maximum download speed	Monthly equipment fee
Fidium Fiber	$25	100Mbps	None
Spectrum Read the full review	$50	300Mbps	No modem; $5 for router (optional)
Consolidated Communications	$40	20 Mbps	$12
T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review	$50 ($40 with eligible mobile plans)	245Mbps	None

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Source: CNET analysis of vendor data.

How to Find Internet Deals and Promotions in Portland, Maine

The best internet deals and top promotions in Portland, Maine will depend on what discounts are available at any given time. Most deals are short-lived, but we check back often for the latest offers.

First steps

How many members of your household use the Internet?

The next one

Portland, Maine, ISPs like Spectrum may offer lower introductory rates or streaming add-ons for a limited time. You can also combine with a phone plan to get additional savings. Other providers, including Fidium Fiber and T-Mobile, maintain the same standard rates throughout the year.

For a more extensive list of promotions, see our guide to the best internet deals.

How fast is broadband in Portland, Maine?

Everyone in Portland has access to at least 100Mbps, according to the FCC. Ookla data puts Portland’s average download speed at a healthy 280Mbps, higher than the US average of roughly 250Mbps. These numbers can be attributed to the wide availability of Spectrum and Fidium Fiber cable broadband connections multi-gig internet plans.

The fastest internet plans in Portland, Maine

Supplier	Starting price	Maximum download speed	Maximum upload speed	Data Limitation	A contract
Fidium Fiber 2 gigs	$75	2000 Mbps	2000 Mbps	None	fiber
Fidium Fiber 1 Gig	$55	1000 Mbps	1000 Mbps	None	fiber
Spectrum Read the full review	$80	1000 Mbps	35Mbps	None	Cable

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Source: CNET analysis of vendor 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 include video conferencing, streaming video, or gaming, you’ll have a better experience with a more stable connection. Here’s an overview of recommended minimum download speeds for different apps, according to the FCC. Note that these are guidelines only — and that Internet speed, service, and performance vary by connection type, provider, and address.

For more information, see our guide to how much internet speed do you really need?.

• 0 to 5 Mbps lets you handle the basics – surfing the web, sending and receiving email, streaming low-quality video.
• 5 to 40 Mbps gives you higher quality video streaming and video conferencing.
• 40 to 100 Mbps should provide a single user with enough bandwidth to meet the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
• 100 to 500Mbps allows one or two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities such as video conferencing, streaming and online gaming.
• 500 to 1000 Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities simultaneously.

How CNET picked the best ISPs in Portland, Maine

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest ones smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it is not practical to personally test every ISP in a given city. So what is our approach? For starters, we tap into a proprietary pricing, availability, and speed database that draws from our own historical ISP data, partner data, and FCC.gov mapping information.

But it doesn’t end there. We go to the FCC website to check our data and make sure we’re looking at every ISP that provides service in an area. We also enter 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 satisfied customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent change; all information provided is accurate at the time of publication.

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

• Does the provider offer access to relatively fast internet speeds?
• Are customers getting decent value for what they pay?
• Are customers satisfied with their service?

While the answer to these questions is often layered and complex, the vendors that come closest to saying yes to all three are the ones we recommend. When choosing the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, although we also take into account things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively easy. 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 we test ISPs page.

What’s the final word on ISPs in Portland, Maine?

It all comes down to your needs as a household. If you’re an average Internet user, your best bet for broadband providers is either Spectrum for fixed broadband or T-Mobile Home Internet for fixed wireless, 5G coverage. If you need symmetrical speeds for online gaming or remote work (or crave multi-gigabit speeds), Fidium Fiber will be your best bet.

ISPs in Portland, Maine FAQ