A sluggishly loading shopping cart, an insanely high ping rate, and a video that’s stuck in a never-ending buffering loop – a slow internet is a nightmare without a doubt. In 2020, a survey revealed that only 28% of Americans have access to 100 Mbps or higher download speeds. Due to the pandemic, the need for the fastest internet has only gained further momentum.

Luckily, there are internet providers in the US, providing us with the fastest options in many neighborhoods. But, hold on a second. How fast is the fastest internet that we’re talking about?

Opting for high-speed internet is all about asking yourself a few questions before finalizing your decision. What numbers of users are there? Sometimes, even the smallest clan can consume the highest bandwidth – is it like that at your end? Don’t worry, we have your back. We’ll walk you through everything that you’d ever want to know about high-speed internet. So, let’s begin.

What is a High-Speed Internet?

The need for a high-speed internet connection has always remained unclear. In the ‘90s, LANs transmitted data at 10 megabits per second, while a typical modem transmitted data at 56 kilobits per second. Albeit, these speeds in no way match what we’re easily and affordably accessing now. The users of the ‘90s however found the ‘bits’ of data to be sufficient for their daily needs. But times have evolved.

Fast-forwarding to 2021, there has been a drastic leap in the speeds and bandwidth that users can access now. In 2015, FCC set a benchmark of 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload. Mbps is the rate at which data is transmitted through a connection. The higher it is, the lowest latency you would experience.

Does Fastest Internet Make a Difference?

Partially. What really matters in this situation is the equipment you’re using. If your equipment is dated and you’ve requested your ISP to hook you up with Gigabit internet speeds, then hold it right there.

To get gig-fast speeds, there needs to be upgraded technology in your household/workplace that supports the latest speed limits without a glitch. Wi-Fi 4, which came out in 2009, uses a singular 2.4 GHz wireless band and reaches a maximum speed of 450 Mbps. Later in 2014, Wi-Fi 5 was introduced with dual wireless bands: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, for enhanced speed capabilities. The maximum speed reached by Wi-Fi 5 is 3,500 Mbps.

The latest gold standard router a.k.a. Wi-Fi 6 consumes both 2.4 and 5 GHz bands to deliver higher data to a maximum number of devices simultaneously. The maximum bandwidth reached by Wi-Fi 6 is 9,600 Mbps. If you’re going for a provider that offers triple-digit download speeds, then using the latest upgraded hardware would guarantee you a hassle-free experience.

Don’t rely on your provider, learn how to choose the fastest wireless router for your internet connection by looking at some well-researched recommendations.

Which Providers Offer The Fastest Internet Speed?

Fastest Internet Providers

ISPs That Advertise Fastest Internet Speeds

Advertised VS Actual Internet Speeds

It’s Always Good To Know

The advertised speed is the highest download speed that your ISP claims to deliver. Approximately 45 million Americans get slower internet speeds from their ISPs, relative to what’s usually advertised. This confirms the enormous gap between the speeds advertised and actually offered. Are the users getting the value of money they’re paying?

The answer is yes, but there’s a catch. The speeds that users get for DSL broadband, fixed wireless, and satellite internet are faster than advertised. For instance, users of the aforementioned types of connections are usually advertised download speeds around 32 Mbps. However, the actual speeds delivered can spike as high up as 72 Mbps.

Now, if we pivot to cable and fiber internet, providers deliver lesser speeds than advertised. According to most fiber broadband advertisements, users can access speeds up to 1000 Mbps. The actual speeds however can be relatively much lower. Not too low, just not equal to the number you see on ads.

Similarly, with cable internet, the actual speeds may be lower than advertised, but not too low. If a cable provider is advertising speeds around 160 Mbps on average, then users may be able to access speeds around 125 Mbps, which is still sufficient.

How to Find the Fastest Internet Provider in Your Area?

Albeit, there might be more than 100 ISPs claiming to deliver the fastest internet in the US. However, not all of them can ensure availability in your neighborhood. Therefore, whenever the question ‘who is the fastest internet provider near me?’ pops up in your head, use your area’s ZIP code in our BuyTVInternetPhone zip tool to reach the providers that service near you.

After shortlisting the providers in your ZIP code, figure out which of the top picks delivers the fastest type of internet connection. If your neighborhood approves the presence of fiber internet, then opting for it would be wiser. If fiber is unavailable, then an HFC-backed cable internet wouldn’t disappoint you with its gig-fast speeds.

Now, what if your neighborhood is deprived of both fiber and cable? That’s a common dilemma for rural residents. However, there’s always a DSL or fixed wireless internet connection. While DSL can reach 100 Mbps in areas where it’s available, fixed wireless can deliver speeds up to 100 Mbps as well and that too wirelessly. There are plenty of high-speed internet options for rural residents in 2021.

Conclusively, be mindful of your needs before settling for the fastest provider in your area. Measure out the internet consumption in your household, finalize the speed that should be enough for the month, and practice the aforementioned suggestion.