Internet Service Providers in
Fairbanks, AK

In Fairbanks, the best internet providers are Alaska Communications (ACS) and GCI, and both offer fiber internet services. Both options will cost you a pretty penny every month, but both offer the fastest speeds available in the Land of the Midnight Sun. ACS fiber cables are throughout town, with the speedy internet connection available from Downtown Fairbanks to the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus and beyond. Residents of North Pole, Farmers Loop, Fox, and Badger can also get ACS fiber, among other nearby towns. Outside of those options, Fairbanks has several satellite internet providers available.

— Jacob Scholl

ACS has the best internet in Fairbanks, with fiber availability in the city and a handful of towns in the surrounding borough. GCI also provides reliable fiber internet in the area, and satellite internet providers like Hughesnet and Starlink are other options for an internet connection.

SPITwSPOTS, a local internet provider that relies on its own tower networks, has the most internet coverage in the Fairbanks North Star Borough, according to FCC data. GCI and ACS are just behind in terms of availability in the Fairbanks area.

Fairbanksans are accustomed to braving life in the coldest and northernmost metropolitan area of the United States, but that doesn’t mean they should settle for slow internet.

Luckily, residents of the Last Frontier have Alaska Communications (ACS) and GCI. Though neither option comes cheap, both are known for good customer service and superfast speeds.

Of the two, we prefer ACS because it offers truly unlimited data, meaning your internet speeds never get capped or throttled. ACS also stands out for offering dedicated fiber connections that ensure you don’t have to share the bandwidth you pay for with your neighbors. Plus, ACS’s plans are about $10 cheaper than the competition.

Alaska Communications’ fiber-optic network map covers virtually every neighborhood in Alaska’s Golden Heart, including Fort Wainwright and the University of Alaska, Downtown Fairbanks, Northeast City, Aurora, College, South Fairbanks, and South Van Horn. ACS fiber internet is also available in Chena Ridge, Farmers Loop, Fox, Badger, and North Pole.

Best ACS internet plan for most people in Fairbanks: Fiber 500 for $105.00/mo.

Though we wouldn’t call it cheap, Alaska Communications’ Fiber 500 plan offers the most bang for your buck. These plans do not require contracts and come with free installation and Wi-Fi equipment. Be sure to check if the company is offering any promotional pricing when you sign up because you might be able to snag a nice discount for the first few months of service.

We love that this plan provides 500Mbps symmetrical internet speeds, letting users upload content at the same rate as they download. That kind of speed should do the trick for just about anyone, including work-from-home professionals, students, gamers, or anyone hoping to stream the final season of Stranger Things in HD.

Everything is more expensive in Alaska. But folks in Fairbanks looking for internet on a budget might be surprised by Hughesnet. Hughesnet’s satellite internet comes with some significant downsides, like data caps and slow-ish speeds, but other affordable options like Verizon 5G Home Internet are not as widely available in the Fairbanks area at this time.

Hughesnet’s coverage map includes the entire U.S., meaning any house with a clear view of the southern sky can receive the signal. This is great news for those who live on the edges of town in places like Ester, the Hills, Pleasant Valley, Two Rivers, Goldstream, Steele Creek, Moose Creek, and beyond.

The company’s basic 50Mbps plan runs $50 per month for the first 12 months before increasing to the regular rate of $75 a month. Keep in mind that a two-year contract is required, so you end up paying the higher rate for half that time. Installation is free if you choose to lease the equipment, which costs an additional $15 per month.

Best Hughesnet internet plan in Fairbanks: Select 50Mbps plan for $50.00/mo.

We recommend Hughesnet for people on a tight budget with casual internet needs. Hughesnet’s Select plan provides up to 50Mbps download speed and 3Mbps upload speed, which is enough internet bandwidth to power casual streaming, browsing, working, and gaming habits without noticeable slowdown.

We wouldn’t recommend Hughesnet for heavy internet users because it comes with a soft data cap of 100GB. Once users hit the limit, their speeds reduce to a pitiful 1–3Mbps. For anyone who needs faster speeds or can afford to pay a little more, we suggest shopping around for another Fairbanks internet provider.

Another futuristic home internet solution in Fairbanks uses 5 GHz line-of-sight radio technology to transmit signals from towers straight into your home. Companies like Mountain Beam and SPITwSPOTS have their own tower networks ready to connect rural Fairbanksans to the rest of the world.

Mountain Beam (formerly known as FAI5G or Fairbanks 5G) has seven towers in and around Fairbanks, located strategically on Ester Dome, Moose Mountain, Birch Hill, Gilmore Trail, Blackberry Dr, Skyflight Ave, and Johansen Expressway. Anyone with a direct line of sight to one of those towers can get connected. If you’re not sure, step outside and take a look for yourself! We’ll wait.

We prefer Mountain Beam to others because the plans have no contracts or data caps. The mid-tier plan costs around $100 per month, but don’t expect that to get you fiber-optic speeds. The fastest plan available is only 48Mbps.

The speeds aren’t great, but the generous terms of service and competitive price point might be more desirable than other direct wireless or satellite services. Mountain Beam is a local Fairbanks company, and customers seem to appreciate the personal touch when it comes to customer service.

Best Mountain Beam internet plan for most Fairbanksans: 24/24 Mbps plan with speeds up to 24Mbps for $90.00/mo.

Mountain Beam’s mid-level plan is a perfect fit for many Fairbanks locals who value a company that started in the Golden Heart City. Customers are also quick to recommend the service for its reliable internet speeds, even in remote areas.

Importantly, Mountain Beam feels like it has its customers’ best interests in mind. Rather than upselling equipment, the website provides information to empower users to buy and install their own equipment before signing up. Suffice it to say, we’re not used to seeing that type of thing from bigger companies.

Fairbanks has numerous internet service providers available, including Alaska Communications, GCI, and Mountain Beam. Satellite internet providers, like Hughesnet and Starlink, are also available in Fairbanks and surrounding areas.

Yes. Fairbanks has fiber internet available, which is the fastest, most reliable type of internet connection. Alaska Communications (ACS) and GCI both offer fiber internet. Mountain Beam offers fixed wireless internet in the Fairbanks area.

Starlink plans start at $120 per month for its internet service. Starlink hardware can cost up to $599 to get started.

Starlink download speeds range from 5Mbps to 220Mbps depending on the plan you purchase. Starlink does not have data caps or contracts needed to get started.