Best Internet Providers in Johnson City, Tennessee
What’s the best internet provider in Johnson City?
CNET’s pick for the best internet service provider in Johnson City is BrightRidge Broadband, a local fiber and fixed wireless provider that waspreviously known as the Johnson City Power Board. With speed options topping out at 10,000Mbps, BrightRidge is also the fastest internet provider in the city, outpacing bigger companies like Spectrum and Xfinity.
If your address isn’t eligible for BrightRidge, Brightspeed and T-Mobile Home Internet are solid next-best options. Brightspeed is the only other fiber provider in Johnson City, with speeds ranging from 200Mbps to 2,000Mbps and is available to 81% of the city according to the FCC. T-Mobile Home Internet is the city’s best fixed wireless internet provider, thanks to its wide availability, reliable speeds and high customer satisfaction. For $50 a month, you can get speeds ranging from 87 to 415Mbps, which is plenty fast for the average household and measures up against most fixed wireless providers.
If you’re on the hunt for cheap internet,consider Brightspeed or Xfinity. Brightspeed offers the cheapest internet in Johnson City with its $29 plan with speeds up to 300Mbps. Xfinity is another budget-friendly option with plans starting at $40 a month for speeds up to 400Mbps.
Johnson City internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment | Data cap | Contract | CNET review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brightspeed | Fiber | $29-89 | 300-2,000Mbps | None | None | None | n/a |
| BrightRidge Broadband | Fixed Wireless, Fiber | $60-$160 | 300-10,000Mbps | None | None | None | n/a |
| Spectrum Read full review |
Cable | $50-$70 | 500-1,000Mbps | $10 (optional) | None | None | 7.2 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$55 with eligible phone plans) | 87-415Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45) | 50-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
| Xfinity Read full review |
Cable | $40-$70 | 150-1,300Mbps | $15 (optional) | 1.2TB | Varies | 7 |
Show more (1 item)
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in Johnson City?
| Provider | Starting price | Max download | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xfinity Connect More Read full review |
$40 | 400Mbps | $15 (optional) |
| Brightspeed | $29 | 300Mbps | None |
| Brightspeed | $49 | 600Mbps | None |
| Brightspeed | $59 | 1,000Mbps | None |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible phone plans) | 300Mbps | None |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible phone plans) | 318Mbps | None |
| Spectrum Internet Read full review |
$50 | 500Mbps | $10 (optional) |
| BrightRidge Broadband | $60 | 300Mbps | None |
Show more (3 items)
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Johnson City
The best internet deals and top promotions in Johnson City depend on what discounts are available during a given time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Some internet providers, like Spectrum, may offer lower introductory pricing. Others, including T-Mobile and Verizon Home Internet, run the same standard pricing year-round. Verizon recently rolled out a new slew of streaming add-ons and bundles for just $10 extra monthly, which may sweeten the deal for potential 5G home internet customers.
For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide to the best internet deals.
Fastest internet plans in Johnson City
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speeds | Max upload speeds | Data Cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BrightRidge Broadband | $160 | 10,000Mbps | 10,0000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| BrightRidge Broadband | $110 | 2,500Mbps | 2,500Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Brightspeed | $89 | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Xfinity Gigabit Extra Read full review |
$70 | 1,300Mbps | 40Mbps | 1.2TB | Cable |
| Brightspeed | $59 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| BrightRidge Broadband | $90 | 1,000Mbps | 1,0000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Spectrum Read full review |
$70 | 1,000Mbps | 30Mbps | None | Cable |
| Xfinity Gigabit Read full review |
$50 | 1,100Mbps | 20Mbps | 1.2TB | Cable |
Show more (3 items)
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What’s a 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, streaming video or gaming, you’ll have a better experience with a quick connection with dependable download and upload speeds. Here’s an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the FCC. Note that these are only guidelines: 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 video conferencing.
- 40 to 100Mbps should give one person sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two people to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like video conferencing, streaming and online gaming.
- 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more people to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Johnson City
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? For starters, we tap into a proprietary pricing, availability and speed database that draws from our own historical ISP data, partner data 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 like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports. (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)
To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.
Internet providers in Johnson City FAQs
What’s the best internet service provider in Johnson City?
The best internet provider in Johnson City is BrightRidge because of its quick fiber speeds, affordability and availability. Prices start at $60 for 300Mbps. There are no contracts, data caps or installation fees. As a not-for-profit organization, managed by the public energy authority of the city, BrightRidge garners high customer satisfaction for its reliably quick speeds and customer service.
Is fiber internet available in Johnson City?
Yes, Johnson City has two fiber options: BrightRidge and Brightspeed. BrightRidge ranges between 300Mbps to 10,000Mbps, and Brightspeed offers a range between 300Mbps and 2,000Mbps.
What is the cheapest internet provider in Johnson City?
Brightspeed is the cheapest internet provider in Johnson City with a $29 plan. Xfinity comes in second with a plan offering 400Mbps for $40 monthly. If you want to save on plans from other providers, T-Mobile and Verizon offer bundling discounts for internet and qualifying phone plans.
Which internet provider in Johnson City offers the fastest speeds?
The fastest internet speeds in Johnson City come from BrightRidge, at 10,000Mbps symmetrical upload and download speeds. That speed might not be available everywhere in the city, so be prepared to settle for 2,500Mbps or 1,000Mbps from BrightRidge or 2,000Mbps from Brightspeed.