Best Internet Providers in Portsmouth, VA
All 7 providers, ranked by coverage, speed and customer ratings
Find internet availability by address in Portsmouth, VA
Portsmouth has 7 internet service providers, they are sorted by coverage, available speed, and customer rating from our unbiased internet provider report. Cable, Fiber, and Fixed Wireless internet are available in the city. Reviews are grouped by provider and the type of service they offer, covering all 3 available internet technologies in Portsmouth.
Ranks compare Portsmouth with the 749 US small cities (50,000 to 99,999 people), the tiers of our fastest-cities rankings.
The Best Internet in Portsmouth, VA at a Glance
Portsmouth Internet Providers, Ranked by Coverage, Speed and Customer Ratings
Cox
Connection
Customer Rating
Fiber
Cable
EarthLink
Connection
Customer Rating
Fiber
Fixed Wireless
Verizon
Connection
Customer Rating
Fiber
Fixed Wireless
T-Mobile Home Internet
Connection
Customer Rating
Fixed Wireless
Providers with less than 1% coverage in this city are excluded from the list. To see if one of these providers is available at your home, please use the address search above.
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 Portsmouth ratings may vary and are shown below.
Who is the Best Internet Provider in Portsmouth, VA?
AT&T is the highest-rated internet provider in Portsmouth based on 151 Virginia customer reviews, and T-Mobile Home Internet has the highest rating nationwide. The provider information above and the information immediately below can help you decide. Compare provider ratings and review counts above.
or call 1-877-610-1219
Which Providers are Available at my Home in Portsmouth?
Coverage changes block by block. Pick a provider and a technology to see where its service reaches: the darker the area, the larger the share of homes it covers. For your exact address, use the address search above.
Coverage map for each provider in Portsmouth
- Cox - cable coverage map
- Lumos Networks - fiber coverage map
- EarthLink - fiber coverage map
- Verizon - fiber coverage map
- Verizon - fixed wireless coverage map
- Cox - fiber coverage map
- T-Mobile Home Internet - fixed wireless coverage map
- AT&T - fixed wireless coverage map
- EarthLink - fixed wireless coverage map
- Spectrum - cable coverage map
How Portsmouth Compares to Places Its Size
Portsmouth's report card score is tied 508th of 749 and its connectivity index is tied 692nd of 749.
| Measure | Portsmouth | Rank among US small cities (50,000 to 99,999 people) | Portsmouth City | Virginia | US | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISP Report Card inputs: what providers offer here | ||||||
| Fiber availability | 85.8% | 317th of 749 | 85.8% | 79.0% | 71.5% | Aloha, OR and Shawnee, KS (100.0%) |
| Average top speed | 2,470 Mbps | 551st of 749 | 2,470 Mbps | 2,389 Mbps | 3,486 Mbps | Layton, UT (9,808 Mbps) |
| Providers at a typical address | 6.2 | Tied 591st of 749 | 6.2 | 5.7 | 7.1 | Guaynabo, PR (14.3) |
| Connectivity index inputs: how much households need and use the internet | ||||||
| People per household | 2.4 | Tied 561st of 749 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 2.7 | Pacoima, CA and Spring Valley, NY (4.3) |
| Workers who work from home | 9% | Tied 602nd of 749 | 9% | 18% | 15% | Danville, CA and Potomac, MD and 2 more (39%) |
| Homes with a computer, tablet or phone | 94% | Tied 625th of 749 | 94% | 96% | 96% | Atascocita, TX and Eastvale, CA and 8 more (100%) |
| Homes with internet | 88% | Tied 646th of 749 | 88% | 92% | 91% | Centreville, VA and Danville, CA and 2 more (99%) |
| Homes on fiber, cable or DSL | 69% | Tied 680th of 749 | 69% | 77% | 76% | Flower Mound, TX and Johns Creek, GA and 1 more (93%) |
| More about the households here | ||||||
| Homes with a desktop or laptop | 74% | Tied 619th of 749 | 74% | 83% | 81% | Sammamish, WA (99%) |
| Median household income | $64,938 | 646th of 749 | $64,938 | $109,990 | $93,246 | Potomac, MD ($227,882) |
| Residents in school (6th grade to college) | 14% | Tied 511th of 749 | 14% | 16% | 16% | East Lansing, MI (58%) |
Fiber reaches 85.8% of homes in Portsmouth, against 85.8% across Portsmouth City and 79.0% across Virginia. Households in Portsmouth are smaller than the US average (2.4 people against 2.7); 9% of workers work from home (US 15%); and the median household income is $64,938 (US $93,246).
