If it feels like you’re paying too much for your high-speed broadband service, you very well may be… at least compared to other people around the world. Internet Service Providers, or ISPs, in the United States charge quite a bit more than their counterparts elsewhere in Europe and Asia for similar service speeds.
Because you probably aren’t going to move to a different area of the world to cut your ISP costs, you can try a few things to save some money on Internet access in your current location. Fortunately, because ISPs are experiencing increased competition, finding a good deal is easier than ever in most of America’s largest cities.
Worldwide ISP Offerings
The infographic included here shows some prices for high-speed Internet in the United States and in the world. While prices in America range from $70 and higher, the thing to keep in mind is that most households cannot make use of the maximum download speed that these providers offer, which can be up to 1,000 megabits per second.
To save a bit of money, consider stepping down to a mid-range ISP speed tier, which will cost you quite a bit less money than the maximum tiers. Because most U.S. cities have more than one ISP serving them, you also will want to shop around to find the best service and price combination that’s available in your area. When shopping around, you may want to compare your possible prices and maximum download speeds to these offerings elsewhere in the world, which were collected in a BBC report.
- Seoul, South Korea: $16 for 10 megabits per second
- Riga, Latvia: $21 for 20 megabits per second
- Berlin, Germany: $35 for 15 megabits per second
- Paris, France: $36 for 30 megabits per second
- London, England: $39 for 15 megabits per second
U.S. Mid-Speed ISP Options
The infographic lists AT&T U-Verse broadband service as one of those mid-range speed options that can help you save a bit of money in the United States. Options for U-Verse broadband service include about $45 for 18 megabits per second download speeds or $20 for 768 kilobits per second. While AT&T U-Verse is primarily available in the southeastern United States, its locations are expanding quickly.
Another option that’s becoming more plentiful in U.S. cities is free, public Wi-Fi hotspot options. You can log into these networks using your laptop, tablet, or smartphone, and they’re usually located in areas where people tend to gather, such as coffee shops, hotels, hospitals, or governmental buildings. Other cities provide them in downtown areas with large collections of restaurants and outdoor cafes, including a few examples listed here.
- Amherst, Mass. Amherst now has the largest public Wi-Fi network in Massachusetts.
- Kansas City. You may find free Wi-Fi on certain buses in the city, as well as certain bus stop locations.
- New York City. Dozens of underground subway stations are equipped with free Wi-Fi.
- San Jose, Calif. San Jose has what it has billed as “wickedly fast” public Wi-Fi networks in some downtown areas.
Fastest Internet Options
Also consider that every ISP’s network cannot reach its maximum advertised speed in every instance. During periods of extremely high ISP traffic, you may notice a bit of a slowdown. So you may want to keep an eye on the fastest average Internet speeds available among states in America, with the five fastest average download speeds listed here.
- Delaware
- South Carolina
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Rhode Island
Check out the infographic below for more information on cities with the best WiFi coverage from around the world.
