What is the best internet provider in Chesapeake?
Because of its symmetrical speeds and simple service details, Verizon Fios is Chesapeake’s best internet service provider. Besides Verizon Fios, you might be able to get home broadband through Cox Communications or T-Mobile, depending on your location.
We’ve also found the cheapest plans and fastest speeds for providers in Chesapeake. The lowest price is $35 a month from Mediacom for speeds up to 100 megabits per second. However, if you’re an eligible mobile customer through T-Mobile or Verizon, you can get home internet for only $30-$35 monthly.
Cox offers the fastest plan in Chesapeake. Customers can get speeds up to 2 gigabits per second for $120 per month, but many other providers offer speeds up to 1,000Mbps if your home isn’t serviceable by Cox.
CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Chesapeake across several categories. Our evaluation includes referencing a proprietary database built over years of reviewing internet services. We validate that against provider information by spot-checking local addresses for service availability. We also do a close read of providers’ terms and conditions and, when needed, will call ISPs to verify the details.
Despite our efforts to find the most recent and accurate information, our process has some limitations you should know about. Pricing and speed data are variable: Certain addresses may qualify for different service tiers, and monthly costs may vary, even within a city. The best way to identify your particular options is to plug your address into a provider’s website.
Also, the prices, speed and other information listed above and in the provider cards below may differ from what we found in our research. The cards display the full range of a provider’s pricing and speed across the US, according to our database of plan information provided directly by ISPs. At the same time, the text is specific to what’s available in Chesapeake. The prices referenced within this article’s text come from our research and include applicable discounts for setting up automatic payments each month — a standard industry offering. Discounts and promotions might also be available for signing a term contract or bundling multiple services.
To learn more about how we review internet providers, visit our full methodology page.
Best internet in Chesapeake
300 – 2,000 Mbps
$50 – $120 per month
Our take – Despite comparable coverage from Verizon and Cox, Verizon Fios offers symmetrical download and upload speeds that can’t be matched. Customers can choose from three plans: 300Mbps for $50, 500Mbps for $70 and 1 gigabit for $90. You won’t see a price increase after the first year with any of these plans, and unlimited data is included in the monthly cost.
300 – 2,000 Mbps
$50 – $120 per month
300 – 2,000 Mbps
$50 – $120 per month
Cable, some fiber
25 – 2,000 Mbps
$40 – $100 per month
Our take – If you’re looking to bundle your internet and television services in the city, Cox is your best bet. Providing service to almost 90% of Chesapeake households, this provider offers the fastest speeds in the area. Many plans are offered under Cox’s network, ranging from $50 to $120, with speeds as high as 2,000Mbps.
Cable, some fiber
25 – 2,000 Mbps
$40 – $100 per month
Cable, some fiber
25 – 2,000 Mbps
$40 – $100 per month
Fixed wireless
72 – 245 Mbps
$50 per month
Our take – This fixed wireless provider is a great option for simple, easy-to-understand home broadband. T-Mobile Home Internet costs a flat rate of $50 per month, with no data caps, monthly equipment fees or annual contracts. If you’re an eligible Go5G Plus or Magenta Max mobile customer, you can receive a $20 monthly discount on your bill.
Fixed wireless
72 – 245 Mbps
$50 per month
Fixed wireless
72 – 245 Mbps
$50 per month
Chesapeake internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Fiber | Fiber | $55-$250 | 300-5,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| AT&T Home Internet | DSL | $55 | 10-100Mbps | None | 1.5TB | None | 7.4 |
| Breezeline | Cable/fiber | $20-$60 | 100-1,000Mbps | $15 (optional) | None | None | N/A |
| Brightspeed | DSL/fiber | $59-$79 | 200-940Mbps | $15 (optional) | None | None | N/A |
| Spectrum | Cable | $50-$90 | 300-1,000Mbps | Free modem; $5 router (optional) | None | None | 7.2 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet | Fixed wireless | $50 ($30 for eligible Go5G Plus and Magenta Max mobile customers) | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet | Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 with qualifying Verizon 5G mobile plans) | 50-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in Chesapeake?
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Chesapeake
The best internet deals and top promotions in Chesapeake depend on what discounts are available during that period. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Chesapeake internet providers, such as Cox, Mediacom and Spectrum, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, including Verizon and 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.
Photo by Ferrantraite/Getty Images
Fastest internet plans in Chesapeake
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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 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 Federal Communications Commission. 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 Chesapeake
Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike with 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?
Though the answers 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, but 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 the FCC.
To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.
Internet providers in Chesapeake FAQ
What is the best internet service provider in Chesapeake?
Verizon Fios is the best internet service provider in Chesapeake. This provider offers wide coverage, symmetrical speeds, unlimited data and no yearly contract. It’s the best choice for most Chesapeake residents.
Is fiber internet available in Chesapeake?
Yes. Verizon Fios is Chesapeake’s largest fiber provider, but select households might be able to access Cox’s fiber network.
Who is the cheapest internet provider in Chesapeake?
Mediacom offers the cheapest internet plan in Chesapeake, costing $35 monthly for speeds up to 100Mbps. However, T-Mobile and Verizon offer discounts for eligible mobile customers, so you might pay less and reach faster speeds with those ISPs.
Which internet provider in Chesapeake offers the fastest plan?
The fastest speed you can get in Chesapeake is 2 gigabits, which Cox offers for $120 monthly.
