Best Internet Providers in Reading, Pennsylvania

What is the best internet provider in Reading?

Xfinity is the best internet service provider in Reading, Pennsylvania. It tops our list partially because it is the only practical wired internet option in the area but it's also an all-around solid choice with affordable plans and fast speeds. Xfinity offers the cheapest internet in Reading ($30 a month for speeds up to 400 megabits per second) and the fastest speeds, up to 2,100Mbps for $85. If you’re looking for alternatives to Xfinity in Reading, however, there’s not much. Frontier offers DSL internet in parts of Reading but speeds are likely below what qualifies as broadband and at $65 a month, pricing is higher than what you’d pay for up to 800Mbps from Xfinity.

Wireless internet, from Verizon 5G Home Internet and T-Mobile Home Internet, is the only reasonable broadband choice aside from Xfinity in Reading. Verizon 5G Home Internet has better pricing while T-Mobile Home Internet boasts better coverage. Both providers offer a discount for bundling with mobile service.

Best internet in Reading, Pennsylvania

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Reading

The best internet deals and top promotions in Reading depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers. 

Reading internet providers, such as T-Mobile Home Internet and Xfinity, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, including Verizon 5G Home Internet and Frontier, run the same standard pricing year-round. 

For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.

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 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 Federal Communications Commission. 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 and 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 Reading, Pennsylvania

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. 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 FCC.gov.

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:

1. Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
2. Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?
3. Are customers happy with their service?

The answers to those questions are often layered and complex, but the providers that 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, although 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. (Disclosure: 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.

Reading, Pennsylvania, internet provider FAQs