16 Best Internet Providers in Stephenson County, IL
Find internet availability by address in Stephenson County, IL
Jump to: Best Internet Provider | Availability Maps | Customer Reviews | Stephenson County ISP Report Card | Business Internet in Stephenson County
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Stephenson County ISP Report Card | C+ |
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Download Speed for Most Households | 1,564 Mbps |
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Number of Internet Service Providers | 16 |
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Real Stephenson County Customer Ratings | 2 |
This page reflects the most recent FCC update from January 06, 2026, based on the Broadband Data Collection as of June 30, 2025.
This page reflects the most recent FCC update from January 06, 2026, based on the Broadband Data Collection as of June 30, 2025.
Stephenson County has 16 internet service providers, they are sorted by coverage, available speed, and customer rating from our unbiased internet provider report. Cable, Fiber, Fixed Wireless, and DSL internet are available in the county. Reviews are grouped by provider and the type of service they offer, covering all 4 available internet technologies in Stephenson County.
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Stephenson County has 16 internet service providers, they are sorted by coverage, available speed, and customer rating from our unbiased internet provider report. Cable, Fiber, Fixed Wireless, and DSL internet are available in the county. Reviews are grouped by provider and the type of service they offer, covering all 4 available internet technologies in Stephenson County.
Compare Providers Ranked by Coverage, Speed, and Customer Ratings
Frontier
Connection
Customer Rating
DSL
XFINITY
Connection
Customer Rating
Cable
Mediacom
Connection
Customer Rating
Cable
Surf
Connection
Customer Rating
Fiber
Above are the top 4 providers in Stephenson County, IL for most people based on high speed internet coverage, speeds, and customer reviews. Click below to see all providers in your county.
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 Stephenson County ratings may vary and are shown below.
Who is the Best Internet Provider in Stephenson County, IL?
Mediacom is the best internet provider in Stephenson County based on Illinois customer satisfaction ratings and reviews. Based on our extensive and unbiased survey, Mediacom had the best reviews at the local, state, and national levels versus all available providers in Stephenson County, making it a solid recommendation among providers with reviews. Unfortunately, Mediacom is an option for 17.65% of the county.
or call 1-844-490-5828
The chart and table below show average customer ratings from customers in Stephenson County, Illinois, and customers throughout the country.
Top Rated Internet Providers in Stephenson County
Local, State, and National Ratings for all Stephenson County Internet Providers
| ISP / Tech Type | Stephenson County Overall | Illinois Overall | National Overall | For Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mediacom |  (1) | (17) | (84) | View Plans | ||
| XFINITY | (1) | (210) | (2164) | View Plans | ||
| JCWIFI.com |  (0) |  (1) | (1) | View Plans | ||
| LR Communications | (0) | (2) | (2) | View Plans | ||
| Surf | (0) | (4) | (17) | View Plans | ||
| Verizon | (0) | (10) | (723) | View Plans | ||
| Rise Broadband | (0) | (1) | (18) | View Plans | ||
| T-Mobile Home Internet | (0) | (14) | (284) | View Plans | ||
| AT&T | (0) | (47) | (924) | View Plans | ||
| Frontier | (0) | (4) | (143) | View Plans | ||
| Viasat | (0) |  (1) |  (11) | View Plans | ||
| US Cellular | (0) | (0) | (15) | View Plans | ||
| EarthLink | (0) | (0) | (12) | View Plans | ||
| HughesNet | (0) | (0) | (18) | View Plans | ||
| LiteWire | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans | ||
| AaroBand | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans | ||
| Sand Prarie | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans | ||
| Sonic | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans |
Based on 311 reviews from Illinois internet customers, Mediacom is the best internet service provider for Stephenson County residents. Mediacom was rated at an average of 3.24 out of 5 in our report for overall customer satisfaction. XFINITY from Comcast wins for second-place in Illinois, with 3.00 out of 5 stars and 62.4% coverage in Stephenson County.