Our demographic data is sourced from the latest 5-year release of the American Community Survey by the US Census Bureau.
Fiber, 5G, Cable and DSL Internet in Portsmouth
Which Fiber Internet Providers are Available in Portsmouth?
EarthLink Fiber in Portsmouth, VA
Availability:
79.7%
Customer Rating:
(6)
Avg. Download Speed
980 Mbps
EarthLink offers Fiber service to 79.7% of Portsmouth homes. Across the city, EarthLink Fiber has speeds up to 980 Mbps
Verizon Fiber in Portsmouth, VA
Availability:
79.7%
Customer Rating:
(452)
Avg. Download Speed
980 Mbps
Verizon offers Fiber service to 79.7% of Portsmouth homes. Across the city, Verizon Fiber has speeds up to 980 Mbps
Lumos Networks Fiber in Portsmouth, VA
Availability:
16.1%
Customer Rating:
(27)
Avg. Download Speed
5,000 Mbps
Lumos Networks offers Fiber service to 16.1% of Portsmouth homes. Across the city, Lumos Networks Fiber is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 5,000 Mbps
Cox Fiber in Portsmouth, VA
Availability:
3.6%
Customer Rating:
(54)
Avg. Download Speed
1,493 Mbps
Cox Communications offers Fiber service to 3.6% of Portsmouth homes. Across the city, Cox Fiber has speeds up to 1,493 Mbps, with speeds from 1,000 Mpbs up to 2,000 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 35 and as high as 2,000, with an average of 344 Mbps throughout the city. Cox Fiber is rated lower than other types of internet service available in Portsmouth from Cox in terms of customer satisfaction.
Which Fixed Wireless and LTE Internet Providers are Available in Portsmouth?
T-Mobile Home Internet Fixed Wireless in Portsmouth, VA
Availability:
93.1%
Customer Rating:
(341)
Avg. Download Speed
45 Mbps
T-Mobile Home Internet offers Fixed Wireless service to 93.1% of Portsmouth homes. Across the city, T-Mobile Home Internet Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 45 Mbps, with speeds from 25 Mpbs up to 100 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 3.0 and as high as 20, with an average of 7.5 Mbps throughout the city.
EarthLink Fixed Wireless in Portsmouth, VA
Availability:
92.2%
Customer Rating:
(4)
Avg. Download Speed
39 Mbps
EarthLink offers Fixed Wireless service to 92.2% of Portsmouth homes. Across the city, EarthLink Fixed Wireless has speeds up to 39 Mbps, with speeds from 25 Mpbs up to 100 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 3.0 and as high as 20, with an average of 6.2 Mbps throughout the city.
AT&T Fixed Wireless in Portsmouth, VA
Availability:
92.2%
Customer Rating:
(205)
Avg. Download Speed
39 Mbps
AT&T offers Fixed Wireless service to 92.2% of Portsmouth homes. Across the city, AT&T Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 39 Mbps, with speeds from 25 Mpbs up to 100 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 3.0 and as high as 20, with an average of 6.2 Mbps throughout the city.
Verizon Fixed Wireless in Portsmouth, VA
Availability:
51.9%
Customer Rating:
(362)
Avg. Download Speed
239 Mbps
Verizon offers Fixed Wireless service to 51.9% of Portsmouth homes. Across the city, Verizon Fixed Wireless has speeds up to 239 Mbps, with speeds from 25 Mpbs up to 1,000 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 6.0 and as high as 75, with an average of 18 Mbps throughout the city.
Which Cable Internet Providers are Available in Portsmouth?
Cox Cable in Portsmouth, VA
Availability:
96.5%
Customer Rating:
(399)
Avg. Download Speed
2,000 Mbps
Cox Communications offers Cable service to 96.5% of Portsmouth homes. Across the city, Cox Cable has speeds up to 2,000 Mbps
Spectrum Cable in Portsmouth, VA
Availability:
1.4%
Customer Rating:
(1738)
Avg. Download Speed
1,000 Mbps
Spectrum offers Cable service to 1.4% of Portsmouth homes. Across the city, Spectrum Cable is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 1,000 Mbps
Which DSL Internet Providers are Available in Portsmouth?
