At Reviews.org, we believe that boring internet is usually the best internet.
Internet providers often try to win over customers with increasingly fast speeds, impressive perks, and intriguing new tech. But most internet customers just want a dependable and affordable service.
That’s why, when our team sets about reviewing internet providers, we end up being most impressed with providers that stick to the basics. We tend to favor mid-tier internet plans that offer a balance of affordability and reliability. We love fiber internet because it really is the best internet. But we’re just as enthusiastic about providers that offer other internet connections like cable and 5G if they have a proven track record for getting the job done.
Since our website launched in 2015, our team at Reviews.org has built up an enormous amount of expertise around internet services, routers, hotspots, and everything else related to home Wi-Fi. (Of course, we also review mobile phones and plans, home security products, and VPNs.)
In the wake of the global pandemic, we’ve kept tabs on radical shifts in the internet industry, including the rise of 5G internet services, the nationwide expansion of fiber-optic network infrastructure, and the federal government’s successful efforts to raise the bar on broadband speed standards.
A digital divide remains between rural and urban parts of the country, but for millions of Americans, internet is significantly faster, more reliable, and a better value now than it was a decade ago. This has made our job easier in some ways. But with the industry constantly evolving, we do our due diligence so we don’t buy too readily into inflated marketing claims or fleeting tech trends.
At their core, our provider reviews find us getting down to the nitty-gritty with internet brands big and small. Here’s a quick breakdown of how we research these reviews:
- We analyze proprietary data from millions of Reviews.org speed test results to see how internet providers’ speeds compare.
- We read the fine print in user contracts and pester providers’ live chat support lines to nail down the facts on hidden fees, data caps, price hikes, and other costly restrictions.
- We look over proprietary provider data and Federal Communications Commission maps to see where internet providers are available and what their competitors are.
- We keep up-to-date about connection technology like fiber, cable, and 5G, so that we understand an internet provider’s capabilities in terms of speed and latency.
- We get on the phone to talk with internet customers, so we can get answers to specific questions about how internet services hold up in real life.