Here are the best internet providers in Detroit Summed up:
How we found the best internet providers in Detroit
We spent a great deal of time scouring ISP websites to find data for this report. We also looked at rankings for ISPs with federal and non-profit organizations and checked out consumer reviews at the BBB and other watchdog groups. AT&T scores well above average in rankings by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), with 69 points – that’s a good sign in an industry not known for stellar customer service. It also scores well with J.D. Powers, ranking a very close second in the organization’s 2019 U.S. Residential Internet Service Provider Satisfaction Study listing. AT&T offers some great introductory prices you can lock into for one year. Even though it is common for most ISPs to raise prices after introductory periods, the AT&T rates go up pretty significantly. Also, the company does not include some supplementary fees, from equipment rental to taxes, which may leave you feeling nickel-and-dimed to death. Features:
Price: $40 - $79.99 (introductory pricing, one year contract)Speed and Data: download speeds of 25 - 940Mbps; 1TB data cap (fiber), unlimited DSLPlans/Packages: fiber-optic internet + TV/Phone/Wireless, 1TB data cap, $40/monthContract Options: one year
Xfinity’s customer service is about average. It scores 61 on the ACSI scale, one point below the industry average of 62, and consumerreports.org names Xfinity as a “big name in need of big improvement” in its Customer Service Buying Guide. That said, if you need a fast connection for gaming, HD streaming, or video conferencing, Xfinity is an excellent choice. In fact, Speedtest.net rates Xfinity as the fastest internet provider in the U.S. for 2018. Features:
Price: $20 - $80Speed and Data: download speeds of 25 - 1000MbpsPlans/Packages: starter package with 25Mbps for $20 for the first year; $53 afterwards ($10 discount for autopay brings it to $43, though); includes free self-install kit and Flex 4 K streaming device, plus voice remoteContract Options: one year
All plans come with built-in WiFi service and a bonus of 50GB of additional data per month. The catch? You need to use additional time during non-peak hours of 2 - 8 a.m. On the plus side, according to the FCC, HughesNet is modest in its speed claims: a 2018 FCC report on broadband performance in the U.S. showed HughesNet providing almost twice as much download bandwidth as it advertised. Features:
Price: $59.99 - 149.99Speed and Data: download speeds up to 25MbpsPlans/Packages: range from 10GB to 50GB of data, with a bonus pack of 50GB additional – but for only a few hours a dayContract Options: 2 years
Coverage. We were looking for providers who had the most saturation in the city, and thus were available to most residents of Detroit and its suburbs. AT&T DSL was the winner here, though our other choices also work for most Detroit addresses. Fiber-optics are still sparse throughout the country, which was true of Detroit, but AT&T’s fiber network does include parts of Detroit. HughesNet offers satellite coverage that is steady and always on, if not available, at the highest speeds for those on the outskirts of the city or in more rural areas.
Value. Of course, you want to pay as little as possible for your internet access, and that can be a tricky proposition. Many ISPs list a temptingly low introductory price and then slam you with smaller but still considerable fees for installation, equipment rental, and taxes. The introductory rate is likely to disappear after your first year, too. Xfinity gave us the broadest range there, but your rates will vary depending on your needs and the package you choose. One takeaway: speed costs more. If you, like many people, use the internet mainly to check email, scan your social media, and watch the occasional Netflix special, you can generally get by with a lower-end plan.Customer Satisfaction. We look at customer satisfaction ratings from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) and J.D. Power. The caveat here is internet service providers, as a whole, have pretty dismal ratings for customer service. Consumer Reports rates the industry near the bottom of its Customer Service Rating List. The internet is rampant with tales of customers on hold for hours or made to deal with surly representatives. In looking at the rankings, we weighed each company against the industry averages. Our choices all featured near the tops of most lists (although HughesNet, being a smaller company, is not as widely rated).
If you’re not sure, check out our best providers to see of what constitutes light, medium, and heavy internet use. If you’re a heavy multiplayer gamer or spend your evenings watching HD Netflix videos, you’ll pay more – probably in the three digits – for the speed you need.
