What is the best internet provider in Allentown?
With exceptional fiber-optic coverage, fast speeds, favorable service terms and a lengthy price guarantee, Verizon Fios is the best internet service provider in Allentown. The 100% fiber provider offers symmetrical (or close) upload and download speeds ranging from 300 to 2,300 megabits per second, the fastest internet speed available in Allentown. Service includes free equipment rental, unlimited data and currently comes with a five-year price guarantee.
Verizon Fios isn’t the cheapest ISP in Allentown, however. Cable internet provider Astound offers the cheapest plan in Allentown, with service starting at just $20 monthly for speeds up to 300Mbps. The provider’s low pricing is tempting, but it’s good for only two years, after which the monthly rate may increase by $100 or more.
Fellow cable provider Service Electric Cable Television features more stable, yet slightly more expensive, pricing with plans ranging from 100 to 1,000Mbps, starting at $48 to $147 per month. While SECTV has you paying more from the start, there are no steep, scheduled price increases, so it may be a better deal down the road.
If you appreciate no surprises on your bill, T-Mobile Home Internet is another ISP worth considering in Allentown. Max speeds aren’t as fast as other popular broadband options in the area, but the contract-free internet service comes with free equipment rental, unlimited data, a unique price guarantee and a discount for qualifying T-Mobile voice customers.
CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Allentown across several categories. Our evaluation includes referencing a proprietary database built over years of reviewing internet services. We validate that against provider information by spot-checking local addresses for service availability. We also do a close read of providers’ terms and conditions and, when needed, will call ISPs to verify the details.
Despite our efforts to find the most recent and accurate information, our process has some limitations you should know about. Pricing and speed data are variable: certain addresses may qualify for different service tiers, and monthly costs may vary, even within a city. The best way to identify your particular options is to plug your address into a provider’s website.
Also, the prices, speed and other information listed above and in the provider cards below may differ from what we found in our research. The cards display the full range of a provider’s pricing and speed across the US, according to our database of plan information provided directly by ISPs, while the text is specific to what’s available in Allentown. The prices referenced within this article’s text come from our research and include applicable discounts for setting up automatic payments each month — a standard industry offering. Other discounts and promotions might also be available for things like signing a term contract or bundling with multiple services.
To learn more about how we review internet providers, visit our full methodology page.
Best internet in Allentown, Pennsylvania
300 – 2,000 Mbps
$50 – $120 per month
Our take – Considering all Verizon Fios has to offer, it’s easy to see why the ISP has taken J.D. Power’s top spot for customer satisfaction in the East region for 11 years straight. Fast speeds, free equipment, unlimited data and 99.9% reliability are just a few of the attributes that make Verizon Fios a top choice for home internet.
300 – 2,000 Mbps
$50 – $120 per month
100 – 1,500 Mbps
$20 – $80 per month
Our take – Few providers anywhere, including Allentown, can compete with Astound’s low introductory pricing. Even the provider’s fastest plan, with speeds up to 1,500Mbps, starts at just $55 per month. That’s only $5 more than the cheapest plan from Verizon Fios for up to five times the download speed. The low rates won’t last forever, though, and customers should anticipate a hefty — like three to five times the original price — increase once the introductory rate expires.
100 – 1,500 Mbps
$20 – $80 per month
Fixed wireless
72 – 245 Mbps
$60 per month
Our take – If you can get by on the somewhat slow speeds, typically between 72 and 245Mbps, T-Mobile Home Internet is a great, hassle-free choice for internet. There are no equipment fees, data caps or contracts, so there’s no risk in trying it out to see what speeds you can get. If the speeds meet your needs, T-Mobile Home Internet pledges to pay your final bill if your internet rate ever goes up.
Fixed wireless
72 – 245 Mbps
$60 per month
100 – 1,000 Mbps
Our take – Prices don’t start low as Astound, and max speeds aren’t quite as fast, but local cable ISP Service Electric stands out for its stable pricing, unlimited data and high availability in Allentown. If Verizon Fios isn’t available in your area, Service Electric could be the next best option for fast speeds at a steady price.
