Best Internet Providers in Sterling, VA
All 5 providers, ranked by coverage, speed and customer ratings
Find internet availability by address in Sterling, VA
Sterling has 5 internet service providers, they are sorted by coverage, available speed, and customer rating from our unbiased internet provider report. Fiber, Cable, 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 Sterling.
Ranks compare Sterling with the 749 US small cities (50,000 to 99,999 people), the tiers of our fastest-cities rankings.
The Best Internet in Sterling, VA at a Glance
Sterling Internet Providers, Ranked by Coverage, Speed and Customer Ratings
XFINITY
Connection
Customer Rating
Cable
EarthLink
Connection
Customer Rating
Fiber
Fixed Wireless
Verizon
Connection
Customer Rating
Fiber
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 Sterling ratings may vary and are shown below.
Who is the Best Internet Provider in Sterling, VA?
AT&T is the highest-rated internet provider in Sterling based on 183 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.
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Which Providers are Available at my Home in Sterling?
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.
How Sterling Compares to Places Its Size
Sterling's report card score is tied 508th of 749 and its connectivity index is tied 67th of 749.
| Measure | Sterling | Rank among US small cities (50,000 to 99,999 people) | Loudoun County | Virginia | US | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISP Report Card inputs: what providers offer here | ||||||
| Fiber availability | 97.4% | Tied 83rd of 749 | 90.7% | 79.0% | 71.5% | Aloha, OR and Shawnee, KS (100.0%) |
| Average top speed | 2,125 Mbps | Tied 628th of 749 | 1,706 Mbps | 2,389 Mbps | 3,486 Mbps | Layton, UT (9,808 Mbps) |
| Providers at a typical address | 5.2 | Tied 718th of 749 | 5.5 | 5.7 | 7.1 | Guaynabo, PR (14.3) |
| Connectivity index inputs: how much households need and use the internet | ||||||
| People per household | 2.9 | Tied 164th of 749 | 3.1 | 2.6 | 2.7 | Pacoima, CA and Spring Valley, NY (4.3) |
| Workers who work from home | 23% | Tied 118th of 749 | 31% | 18% | 15% | Danville, CA and Potomac, MD and 2 more (39%) |
| Homes with a computer, tablet or phone | 99% | Tied 11th of 749 | 99% | 96% | 96% | Atascocita, TX and Eastvale, CA and 8 more (100%) |
| Homes with internet | 94% | Tied 267th of 749 | 97% | 92% | 91% | Centreville, VA and Danville, CA and 2 more (99%) |
| Homes on fiber, cable or DSL | 88% | Tied 56th of 749 | 88% | 77% | 76% | Flower Mound, TX and Johns Creek, GA and 1 more (93%) |
| More about the households here | ||||||
| Homes with a desktop or laptop | 91% | Tied 109th of 749 | 94% | 83% | 81% | Sammamish, WA (99%) |
| Median household income | $146,003 | 66th of 749 | $186,288 | $109,990 | $93,246 | Potomac, MD ($227,882) |
| Residents in school (6th grade to college) | 14% | Tied 511th of 749 | 18% | 16% | 16% | East Lansing, MI (58%) |
Fiber reaches 97.4% of homes in Sterling, against 90.7% across Loudoun County and 79.0% across Virginia. Households in Sterling are larger than the US average (2.9 people against 2.7); 23% of workers work from home (US 15%); and the median household income is $146,003 (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 Sterling
Which Fiber Internet Providers are Available in Sterling?
EarthLink Fiber in Sterling, VA
Availability:
97.4%
Customer Rating:
(6)
Avg. Download Speed
2,021 Mbps
EarthLink offers Fiber service to 97.4% of Sterling homes. Across the city, EarthLink Fiber has speeds up to 2,021 Mbps, with speeds from 980 Mpbs up to 2,300 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 880 and as high as 2,300, with an average of 2,000 Mbps throughout the city. EarthLink Fiber is rated about the same as other types of internet service available in Sterling from EarthLink in terms of customer satisfaction.
Verizon Fiber in Sterling, VA
Availability:
97.4%
Customer Rating:
(453)
Avg. Download Speed
2,021 Mbps
Verizon offers Fiber service to 97.4% of Sterling homes. Across the city, Verizon Fiber has speeds up to 2,021 Mbps, with speeds from 980 Mpbs up to 2,300 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 880 and as high as 2,300, with an average of 2,000 Mbps throughout the city. Verizon Fiber is rated about the same as other types of internet service available in Sterling from Verizon in terms of customer satisfaction.
Which Fixed Wireless and LTE Internet Providers are Available in Sterling?
