6 Best Internet Providers in Rhode Island

Compare Providers Ranked by Coverage, Speed, and Customer Ratings

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

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 Rhode Island ratings may vary and are shown below.

Who is the Best Internet Provider in Rhode Island?

i3 Broadband is the highest-rated internet provider in Rhode Island based on 41 local customer reviews. However, with a larger sample size of reviews, i3 Broadband has the highest rating considering all reviews from Rhode Island customers, and i3 Broadband 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.

Internet Services Providers in Rhode Island's Biggest Cities

See internet service options for the largest cities in Rhode Island below. Click on any city you want to explore or use our location search for more specific results.

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

Top Rated Internet Providers in Rhode Island

Local, State, and National Ratings for all Rhode Island Internet Providers

Based on 41 reviews from Rhode Island internet customers, i3 Broadband is the best internet service provider in the state. i3 Broadband was rated at an average of 4.00 out of 5 in our report for overall customer satisfaction. Verizon wins for second-place in Rhode Island, with 3.86 out of 5 stars and 90.4% coverage in Rhode Island. At a state level, i3 Broadband was found in our consumer study to be the highest-rated internet provider in Rhode Island. For the providers above, there were 32 reviews from Rhode Island internet service customers.

At a national level, based on 6303 national reviews for any of the providers listed above, i3 Broadband is rated higher than any other provider, with a rating of 4.05 out of 5.

Who is the Fastest Internet Provider in Rhode Island?

According to unbiased feedback from real internet customers in the state, they reported being happiest with speeds provided by Cox Communications. On the other hand, based on data provided by the internet providers to the FCC, i3 Broadband 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 Rhode Island

	ISP / Tech Type	Max Advertised Speed
	i3 Broadband	2,000 Mbps
	Cox Communications	2,000 Mbps
	Verizon	1,000 Mbps
	EarthLink	940 Mbps
	AT&T	100 Mbps
	T-Mobile Home Internet	100 Mbps
	Viasat	100 Mbps
	HughesNet	25 Mbps

Customer Ratings for Internet Provider Speeds in Rhode Island

Based on data reported by Rhode Island ISPs to the FCC, the fastest speeds in the state are available through i3 Broadband. The company offers speeds up to 2,000 Mbps in Rhode Island. 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.

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

Who is the Cheapest Internet Provider in Rhode Island?

Rhode Island customers rate Verizon 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.

Verizon received a local rating of 3.43 out of 5, which is much lower than the average across all internet providers in the country. Cox Communications is rated in second place for affordability by the company’s Rhode Island customers with an average price rating of 3.19 out of 5.

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

Rated Affordability in Rhode Island

Rhode Island 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 state 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 Rhode Island below, including the metrics used and how Rhode Island compares to the rest of the United States and nation.

Rhode Island ISP Report Card: B

	Metric (hover for details)	Rhode Island	Rhode Island	USA
	Fiber Availability Percent The percentage of households in Rhode Island that have a Fiber internet connection available to their home.	89.59%	67.25%	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.	1,940 Mbps	3,293 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 Rhode Island.	5.6	6.8	6.8

 

Rhode Island Digital Connectivity Index: 68 / 100

	Metric (hover for details)	Rhode Island	Rhode Island	USA
	Average Household SizeA larger household size in a state indicates that there will be a greater need for bandwidth due to simultaneous usage, multiple devices, and network congestion.	2.5	2.7	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.	12%	14%	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.	95%	95%	95%
	Households with InternetA higher percentage of households with internet indicates a higher need for usage and connectivity in people’s daily lives.	91%	90%	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.	78%	75%	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.	80%	76%	76%

Rhode Island ISP Report Card & Digital Connectivity Index

The ISP Report Card in Rhode Island is B, which is better than other states. The local demand for broadband internet connectivity in Rhode Island is high with a score of 68 / 100 in our Digital Connectivity Index. This means that internet service providers operating in Rhode Island have done a good job meeting the needs of its residents.

The Rhode Island ISP Report Card evaluates the state on availability and speed metrics compared to other states in the United States. ISP Infrastructure can vary greatly and on its own isn’t a perfect measure of what a state 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.

91% of Rhode Island households have an internet connection despite having 97.42% availability. 78% of households have fiber, cable, or DSL, 3% have satellite, 0% are still on dial-up, and 2% 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 79% of households have a broadband connection such as fiber, cable or DSL available to their home, 80% subscribe to it. A large amount of Rhode Island 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 States Compare to Rhode Island?

How Much Speed does a Rhode Island Household Need?

Higher speed is typically preferred, but that comes at a higher price. The average size of a household in Rhode Island is 2.5, which is smaller than the the United States average of 2.7 and smaller than the national average of 2.7. Rhode Island's average household income is $94,710 which is higher than the the United States average of $90,606 and higher than the national average of $90,606. Homes with fewer people living in them and with higher incomes tend to indicate a fairly average device usage pattern.

Rhode Island also has 17% of its population enrolled in school between the 6th grade and college level, this is higher than the the United States average of 16%. Additionally, 12% of residents work from home, which is lower than the 14% of residents in the United States who work from home. This and other factors you can see above show us that the community of Rhode Island has a high need for internet connectivity and speeds.

Compared to the rest of the country, Rhode Island households are about average when it comes to technological engagement. 95% of households have some sort of computing device, 83% have desktops or laptops in the home, and 91% have smartphones. To see what speeds you are currently getting, please visit our internet speed test tool.

Which Fiber Internet Providers are Available in Rhode Island?

Which Cable Internet Providers are Available in Rhode Island?

Which DSL Internet Providers are Available in Rhode Island?

According to the most recently submitted data by internet service providers to the FCC, there are currently no DSL providers available in Rhode Island.

Which Fixed Wireless and LTE Internet Providers are Available in Rhode Island?

Which ISP Should You Choose in Rhode Island?

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 Rhode Island is i3 Broadband.
• The fastest internet provider should be i3 Broadband. Considering speed for the money and reliability in speeds, Cox Communications may be a better choice based on real-world local customer feedback.
• The most affordable internet provider in Rhode Island is Verizon.
• Viasat, HughesNet, and Cox Communications has the broadest coverage in Rhode Island, 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 Rhode Island compare to other cities with a similar population?

To see how Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island's B ISP Report Card and 68 / 100 Digital Connectivity Index.

Customer Reviews

Customer Reviews for Internet Service Providers in Rhode Island