At a national level, based on 4416 national reviews for any of the providers listed above, JCWIFI.com is rated higher than any other provider, with a rating of 5.00 out of 5.
Which Providers are Available at my Home in Stephenson County?
a different provider.
Internet Availability Key
Speeds and coverage vary within the county, and sometimes even from block to block. The map shows speeds per provider and where each provider is available.
Who is the Fastest Internet Provider in Stephenson County?
According to unbiased feedback from real internet customers in the county, they reported being happiest with speeds provided by Mediacom. On the other hand, based on data provided by the internet providers to the FCC, SURF Internet 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 Stephenson County
| ISP / Tech Type | Max Advertised Speed | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| SURF Internet | 8,000 Mbps | ||
| XFINITY from Comcast | 2,000 Mbps | ||
| LR Communications | 1,000 Mbps | ||
| Sonic | 1,000 Mbps | ||
| Mediacom | 1,000 Mbps | ||
| Sand Prarie | 1,000 Mbps | ||
| Verizon | 300 Mbps | ||
| JCWIFI.com | 200 Mbps | ||
| Frontier Communications | 115 Mbps | ||
| LiteWire | 100 Mbps | ||
| AaroBand | 100 Mbps | ||
| AT&T | 100 Mbps | ||
| EarthLink | 100 Mbps | ||
| Rise Broadband | 100 Mbps | ||
| T-Mobile Home Internet | 100 Mbps | ||
| US Cellular | 100 Mbps | ||
| Viasat | 100 Mbps | ||
| HughesNet | 25 Mbps |
Customer Ratings for Internet Provider Speeds in Stephenson County
| ISP / Tech Type | Stephenson County Speed | Illinois Speed | National Speed | For Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mediacom | (1) | (17) | (84) | View Plans | ||
| XFINITY | (1) | (210) | (2164) | View Plans | ||
| JCWIFI.com | (0) | (1) | (1) | View Plans | ||
| LR Communications | (0) | (2) | (2) | View Plans | ||
| Surf | (0) | (4) | (17) | View Plans | ||
| T-Mobile Home Internet | (0) | (14) | (284) | View Plans | ||
| Verizon | (0) | (10) | (723) | View Plans | ||
| AT&T | (0) | (47) | (924) | View Plans | ||
| Frontier | (0) | (4) | (143) | View Plans | ||
| Rise Broadband | (0) | (1) | (18) | View Plans | ||
| Viasat | (0) | (1) |  (11) | View Plans | ||
| US Cellular | (0) | (0) | (15) | View Plans | ||
| EarthLink | (0) | (0) | (12) | View Plans | ||
| HughesNet | (0) | (0) | (18) | View Plans | ||
| LiteWire | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans | ||
| AaroBand | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans | ||
| Sand Prarie | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans | ||
| Sonic | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans |
Based on data reported by Stephenson County ISPs to the FCC, the fastest speeds in the county are available through SURF Internet. The company offers speeds up to 8,000 Mbps in Stephenson County. Therefore, the average customer can get up to 8,000 Mbps if they're willing to purchase the fastest subscription tier available at their homes.
Additionally, actual customers in the county rated their satisfaction with internet speed highest with Mediacom. This indicates Mediacom reliably delivers speeds expected by the customer based on the plan they are paying for.
Who is the Cheapest Internet Provider in Stephenson County?
Illinois 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 3.00 out of 5, which is much lower than the average across all internet providers in the country. Mediacom is rated in second place for affordability by the company’s Stephenson County customers with an average price rating of 3.00 out of 5.
The chart and graph below show how customers in Stephenson County, Illinois, and the United States rated the affordability of their internet service.