T-Mobile Home Internet Fixed Wireless in Sterling, VA
Availability:
90.9%
Customer Rating:
(342)
Avg. Download Speed
59 Mbps
T-Mobile Home Internet offers Fixed Wireless service to 90.9% of Sterling homes. Across the city, T-Mobile Home Internet Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 59 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 11 Mbps throughout the city.
EarthLink Fixed Wireless in Sterling, VA
Availability:
57.4%
Customer Rating:
(4)
Avg. Download Speed
50 Mbps
EarthLink offers Fixed Wireless service to 57.4% of Sterling homes. Across the city, EarthLink Fixed Wireless has speeds up to 50 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 8.6 Mbps throughout the city.
AT&T Fixed Wireless in Sterling, VA
Availability:
57.4%
Customer Rating:
(205)
Avg. Download Speed
50 Mbps
AT&T offers Fixed Wireless service to 57.4% of Sterling homes. Across the city, AT&T Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 50 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 8.6 Mbps throughout the city.
Verizon Fixed Wireless in Sterling, VA
Availability:
21.5%
Customer Rating:
(362)
Avg. Download Speed
251 Mbps
Verizon offers Fixed Wireless service to 21.5% of Sterling homes. Across the city, Verizon Fixed Wireless has speeds up to 251 Mbps, with speeds from 25 Mpbs up to 300 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 6.0 and as high as 20, with an average of 18 Mbps throughout the city.
Which Cable Internet Providers are Available in Sterling?
XFINITY Cable in Sterling, VA
Availability:
99.9%
Customer Rating:
(2077)
Avg. Download Speed
1,619 Mbps
XFINITY from Comcast offers Cable service to 99.9% of Sterling homes. Across the city, XFINITY Cable is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 1,619 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 2,000, with an average of 281 Mbps throughout the city.
Which DSL Internet Providers are Available in Sterling?
According to the most recently submitted data by internet service providers to the FCC, there are currently no DSL providers available in Sterling, VA.
Internet in Sterling by Neighborhood and ZIP Code
Sterling has 1 neighborhood and 2 ZIP codes with their own pages. Each row links to that place’s page.
Neighborhoods in Sterling
| Neighborhood | People | Homes with fiber | Average top speed | Providers at a typical address | Report card | Connectivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling Park | 11,949 | 99.8% | 2,028 Mbps | 4.5 | B | 81/100 |
ZIP codes in Sterling
How Sterling Compares to Nearby Places
The 10 places nearest to Sterling that have their own pages are all within 5 miles. Among them, Lowes Island has the most homes with fiber (100.0%) and Dulles Town Center the fewest (54.8%); Sterling has 97.4%.
| Place | People | Homes with fiber | Average top speed | Providers at a typical address | Report card | Connectivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling (this page) | 53,307 | 97.4% | 2,125 Mbps | 5.2 | B | 89/100 |
| Ashburn | 87,337 | 87.9% | 1,984 Mbps | 5.6 | B- | 94/100 |
| Reston | 62,477 | 94.3% | 1,875 Mbps | 6.3 | B | 82/100 |
| Herndon | 46,789 | 94.7% | 2,171 Mbps | 6.1 | B | 94/100 |
| McNair | 21,598 | 76.4% | 1,984 Mbps | 5.7 | B- | 80/100 |
| Great Falls | 18,049 | 100.0% | 2,070 Mbps | 5.6 | B+ | 97/100 |
| Dranesville | 14,128 | 99.6% | 2,215 Mbps | 6.2 | B+ | 97/100 |
| Cascades | 12,366 | 94.6% | 2,063 Mbps | 5.4 | B | 92/100 |
| Countryside | 10,454 | 95.5% | 2,187 Mbps | 5.9 | B | 94/100 |
| Dulles Town Center | 5,909 | 54.8% | 2,049 Mbps | 4 | C | 79/100 |
| Lowes Island | 3,282 | 100.0% | 2,237 Mbps | 6.3 | B+ | 96/100 |
Who is the Fastest Internet Provider in Sterling?
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, EarthLink 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 Sterling
| Verizon | 2,300 |
|---|---|
| EarthLink | 2,300 |
| XFINITY from Comcast | 2,000 |
| 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 Sterling. It takes about 20 seconds and, on a fast line, can move a few hundred MB of data.
Customer Ratings for Sterling Internet Providers
Based on 183 reviews from Virginia internet customers, AT&T is the best internet service provider for Sterling residents. AT&T was rated at an average of 4.33 out of 5 in our report for overall customer satisfaction. XFINITY from Comcast wins for second-place in Virginia, with 4.00 out of 5 stars and 99.9% coverage in Sterling.