100 – 1,000 Mbps
Allentown, Pennsylvania, internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Astound Broadband Read full review |
Cable/fiber | $20-$55 | 300-1,500Mbps | None | None | None | 7 |
| SECTV | Cable | $48-$147 | 100-1,000Mbps | $11 (optional) | None | None | N/A |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $60 ($40-$50 with eligible mobile plans) | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 with eligible mobile plans) | 50-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
|
Verizon Fios Read full review |
Fiber | $50-$110 | 300-2,300Mbps | None | None | None | 7.6 |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What is the cheapest internet plan in Allentown?
| Plan | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Astound 300 Read full review |
$20 | 300Mbps | None |
|
Astound 600 Read full review |
$35 | 600Mbps | None |
| SECTV 100 | $48 | 100Mbps | $11 (optional) |
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 300Mbps | None |
|
Verizon Fios 300 Read full review |
$50 | 300Mbps | None |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
$60 ($40-$50 with eligible mobile plans) | 245Mbps | None |
Show more (1 item)
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Allentown
The best internet deals and the top promotions in Allentown depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Allentown internet providers, such as Astound and T-Mobile Home Internet, may offer lower introductory pricing or other incentives for a limited time. Many, however, including Verizon Fios and Service Electric, 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 plans in Allentown
| Plan | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Verizon Fios 2 Gig Read full review |
$110 | 2,300Mbps | 2,300Mbps | None | Fiber |
|
Astound 1500 Read full review |
$55 | 1,500Mbps | 50Mbps cable, 1,500Mbps fiber | None | Cable, fiber |
|
Astound 1000 Read full review |
$45 | 1,000Mbps | 50Mbps cable, 1,000Mbps fiber | None | Cable, fiber |
| SECTV 1 Gig | $147 | 1,000Mbps | 40Mbps | None | Cable |
|
Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet Read full review |
$70 ($45 with eligible mobile plans) | 1,000Mbps | 75Mbps | None | Fixed wireless |
|
Verizon Fios 1 Gig Read full review |
$90 | 940Mbps | 880Mbps | None | Fiber |
Show more (1 item)
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 Allentown, Pennsylvania
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 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 answers to those questions are often layered and complex, the providers that 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.
Internet providers in Allentown, Pennsylvania, FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in Allentown?
Verizon Fios is the best internet service provider in Allentown due to its broad fiber coverage, fast upload and download speeds, straightforward pricing and record of high customer satisfaction.
The area’s largest fiber provider, Verizon Fios, offers plans ranging from 300 to 2,300Mbps, including equipment rental and unlimited data at no extra cost. The fast speeds and customer-friendly service terms have helped Verizon Fios earn high customer satisfaction scores from the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power.
Is fiber internet available in Allentown?
Fiber internet is available to approximately 70% of Allentown households, or around 37,800 residential addresses, according to the most recent FCC data. Serviceability is greatest in Center City, East Allentown and West End, though fiber internet can be found throughout much of the city. Verizon Fios is the largest fiber internet provider in Allentown, while Astound also offers fiber internet and cable service.
What is the cheapest internet provider in Allentown?
Astound has the cheapest rates on comparable speeds in Allentown. Service costs $20 a month for speeds up to 300Mbps — $30 less than the same download speed potential from Verizon Fios. Other Astound plans, 600Mbps, 1,000Mbps and 1,500Mbps, are also competitively priced. The 1,000Mbps plan starts at $45 a month, half the price of gig service from Verizon Fios ($90).
With Astound, equipment is included at no extra cost, but a Network and Maintenance Fee will add up to $13 to your monthly bill. After two years, once the introductory rate expires, your home internet rate may increase significantly (up to $100 or more, potentially), so you’ll want to monitor your monthly bill.
Which internet provider in Allentown offers the fastest plan?
Verizon Fios offers the fastest internet plan in Allentown with speeds up to 2,300Mbps starting at $110 monthly. As a 100% fiber-optic provider, Verizon Fios has the advantage of delivering symmetrical (or close) upload and download speeds.
Astound offers a 1,500Mbps plan in Allentown for the low starting rate of just $55 monthly, but unless your home is serviceable for fiber service, max upload speeds will be much lower at around 50Mbps.
Tyler Fields is your internet guru, delving into the latest trends, developments, and issues shaping the online world. With a focus on internet culture, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies, Tyler keeps readers informed about the dynamic landscape of the internet and its impact on our digital lives.
