What is the best internet provider in Kent, Washington?
Xfinity is the best internet service provider in Kent. It offers the fastest and cheapest plans in the city and is available almost everywhere. The main downsides are the presence of data caps and the fact that Xfinity’s prices increase steeply after a year or two.
Quantum Fiber offers the best fiber internet in Kent, but It’s not widely available. You get upload speeds as fast as download speeds, and equipment is included in every plan. For smaller households, wireless internet from Verizon or T-Mobile is another decent option, and you can save by bundling with an eligible cellphone plan.
CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Kent 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 Kent. 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 Kent, Washington
150 - 6,000 Mbps
$20 - $300 per month
Our take - Xfinity is the only wired internet provider -- cable or fiber -- that’s widely available in Kent. That means it will be the default option for most people. It’s a pretty good option as your default: Its starting prices are incredibly cheap, equipment is included on most plans, and Xfinity has above-average customer satisfaction scores from J.D. Power and the American Customer Satisfaction Index. The main downside is Xfinity’s steep price increases -- prices go up by as much as $41 per month after the promotional period ends.
150 - 6,000 Mbps
$20 - $300 per month
200 - 8,000 Mbps
$30 - $165 per month
Our take - Quantum Fiber is only available to around 5% of Kent households, but if you’re one of the lucky few who can get it, it’s a great alternative to Xfinity. You’ll get symmetrical upload and download speeds, prices don’t automatically increase after a year or two, and equipment is included in all plans. (Quantum Fiber is part of Lumen, which also offers slower DSL service through CenturyLink in Kent.)
200 - 8,000 Mbps
$30 - $165 per month
Fixed wireless
85 - 1,000 Mbps
$50 - $70 per month
Our take - Wireless internet is a good backup option if you want something other than Xfinity and can’t get Quantum Fiber. Both Verizon and T-Mobile offer wireless home internet plans in Kent. Verizon’s speeds go up to 300Mbps, which is plenty for most households. You can also get great discounts by bundling with an eligible cellphone plan. Wireless internet tends to be more prone to network congestion than cable or fiber.
Fixed wireless
85 - 1,000 Mbps
$50 - $70 per month
Kent internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
CenturyLink Read full review | DSL | $55 | Up to 100Mbps | $15 (optional) | None | None | 6.7 |
| Quantum Fiber | Fiber | $50-$75 | 500-940Mbps | None | None | None | 6.7 |
|
Starlink Read full review | Satellite | $120 | 25-220Mbps | $599 upfront | None | None | 6.5 |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review | Fixed wireless | $60 ($40-$50 with mobile plans) | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review | Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 for eligible Verizon Wireless customers) | 100-300Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
|
Xfinity Read full review | Cable | $20-$80 | 150-1,200Mbps | $15 (included in most plans) | 1.2TB | Optional | 7 |
Show more (1 item)
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in Kent?
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Xfinity Connect Read full review | $20 | 150Mbps | $15 (optional) |
|
Xfinity Connect More Read full review | $35 | 300Mbps | None |
| Quantum Fiber | $50 | 500Mbps | None |
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review | $50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 100Mbps | None |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Kent
The best internet deals and top promotions in Kent depend on what discounts are available during a given time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Kent internet providers, such as Xfinity and Verizon 5G Home Internet, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, including Quantum Fiber, 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 Kent
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Xfinity Gigabit Extra Read full review | $80 | 1,200Mbps | 35Mbps | 1.2TB | Cable |
|
Xfinity Gigabit Read full review | $75 | 1,000Mbps | 20Mbps | 1.2TB | Cable |
| Quantum Fiber | $75 | 940Mbps | 940Mbps | 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 and 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 Kent, Washington
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. 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.
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, although 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 Kent FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in Kent?
Xfinity is the best internet service provider in Kent, offering the city's cheapest and fastest plans.
Is fiber internet available in Kent?
Yes, fiber internet is available to 5% of Kent households, according to FCC data. Quantum Fiber is the only fiber provider in the city.
What is the cheapest internet provider in Kent?
Xfinity is Kent's cheapest internet provider, offering plans starting at just $20 per month.
Which internet provider in Kent offers the fastest plan?
Quantum Fiber offers the fastest internet plan in Kent, with upload and download speeds up to 1,200Mbps.