Best Internet Providers in Laredo, Texas

What is the best internet provider in Laredo?

Spectrum is the best internet service provider for most Laredo households due to its wide coverage map and reasonable starting monthly prices.Spectrum also offers simple service terms, including a free modem, unlimited data and no required contracts. However, if Spectrum isn’t a broadband option at your address, T-Mobile Home Internet or AT&T Fiber are also solid picks, if available.

If you’re shopping for the cheapestor fastest service in Laredo, we’ve also found those picks to help you compare providers. Spectrum offers the most affordable plan in the area, costing only $50 per month for download speeds up to 500 megabits per second. This cable ISP also offers 1,000Mbps for $70 if you need more speed at your location.

Are you searching for the fastest plan in Laredo? Check out AT&T Fiber’s 5-gigabit plan, which offers symmetrical speeds up to 5,000Mbps for $250 monthly. 

Best internet in Laredo, Texas

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Other available internet providers in Laredo

• B&B Communications Internet: Also known as the AutoPhone of Laredo, this local-based internet provider offers fixed wireless coverage to approximately 47% of Laredo households, per the latest data from the FCC. Plans and pricing will vary depending on what’s available at your location, but B&B offers download speeds up to 200Mbps. Standard service starts at $50 a month for 40Mbps. Plans will come with a two-year contract, and the equipment will be included at no extra cost. The only downside is that installation can reach upwards of $150. 
• SmartCom Internet: This Texas-based internet provider offers DSL, fiber, and fixed-wireless connections. However, you won’t have much luck finding residential internet anywhere within the city’s borders. At present, Smartcom only offers plans for businesses, but this can soon change as the company is working to expand its fiber-optic network to other areas in Southern Texas. 
• Satellite: If you want to avoid the hike in prices from cable providers, then satellite internet might be your best option. Not to mention, satellite connections from Hughesnet, Viasat and Starlink can be found nearly everywhere. I would usually refrain from placing satellite at the top of your list, due to the steep monthly costs you’d pay for slower speeds. But if broadband options are limited in your area, then satellite internet is a good alternative. Starlink and Viasat customers aren’t required any term agreements, although, I can’t say the same for Hughesnet customers. Starlink is the fastest ISP of the three, but for standard service, you’re looking at $120 a month and a $599 charge upfront to lease equipment. 

Cheap internet options in Laredo

The average starting monthly price in Laredo is around $53. The cheapest internet belongs to Spectrum 500Mbps plan at $50 a month. The downside to Spectrum is that once the promo period ends after 12 months, customers can expect that rate to double. The second cheapest internet offering belongs to AT&T Fiber's $55-a-month plan which features speeds of up to symmetrical speeds of 300Mbps.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Laredo

The best internet deals and top promotions in Laredo depend on what discounts are available during that period. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers. 

Laredo internet providers, such as Spectrum, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, however, such as AT&T, run the same standard pricing year-round. 

For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.

How fast is Laredo broadband?

In the latest Ookla speed test data, Laredo ranked no. 46 among the 100 major cities in the country and featured a median download speed of 233Mbps. However, nearby Corpus Christi and San Antonio fared much better, both placing in the top five, with speeds of 282Mbps and 272Mbps, respectively. Still, Laredo performed much better than Texas did overall as a state, coming in only at 225Mbps.

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 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 Laredo

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to test every ISP in a given city personally. 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:

1. Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
2. Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?
3. Are customers happy with their service?

While the answers to those questions are 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, 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 consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports.

To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.

What's the final word on internet providers in Laredo?

Laredo has limited broadband options. If you're lucky and your address is serviceable for AT&T Fiber, you'll have access to blazing speeds of up to 5 gigabits. But in any other case, if you want to avoid AT&T's outdated DSL plans, then I recommend looking into fixed wireless connections from AT&T Internet Air or from T-Mobile.

Internet providers in Laredo FAQs