What is the best internet provider in Idaho Falls?
You can’t go wrong with any of the six internet service providers in the Idaho Falls Fiber Network, a “not-for-profit” utility owned by the city. You’ll have to pay a $25 monthly fee to maintain the city’s fiber infrastructure, but the plans are so cheap that they’re still the best deals by a long shot. (A note of caution: One Reddit user, who said they install fiber in Idaho Falls, called Fybercom the “worst by a huge mile” of the six ISPs on the Idaho Falls Fiber Network.)
My favorite ISP on the Idaho Falls Fiber Network is ConnectFast. You’ll get 1,000Mbps of upload and download speed for just $40 a month (before the $25 infrastructure fee). That kind of value is practically unheard of in the broadband world.
If you want to pay the lowest possible prices, Sparklight offers the cheapest internet in Idaho Falls, with plans starting at $25 monthly for 100Mbps download and 20Mbps upload speed. After a year, the price increases to $50 a month. T-Mobile Home Internet is another solid option, offering fixed wireless internet for $50 monthly. T-Mobile guarantees it won’t ever raise your rates, and equipment is included in the price.
Best internet in Idaho Falls, Idaho
Idaho Falls internet providers compared
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.*Prices include $25 monthly Idaho Falls Fiber network fee.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in Idaho Falls?
How to find internet deals and promotions in Idaho Falls
The best internet deals and top promotions in Idaho Falls depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Idaho Falls internet providers, such as Sparklight, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, however, including ConnectFast and T-Mobile Home Internet, run the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of promotions, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
Fastest internet plans in Idaho Falls
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 person sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two people to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming.
- 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more people to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Idaho Falls
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:
- 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?
While the answer to those questions is 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.