Best Internet Providers in Scranton, Pennsylvania

What is the best internet provider in Scranton?

Xfinity is Scranton’s best internet service provider, offering the lowest starting prices, fast download speeds and unlimited data on all plans. There are some drawbacks — Xfinity increases prices on all plans at some point — but overall, it’s a solid option available at virtually every address in the city. 

It’s not very prevalent, but if you can get it, Frontier Fiber offers the fastest internet in Scranton. Upload and download speeds go up to 5,000 megabits per second — far more than most people need — but Frontier’s cheaper plans also offer excellent value. Verizon 5G Home Internet is another good backup option, and you can save by bundling with an eligible Verizon cellphone plan.

Best internet in Scranton, Pennsylvania

Scranton internet providers compared

Provider Internet technology Monthly price range Speed range Monthly equipment costs Data cap Contract CNET review score
Frontier Fiber
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Fiber $30-$130 200-5,000Mbps None None None 6.3
T-Mobile Home Internet
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Fixed wireless $50-$70 ($40-$50 with eligible mobile plans) 72-245Mbps None None None 7.4
Verizon 5G Home Internet
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Fixed wireless $50-$70 ($35-$45 for eligible Verizon Wireless customers) 50-100Mbps None None None 7.2
Xfinity
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Cable $35-$105 300-2,000Mbps $15 (optional) None Optional 7

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

What’s the cheapest internet plan in Scranton?

Provider Starting price Max download speed Monthly equipment fee
Xfinity Connect More
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$30 200Mbps $15 (optional)
Frontier Fiber 200
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$30 200Mbps None
Frontier Fiber 500
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$45 500Mbps None
T-Mobile Home Internet
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$50 ($40 with eligible mobile plans) 245Mbps None
Verizon 5G Home Internet
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$50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) 300Mbps None

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

scranton-pennsylvania

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How to find internet deals and promotions in Scranton

Scranton’s best internet deals and top promotions depend on what discounts are available during a given time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers. 

Scranton internet providers, such as Xfinity and Verizon, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, including Frontier Fiber and T-Mobile Home Internet, run the same standard pricing year-round. 

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

Fastest internet plans in Scranton

Provider Starting price Max download speed Max upload speed Data cap Connection type
Frontier Fiber 5 Gig
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$130 5,000Mbps 5,000Mbps None Fiber
Frontier Fiber 2 Gig
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$100 2,000Mbps 2,000Mbps None Fiber
Xfinity Gigabit X2
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$90 2,000Mbps 200Mbps None Cable
Xfinity Gigabit Extra
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$70 1,200Mbps 35Mbps None Cable
Frontier Fiber 1 Gig
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$65 1,000Mbps 1,000Mbps None Fiber
Xfinity Gigabit
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$50 1,000Mbps 20Mbps None Cable

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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 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 Scranton

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 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?

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. (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)

To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.

Internet providers in Scranton FAQs

What is the best internet service provider in Scranton?

Xfinity is Scranton’s best internet service provider, offering low starting prices and fast speeds. It’s also the most widely available option and the only wired internet provider at most addresses in the city. 

Is fiber internet available in Scranton?

Fiber internet is available in Scranton, but it’s only available to 1% of residents according to FCC data. Frontier is the only fiber provider in the area.

What is the cheapest internet provider in Scranton?

Xfinity is the cheapest internet provider in Scranton, with prices starting at just $25 per month for 300Mbps speeds. The price increases to $90 after the first year. 

Which internet provider in Scranton offers the fastest plan?

Frontier Fiber offers the fastest plan in Scranton, with upload and download speeds up to 5,000Mbps.