What is the best internet provider in Grand Junction?
Our CNET broadband experts have done the research and testing to find the top internet providers available in Grand Junction, Colorado. For most households, Spectrum is the best internet service provider in Grand Junction due to its low introductory pricing, fast speeds and high availability. The cable internet provider offers some of the cheapest internet plans in Grand Junction, although its gig plan — available to approximately 90% of Grand Junction households — is a great deal for $70 per month.
Quantum Fiber offers faster multi-gig plans and has the advantage of symmetrical download and upload speeds, but availability is limited in Grand Junction. Fellow Lumen Technologies brand CenturyLink is much more widely available, though max speeds and overall value can’t compete with Quantum Fiber, Spectrum or some of the area’s fixed wireless services.
T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet are the leading fixed wireless ISPs in Grand Junction. T-Mobile boasts greater availability. Rise Broadband and Optimus Communications also offer fixed wireless internet in Grand Junction, but max speeds are low, and the cost is too high to recommend over other options.
Best internet in Grand Junction, Colorado
Grand Junction, Colorado, internet providers compared
Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CenturyLink Read full review |
DSL | $55 | 3-100Mbps | $15 (optional) | None | None | 6.7 |
Optimus Communications | Fixed wireless | $57-$127 | 25-300Mbps | None | None | None | N/A |
Quantum Fiber | Fiber | $50-$100 | 500-3,000Mbps | None | None | None | 6.7 |
Rise Broadband Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $55 | 25-50Mbps | $10 | None | None | 6.2 |
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 | $60-$70 ($40-$50 with select mobile plans) | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 for eligible Verizon Wireless customers) | 50-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
Show more (2 items)
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in Grand Junction?
Plan | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
---|---|---|---|
Spectrum Internet Assist Read full review |
$25 | 50Mbps | $10 (optional) |
Spectrum Internet Advantage Read full review |
$30 | 100Mbps | $10 (optional) |
Quantum Fiber | $50 | 500Mbps | None |
Spectrum Internet Premier Read full review |
$50 | 500Mbps | $10 (optional) |
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
$50($35 for eligible Verizon Wireless customers) | 85Mbps | None |
CenturyLink Internet Read full review |
$55 | 140Mbps | $15 (optional) |
Rise Broadband Internet Unlimited Read full review |
$55 | 50Mbps | $10 |
Optimus 25Mbps | $57 | 25Mbps | None |
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
$60 ($40 with select mobile plans) | 245Mbps | None |
Show more (4 items)
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Grand Junction
The best internet deals and top promotions in Grand Junction depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Grand Junction internet providers, such as T-Mobile Home Internet, may run special offers or promotional discounts for a limited time. Many, however, including Spectrum, CenturyLink and Quantum Fiber, run the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
Fastest internet plans in Grand Junction
Plan | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quantum Fiber Multi-gigabit | $100 | 3,000Mbps | 3,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
Spectrum Internet Gig Read full review |
$70 | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | None | Cable |
Quantum Fiber Gigabit | $75 | 940Mbps | 940Mbps | None | Fiber |
Quantum Fiber 500 | $50 | 500Mbps | 500Mbps | None | Fiber |
Show more (0 item)
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 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 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 videoconferencing, 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 Grand Junction
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 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.
Internet providers in Grand Junction, Colorado FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in Grand Junction?
Spectrum is the best internet service provider in Grand Junction due to its widely available fast speeds and straightforward pricing. Spectrum offers 50, 100, 500 and 1,000Mbps speeds throughout much of Grand Junction. All plans include unlimited data and a free modem rental.
Is fiber internet available in Grand Junction?
Recent FCC data shows fiber availability is limited to almost 19% of Grand Junction households. Serviceability is greatest in the Westwood Estates and Colonial Heights communities, but fiber internet is still difficult to come by in any part of Grand Junction. Quantum Fiber is the area’s main fiber internet provider.
What is the cheapest internet provider in Grand Junction?
Spectrum has the lowest introductory rate for home internet in Grand Junction at $25 monthly for speeds up to 50Mbps. Service includes unlimited data and a free modem rental while renting a router will add just $10 to your monthly bill. All other major ISPs in the Grand Junction area have a starting monthly price of $50 or higher.
Which internet provider in Grand Junction offers the fastest plan?
Quantum Fiber offers the fastest download speeds in Grand Junction, up to 3,000Mbps, starting at $100 per month. The upload speeds on this connection are symmetrical, so you also won’t miss out on fast uploads. There’s also a cheaper 940Mbps symmetrical plan available for $75 per month. The only caveat here is the limited available across Grand Junction.
The next fastest service provider is Spectrum, offering up to 1,000Mbps, starting at $70 a month. Due to the cable connection, max upload speeds are significantly slower, topping out at 35Mbps.
Verizon 5G Home Internet has the potential to reach max speeds of 1,000Mbps, but customers should anticipate a speed range of anywhere between 50 to 250Mbps. Spectrum and Quantum Fiber, on the other hand, can reliably deliver gig speeds.