What is the best internet provider in Cambridge?
Wireless internet providers outnumber wired in the area, but Xfinity will be the best internet service provider for most in Cambridge. Xfinity’s cable internet service has the best broadband coverage in Cambridge, low introductory pricing and some of the fastest download speeds available, up to 1,200 megabits per second.
Fellow cable ISP Astound offers the fastest download speeds of any local provider, up to 1,500Mbps, starting at just $55 a month, but availability is highly limited in Cambridge. Better availability would be ideal as the provider offers the fastest tier and the cheapest internet plan in Cambridge — $20 per month for download speeds up to 300Mbps.
Like Astound, fiber provider Verizon Fios offers home internet in Cambridge but with little availability. Aside from Xfinity, your choices for broadband in Cambridge are instead likely to include fixed wireless providers Starry Internet, T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet.
Starry Internet provides a simple, low-cost internet connection if you’re moving into a building wired for service. Otherwise, look to Verizon 5G Home Internet for the best 5G speeds and value in Cambridge.
CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Cambridge across several categories. Our evaluation includes referencing a proprietary database built over years of reviewing internet services. We validate that against provider information by spot-checking local addresses for service availability. We also do a close read of providers’ terms and conditions and, when needed, will call ISPs to verify the details.
Despite our efforts to find the most recent and accurate information, our process has some limitations you should know about. Pricing and speed data are variable: certain addresses may qualify for different service tiers, and monthly costs may vary, even within a city. The best way to identify your particular options is to plug your address into a provider’s website.
Also, the prices, speed and other information listed above and in the provider cards below may differ from what we found in our research. The cards display the full range of a provider’s pricing and speed across the US, according to our database of plan information provided directly by ISPs, while the text is specific to what’s available in Cambridge. The prices referenced within this article’s text come from our research and include applicable discounts for setting up automatic payments each month — a standard industry offering. Other discounts and promotions might also be available for things like signing a term contract or bundling with multiple services.
To learn more about how we review internet providers, visit our full methodology page.
Best internet in Cambridge, Massachusetts
150 – 6,000 Mbps
$20 – $300 per month
Our take – Wherever you’re or may be moving to in Cambridge, Xfinity is bound to be available, offering speeds of 300 to 1,200Mbps. All plans come with unlimited data and no contract requirements — a rarity for Xfinity — but expect a $15 equipment rental fee on your monthly bill if you choose to lease your modem/router.
150 – 6,000 Mbps
$20 – $300 per month
Fixed wireless
85 – 1,000 Mbps
$50 – $70 per month
Our take – Available speeds will vary (50 to 300Mbps or 85 to 1,000Mbps based on your plan), so the overall value will depend on the speeds you can get at your address. If the available speeds meet your needs, the contract-free service includes unlimited data, free equipment rental and a discount for qualifying Verizon mobile customers.
Fixed wireless
85 – 1,000 Mbps
$50 – $70 per month
Fixed wireless
50 – 1,000 Mbps
$30 – $80 per month
Our take – Starry Internet beams internet signals to the top of buildings, which are then sent along the building’s wiring to the individual units within. The technology provides a simple, convenient way to get online. If you’re moving into a building wired for Starry Internet, it’s definitely worth checking out for fast speeds and competitive pricing, including free equipment and unlimited data.
Fixed wireless
50 – 1,000 Mbps
$30 – $80 per month
Cambridge, Massachusetts, internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Astound Broadband Read full review |
Cable | $20-$55 | 300-1,500Mbps | None | None | None | 7 |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $60 ($40-$50 with eligible mobile plans) | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
|
Starry Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $40-$80 | 200-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7 |
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 with eligible mobile plans) | 50-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
|
Verizon Fios Read full review |
Fiber | $50-$90 | 300-940Mbps | None | None | None | 7.6 |
|
Xfinity Read full review |
Cable | $25-$70 | 300-1,200Mbps | $15 (optional) | None | None | 7 |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What is the cheapest internet plan in Cambridge?
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Cambridge
The best internet deals and the top promotions in Cambridge depend on what discounts are available then. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Cambridge internet providers, such as T-Mobile Home Internet and Xfinity, may offer lower introductory pricing, unlimited data or other incentives for a limited time. Many, including Starry and Verizon 5G Home Internet, run the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
Fastest internet plans in Cambridge
| Plan | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Astound 1500 Read full review |
$55 | 1,500Mbps | 50Mbps | None | Cable |
|
Xfinity Gigabit Extra Read full review |
$70 | 1,200Mbps | 40Mbps | None | Cable |
|
Astound 1000 Read full review |
$45 | 1,000Mbps | 10Mbps | None | Cable |
|
Starry Gigabit Read full review |
$80 | 1,000Mbps | 500Mbps | None | Fixed wireless |
|
Xfinity Gigabit Read full review |
$60 | 1,000Mbps | 20Mbps | None | Cable |
|
Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet Read full review |
$70 ($45 with eligible mobile plans) | 1,000Mbps | 75Mbps | None | Fixed wireless |
|
Verizon Fios 1 Gig Read full review |
$90 | 940Mbps | 880Mbps | None | Fiber |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What’s 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 videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you’ll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here’s an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the FCC. Note that these are only guidelines — and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.
For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need.
- 0 to 5Mbps allows you to tackle the basics — browsing the internet, sending and receiving email, streaming low-quality video.
- 5 to 40Mbps gives you higher-quality video streaming and videoconferencing.
- 40 to 100Mbps should give one user sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming.
- 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Cambridge, Massachusetts
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. So what’s our approach? We start by researching the pricing, availability and speed information, drawing on our own historical ISP data, the provider sites and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.
But it doesn’t end there. We go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of publication.
Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:
- Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
- Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?
- Are customers happy with their service?
While the answers to those questions are often layered and complex, the providers that come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, though we also factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. 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.
Internet providers in Cambridge, Massachusetts, FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in Cambridge?
Xfinity is the best internet service provider in Cambridge. It has the best coverage of any local ISP, available to more than 99% of Cambridge households, according to the FCC. Other wired internet providers in Cambridge (Astound, Verizon Fios) have less than 10% coverage combined.
Along with exceptional local coverage, Xfinity offers low introductory rates on speeds ranging from 300 to 1,200Mbps. Plans include unlimited data and no contracts, which isn’t unique to Cambridge internet providers, but Xfinity plans in many other markets may come with a data cap or contract.
Is fiber internet available in Cambridge?
According to FCC data from June 2023, only around 5% of Cambridge residential addresses are serviceable for fiber-optic internet. Serviceability is greatest along the Charles River in the East Cambridge and Lechmere Square communities. Verizon Fios is the main fiber internet provider in the area.
What is the cheapest internet provider in Cambridge?
Astound has the cheapest internet in Cambridge with service starting at $20 to $55 per month for max download speeds of 300 to 1,500Mbps. However, Astound has very little availability in Cambridge. Xfinity is far more widely available and, while not as cheap as Astound, offers similarly low starting rates at $25 to $70 per month for speeds of 300 to 1,200Mbps.
Which internet provider in Cambridge offers the fastest plan?
Astound offers the fastest internet plan with speeds up to 1,500Mbps starting at just $55 per month, but, again, the provider has limited availability in the area. Xfinity’s Gigabit Extra plan offers nearly the same download speed potential, 1,200Mbps, and is much more widely available throughout the Cambridge area.
