8 Best Internet Providers in Fort Smith, AR

Compare Providers Ranked by Coverage, Speed, and Customer Ratings

Above are the top 4 providers in Fort Smith, AR 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 Fort Smith ratings may vary and are shown below.

1. Internet Providers

 » 

2. Arkansas

 » 

3. Fort Smith, AR Internet Service Providers

Who is the Best Internet Provider in Fort Smith, AR?

The chart and table below show average customer ratings from customers in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and customers throughout the country.

Top Rated Internet Providers in Fort Smith

Local, State, and National Ratings for all Fort Smith Internet Providers

Based on 46 reviews from Arkansas internet customers, Dobson Fiber is the best internet service provider for Fort Smith residents. Dobson Fiber was rated at an average of 4.80 out of 5 in our report for overall customer satisfaction. AT&T wins for second-place in Arkansas, with 3.25 out of 5 stars and 97.6% coverage in Fort Smith.

At a national level, based on 2438 national reviews for any of the providers listed above, Dobson Fiber is rated higher than any other provider, with a rating of 4.15 out of 5.

Who is the Fastest Internet Provider in Fort Smith?

Data Reported to FCC by ISPs: Average Maximum Available in Fort Smith

	ISP / Tech Type	Max Advertised Speed
	Dobson Fiber	10,000 Mbps
	Ritter Communications	5,000 Mbps
	EarthLink	5,000 Mbps
	AT&T	5,000 Mbps
	Cox Communications	2,000 Mbps
	Wave Rural Connect	1,000 Mbps
	Verizon	300 Mbps
	T-Mobile Home Internet	100 Mbps
	Viasat	100 Mbps
	HughesNet	25 Mbps

Customer Ratings for Internet Provider Speeds in Fort Smith

Based on data reported by Fort Smith ISPs to the FCC, the fastest speeds in the city are available through Dobson Fiber. The company offers speeds up to 10,000 Mbps in Fort Smith. Therefore, the average customer can get up to 10,000 Mbps if they're willing to purchase the fastest subscription tier available at their homes.

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

Who is the Cheapest Internet Provider in Fort Smith?

Arkansas customers rate Dobson Fiber 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.

Dobson Fiber received a local rating of 4.75 out of 5, which is higher than the average across all internet providers in the country. AT&T is rated in second place for affordability by the company’s Fort Smith customers with an average price rating of 3.25 out of 5.

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

Rated Affordability in Fort Smith

Fort Smith 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 Fort Smith below, including the metrics used and how Fort Smith compares to the rest of Arkansas and nation.

Fort Smith ISP Report Card: A-

	Metric (hover for details)	Fort Smith	Arkansas	USA
	Fiber Availability Percent The percentage of households in Fort Smith that have a Fiber internet connection available to their home.	84.87%	72.95%	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.	6,358 Mbps	2,552 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 Fort Smith.	7.8	6.4	6.8

 

Fort Smith Digital Connectivity Index: 52 / 100

	Metric (hover for details)	Fort Smith	Arkansas	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.	2.5	2.6	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.	8%	8%	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.	93%	93%	95%
	Households with InternetA higher percentage of households with internet indicates a higher need for usage and connectivity in people’s daily lives.	83%	85%	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.	72%	64%	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.	72%	65%	76%

Fort Smith ISP Report Card & Digital Connectivity Index

The ISP Report Card in Fort Smith is A-, which is better than other cities. The local demand for broadband internet connectivity in Fort Smith is high with a score of 52 / 100 in our Digital Connectivity Index. This means that internet service providers operating in Fort Smith have done a average job meeting the needs of its residents.

The Fort Smith 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.

83% of Fort Smith households have an internet connection despite having 99.58% availability. 72% of households have fiber, cable, or DSL, 5% 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 72% of households have a broadband connection such as fiber, cable or DSL available to their home, 72% subscribe to it. A large amount of Fort Smith 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 Fort Smith?

How Much Speed does a Fort Smith Household Need?

Higher speed is typically preferred, but that comes at a higher price. The average size of a household in Fort Smith is 2.5, which is smaller than the Arkansas average of 2.6 and smaller than the national average of 2.7. Fort Smith's average household income is $59,847 which is about average for the Arkansas average of $66,162 and lower than the national average of $90,606. Homes with fewer people living in them and with lower incomes tend to indicate fewer devices being used less often.

Fort Smith also has 14% of its population enrolled in school between the 6th grade and college level, this is lower than the Arkansas average of 15%. Additionally, 8% of residents work from home, which is lower than the 8% of residents in Arkansas who work from home. This and other factors you can see above show us that the community of Fort Smith has an average need for internet connectivity and speeds.

Compared to the rest of the country, Fort Smith households are about average when it comes to technological engagement. 93% of households have some sort of computing device, 71% have desktops or laptops in the home, and 90% have smartphones. To see what speeds you are currently getting, please visit our internet speed test tool.

Which Fiber Internet Providers are Available in Fort Smith?

Which Cable Internet Providers are Available in Fort Smith?

Which DSL Internet Providers are Available in Fort Smith?

Which Fixed Wireless and LTE Internet Providers are Available in Fort Smith?

Which ISP Should You Choose in Fort Smith?

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 Fort Smith is Dobson Fiber.
• The fastest internet provider should be Dobson Fiber. Considering speed for the money and reliability in speeds, Dobson Fiber may be a better choice based on real-world local customer feedback.
• The most affordable internet provider in Fort Smith is Dobson Fiber.
• Viasat, HughesNet, and Cox Communications has the broadest coverage in Fort Smith, 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 Fort Smith compare to other cities with a similar population?

To see how Fort Smith 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 Fort Smith's A- ISP Report Card and 52 / 100 Digital Connectivity Index.

Customer Reviews

Customer Reviews for Internet Service Providers in Arkansas