How Many Internet Service Providers are there in the USA?

There are currently 2691 Internet service providers in the United States:

881 DSL “Digital Subscriber Line” providers

235 Copper providers (Business T1/T3 connections, etc)

450 Cable companies

1327 Fiber Internet providers

1592 Fixed Wireless Broadband providers

51 Mobile Broadband and LTE providers

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Internet Service Providers in the USA

As shown in the table above, there are thousands of Internet service providers, or “ISPs,” in the United States (not counting unlicensed wireless operators and local overbuilders).

However, many consumers will find themselves picking between only a handful of providers. In urban areas, it is common to be limited to one cable provider and one DSL provider. In rural areas, Internet users are often stuck with DSL, satellite, or nothing at all.

As of 2018, 25 Million Americans don’t have access to any broadband providers offering over 25 Mbps download speed. Even if you count wireless connections like satellite, there are still 14 Million consumers left without a robust home Internet service option.

How Are Internet Service Providers Counted?

Internet providers are listed on BroadbandNow when they file their biannual Form 477 paperwork with the FCC to confirm basic data like coverage area, subscriber base, and so on. We do not list “cowboy” providers that fail to keep up their paperwork or complete their contribution to the Universal Service Fund (USF) as required by law. In some cases, this may lead to the exclusion of small “overbuilders” that lease infrastructure and fiber from larger providers to serve specific buildings and communities.

Our database of Broadband providers is updated on a biannual basis. In some cases, we are able to update listings and coverage information before data is published on the FCC or other government websites, thanks to direct reporting.

The Top Internet Providers in the Country

As the largest residential satellite provider that covers all 50 states, HughesNet is accessible to approximately 308.7 million people with the greatest coverage in California, Texas, and New York. In recent years, HughesNet has improved their download speed which currently reaches 25 Mbps, thanks to the “Gen 5” satellite. Aside from providing satellite internet, HughesNet also offers phone service - but no TV services.

Following behind HughesNet, Viasat is the 2nd largest residential satellite internet provider with coverage in every state. The greatest coverage is in California, Texas, and New York; Viasat is accessible to an estimated 308.5 million people. In rural areas, satellite internet has proven to provide better coverage than wired broadband providers. Download speeds range between 12-100 Mbps. Viasat offers phone services as well, but similar to HughesNet, they do not offer TV services.

With coverage in 36 states, EarthLink offers DSL and fiber internet options - the former accessible to approximately 174.4 million people and the latter to approximately 26.5 million people. EarthLink has the greatest coverage in California, Texas, and New York; it is considered the largest residential DSL provider and the 2nd largest fiber internet provider in the USA. EarthLink only offers internet services and was awarded the "Most Affordable Fiber Internet Nationwide" in 2019.

Available in 22 states with the highest coverage in California, Texas, and Florida, AT&T Internet's DSL internet is available to around 122.8 million people and is recognized as the nations' 2nd largest residential DSL provider. Fiber and fixed wireless internet are also available from AT&T in certain areas, with the former available to an estimated 25.1 million people and the latter available to about 2.7 million people. On top of their internet services, AT&T offers digital TV, digital landline phone service, and satellite TV via DirecTV.

Serving 39 million states with the greatest coverage in California, Florida, and Illinois, Xfinity from Comcast is the largest residential cable internet provider with accessibility to approximately 111.6 million people. Xfinity also offers fiber internet, which is available to an estimated 18,000 people. Other primary services that Xfinity offers are TV and phone services. Download speeds for their cable internet plans range between 100-1,000 Mbps.

Charter Spectrum offers cable internet to 44 states with the most widespread coverage in California, Texas, and New York. Approximately 102.7 million people have access to Spectrum's cable internet, making it the country's 2nd largest residential cable provider. At the moment, 5,899 zip codes have access to Spectrum's fiber internet service. In addition to providing internet, Spectrum also provides cable TV and phone services, which may come in bundles or standalone plans.

Frequently Asked Questions About Internet Providers in the USA How many internet providers are there in the USA? At present, there are 2691 internet providers in the U.S. What types of internet are common in the USA? In the U.S., common internet types in urban areas are DSL and cable while rural areas have DSL or satellite to choose between. Internet service in Dallas, Portland, and similar large cities is often limited to 2-3 per address. The same is true of smaller markets like West Hartford and San Diego. Although there are more internet providers that offer fiber-optic and fixed wireless internet, coverage is less prevalent than DSL, cable, and satellite. How much should I expect to pay for internet in the USA? Among the cable providers with internet-only plans, prices range between $29.99-99.99/month. DSL providers offer internet-only plans with a price range of $14.95-49.99/month. As for fiber-optic internet-only plans, prices will vary between $39.99-99.95/month. What internet speeds are expected in the USA? Cable internet plans in the U.S. will offer speeds between 10-1,000 Mbps; DSL with speeds between 3-100 Mbps; and fiber-optic with speeds between 50-1,000 Mbps. For satellite customers, speeds range from 12-100 Mbps.