According to the most recently submitted data by internet service providers to the FCC, there are currently no DSL providers available in Portsmouth, VA.
Internet in Portsmouth by Neighborhood and ZIP Code
Fiber reaches from 61.9% of homes in 23707 to 97.6% in 23701. Each row links to that place’s page.
Neighborhoods in Portsmouth
| Neighborhood | People | Homes with fiber | Average top speed | Providers at a typical address | Report card | Connectivity |
|---|
ZIP codes in Portsmouth
| ZIP code | People | Homes with fiber | Average top speed | Providers at a typical address | Report card | Connectivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23703 | 26,444 | 94.2% | 1,998 Mbps | 6.4 | B | 73/100 |
| 23701 | 24,609 | 97.6% | 2,605 Mbps | 6.4 | B+ | 42/100 |
| 23704 | 19,495 | 77.0% | 1,975 Mbps | 5.8 | B- | 36/100 |
| 23707 | 14,402 | 61.9% | 2,601 Mbps | 5.6 | B- | 41/100 |
| 23702 | 12,141 | 91.3% | 3,855 Mbps | 6.3 | B+ | 39/100 |
| 23709 | 624 | 0.0% | 25 Mbps | 0 | F | 31/100 |
| 23708 | 120 | 0.0% | 25 Mbps | 0 | F | 35/100 |
How Portsmouth Compares to Nearby Places
The 10 places nearest to Portsmouth that have their own pages are all within 18 miles. Among them, Chesapeake has the most homes with fiber (90.3%) and Smithfield the fewest (20.2%); Portsmouth has 85.8%.
| Place | People | Homes with fiber | Average top speed | Providers at a typical address | Report card | Connectivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth (this page) | 97,915 | 85.8% | 2,470 Mbps | 6.2 | B | 48/100 |
| Virginia Beach metro area | 1,780,059 | 79.7% | 2,926 Mbps | 5.9 | B- | 70/100 |
| Chesapeake | 250,025 | 90.3% | 2,646 Mbps | 6.3 | B | 76/100 |
| Norfolk | 240,387 | 76.4% | 4,592 Mbps | 5.6 | B- | 61/100 |
| Hampton | 136,600 | 71.9% | 1,978 Mbps | 5.9 | B- | 67/100 |
| Suffolk | 94,289 | 86.7% | 6,066 Mbps | 5.7 | B | 62/100 |
| Smithfield | 16,387 | 20.2% | 996 Mbps | 4.6 | D+ | 50/100 |
| Carrollton | 9,641 | 37.4% | 1,000 Mbps | 5.5 | C- | 70/100 |
| Longview | 581 | 71.3% | 1,000 Mbps | 4.4 | C- | 33/100 |
| Fort Monroe | 544 | 9.2% | 2,000 Mbps | 6.5 | C+ | 76/100 |
| Everets | 113 | 100.0% | 1,000 Mbps | 2.7 | C+ | 12/100 |
Who is the Fastest Internet Provider in Portsmouth?
According to unbiased feedback from real internet customers, they reported being happiest with speeds provided by AT&T. On the other hand, based on data provided by the internet providers to the FCC, Cox Communications 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 Portsmouth
| Lumos Networks | 5,000 |
|---|---|
| Cox Communications | 2,000 |
| Verizon | 1,000 |
| Spectrum | 1,000 |
| EarthLink | 980 |
| Viasat | 100 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet | 100 |
| AT&T | 100 |
| HughesNet | 25 |
How fast is your internet?
Test your connection here and see it next to the speeds providers advertise in Portsmouth. It takes about 20 seconds and, on a fast line, can move a few hundred MB of data.
Customer Ratings for Portsmouth Internet Providers
Based on 151 reviews from Virginia internet customers, AT&T is the best internet service provider for Portsmouth residents. AT&T was rated at an average of 4.33 out of 5 in our report for overall customer satisfaction. T-Mobile Home Internet wins for second-place in Virginia, with 3.90 out of 5 stars and 93.1% coverage in Portsmouth.
At a national level, based on 4651 national reviews for any of the providers listed above, T-Mobile Home Internet is rated higher than any other provider, with a rating of 4.01 out of 5.
