Best Internet Providers in Wausau, Wisconsin

What is the best internet provider in Wausau?

TDS Telecom is CNET's pick for the best internet provider overall for most households in Wausau because of widespread availability and symmetrical fiber speeds. However, TDS Telecom isn't available everywhere in Wausau, so Frontier Fiber or Spectrum are also solid picks, depending on what's available in your area. 

If you’re hunting for the lowest prices or fastest speeds, we’ve also found those top options. The cheapest internet in Wausau is Frontier’s 200Mbps plan for $30 per month, but coverage is limited to areas around East Towne. TDS Telecom and Spectrum have wider availability for their $50-per-month 300Mbps plans. The fastest internet speed in Wausau is Frontier’s 5,000Mbps fiber plan for $130 monthly.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Other available internet providers in Wausau

• Network Professionals AirNet: If you live in a rural or remote spot near Wausau and can’t get cable, fiber or T-Mobile Home Internet, look into this fixed wireless service. Plans start at $40 per month for 5Mbps and top out at $130 monthly for 25Mbps. There are no data caps or contracts. Compare this with satellite internet.  
• Satellite internet: Satellite internet service from Starlink, Viasat or Hughesnet can get you online when you have few or no other options for home broadband. It’s not cheap and speeds can vary, but it can be a functional option when you live in a rural area beyond the reach of the usual cable, fiber and fixed wireless ISPs.
• US Cellular: Wireless provider US Cellular offers home internet plans across Wausau. Plans start at $50 per month for 600GB of priority data. Speeds depend on your location. Before settling on US Cellular, look to wired internet options like cable or fiber.

Cheap internet options in Wausau

Frontier easily comes in with the cheapest home internet plan in town with its 200Mbps offering for $30 monthly. Unfortunately, it’s only available in a small area of Wausau. TDS Telecom and Spectrum cover a lot more ground. Both ISPs have plans starting at $50 per month for 300Mbps downloads. TDS Telecom also delivers 300Mbps uploads with its fiber network. If you’re a low-income household, look into eligibility for the federal Lifeline program and the TDS Connect or Spectrum Internet Assist options for affordable home broadband.

What’s the cheapest internet plan in Wausau?

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Wausau

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

Wausau internet providers, such as Spectrum and TDS Telecom, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, however, including Frontier and T-Mobile Home Internet, tend to 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 Wausau broadband?

Most Wausau homes can access gig downloads with TDS Telecom, Frontier Fiber and Spectrum. Wausau logged a respectable 277Mbps median download speed in a recent Ookla speed test report. That’s a notable jump over the Wisconsin state average of around 225Mbps. If you happen to live in Frontier’s coverage zone, you may get symmetrical fiber speeds of up to 5,000Mbps, the fastest in town. Otherwise, you’ll top out at 1,000Mbps with TDS Telecom or Spectrum.

Fastest internet plans in Wausau

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 video conferencing, 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 video conferencing.
• 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 video conferencing, 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 Wausau

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? For starters, we tap into a proprietary pricing, availability and speed database that draws from our own historical ISP data, partner data 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? 

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 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 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 Wausau?

TDS Telecom’s fiber plans make sense for most Wausau residents. Pricing is reasonable, speeds are symmetrical and the network reaches most of town. However, if you’re down around Rib Mountain, look to Spectrum for your connection. Give strong consideration to Frontier’s fiber plans if you live in its small coverage area. It has some of the best prices around and the gig plan is a particularly good value. If you’re in a remote spot and can’t get fiber or cable, check into fixed wireless from T-Mobile, US Cellular or Network Professionals. Overall, Wausau has some solid home internet options to get you connected.

Internet providers in Wausau FAQs