Rated Affordability in Stephenson County
| ISP / Tech Type | Stephenson County Affordability | Illinois Affordability | National Affordability | For Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mediacom | (1) | (17) | (84) | View Plans | ||
| XFINITY | (1) | (210) | (2164) | View Plans | ||
| JCWIFI.com | (0) | (1) | (1) | View Plans | ||
| LR Communications | (0) | (2) | (2) | View Plans | ||
| Surf | (0) | (4) | (17) | View Plans | ||
| Frontier | (0) | (4) | (143) | View Plans | ||
| Verizon | (0) | (10) | (723) | View Plans | ||
| T-Mobile Home Internet | (0) | (14) | (284) | View Plans | ||
| AT&T | (0) | (47) | (924) | View Plans | ||
| Rise Broadband | (0) | (1) | (18) | View Plans | ||
| Viasat | (0) | (1) | (11) | View Plans | ||
| US Cellular | (0) | (0) | (15) | View Plans | ||
| EarthLink | (0) | (0) | (12) | View Plans | ||
| HughesNet | (0) | (0) | (18) | View Plans | ||
| LiteWire | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans | ||
| AaroBand | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans | ||
| Sand Prarie | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans | ||
| Sonic | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans |
Stephenson County 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 county 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 Stephenson County below, including the metrics used and how Stephenson County compares to the rest of Illinois and nation.
| Metric
(hover for details)
|
Stephenson County | Illinois | USA | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fiber Availability Percent The percentage of households in Stephenson County that have a Fiber internet connection available to their home. | 17.09% | 44.05% | 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. | 1,564 Mbps | 2,791 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 Stephenson County. | 7.0 | 7.1 | 6.8 |
| Average Household SizeA larger household size in a county indicates that there will be a greater need for bandwidth due to simultaneous usage, multiple devices, and network congestion. | 2.3 | 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. | 11% | 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. | 91% | 95% | 95% | ||
| Households with InternetA higher percentage of households with internet indicates a higher need for usage and connectivity in people’s daily lives. | 86% | 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. | 66% | 74% | 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. | 66% | 75% | 76% |
Our demographic data is sourced from the latest 5-year release of the American Community Survey by the US Census Bureau.
Stephenson County ISP Report Card & Digital Connectivity Index
The ISP Report Card in Stephenson County is C+, which is comparable to other counties. The local demand for broadband internet connectivity in Stephenson County is high with a score of 43 / 100 in our Digital Connectivity Index. This means that internet service providers operating in Stephenson County have done a average job meeting the needs of its residents.
The Stephenson County ISP Report Card evaluates the county on availability and speed metrics compared to other counties in the United States. ISP Infrastructure can vary greatly and on its own isn’t a perfect measure of what a county 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.
86% of Stephenson County households have an internet connection despite having 99.85% availability. 66% of households have fiber, cable, or DSL, 8% 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 66% of households have a broadband connection such as fiber, cable or DSL available to their home, 66% subscribe to it. A moderate amount of Stephenson County 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 Counties Compare to Stephenson County?
- ISP Report Card: B
- Digital Connectivity Index: 57 / 100
- ISP Report Card: B-
- Digital Connectivity Index: 40 / 100
- ISP Report Card: B
- Digital Connectivity Index: 66 / 100
- ISP Report Card: B
- Digital Connectivity Index: 57 / 100
- ISP Report Card: B
- Digital Connectivity Index: 83 / 100
- ISP Report Card: B-
- Digital Connectivity Index: 84 / 100
- ISP Report Card: B
- Digital Connectivity Index: 38 / 100
- ISP Report Card: C+
- Digital Connectivity Index: 51 / 100
- ISP Report Card: A
- Digital Connectivity Index: 57 / 100
How Much Speed does a Stephenson County Household Need?
Higher speed is typically preferred, but that comes at a higher price. The average size of a household in Stephenson County is 2.3, which is smaller than the Illinois average of 2.6 and smaller than the national average of 2.7. Stephenson County's average household income is $66,488 which is lower than the Illinois average of $93,298 and about average for 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.
Stephenson County also has 12% of its population enrolled in school between the 6th grade and college level, this is lower than the Illinois average of 16%. Additionally, 11% of residents work from home, which is lower than the 14% of residents in Illinois who work from home. This and other factors you can see above show us that the community of Stephenson County has an average need for internet connectivity and speeds.
