What is the best internet provider in Reno?

AT&T is CNET's pick for the best internet provider for most households in Reno. It offers the best combination of speeds, pricing and connectivity options. This includes Internet Air, Fiber and 5G. However, you don't get AT&T's service everywhere in Reno, but other options like Spectrum or the local provider Net NV are also solid internet service providers, depending on what you can get in your area in Reno.

Looking for the lowest prices or the fastest internet speeds in Reno? We've got you. The cheapest internet in Reno is Spectrum's 100 megabits per second plan, which comes in at $30 per month. AT&T serves the other end with the fastest available internet speed in Reno with its AT&T Internet 5000 plan. Available at select Reno locations, this plan offers speeds of up to 5,000Mbps for $245 monthly.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Other available internet providers in Reno

• Satellite internet: Reno residents have their pick of satellite internet providers, including Hughesnet, Viasat and Starlink. Unless your only other option is a slower DSL plan, we wouldn't recommend it due to high fees (including steep equipment rental costs) and a two-year contract commitment. The exception might be Starlink, which offers faster speeds without the contract. There's a steep upfront equipment cost of nearly $600.
• T-Mobile Home Internet: This major mobile carrier offers Reno's best 5G home internet service with an affordable, internet-only plan of $50 or $70 per month with no additional equipment fees or commitments. Existing customers with eligible mobile phone plans can add home internet for just $40-$50 monthly. There is a one-time $35 activation fee.

Cheap internet options in Reno

The cheapest internet options in Reno depend on the type of internet service and speed you need. Spectrum has the best pricing at $30 per month with speeds up to 100Mbps.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Reno

Reno's best internet deals and top promotions depend on the discounts available during that period. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers. 

Reno internet providers, such as AT&T, Spectrum and T-Mobile, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, including Hughesnet, Net NV and Viasat, run the same standard pricing year-round. 

For a more extensive list of promotions, check out our guide on the best internet deals. 

How fast is Reno broadband?

The Biden administration recently named Reno one of 31 Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs in the US. The region also boasts a concentration of connectivity-heavy data centers and tech companies, including Switch, Tesla and Apple. Ookla’s latest data shows Reno’s median download speed of over 73Mbps lands it in the bottom 3 of the country’s 100 most populous cities. (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)

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 like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming all at the same time.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Reno

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it's impractical to personally test every internet service provider in a given city. What's our approach? For starters, we tap into a proprietary database of pricing, availability and speed information that draws from our own historical ISP data, partner data 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? 

The answer to those questions is often layered and complex, but 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, 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.

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

Reno residents will find a variety of internet options regardless of where they live. T-Mobile and Spectrum offer high-speed internet for $50, while many areas can access fiber with speeds of 1,000Mbps or faster. Best of all, even the most remote of area residents have access to satellite service from Hughesnet, Starlink and Viasat, and radio-broadcasted internet from local internet provider Net NV.

Internet providers in Reno FAQs