Best Internet Service Providers in Montana

Montana is a beautiful state, but it lacks good options Fast, reliable and affordable internet. It ranks 50th in Speedtest data from Ookla Of the states (and Washington, DC), multiplication only Wyoming. Most city dwellers still have access to adequate broadband speeds.

I fondly remember summers in Montana, hunting with my grandparents and watching deer roam the yard. My grandparents didn’t have internet at their home in Libby, but times have changed Fiber Internet Available now from Zeppeli. Libby is one of the lucky areas in the Treasure State to have access to fiber optics. Most of the country has to depend on it cable, DSLOr fixed wireless or Satellite Internet.

What is the best internet provider in Montana?

range It’s CNET’s top pick for the best ISP in Montana. The cable provider provides party-level broadband to many population centers in Montana. CNET examines customer service, speed, pricing and overall value before recommending the best broadband in your area. This provider offers two plans in the area; For $50 and $70 per month.

Spectrum joins other recommendations, including Century Link For availability and TDS Telecom as ISP for viewing. Whether you’re moving to Montana or looking to upgrade your current broadband situation, this guide will help you navigate your ISP options.

Best Internet Options in Montana

Rural Internet Options in Montana

provider	Connection type	Price range	Speed ​​range	Data ceiling	Availability
Internet Century Link Read the full review	DSL	$55	1-140 Mbps	no one	Covers more than half of Montana households
Grizzly broadband	Fixed wireless/fiber	$70-$130	10-1,000 Mbps	no one	Al-Batirut area
KDS Networks	Fixed wireless/fiber	$60-$160	150-1,000 Mbps	no one	Great Falls area
Missoula Valley Internet Cooperative	Fixed wireless	Typically $25-$100 based on usage	100-500 Mbps	no one	Missoula Valley
Montana Internet	Fixed wireless/fiber	$65-$89 for fixed wireless	8-25 Mbps	no one	Great Falls, Helena and Lewiston areas
Montana Sky Networks	Fixed wireless/fiber/cable	$55 – $110	10-1000 Mbps	no one	Marion, Kalispell, Whitefish, West Glacier, Libby, Troy, Lakeside and more
Rural broadband	Fixed wireless	$50 – $100	15-60 Mbps	no one	Billing area
WestPost	Fixed wireless	$48 – $90	15-50 Mbps	no one	Southern Montana

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

People living in rural homes, farms, and farms need decent internet for work and play. This can be a challenge in some parts of Montana. satellite internet from starlink, Viasat or husnet It is a fallback option, but it tends to be expensive, and speeds may be less than desirable. When it comes to wired Internet, your best bet is likely to be CenturyLink DSL, which often has a wider coverage area than most other alternatives. Speeds can be highly variable depending on location and the maximum is 100Mbps.

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Montana is dotted with local ISPs that offer fixed wireless service to rural locations, sometimes combined with a smaller fiber footprint. Our chart covers some of the options available across the state, but there are more than we’ve listed here. Fixed wireless speeds can vary by location. You’ll need a good line of sight to the tower. here How does fixed wireless compare To other types of Internet connections. Most fixed wireless Internet providers have fairly standard plans with speed-based pricing. The Missoula Vallery Internet Co-op is an exception. Fees are charged based on usage. Montana could use some improvements in rural broadband options. The state is well aware of this problem and is in the process of pumping money into improving access to remote communities as well as farms and ranches.

Internet outages by city in Montana

It’s difficult to cover broadband options for an entire country and give individual cities the attention they deserve. That’s why we also compile lists of the best ISPs in cities across the United States, including those in Montana. We handle details like internet connection types, maximum speeds, cheapest providers, and more. Check back later if you don’t find the city you’re looking for below. We are working on adding more sites every week.

Montana Broadband at a Glance

The FCC’s National Broadband Map shows that all Montana households have access to broadband internet, but that doesn’t give a complete picture of the Treasure State’s internet landscape. The FCC defines broadband as at least 25 Mbps down and 3 Mbps up, and its estimate includes satellite Internet. Satellite Internet can be expensive, slow, and is not necessarily suitable for all rural locations. the The state government says 5% of Montana’s population lives in underserved areas and 13% lives in underserved areas.

FCC data shows that less than 29% of Montana households have access to fiber internet, and if we’re talking at least gigabit speeds, that number drops to 21%. Not surprisingly, you’re more likely to find fiber in larger cities, but even then, it’s a bit scattered. There are some exceptions. Libby, a town with a population of less than 3,000, is covered by the Ziply Fiber network. If fiber is important to you for remote work or gaming, that narrows your options for where to live in Montana. If you can do party downloads and uploads at 35Mbps, Spectrum covers a lot more ground.

Broadband speeds in Montana

Montana’s poor performance in Ookla’s state speed test rankings points to the challenges of rural broadband in the state. (Disclaimer: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.) It’s also tied to a lack of fiber offerings and competition from ISPs in cities. Regarding service speeds, FCC data shows that only 16% of Montana homes are covered.

Ookla highlights Spectrum as the fastest service provider in Montana, with an average download speed of 241 Mbps. The downside to cable is that you’re stuck with slower upload speeds. To get symmetrical speeds, you have to switch to fiber. Montana includes some coverage from Quantum Fiber, Ziply Fiber, TDS Telecom, or local ISPs like Montana Internet and Grizzly Broadband. If you’re currently struggling with internet speeds, there are some things you can try to improve your situation. Check these out Four basic steps to speed up your Internet connection.

Internet prices in Montana

Home Internet prices are variable in Montana. On the low end, you can bundle a qualifying T-Mobile phone plan with an internet plan to bring the price of internet down to $35 per month. Most ISPs start at $50 and above. This includes CenturyLink’s DSL networks and the lowest tier of Quantum Fiber, with the Fiber plan being a great deal for 500Mbps service. Availability is a big issue. You can always try it Negotiate back to a better deal.

Montana’s broadband future

Since Montana is already near the bottom in US internet speed, there’s nowhere to go but up. Fortunately, there is some movement in this direction, especially regarding the availability of fiber. TDS Telecom announced In early 2023 it will provide up to 8G fiber speeds to Helena, Butte, Missoula and Great Falls. It was already running on fiber in Billings. By the time TDS is implemented, it will serve 150,000 homes and businesses.

Much of the funding comes from expanding broadband to underserved and underserved areas of the state. Federalism Broadband access and deployment The program provides $630 million in funding. This is in addition to A $309 million investment in infrastructure Announced by Gov. Greg Gianforte in late 2022. These funds are intended to provide reliable broadband to 62,000 homes, small businesses, farms and ranches.

Frequently asked questions about internet in Montana