Compared to the rest of the country, Stephenson County households are more technology-disengaged. 91% of households have some sort of computing device, 79% have desktops or laptops in the home, and 86% have smartphones. To see what speeds you are currently getting, please visit our internet speed test tool.
Which Fiber Internet Providers are Available in Stephenson County?
Surf Fiber in Stephenson County, IL
Availability:
7.6%
Customer Rating:
(15)
Avg. Download Speed
8,000 Mbps
SURF Internet offers Fiber service to 7.6% of Stephenson County homes. Across the county, Surf Fiber is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 8,000 Mbps
Sand Prarie Fiber in Stephenson County, IL
Availability:
6.7%
Customer Rating:
(0)
Avg. Download Speed
1,000 Mbps
Sand Prarie offers Fiber service to 6.7% of Stephenson County homes. Across the county, Sand Prarie Fiber has speeds up to 1,000 Mbps
Sonic Fiber in Stephenson County, IL
Availability:
2.7%
Customer Rating:
(0)
Avg. Download Speed
1,000 Mbps
Sonic offers Fiber service to 2.7% of Stephenson County homes. Across the county, Sonic Fiber has speeds up to 1,000 Mbps
Which Cable Internet Providers are Available in Stephenson County?
XFINITY Cable in Stephenson County, IL
Availability:
62.4%
Customer Rating:
(1,910)
Avg. Download Speed
1,364 Mbps
XFINITY from Comcast offers Cable service to 62.4% of Stephenson County homes. Across the county, XFINITY Cable is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 1,364 Mbps, with speeds from 1,200 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 250, with an average of 79 Mbps throughout the county.
Mediacom Cable in Stephenson County, IL
Availability:
17.7%
Customer Rating:
(71)
Avg. Download Speed
1,000 Mbps
Mediacom offers Cable service to 17.7% of Stephenson County homes. Across the county, Mediacom 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 Stephenson County?
Frontier DSL in Stephenson County, IL
Availability:
67.9%
Customer Rating:
(46)
Avg. Download Speed
27 Mbps
Frontier Communications offers DSL service to 67.9% of Stephenson County homes. Across the county, Frontier DSL is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 27 Mbps, with speeds from 10 Mpbs up to 115 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 1.0 and as high as 7.0, with an average of 1.8 Mbps throughout the county.
Which Fixed Wireless and LTE Internet Providers are Available in Stephenson County?
JCWIFI.com Fixed Wireless in Stephenson County, IL
Availability:
97.1%
Customer Rating:
(0)
Avg. Download Speed
200 Mbps
JCWIFI.com offers Fixed Wireless service to 97.1% of Stephenson County homes. Across the county, JCWIFI.com Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 200 Mbps
US Cellular Fixed Wireless in Stephenson County, IL
Availability:
97.0%
Customer Rating:
(0)
Avg. Download Speed
57 Mbps
US Cellular offers Fixed Wireless service to 97.0% of Stephenson County homes. Across the county, US Cellular Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 57 Mbps, with speeds from 10 Mpbs up to 100 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 1.0 and as high as 20, with an average of 10 Mbps throughout the county.
T-Mobile Home Internet Fixed Wireless in Stephenson County, IL
Availability:
89.6%
Customer Rating:
(0)
Avg. Download Speed
53 Mbps
T-Mobile Home Internet offers Fixed Wireless service to 89.6% of Stephenson County homes. Across the county, T-Mobile Home Internet Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 53 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 9.3 Mbps throughout the county.
Rise Broadband Fixed Wireless in Stephenson County, IL
Availability:
88.5%
Customer Rating:
(0)
Avg. Download Speed
67 Mbps
Rise Broadband offers Fixed Wireless service to 88.5% of Stephenson County homes. Across the county, Rise Broadband Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 67 Mbps, with speeds from 10 Mpbs up to 100 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 1.0 and as high as 20, with an average of 13 Mbps throughout the county.
