Best Internet Providers in Utica, New York

What's the best internet provider in Utica?

Home broadband options are limited for most of the city, and you'll likely only have access to satellite, fixed wireless and cable internet connections. That said, Spectrum is CNET's pick for the best internet service provider in Utica due to its wide range of plans and far-reaching coverage to over 94% of households, according to the latest data from the Federal Communications Commission.

Besides its broad coverage, Spectrum is among the cheapest internet providers in the city -- at least in the first year. Spectrum has a $50-a-month plan for download speeds of 500 megabits per second. Fixed wireless ISPs Verizon and T-Mobile start at the same price but with far lower max speeds.

Fast internet might be harder to find in Utica as Spectrum is the only provider offering download speeds of up to a gig. According to the latest Ookla speed test data, Utica falls behind with a fixed median download speed of 212Mbps, compared to New York State, which comes in with 258Mbps.

Utica internet providers compared

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

What's the cheapest internet plan in Utica?

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

A wide shot image of Downtown Utica in Oneida County, New York.

DenisTangneyJr/Getty Images

How to find internet deals and promotions in Utica

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

Utica internet providers, such as Spectrum and Verizon, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, however, including T-Mobile, 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 Utica

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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 video conferencing, 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 video conferencing. 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 video conferencing, 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 service providers in Utica

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 Utica FAQs