What is the best internet provider in Bangor?
Spectrum is CNET’s top pick for Bangor’s best internet service provider. This cable internet giant offers solid promo prices for the first year and gigabit speeds for most of the city. Once the promo period ends, expect your bill to double by the second year. On the bright side, all plans have no contracts or data caps.
Looking for speedy internet? Fidium Fiber and GoNetspeed are tied for the fastest internet in the city, maxing out at 2,000 megabits per second. You can expect symmetrical download and upload speeds supported by a fiber-optic connection.
If you’re looking for cheap internet, Fidium Fiber offers the most affordable plan in the city: a $25-a-month plan for 100Mbps. However, that price will increase to $45 in the second year. Verizon 5G Home Internet and T-Mobile Home Internet offer lower rates to eligible mobile customers.
CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Bangor 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 Bangor. 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 Bangor, Maine
300 – 1,000 Mbps
$50 – $80 per month
Our take – According to the latest data from the FCC, Spectrum has the widest cable coverage in the area, reaching up to 89% of households in Bangor. With competitive plan offerings and solid promo rates, Spectrum is our top pick for the city. Customers can expect to choose from three plans: 300Mbps for $40 a month, 500Mbps for $75 and the top-end gigabit plan for $60. All plans come with no contracts or data caps.
300 – 1,000 Mbps
$50 – $80 per month
50 – 2,000 Mbps
$25 – $85 per month
Our take – With blazing speeds of up to 2 gigabits, Fidium Fiber takes the lead for the best fiber offerings in the area. Approximately 73% of Bangor residents have access to this ISP’s fiber-optic offerings. Fidium Fiber also offers the cheapest internet in the city, with a $25-a-month plan for the first year. This ISP’s service terms are as straightforward as they come: no contracts or data caps, and you have the option to use your own router; otherwise, it’s $10 a month.
50 – 2,000 Mbps
$25 – $85 per month
Fixed wireless
72 – 245 Mbps
$60 per month
Our take – If cable or fiber is not available at your home, then a fixed wireless connection from T-Mobile is your best bet. While the speeds aren’t the most electric, maxing out at 245Mbps, T-Mobile keeps options simple with two plans. The cost ranges from $60 to $70 a month, but you can bundle it with eligible mobile plans and get a $20 monthly discount.
Fixed wireless
72 – 245 Mbps
$60 per month
Bangor internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fidium Fiber | Fiber | $25-$85 ($45-$100 after12 months) | 100-2,000Mbps | $10 gateway rental (optional) | None | None | N/A |
| GoNetspeed | Fiber | $45-$75 | 500-2,000Mbps | None | None | None | N/A |
|
Spectrum Read full review |
Cable | $40-$60 | 300-1,000Mbps | Modem free; $7 for router (optional) | None | None | 7.2 |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $60-$70 ($40-$50 for eligible Go5G Plus and Magenta Max mobile customers) | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| US Cellular | Fixed wireless | $50 | 45-195Mbps | None; but a $3 monthly recovery fee | 600-900GB | None | N/A |
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $50 ($35 with qualifying Verizon 5G mobile plans) | 100Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
Show more (1 item)
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in Bangor?
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fidium Fiber | $25 ($45 after 12 months) | 100Mbps | $10 gateway rental (optional) |
|
Spectrum Read full review |
$40 | 300Mbps | Modem free; $7 gateway rental (optional) |
| GoNetspeed | $45 | 500Mbps | None |
| UScellular | $50 | 195Mbps | None; but a $3 monthly recovery fee |
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
$50 ($35 with qualifying Verizon 5G mobile plans) | 100Mbps | None |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
$60 ($40 for eligible mobile customers) | 245Mbps | None |
Show more (1 item)
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Bangor
The best internet deals and top promotions in Bangor depend on what discounts are available during a given time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Bangor internet providers, such as Spectrum and T-Mobile, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, however, including Fidium Fiber and US Cellular, 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 Bangor
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fidium Fiber 2 Gig | $85 ($100 after 12 months) | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| GoNetspeed 2 Gig | $75 | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Fidium Fiber Gig | $65 ($85 after 12 months) | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| GoNetspeed Gig | $55 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
|
Spectrum Read full review |
$60 | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | None | Fiber |
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 Bangor
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 answer to those questions is often layered and complex, the providers who 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 Bangor FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in Bangor?
Is fiber internet available in Bangor?
Yes. According to the latest data from the FCC, fiber internet is available to 75% of Bangor residents. Fidium Fiber is the best fiber provider in the city, featuring symmetrical speeds of up to 2 gigabits. GoNetspeed also has fiber internet, but it may not be as widely available.
What is the cheapest internet provider in Bangor?
The cheapest internet service is Fidium Fiber, which offers a $25-a-month plan with 100Mbps download and upload speeds. However, once the promo period ends after a year, the price will jump to $45 a month. Verizon and T-Mobile Home Internet are the next best options if you want to avoid the price increase after a year.
Which internet provider in Bangor offers the fastest plan?
Fidium Fiber and GoNetspeed are tied for the fastest internet offerings in the city, featuring symmetrical speeds of up to 2 gigabits.
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