At a national level, based on 4603 national reviews for any of the providers listed above, T-Mobile Home Internet is rated higher than any other provider, with a rating of 4.02 out of 5.
Local, State, and National Ratings for all Sterling Internet Providers
The table below shows average customer ratings from customers in Sterling, Virginia, and customers throughout the country.
| ISP / Tech Type | Sterling Overall | Virginia Overall | National Overall | For Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon | (2) | (85) | (816) | View Plans | ||
| XFINITY | (2) | (82) | (2379) | View Plans | ||
| AT&T |  (0) |  (6) | (1051) | View Plans | ||
| HughesNet | (0) |  (1) |  (25) | View Plans | ||
| T-Mobile Home Internet | (0) | (10) | (342) | View Plans | ||
| Viasat | (0) |  (1) |  (12) | View Plans | ||
| EarthLink | (0) | (0) | (15) | View Plans |
Customer Ratings for Internet Provider Speeds in Sterling
Based on data reported by Sterling ISPs to the FCC, the fastest speeds in the city are available through EarthLink. The company offers speeds up to 2,300 Mbps in Sterling. Therefore, the average customer can get up to 1,991 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 | Sterling Speed | Virginia Speed | National Speed | For Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | (0) | (6) | (1051) | View Plans | ||
| HughesNet | (0) | (1) | (25) | View Plans | ||
| T-Mobile Home Internet | (0) | (10) | (342) | View Plans | ||
| Viasat | (0) | (1) | (12) | View Plans | ||
| XFINITY | (2) | (82) | (2379) | View Plans | ||
| Verizon | (2) | (85) | (816) | View Plans | ||
| EarthLink | (0) | (0) | (15) | View Plans |
Who is the Cheapest Internet Provider in Sterling?
Of the providers in Sterling, customers rate AT&T the best for price. Data comes from customers rating their satisfaction with pricing: in Sterling 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.
AT&T is rated 3.67 out of 5 for price, which is similar to the average across all internet providers in the country. XFINITY from Comcast is rated second for affordability, with an average price rating of 4.00 out of 5.
The table below shows how customers in Sterling, Virginia, and the United States rated the affordability of their internet service.
Rated Affordability in Sterling
| ISP / Tech Type | Sterling Affordability | Virginia Affordability | National Affordability | For Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XFINITY | (2) | (82) | (2379) | View Plans | ||
| AT&T | (0) | (6) | (1051) | View Plans | ||
| HughesNet | (0) | (1) | (25) | View Plans | ||
| T-Mobile Home Internet | (0) | (10) | (342) | View Plans | ||
| Viasat | (0) | (1) | (12) | View Plans | ||
| Verizon | (2) | (85) | (816) | View Plans | ||
| EarthLink | (0) | (0) | (15) | View Plans |
Customer Reviews for Internet Service Providers in Virginia
Customer Reviews
A Sterling, VA Customer
XFINITY Fiber
March 06, 2023 The excellent service that comes with xfinity has served us well for about 2 years now we dont plan on changing anytime soon. I am a big gamer and have never had any issues with speed or connectivity. The prices has also not changed much which is huge for me when it comes to service providers as many other companies have tried to swindle me before. Ive reccomended it to many friends and have nothing bad to say about my time with xfinity!
A Dulles Town Center, VA Customer
XFINITY Cable
March 06, 2023 Over all the service isn't so bad and for the most part speed is ok. We do struggle when gaming and streaming is happening at the same time even though the speed should be enough to handle it. We have our own router and modem which makes it cheaper but still for $60 a month the service could be on the higher end. However, we can't have anything else in the area we are in so the lack of choices makes this the only option other than having satellite but that was way more expensive.
Adam L
Verizon Fiber
February 26, 2023 Verizon to me is a decent internet provider. By that I mean they do pretty much the bare minimum and don't try to actively extort me. That really is how low the bar is for these services. Their customer service is always a hassle to deal with, and they are always trying to nickel and dime their customers on basically everything. My speed is ok, but never what is promised. The only reason I stick with them is that I know others are worse.
A Cascades, VA Customer
Verizon Fiber
January 26, 2023 Verizon has always given my family and I reliable good service. We have used them for years and have never had any problems.
Jean
Zitel Fiber
October 22, 2026 Slow
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Which ISP Should You Choose in Sterling?
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 Sterling is AT&T.
- The fastest internet provider should be EarthLink. 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 Sterling is AT&T.
- XFINITY from Comcast, Viasat, and HughesNet has the broadest coverage in Sterling, available to 99.9% 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.