EarthLink Fixed Wireless in Stephenson County, IL
Availability:
54.9%
Customer Rating:
(0)
Avg. Download Speed
27 Mbps
EarthLink offers Fixed Wireless service to 54.9% of Stephenson County homes. Across the county, EarthLink Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 27 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 3.5 Mbps throughout the county.
AT&T Fixed Wireless in Stephenson County, IL
Availability:
54.9%
Customer Rating:
(0)
Avg. Download Speed
27 Mbps
AT&T offers Fixed Wireless service to 54.9% of Stephenson County homes. Across the county, AT&T Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 27 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 3.5 Mbps throughout the county.
Verizon Fixed Wireless in Stephenson County, IL
Availability:
18.3%
Customer Rating:
(0)
Avg. Download Speed
300 Mbps
Verizon offers Fixed Wireless service to 18.3% of Stephenson County homes. Across the county, Verizon Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 300 Mbps
Sand Prarie Fixed Wireless in Stephenson County, IL
Availability:
14.7%
Customer Rating:
(0)
Avg. Download Speed
12 Mbps
Sand Prarie offers Fixed Wireless service to 14.7% of Stephenson County homes. Across the county, Sand Prarie Fixed Wireless has speeds up to 12 Mbps, with speeds from 10 Mpbs up to 25 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 1.0 and as high as 3.0, with an average of 1.3 Mbps throughout the county.
AaroBand Fixed Wireless in Stephenson County, IL
Availability:
6.0%
Customer Rating:
(0)
Avg. Download Speed
100 Mbps
AaroBand offers Fixed Wireless service to 6.0% of Stephenson County homes. Across the county, AaroBand Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 100 Mbps
LiteWire Fixed Wireless in Stephenson County, IL
Availability:
4.0%
Customer Rating:
(0)
Avg. Download Speed
100 Mbps
LiteWire offers Fixed Wireless service to 4.0% of Stephenson County homes. Across the county, LiteWire Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 100 Mbps
Sonic Fixed Wireless in Stephenson County, IL
Availability:
3.5%
Customer Rating:
(0)
Avg. Download Speed
100 Mbps
Sonic offers Fixed Wireless service to 3.5% of Stephenson County homes. Across the county, Sonic Fixed Wireless has speeds up to 100 Mbps
LR Communications Fixed Wireless in Stephenson County, IL
Availability:
1.1%
Customer Rating:
(0)
Avg. Download Speed
36 Mbps
LR Communications offers Fixed Wireless service to 1.1% of Stephenson County homes. Across the county, LR Communications Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 36 Mbps, with speeds from 10 Mpbs up to 50 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 1.0 and as high as 10, with an average of 5.7 Mbps throughout the county.
Which ISP Should You Choose in Stephenson County?
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 Stephenson County is Mediacom.
- The fastest internet provider should be SURF Internet. Considering speed for the money and reliability in speeds, Mediacom may be a better choice based on real-world local customer feedback.
- The most affordable internet provider in Stephenson County is XFINITY.
- Viasat, JCWIFI.com, and HughesNet has the broadest coverage in Stephenson County, 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 Stephenson County compare to other cities with a similar population?
To see how Stephenson County 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 Stephenson County's C+ ISP Report Card and 43 / 100 Digital Connectivity Index.
- ISP Report Card: C-
- Digital Connectivity Index: 58 / 100
- ISP Report Card: C+
- Digital Connectivity Index: 47 / 100
- ISP Report Card: B-
- Digital Connectivity Index: 58 / 100
- ISP Report Card: B
- Digital Connectivity Index: 67 / 100
- ISP Report Card: B
- Digital Connectivity Index: 45 / 100
- ISP Report Card: B
- Digital Connectivity Index: 40 / 100
- ISP Report Card: B-
- Digital Connectivity Index: 32 / 100
- ISP Report Card: C-
- Digital Connectivity Index: 50 / 100
- ISP Report Card: D+
- Digital Connectivity Index: 48 / 100