Best Internet Service Providers in Anchorage, Alaska

What is the best internet provider in Anchorage?

Do you live in Anchorage and are looking for the best internet provider for you? The broadband experts at CNET have you covered. According to CNET, GCI is the best ISP in Anchorage. It’s the only broadband provider offering speeds of up to 2,500Mbps, and thanks to its wired connection, it’s less susceptible to weather disruptions, making it the obvious choice.

Are you looking for a cheaper option? Borealis Broadband is your best bet. Although the fixed wireless provider doesn’t offer very fast speeds, it makes up for that with a reasonable $40 per month plan. Finally, you may want to consider satellite internet options such as Starlink. Plans cost $120 per month, but you’ll have to spend $499 up front to get the equipment.

Best Internet in Anchorage, Alaska

Compare Internet Service Providers in Anchorage

provider	Internet technology	Monthly price range	Speed ​​range	Monthly equipment costs	Data cap	a contract	CNET Review Score
Alaska Communications	DSL	$70-$80	250-2500 Mbps	no one	no one	no one	nothing
Borealis broadband	Fixed wireless	$40 – $170	3-30 Mbps	no one	1 TB	no one	nothing
GCI	cable	$90-$190	250-2,500 Mbps	no one	250 GB – Unlimited	no one	nothing
Hughes Net Read the full review	Satellite	$50 – $90	50-100 Mbps	$15	unlimited	Two years	5.7
Starlink Read the full review	Satellite	$120	25-220 Mbps	$499 upfront	no one	no one	nothing
Viasat Read the full review	Satellite	$100	25-100 Mbps	$15	850 GB	no one	6.1

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Other Internet Service Providers Available in Anchorage

• Alaska Communications: Although it offers fiber internet at a few addresses in Anchorage, Alaska Communications is primarily a DSL provider, with coverage available to 74% of Anchorage households. Prices are the same as GCI for much slower speeds, but you’ll get unlimited data with both Alaska Communication plans.
• Satellite InternetIn addition to Starlink, Houston and Viasat Providing satellite internet service in Anchorage. (Hughesnet contracts for satellite service (To local Alaska retailers). Neither are great options, with high prices, slow speeds, and limited data caps making things like live streaming or video conferencing impractical. If you’re going to use satellite, you’d better afford Starlink’s higher equipment costs.

Cheap Internet Options in Anchorage

Anchorage has very few cheap internet options. Borealis Broadband is the only provider that offers plans under $50, and at that price, you’ll have to deal with extremely slow speeds. This is better than the options available there Junowhich has no internet plans for less than $50.

What is the cheapest internet plan in Anchorage?

provider	Starting price	Maximum download speed	Monthly equipment fees
Borealis Broadband Bronze	$40	3 Mbps	no one
Houston Select Read the full review	$50 ($75 after 1 year)	50 Mbps	$15
Houston elite Read the full review	$65 ($90 after 1 year)	100 Mbps	$15
Borealis iron broadband	$55	5 Mbps	no one
Viasat Read the full review	$100	50-100 Mbps	$15 (optional)

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to Find Internet Deals and Promotions in Anchorage

The best online deals and best promotions in Anchorage depend on what discounts are available at the time you’re searching. Most offers are short-term, but we frequently check for the latest offers.

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How many members of your family use the Internet?

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Anchorage Internet providers, such as Viasat, may offer lower introductory rates or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many providers, including GCI, Borealis Broadband and Starlink, operate the same standard rates throughout the year.

For a more comprehensive list of promotions, see our guide to Best offers online.

How fast is broadband in Anchorage?

Of the 100 most populous cities in the United States, Anchorage ranks 90th in speed, according to Ookla speed test data. Residents get an average download speed of 172 Mbps and upload speeds of 27 Mbps. The fastest internet provider in Anchorage is GCI, offering average download speeds of up to 252 Mbps. (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)

Fastest internet plans in Anchorage

provider	Starting price	Maximum download speed	Maximum download speed	Data cap	Connection type
GCI Red Unlimited	$190	2500 Mbps	75 Mbps	no one	cable
GCI is the fastest	$165	1,000 Mbps	40 Mbps	1000 GB	cable
GCI is faster	$115	500 Mbps	20 Mbps	600 GB	cable
GCI is fast	$90	250 Mbps	10 Mbps	250 GB	cable
Starlink Read the full review	$120	220 Mbps	20 Mbps	no one	Satellite

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

What is good internet speed?

Most internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you’re looking for an internet plan that can accommodate video conferencing, video streaming, or gaming, you’ll get a better experience with a more robust connection. Below is an overview of the minimum recommended download speeds for various applications, According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).. Note that these are just guidelines and that internet speed, service, and performance vary by connection type, provider, and address.

For more information, see our guide about How much internet speed do you really need.

• Speeds of 0 to 5 Mbps let you handle the basics: browsing the Internet, sending and receiving email, and streaming low-quality videos.
• 5 to 40 Mbps gives you high-quality video streaming and video conferencing.
• A speed of 40 to 100 Mbps should give a single user enough bandwidth to meet the demands of modern remote work, video streaming, and online gaming.
• Speeds of 100 to 500 Mbps allow one or two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities, such as video conferencing, streaming, and online gaming.
• The speed of 500 to 1000 Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.

How CNET chose the best ISPs in Anchorage

ISPs are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest Smartphone, Laptop, Router or Kitchen toolit is impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. What is our approach? We start by searching for pricing, availability, and speed information, relying on our own historical ISP data, provider locations, and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.

Additionally, we go to the FCC website to verify our data and ensure we take into account every ISP that provides service in an area. We also enter local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We evaluate sources like the US Customer Satisfaction Index and JD Power to evaluate how happy customers are with their ISP service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; All information provided is accurate as of the time of publication.

Once we have this local information, we ask three main questions:

1. Does the provider provide access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
2. Are customers getting adequate value for what they pay?
3. Are customers satisfied with their service?

While the answer to these questions is often multi-layered and complex, the providers that come closest to “yes” on all three questions are the ones we recommend. When it comes to choosing the cheapest internet service, we look for plans with the lowest monthly fees, although we also take into account things like price increases and equipment and contract fees. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively simple. We look at advertised upload and download speeds as well as taking into account real speed data from sources such as Okla and FCC reports.

To explore our process in more depth, visit our website How we test ISPs page.

What’s the last word for Anchorage ISPs?

There are many great things about living in Anchorage, but good internet isn’t one of them. The best provider we’ve found is GCI, which is the only widely available wired connection in town. After that, there is a significant decline. Starlink offers decent speeds but requires the purchase of a $499 satellite dish, and the monthly price is still expensive at $120. Borealis Broadband offers the cheapest internet plans in Anchorage but is very slow for streaming or video conferencing.

Frequently Asked Questions for Internet Service Providers in Anchorage