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Posted: 2024-05-19 12:00:00

It's ranked among the top 20 cities in the US for its fast broadband access, so getting high-quality internet is not a problem in Jacksonville. Known for its beautiful beaches, median download speeds in Jacksonville, Florida, rank north of 226 megabits per second. Of the numerous internet service providers in the city, CNET's top pick for Jacksonville, AT&T, is the fastest provider, offering average download speeds above 243Mbps. AT&T offers fiber services in the area, which can account for some of those higher speed averages. 

As we've seen, time and again, throughout CNET's analysis of internet service providers, individual ISPs will go above or below those median download speeds in real life. Therefore, it pays to look at how each compares in terms of pricing, connection type, speeds and availability to find the best internet in Jacksonville. CNET considers speed, customer service, pricing and overall value when recommending the best broadband in an area. 

Best internet providers in River City   

Our recommendations for the best internet providers are based on analyzing contract flexibility, speed, price, data caps and extra fees. All prices listed on this page reflect available discounts for setting up paperless billing. If you decide not to go with automatic monthly payments, your price will be higher.

Note: The prices, speeds and features detailed in the article text may differ from those listed in the product detail cards, which represent providers’ national offerings. Your particular internet service options -- including prices and speeds -- depend on your address and may differ from those detailed here.

Product image
Speed range

300 - 5,000 Mbps

Price range

$55 - $250 per month

Our take - AT&T Fiber stood out from the other providers due to the range of its fiber internet offerings (which in some areas goes up to 5,000Mbps) and not requiring contracts or including data caps. That said, AT&T also offers DSL in the area, so make sure your address is serviceable for fiber internet.   

Speed range

300 - 5,000 Mbps

Price range

$55 - $250 per month

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Connection

Fixed wireless

Speed range

72 - 245 Mbps

Price range

$60 per month

Our take - T-Mobile made our best list for its affordability, availability and no-fuss options like no contracts or data caps.   

Connection

Fixed wireless

Speed range

72 - 245 Mbps

Price range

$60 per month

Product image
Speed range

150 - 6,000 Mbps

Price range

$20 - $300 per month

Our take - Comcast's Xfinity home internet service offers speeds for multiple home internet needs, from 75 to 1,200 Mbps plans, with fairly affordable rates.  

Speed range

150 - 6,000 Mbps

Price range

$20 - $300 per month

Overview of internet providers in Jacksonville

Provider Internet technologyMonthly price rangeSpeed rangeMonthly equipment costsData capContractCNET review score
AT&T Fiber
Read full review
Fiber$55-$180300-5,000MbpsNoneNoneNone7.4
HughesNet
Read full review
Satellite  $50-$95 ($75-$120 after 12 months)50-100Mbps$15 or $350 one-time purchase15-200GB (no hard data cap)2 years5.7
Mediacom
Read full review
Cable$20-$60100-1,000Mbps$13 modem rental (optional)200BG-6,00GBNone6.4
T-Mobile Home Internet
Read full review
Fixed wireless$50 ($30 with eligible phone plan).72-245MbpsNoneNoneNone7.4
Verizon 5G Home Internet
Read full review
Fixed wireless$50-$70 (50% off with eligible phone plan)85-1,000MbpsNoneNoneNone7.2
Viasat  Satellite $70-$40025-150Mbps$15 a month or $300 one-time purchase40GB-300GB2 years6.1

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data

All available Jacksonville residential internet providers  

Beyond the top providers we've listed, several other ISPs are available in Jacksonville, though some cover only small portions of the city.

  • Kinetic by Windstream: This provider offers DSL in the Jacksonville area that goes up to 100Mbps. Kinetic also offers fiber service in surrounding cities like Bryceville. Fiber runs about $40 per month for 1000Mbps and goes up to $100 for 2000Mbps. DSL is $30 to 60 per month.
  • Mediacom: Mediacom runs at $20 to $60 monthly for 100 to 1,000Mbps for speeds. It’s a cable provider available in small pockets of southern Jacksonville and offers up to 6TB in monthly data allowance.  
  • NEFCOM Communications: NEFCOM offers 15 to 500Mbps plans with prices ranging from $80 to $150 monthly. In 2019, it started its Fiber to the Home Initiative in Baker County.    
  • Satellite internet: You have a few options for satellite internet. Providers include HughesNet, Viasat and Starlink. Satellite providers can be more expensive for lower speeds, but HughesNet stands out for a $50 per month starting price. Viasat offers 25 to 150Mbps for $70 to $400. Starlink is a new offering from SpaceX that is still expanding. 
  • Verizon 5G Home Internet: Verizon starts at $25 per month if you pair home internet with an eligible mobile line and autopay. The service features 85 to 300Mbps for average speeds and, in some areas, can reach up to 1,000Mbps. 
View of the Main Street Bridge across St. John's River in Jacksonville, Florida at dusk.
John Coletti/Getty Images

