Best Internet Service Providers in Ann Arbor, MI

Ann Arbor, Michigan, is a well-known tech center and university town. As home to the University of Michigan and a pool of STEM graduates, it offers a thriving ecosystem for tech companies. 

Many internet providers are expanding their services in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to meet the digital needs of the city. 

Selecting an internet provider for your home or business can be tedious in a place where competitive internet alternatives are abundant. We have put together this in-depth guide on the best Internet Providers in Ann Arbor, MI,  covering their prices and all the plan details to help you make a wise decision. 

Residential Internet Providers in Ann Arbor, MI

Ann Arbor is the fifth-most populous city in Michigan, with nearly 116,125 residents. Likewise, the Ann Arbor Metro Area experiences a 0.6% population increase year-on-year. Hence, the increasing need for internet in Ann Arbor homes and hostels is undeniable.

Various types of internet connections are available in the city, including fiber, IPBB, DSL, fixed wireless, and satellite internet. The fastest speeds are offered by fiber internet providers. However, if you have a medium-sized household and do not require multigigabit, symmetrical speeds, then you can choose cable internet with plans starting at $20. 

Business Internet Providers in Ann Arbor, MI

The technology sector is a major driver of the city’s economy. Over 370 tech companies in Ann Arbor employ around 20,000 residents. In addition, the city is well-known for its varied culinary scene and boasts many eateries, coffee shops, and parks where customers need reliable internet access to pay online or scan E-menus.

Most residential internet providers in Ann Arbor also offer exclusive plans for businesses with better speeds and customer service. The highest speeds for business internet are provided by AT&T, reaching up to 5,000 Mbps. However, satellite internet is also available for small businesses in Ann Arbor’s farmlands. 

High-Speed Fiber Internet in Ann Arbor, MI

4 Ann Arbor fiber internet providers cover 41.37% of the city. The average home can get speeds up to 2,188 Mbps. Best

The fastest download speed for fiber internet in the city is 5,000 Mbps, which is accessible to approximately 14% of residents. Although Xfinity is a cable internet provider, it is gradually expanding its fiber internet network to offer up to 10 Gig speeds. You can try your luck by entering your address in our zip code search tool.

The table below lists the speeds and prices of fiber Internet providers in Ann Arbor, MI.

Internet Speeds in Ann Arbor, MI

In Ann Arbor, 93.2% of households had a broadband Internet subscription from 2018 to 2022. The average download speed in the city is 267.73 Mbps, which is 26.43 Mbps faster than the state average. Similarly, the median upload speed is 23.96 Mbps, which is 0.39 Mbps faster than the average in Michigan. 

The number of devices connected to the internet and the type of online activities performed on each device determines the appropriate internet speed for a home or business. 

Considering that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recommends that 100 Mbps be the minimum speed for broadband, it is wise to look for internet plans that offer this speed or even faster, depending on your requirements.

When it comes to speed, AT&T Fiber and Xfinity are leading the pack with an average download speed of 212.21 Mbps and 218.16 Mbps, respectively. These ultrafast speeds are available in 94% of Ann Arbor.

Internet Coverage in Ann Arbor, MI

The broadband internet coverage in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is 91.4% (speeds equal to or more than 100 Mbps), with internet types ranging from satellite to super-fast fiber broadband. 

Cable internet is most widely available in Ann Arbor, covering more than 96% of the city. Xfinity is the largest cable internet provider in Ann Arbor, offering download speeds up to 2 Gigs in 96.7% of the city. AT&T’s hybrid fiber-copper network, Internet protocol broadband (IBPP), offers the second-largest coverage area, spanning 91.2% of the city.  

However, Hughesnet, Starlink, and Viasat being satellite internet, cover 100% of the city, including the farmlands where it is difficult to lay down internet cables.   

The following table represents the citywide coverage of Ann Arbor internet providers, allowing you to pick the most accessible internet service for your home. 

Best Internet Provider in Ann Arbor, MI

There are around 28 internet providers in Ann Arbor, servicing the city with reliable digital connectivity. But after analyzing them on these metrics – coverage, price, and speed, AT&T and Xfinity stand out as our top choices. 

Both the Ann Arbor internet providers are giving tough competition to each other in terms of speeds, prices, and coverage. They offer super fast multigigabit speeds at affordable rates. But if we have to select one, our choice will invariably lean towards AT&T’s fiber internet, as fiber internet offers symmetrical, lightning-fast speeds with ultra-low latency. 

In contrast, Xfinity offers asymmetric download speeds of up to 1.2 Gbps, and its latency tends to fluctuate due to signal interference. 

While Xfinity’s coaxial cable network offers the widest coverage amongst all the wired internet providers in Ann Arbor, AT&T’s IPBB network does the same, offering download speeds up to 500 Mbps in 91.2% of the city. 

In terms of pricing, Xfinity is cheaper than AT&T when we consider its promotional rates and up to 3 years of price guarantees. But AT&T offers straightforward pricing and all-inclusive service, keeping your add-on costs to a bare minimum. 

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