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What is the best internet provider in Melbourne?
CNET recommends Spectrum as the best internet service provider for most households in Melbourne. Spectrum offers some of the cheapest home internet service prices, providing wide coverage and unlimited data on all plans. However, if Spectrum isn’t available at your address, AT&T Fiber and T-Mobile Home Internet are also solid options.
We’ve also found the cheapest plans and fastest speeds for Melbourne residents. Although Spectrum offers $20 and $30 plans for select addresses, many will only be able to get Spectrum’s Internet Ultra plan, costing between $40 and $50 per month. For speed, consider AT&T Fiber, which offers 2 gigabits and 5 gigabits of symmetrical speed for $125 and $225, respectively.
CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Melbourne across several categories. Our evaluation includes referencing a proprietary database built over years of reviewing internet services. We validate that against provider information by spot-checking local addresses for service availability. We also do a close read of providers’ terms and conditions and, when needed, will call ISPs to verify the details.
Despite our efforts to find the most recent and accurate information, our process has some limitations you should know about. Pricing and speed data are variable: Certain addresses may qualify for different service tiers, and monthly costs may vary, even within a city. The best way to identify your particular options is to plug your address into a provider’s website.
Also, the prices, speed and other information listed above and in the provider cards below may differ from what we found in our research. The cards display the full range of a provider’s pricing and speed across the US, according to our database of plan information provided directly by ISPs. At the same time, the text is specific to what’s available in Melbourne. The prices referenced within this article’s text come from our research and include applicable discounts for setting up automatic payments each month — a standard industry offering. Discounts and promotions might also be available for signing a term contract or bundling multiple services.
To learn more about how we review internet providers, visit our full methodology page.
Best internet in Melbourne, Florida, in 2024
100 – 1,000 Mbps
$30- $90 per month
Our take – According to the FCC, Spectrum’s network is available to 89% of Melbourne residents, meaning your household will most likely be serviceable. Spectrum’s plans and prices differ based on your address, but all customers can get speeds up to 1 gigabit with no data caps or contracts.
100 – 1,000 Mbps
$30- $90 per month
300 – 5,000 Mbps
$55 – $250 per month
Our take – While we usually recommend fiber connectivity over cable, AT&T’s coverage includes DSL and fiber networks. If you can get AT&T Fiber in your home, its symmetrical speeds make it worth the price. But if your home is only served by DSL, you’ll see faster speeds choosing another provider.
300 – 5,000 Mbps
$55 – $250 per month
Fixed wireless
72 – 245 Mbps
$50 per month
Our take – This fixed wireless ISP keeps broadband simple and affordable. Costing a flat rate of $50 per month, T-Mobile Home Internet reaches speeds up to 245Mbps with no data caps, contracts or equipment fees.
Fixed wireless
72 – 245 Mbps
$50 per month
Melbourne internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Home Internet | DSL | $55 | 10-100Mbps | None | 1.5TB | None | 7.4 |
| AT&T Fiber | Fiber | $55-$225 | 300-5,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| Spectrum | Cable | $20-$90 | 30-1,000Mbps | Free modem; $5 router (optional) | None | None | 7.2 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet | Fixed wireless | $50 ($30 for eligible Go5G Plus and Magenta Max mobile customers) | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet | Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 with qualifying Verizon 5G mobile plans) | 50-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in Melbourne?
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Melbourne
The best internet deals and top promotions in Melbourne depend on what discounts are available during that period. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Melbourne internet providers, such as Spectrum, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, however, including AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon, run the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
Photo by Mbell/Getty Images
Fastest internet plans in Melbourne
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What’s a good internet speed?
Most internet connection plans can handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you’re looking for an internet plan that can accommodate videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you’ll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here’s an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the FCC. Note that these are only guidelines — and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.
For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need.
- 0 to 5Mbps allows you to tackle the basics: browsing the internet, sending and receiving email, streaming low-quality video.
- 5 to 40Mbps gives you higher-quality video streaming and videoconferencing.
- 40 to 100Mbps should give one user sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming.
- 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Melbourne
Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. So what’s our approach? We start by researching the pricing, availability and speed information, drawing on our own historical ISP data, the provider sites and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.
But it doesn’t end there. We go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of publication.
Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:
- Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
- Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?
- Are customers happy with their service?
While the answer to those questions is often layered and complex, the providers who come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, though we also factor in things including price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and also consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports.
To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.
Internet providers in Melbourne FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in Melbourne?
Wide availability and cheap plans make Spectrum Melbourne’s top internet service provider. This cable ISP offers plans ranging from 30Mbps to 1 gigabit, all including unlimited data.
Is fiber internet available in Melbourne?
Yes, however, AT&T Fiber is Melbourne’s only fiber provider. If AT&T Fiber isn’t available at your address, cable connectivity should be your next pick.
Who is the cheapest internet provider in Melbourne?
Although Spectrum offers the cheapest plan in Melbourne — $20 for 30Mbps — most households won’t be serviceable. Spectrum’s 500Mbps service is more readily available, costing between $40 and $50 monthly.
Which internet provider in Melbourne offers the fastest plan?
AT&T Fiber easily takes the gold for the fastest plan in Melbourne. This fiber provider offers 2 gigabits for $125 and 5 gigabits for $225.
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