How to shop for an internet provider in your new home

Moving is complicated, and comparing internet plans can be, too. Combine the two, and it can be even more complex.

But if you want internet and don’t want to rely solely on your phone’s data plan in your new home, it’s a necessity. Whether you’re a professional work-from-home couple spending all day on Zoom calls while raising three YouTube- and Spotify-happy teenagers or a thrifty single who spends little to no time streaming or scrolling in favor of reading books and raising chickens, you probably need home internet — at least for the chicken cam.

How to find ISPs

You probably have a rough idea of the kind of internet plan you’ll need in your new home based on what you had at your old place and how you felt about it. The first step is to see which internet service providers (ISPs) are available in your new area and what plans they offer.

Unfortunately, depending on where you’re moving, you may not have a lot of options — and you’ll need to know what they are before you go under contract. Websites like HighSpeedInternet.com, Allconnect.com, InMyArea.com, and WhistleOut let you find providers by ZIP code, though you may want to try more than one since they each offer slightly different results and they’re not always up to date. 

Just because ISPs allegedly serve your ZIP code doesn’t mean all of it — they may serve all homes in an area, some, or just one. Check with each ISP you’re interested in (whether on their website or via direct contact) to make sure the company can connect to the street address of your new home — not just the neighborhood. Even in relatively built-up areas, you may find homes where the cable or fiber run stops just a couple hundred feet away with an ISP unwilling to extend it. If you live in a big-box “luxury” apartment building, a condo, an HOA, or something similar, you might be limited to only one or two ISPs. Check with your property manager or board. 

Understanding your options

Keep in mind that the more people and internet-connected devices in your home, the more bandwidth you’ll need, since it has to be shared. Most people should opt for fiber or cable if available, especially if you stream a lot, work from home all or some of the time, game online, regularly take video calls, or have streaming cameras. Wi-Fi devices will be further limited by their radios, and anything on a mesh network will have further slowdowns the further it is from the main node. BroadbandNow and Consumer Reports both offer calculators to help you estimate your bandwidth needs. 

Your options will generally fall among the following types of internet service, in rough order of speed and preference:

Fiber: Fiber is the best speed by far, if you can get it. In neighborhoods where fiber is available, it’s not uncommon to see gigabit (1000Mbps) plans for $100 a month or less. And unlike cable internet, it’s often symmetrical, with upload speeds nearly as fast as download. (Cable upload speeds are often capped at a fraction of their capabilities.) But it’s not as prevalent as cable, it’s more complicated to set up service, and it’s not compatible with equipment like cable modems, if you already own one and were hoping to save some cash. 

Cable internet: Cable is widely available, low latency, and can usually be bundled with other services (including phone, cable, streaming bundles, and smart home / security options). In areas where cable ISPs have to compete with fiber, they tend to offer competitive gigabit-plus plans, at least for the first couple of years.

Fixed wireless: Since fixed wireless uses 4G and 5G cell networks, it’s good for areas that don’t have fiber or cable infrastructure, and it’s often much faster than satellite or DSL. But inclement weather and line-of-sight obstructions can hinder connectivity, data can be capped, and it’s only as good as the cell reception. It can be up to 1Gbps or as low as 25Mbps.

Satellite: Satellite is good for off-grid and rural areas. While it’s slower and more expensive than cable, fiber, or fixed wireless, it’s more resilient in natural disasters since it doesn’t rely on ground-based infrastructure, which can be damaged or lose power.

DSL: DSL is widely available and affordable; if you have landline service, you can probably get DSL. It’s often the slowest option — 50Mbps if you’re lucky, and even slower as you get farther from the service provider’s facilities. 

Features and drawbacks to look out for

Speed: This is an obvious one. The advertised number represents download speed. The second number, representing upload speed, has become more important in the age of cloud storage, always-on cloud cameras, and video content creation for social networks. 

Data caps: Not all plans are unlimited. And some plans may be “unlimited” in name only. Compare any applicable data caps with your anticipated usage, and understand the consequences of going over. (Will your service be throttled? Will you be subject to additional charges? If so, how much?)

Equipment pricing: Does the ISP let you buy your own equipment instead of using theirs (e.g., modem, routers, wireless mesh signal extenders)? If so, will they waive the monthly leasing fee on the equipment they would otherwise rent out to you? What’s the cost of that when you compare the upfront capital expenditure of buying versus leasing? 

It may also help to check reviews of the ISP’s equipment against reviews of third-party equipment to see if it’s even worthwhile to buy your own. Sometimes the ISP’s equipment is functionally competitive, and nowadays it’s common for companies to throw in whole-home Wi-Fi instead of a single access point.

Contracts and introductory pricing: The best deal you can get is a low price with no contract. But that’s not always doable. Some internet plans offer introductory pricing that expires after a certain number of months. Others require you to sign a contract for a year or two to get attractive pricing. Always ask how long pricing is guaranteed for, what the price will go up to after that period, and how long — if at all — you’ll be contractually obligated to stick around to avoid a penalty. (Also, find out what that penalty is.)

Installation fees: There’s not a lot of DIY in the land of ISPs; you’ll almost certainly have to have a technician come out to set you up. If installation isn’t free, you can sometimes talk the sales rep into waiving part or all of the fee. Just ask. (That’s how I always get my installation fees waived.)

Check the nutrition label — and the neighbors

Things have gotten a bit easier since the Federal Communications Commission mandated that fixed and mobile ISPs post user-friendly broadband “nutrition labels.” The labels outline many of the items discussed in this article, including pricing information, data caps, and speeds — as well as a lot of other important information, like taxes, early termination fees, privacy policy links, customer support information, etc.

To better understand the packages you’re considering, look for the nutrition label on an ISP’s website or in any of their retail locations, i.e., at any of their points of sale.

The real experts on your local ISPs are current and former customers. Find online reviews on sites like HighSpeedInternet.com or Trustpilot. Poke around forums and social networks like Reddit to look for common complaints. If feasible, talk to people in the neighborhood directly about their own ISP and their experiences. 

And my favorite trick: join the most popular community Facebook group(s) for people in the neighborhood — and just ask. (A few such groups require actual residency and will verify, but many others won’t mind if you haven’t moved to the area yet.) This works especially well in the suburbs and exurbs; Gen X townies often love to dish on who the best and worst companies to do business with in the area are, ISPs included.

Pick up the phone — yes, really

Yes, you can often sign up for an internet plan on the internet without ever talking to a human being. But unless you have enough money to swim around in, Scrooge McDuck-style, I don’t recommend it. No hate to you introverts out there, but bargains travel with empathy — and empathy happens in conversation. If you want the best deal, you’re going to have to dial and talk.

Once you and the sales rep have identified the package you’re targeting and the pricing, your two goals are (1) to sweet-talk the rep into giving you a better deal and (2) to discover the “fine print” and any details you don’t like. For the first, break out the charm and your best negotiation tactics (mentioning any other ISP that you’re considering never hurts, for example). For the second, grill the rep on all the “things to look for” points above. 

Rinse and repeat for other ISPs you’re considering (making sure you get the sales rep’s name, their direct line / extension, and a reference number each time). And don’t forget your current ISP if you haven’t ruled them out; if they offer service in your area, they may be willing to sweeten your deal with them in exchange for your continued business, especially if there are promotions you qualify for (which an ISP’s phone rep can find more easily than you can on your own).

When all is said and done, you’ll be equipped to pick the deal that works best for you. Happy internetting!

P.S. If you’re switching, don’t forget to break up with your current ISP (and return any equipment of theirs).