Local, State, and National Ratings for all Portsmouth Internet Providers
The table below shows average customer ratings from customers in Portsmouth, Virginia, and customers throughout the country.
| ISP / Tech Type | Portsmouth Overall | Virginia Overall | National Overall | For Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | (1) |  (6) | (1051) | View Plans | ||
| Verizon | (1) | (85) | (815) | View Plans | ||
| HughesNet |  (0) | (1) |  (25) | View Plans | ||
| Lumos Networks | (0) | (3) | (28) | View Plans | ||
| Spectrum | (0) | (5) | (1948) | View Plans | ||
| T-Mobile Home Internet | (0) | (10) | (341) | View Plans | ||
| Viasat | (0) |  (1) |  (12) | View Plans | ||
| Cox | (1) | (42) | (453) | View Plans | ||
| EarthLink | (0) | (0) | (15) | View Plans |
Customer Ratings for Internet Provider Speeds in Portsmouth
Based on data reported by Portsmouth ISPs to the FCC, the fastest speeds in the city are available through Cox Communications. The company offers speeds up to 2,000 Mbps in Portsmouth. Therefore, the average customer can get up to 2,000 Mbps if they’re willing to purchase the fastest subscription tier available at their homes.
However, actual customers rated their satisfaction with internet speed highest with AT&T. This indicates AT&T reliably delivers speeds expected by the customer based on the plan they are paying for.
| ISP / Tech Type | Portsmouth Speed | Virginia Speed | National Speed | For Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | (1) | (6) | (1051) | View Plans | ||
| HughesNet | (0) | (1) | (25) | View Plans | ||
| Lumos Networks | (0) | (3) | (28) | View Plans | ||
| Spectrum | (0) | (5) | (1948) | View Plans | ||
| T-Mobile Home Internet | (0) | (10) | (341) | View Plans | ||
| Viasat | (0) | (1) | (12) | View Plans | ||
| Verizon | (1) | (85) | (815) | View Plans | ||
| Cox | (1) | (42) | (453) | View Plans | ||
| EarthLink | (0) | (0) | (15) | View Plans |
Who is the Cheapest Internet Provider in Portsmouth?
Of the providers in Portsmouth, customers rate Verizon the best for price. Data comes from customers rating their satisfaction with pricing: in Portsmouth where enough of them have reviewed a provider, otherwise across Virginia or the country. This feedback is valuable because it considers price changes and whether the speeds paid for are worth it.
Verizon is rated 5.00 out of 5 for price, which is much higher than the average across all internet providers in the country. AT&T is rated second for affordability, with an average price rating of 4.00 out of 5.
The table below shows how customers in Portsmouth, Virginia, and the United States rated the affordability of their internet service.
Rated Affordability in Portsmouth
| ISP / Tech Type | Portsmouth Affordability | Virginia Affordability | National Affordability | For Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon |  (1) | (85) | (815) | View Plans | ||
| AT&T | (1) | (6) | (1051) | View Plans | ||
| HughesNet | (0) | (1) | (25) | View Plans | ||
| Lumos Networks | (0) | (3) | (28) | View Plans | ||
| Spectrum | (0) | (5) | (1948) | View Plans | ||
| T-Mobile Home Internet | (0) | (10) | (341) | View Plans | ||
| Viasat | (0) | (1) | (12) | View Plans | ||
| Cox | (1) | (42) | (453) | View Plans | ||
| EarthLink | (0) | (0) | (15) | View Plans |
Customer Reviews for Internet Service Providers in Virginia
Customer Reviews
Lucille B
Verizon Fixed Wireless
March 26, 2026 Mine is fine depending on which areas I'm in. Most of the time it's good.
A Portsmouth, VA Customer
Cox Cable
May 14, 2023 A Portsmouth, VA Customer
AT&T Fixed Wireless
January 12, 2023 Jean
Zitel Fiber
October 22, 2026 Slow
ISPReports User
Zitel
October 20, 2026 slow
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Which ISP Should You Choose in Portsmouth?
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 Portsmouth is AT&T.
- The fastest internet provider should be Cox Communications. Considering speed for the money and reliability in speeds, AT&T may be a better choice based on real-world local customer feedback.
- The most affordable internet provider in Portsmouth is Verizon.
- Viasat, HughesNet, and Cox Communications has the broadest coverage in Portsmouth, available to 97.1% of homes, and is most likely to cover your home. To find out exactly what’s available at your home, please use our address search tool.