8 Best Internet Providers in Columbus, MN

Compare Providers Ranked by Coverage, Speed, and Customer Ratings

Above are the top 4 providers in Columbus, MN for most people based on high speed internet coverage, speeds, and customer reviews. Click below to see all providers in your city.

All Providers

Speed and technology may vary by address for all providers. Please note we may have a financial relationship with some of the providers above, which does not impact the customer ratings displayed. Customer ratings listed above are national ratings, local Columbus ratings may vary and are shown below.

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Who is the Best Internet Provider in Columbus, MN?

XFINITY from Comcast is the best internet provider in Columbus based on Minnesota customer satisfaction ratings and reviews. Based on our extensive and unbiased survey, XFINITY from Comcast had the best reviews at the local, state, and national levels versus all available providers in Columbus, making it a solid recommendation among providers with reviews. Unfortunately, XFINITY from Comcast is an option for 18.28% of the city.

The chart and table below show average customer ratings from customers in Columbus, Minnesota, and customers throughout the country.

Top Rated Internet Providers in Columbus

Local, State, and National Ratings for all Columbus Internet Providers

Based on 99 reviews from Minnesota internet customers, XFINITY from Comcast is the best internet service provider for Columbus residents. XFINITY from Comcast was rated at an average of 3.51 out of 5 in our report for overall customer satisfaction. Centurylink wins for second-place in Minnesota, with 3.00 out of 5 stars and 99.6% coverage in Columbus.

At a national level, based on 4372 national reviews for any of the providers listed above, Midco is rated higher than any other provider, with a rating of 3.74 out of 5.

Who is the Fastest Internet Provider in Columbus?

According to unbiased feedback from real internet customers in the city, they reported being happiest with speeds provided by Centurylink. On the other hand, based on data provided by the internet providers to the FCC, Midco should have faster speeds at a local level. While we typically put more weight on real-world customer ratings, we display both satisfaction and technical maximum information for customers to decide for themselves.

Data Reported to FCC by ISPs: Average Maximum Available in Columbus

	ISP / Tech Type	Max Advertised Speed
	Midco	5,000 Mbps
	Quantum Fiber	2,000 Mbps
	XFINITY from Comcast	1,200 Mbps
	Centurylink	1,000 Mbps
	Verizon	300 Mbps
	AT&T	100 Mbps
	EarthLink	100 Mbps
	T-Mobile Home Internet	100 Mbps
	Viasat	100 Mbps
	HughesNet	25 Mbps

Customer Ratings for Internet Provider Speeds in Columbus

Based on data reported by Columbus ISPs to the FCC, the fastest speeds in the city are available through Midco. The company offers speeds up to 5,000 Mbps in Columbus. Therefore, the average customer can get up to 3,652 Mbps if they're willing to purchase the fastest subscription tier available at their homes.

Additionally, actual customers in the city rated their satisfaction with internet speed highest with Centurylink. This indicates Centurylink reliably delivers speeds expected by the customer based on the plan they are paying for.

Who is the Cheapest Internet Provider in Columbus?

Minnesota customers rate XFINITY from Comcast as the cheapest internet service provider in state. Data comes from customers in the state rating their satisfaction with pricing. This feedback is valuable because it considers price changes and whether the speeds paid for are worth it.

XFINITY from Comcast received a local rating of 4.50 out of 5, which is higher than the average across all internet providers in the country. Centurylink is rated in second place for affordability by the company’s Columbus customers with an average price rating of 3.00 out of 5.

The chart and graph below show how customers in Columbus, Minnesota, and the United States rated the affordability of their internet service.

Rated Affordability in Columbus

Columbus Internet Health Assessment

ISP Reports evaluates the technological infrastructure across the United States. This includes assessing a grade for ISP providers and infrastructure in the city and setting an index number for the digital connectivity of its residents. You can view the ISP Report Card and the Digital Connectivity Index for Columbus below, including the metrics used and how Columbus compares to the rest of Minnesota and nation.

