Best Internet Providers in Duluth, Minnesota

What is the best internet provider in Duluth?

According to CNET experts, Spectrum is the best internet service provider in Duluth, Minnesota. The area’s largest cable internet provider offers fast speeds and unlimited data with no contract requirements. Plus, you get other benefits like a free modem -- though renting a Wi-Fi router will add $10 to your monthly bill (unless you enroll in the 1,000Mbps plan).

Other top internet providers in Duluth include T-Mobile Home Internet, Mediacom and Lumen Technologies brands CenturyLink and Quantum Fiber. CenturyLink has the best broadband coverage in the area, while Quantum Fiber offers the fastest internet in Duluth, with speeds maxing out at 8,000Mbps. Quantum Fiber has a limited footprint in the city, however, making Spectrum the more realistic option.

There's no cheap provider in the city per se, as most ISPs start service at $50 a month. You can find good value for that price with Quantum Fiber and Spectrum, at 500Mbps and a cost per Mbps of 10 cents.

If you're looking to avoid cables, you can get good coverage and speeds from T-Mobile Home Internet and possibly Verizon 5G Home Internet. Other potential fixed wireless internet options in Duluth include AirFiber and Nextera. Though the providers offer service throughout much of Duluth, speeds are too low and pricing is too high for me to recommend.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

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How to find internet deals and promotions in Duluth

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

Duluth internet providers, such as Spectrum, may offer lower introductory pricing or bonus add-ons for a limited time. Many, including T-Mobile 5G Home Internet and CenturyLink, run the same standard pricing year-round. 

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

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, 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 Duluth, Minnesota

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 answers to those questions are often layered and complex, the providers who come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend. When it comes to 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 also take into account 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 Duluth, Minnesota, FAQs