Pricing details on Jacksonville home internet service  

The average starting price for internet service in Jacksonville is approximately $46 per month. Of the major cities CNET has covered thus far, that figure puts it right in the middle, on par with cities like Atlanta, Houston and Phoenix.      

Cheap internet options in the Jacksonville metro area 

The cheapest price for internet service in Jacksonville is $20 per month. At that price point, you can get Xfinity’s Internet Connect plan, which features 150Mbps download speeds, or Verizon 5G Home Internet (with a max download speed of 300Mbps) if you use the bundle discount. You might also be able to get a $30-per-month discount on internet service through the government’s Affordable Connectivity Program.    

What’s the cheapest internet plan in Jacksonville?

Provider Starting priceMax download speedMonthly equipment feeContract
Xfinity Connect
Read full review
$20 150MbpsNoneNone
Verizon 5G Home Internet 
Read full review
$50 ($25 with eligible phone plan)300MbpsNoneNone
T-Mobile Home Internet
Read full review
$50 ($30 with eligible phone plan)245MbpsNoneNone
HughesNet
Read full review
$50 25Mbps$15 2 years
AT&T Fiber
Read full review
$55 300MbpsNoneNone

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data

Fastest internet providers in Jacksonville  

The fastest internet speed providers in the Jacksonville area are AT&T and Xfinity. Each provider offers plans that hit 1 Gig or higher. If you want more details on optimizing speed, check out CNET's guide on the best multi-gig plans.  

What are the fastest internet plans in Jacksonville?

Provider Max download speedMax upload speedStarting priceData capContract
AT&T Fiber 5 Gig
Read full review
5,000Mbps5,000Mbps$180 NoneNone
AT&T Fiber 2 Gig
Read full review
2,000Mbps2,000Mbps$110 NoneNone
Xfinity Gigabit Extra
Read full review
1,200Mbps35Mbps$85 1.2TB2 years
AT&T Fiber 1 Gig
Read full review
1,000Mbps1,000Mbps$80 NoneNone
Xfinity Gigabit
Read full review
1,000Mbps20Mbps$60 1.2TB2 years

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data

What’s the final word on internet providers in Jacksonville? 

Jacksonville is a large city with updated technology, so you have some decent options for internet service. You can get fast speeds up to 5,000Mbps from AT&T Fiber (in some locations) and prices as low as $25 per month from Xfinity. 

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 the time of publication.

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

  1. Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds? 
  2. Do customers get decent value for what they're paying? 
  3. 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. Within those recommendations, we also look for the cheapest and fastest ISPs from that region. To explore further, check out our How we test ISPs page.

Internet providers in Jacksonville FAQs  

Is fiber internet available in Jacksonville?

Yes. Your best option for fiber internet in Jacksonville is AT&T. It offers the fastest speeds in the area. You might also find fiber offerings from EarthLink, but it’s using the AT&T network and requires a one-year contract, so you’re better off going to the source. 

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Which internet provider in Jacksonville offers the fastest plan? 

A few internet providers in Jacksonville go above 1 Gig, like Xfinity and AT&T. If you have intense speed needs, like a high amount of streaming and gaming from multiple devices, look into these plans. The fastest overall is AT&T’s 5 Gig plan, but it’s not available at all addresses.  

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Is AT&T or T-Mobile Home Internet better?

Both ISPs can be a decent option for Jacksonville residents, depending on what you are looking for in your home internet. AT&T Fiber offers faster plans (up to 5,000Mbps in some areas) and symmetrical download and upload speeds. However, if you don’t have multiple users in your household and don’t need extreme speed, T-Mobile offers the more affordable option at $50 per month, which is $5 less than AT&T’s cheapest plan. Neither provider requires contracts or data caps.  

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