Columbus ISP Report Card: B

	Metric (hover for details)	Columbus	Minnesota	USA
	Fiber Availability Percent The percentage of households in Columbus that have a Fiber internet connection available to their home.	58.74%	62.00%	67.25%
	Average Download SpeedThe maximum download speed most households can get on average. This is measured by availability in a block group and weighted by the population in that area.	3,492 Mbps	3,031 Mbps	3,293 Mbps
	Provider CountThe number of providers available for most people. This is a weighted average by block rather than a total for Columbus.	6.3	6.3	6.8

 

Columbus Digital Connectivity Index: 65 / 100

	Metric (hover for details)	Columbus	Minnesota	USA
	Average Household SizeA larger household size in a city indicates that there will be a greater need for bandwidth due to simultaneous usage, multiple devices, and network congestion.	2.6	2.5	2.7
	Work From Home PercentA higher percent of the population working from home indicates bandwidth requirements being more widely needed rather than consolidated to commercial portions of the city.	16%	16%	14%
	Households with DevicesA higher percentage of households with computing devices in the home indicates a higher level of infrastructure needed to support those households.	96%	96%	95%
	Households with InternetA higher percentage of households with internet indicates a higher need for usage and connectivity in people’s daily lives.	94%	91%	90%
	Households with BroadbandA higher percentage of households with a broadband connection (defined as speeds above 25 Mbps) indicates heavier usage needs within these households.	67%	77%	75%
	Broadband Usage vs. AvailabilityThis measures what percentage of households who have a broadband connection to their home actually have an active subscription to that service.	67%	77%	76%

Columbus ISP Report Card & Digital Connectivity Index

The ISP Report Card in Columbus is B, which is comparable to other cities. The local demand for broadband internet connectivity in Columbus is high with a score of 65 / 100 in our Digital Connectivity Index. This means that internet service providers operating in Columbus have done a good job meeting the needs of its residents.

The Columbus ISP Report Card evaluates the city on availability and speed metrics compared to other cities in the United States. ISP Infrastructure can vary greatly and on its own isn’t a perfect measure of what a city needs. Please see our ISP Report Card along with the Digital Connectivity Index above to evaluate how well the connectivity demand is met by the existing infrastructure.

94% of Columbus households have an internet connection despite having 99.84% availability. 67% of households have fiber, cable, or DSL, 10% have satellite, 0% are still on dial-up, and 3% of households have internet but don’t pay for a subscription because it’s subsidized by the Affordable Connectivity Program.

As you can see in the table above, while 67% of households have a broadband connection such as fiber, cable or DSL available to their home, 67% subscribe to it. A moderate amount of Columbus residents are taking advantage of the available internet infrastructure.

For more details, please visit our ISP Report Card and Digital Connectivity Index pages.

How do Neighboring Cities Compare to Columbus?

How Much Speed does a Columbus Household Need?

Higher speed is typically preferred, but that comes at a higher price. The average size of a household in Columbus is 2.6, which is larger than the Minnesota average of 2.5 and smaller than the national average of 2.7. Columbus's average household income is $114,510 which is much higher than the Minnesota average of $97,862 and much higher than the national average of $90,606. Homes with more people living in them and with higher incomes tend to indicate more devices being used more often.

Columbus also has 13% of its population enrolled in school between the 6th grade and college level, this is lower than the Minnesota average of 16%. Additionally, 16% of residents work from home, which is higher than the 16% of residents in Minnesota who work from home. This and other factors you can see above show us that the community of Columbus has a high need for internet connectivity and speeds.

Compared to the rest of the country, Columbus households are more technology-engaged. 96% of households have some sort of computing device, 90% have desktops or laptops in the home, and 93% have smartphones. To see what speeds you are currently getting, please visit our internet speed test tool.

Which Fiber Internet Providers are Available in Columbus?

Which Cable Internet Providers are Available in Columbus?

Which DSL Internet Providers are Available in Columbus?

Which Fixed Wireless and LTE Internet Providers are Available in Columbus?

Which ISP Should You Choose in Columbus?

The right ISP for you depends upon your needs, but in general we can make the following suggestions:

• The best all-around internet service provider in Columbus is XFINITY.
• The fastest internet provider should be Midco. Considering speed for the money and reliability in speeds, Centurylink may be a better choice based on real-world local customer feedback.
• The most affordable internet provider in Columbus is XFINITY.
• HughesNet, Centurylink, and Viasat has the broadest coverage in Columbus, and is most likely to cover your home. To find out exactly what's available at your home, please use our address search tool.

How does Columbus compare to other cities with a similar population?

To see how Columbus stacks up on the national level, it's useful to look at some other cities with similarly sized populations. Below you can see a list of these cities and how they compare to Columbus's B ISP Report Card and 65 / 100 Digital Connectivity Index.