EmailBest Reviewed
ISPs
- Best ISP Verizon FiOS *Est. $50
- Fastest cable Internet service Cablevision Optimum Online *Est. $30
- Budget DSL AT&T Basic DSL *Est. $20
- Dial-up ISP Juno *Est. $0
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Fastest cable Internet service
- Very high speed for cable
- High customer satisfaction
- Reliable connections
- Speeds can vary at times
- Not available everywhere
March 2009. Available primarily in the Northeast, Cablevision's Optimum Online offers unusually fast cable Internet service, starting at 15 Mbps (*est. $30) but also available at a blazing speed of 30 Mbps (*est. $40). Cablevision tops more than one survey of broadband users, earning praise for connection reliability, customer service and technical support as well as for speed. If Optimum Online isn't available where you live, our Full Report discusses the top-rated cable ISPs for each area. Reviews also suggest considering Verizon FiOS (*est. $50 to $145 per month) a fiber-optic cable network with potential for even higher speeds, if it's available in your area.
We found excellent surveys of customer satisfaction with specific ISPs. The most current is the latest annual survey done by J.D. Power and Associates, polling 17,000 subscribers. PC Magazine's survey is older but covers even more people. Surveys and speed tests at PC World and Consumer Reports are also helpful. In addition to these, we found helpful user reviews at BroadbandReports.com and Epinions.com.
Our Sources
J.D. Power and Associates polls 17,000 people to rate customer satisfaction of broadband Internet providers by region. In the East, the only area where it's available, Cablevision tops the chart, outranking the other 10 broadband ISPs available in that area.
Review: High Speed Internet Service Provider Ratings, Editors of J.D. Power and Associates, Oct. 2008
Based on a survey of nearly 6,500 readers, Cablevision takes first place here, too, with above-average ratings for connection reliability, speed, customer service and support -- outranking Cox, Insight, EarthLink cable and several other cable ISPs.
Review: The Best and Worst ISPs, Jeff Bertolucci, June 20, 2007
Cablevision takes first place among cable ISPs in yet another big subscriber survey -- this one based on only about 6,000 users, but with plenty of detail.
Review: The Best (and Worst) Tech Support in America: ISPs, Eric Griffith, July 29, 2008
More than 40,000 readers responded to PC Magazine's online survey to measure ISP speeds. Cablevision's Optimum Online is the fastest among cable ISPs.
Review: Real World Testing: The Best ISPs in America, Jeremy Kaplan, May 30, 2007
5. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe
Based on ratings from over 34,000 readers of Consumer Reports, Cablevision Optimum Online is ranked here in comparison with 11 other cable ISPs, based on ratings for speed, reliability and technical support.
Review: Internet Service: Fiber Joins the Fray, Editors of Consumer Reports, Feb. 2007
This chart changes weekly, with Cablevision Optimum Online not listed at the time of this report. In late 2007, however, about 1,300 user reviews gave Cablevision's Optimum Online a high average score (a Silver award), especially on reliability. It receives grades no lower than a B in any category.
Review: Charts - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Contributors to BroadbandReports.com
7. Epinions.com
More than 160 user reviews give Cablevision Optimum Online a relatively high average rating (four out of a possible five stars), with special praise for its connection reliability. Negative reviews are few and mostly concern outages and customer service.
Review: Cablevision Optimum Online Reviews, Contributors to Epinions.com
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