Best Internet Providers in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

CNET recommends AT&T and Spectrum as the two main internet providers in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Between the two, AT&T Fiber stands out for offering faster speeds and fiber internet access (plans start at $55 a month and go up to $245). All of this at a pricing comparable to Spectrum, which comes in as our second choice.

For those who rely heavily on the internet — whether working from home, browsing or keeping kids entertained — Milwaukee has several solid options. Reliable speeds, reasonable pricing, extensive coverage and good customer support are essential. While AT&T and Spectrum are the primary choices for many residents, other providers like T-Mobile, Verizon and EarthLink might also be available, depending on your address. The rates for these start at $50 a month.

Best internet providers in Milwaukee

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Other Milwaukee residential internet providers

Internet service providers in Milwaukee range from large telecom companies to satellite providers. When deciding which internet service provider to choose, knowing your options and how to get the fastest and most reliable service for your home is important.

• EarthLink is available in 45% of Milwaukee, has speeds up to 5,000Mbps, and has DSL, fiber and satellite connections.
• T-Mobile Home Internet also offers 5G wireless internet in Milwaukee. It has one plan for $50 a month and speeds ranging from 72Mbps to 245Mbps.
• Satellite internet is available virtually everywhere, including Milwaukee, thanks to providers like Hughesnet, Starlink and Viasat.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

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

Milwaukee internet providers, such as Spectrum may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many providers, including AT&T Fiber and Verizon 5G Home Internet, run the same standard pricing year-round. 

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

Fastest internet providers in Milwaukee

Speed test results for the Brew City put the median fixed download speed at 278Mbps. Remember that several factors go into speed test results, such as the time of day it’s run and whether you run it from an Ethernet connection or using your Wi-Fi. 

Several internet service providers in Milwaukee offer fast speeds throughout the city. Spectrum offers speeds up to 1Gbps, with AT&T’s Fiber offerings featuring up to 5Gbps in some areas. These speeds allow you to work remotely, game online and have multiple people on the network streaming. 

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

What’s the final word on internet providers in Milwaukee?

Many fast, affordable and available options exist throughout the city of Milwaukee. Most importantly, you can find home internet plans without contracts or data caps, like AT&T, Spectrum, T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Milwaukee

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. 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 FCC.gov.

It doesn’t end there. We use the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we’re considering every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. To evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service, we look at sources including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power. 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? 

The answer to those questions is often layered and complex, but 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, although 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. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)

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

Milwaukee internet provider FAQs