In the Boston metro area there are 2 residential Cable providers covering 98.68% of the city. The average home can get speeds up to 999 Mbps. Note that we may have a financial relationship with some of the providers below. This does not influence rankings, and helps us provide high-quality detailed information for free.
Cable Internet Service Providers in Boston
To avoid wasting your time, providers with less than 1% coverage in the Boston metro area are not shown.
Boston Satellite TV & Internet Providers
DISH Satellite TV
DIRECTV Satellite TV
Not sure whether to choose Dish or DIRECTV? For most people most of the time we recommend DISH. But click here to learn more.
HughesNet Satellite Internet
Where in the Boston metro area is cable internet available?
Cable Internet Availability Key
Cable is available in 98.68% of the Boston metro area. Areas in green have cable internet service, where areas in yellow or red may not. The most widely available provider is XFINITY. Call one of the companies with service in the Boston metro area above to see who has service at your home.
How fast is cable internet in the Boston metro area?
The map below shows maximum cable internet speeds by area in the Boston metro area.
Cable Internet Speed Key
The average Boston home can get up to 999 Mbps on their cable internet plan. The fastest cable download speed in the city is 1,000 Mbps, which 97.88% of residents can get. Some homes and apartments do not have access to these speeds. On the slower end, for example, less than 1% of homes can only purchase plans up to 500 Mbps. See the internet provider details below for info about their speed and coverage in the Boston metro area.
Cable internet speeds tend to be faster in the southeast parts of the Boston metro area, and slower in the northwest areas of the city.
Is cable the fastest internet I can get in the Boston metro area?
The fastest internet for you may vary based on where in the Boston metro area you live. In general, fiber competes most often with cable in the city.
- Fiber is the fastest internet type for 5.06% of Boston homes.
- Cable is fastest for 93.82% of the city.
- DSL is fastest for less than 1%.
- Fixed wireless is fastest for less than 1%.
- Satellite internet may be the only option for less than 1% of Boston homes.
Cable Providers in Depth
Below you'll find which TV and internet providers offer service in the Boston metro area, along with details on where in the Boston metro area and at what speeds.
XFINITY from Comcast Cable in Boston, MA
XFINITY cable coverage
About 97.86%, or 4,334,456 people, have XFINITY cable internet available to them in the city. The company covers the entire Boston area. XFINITY is one of the largest internet service providers internet service providers in the US, with internet service available in most of the Boston metro area.
XFINITY from Comcast cable download speeds
XFINITY is above average when comparing download speeds to all other internet providers in the Boston metro area. Versus other cable providers in the area, XFINITY cable is one of the fastest. There are no different maximum speeds throughout the Boston metro area. The fastest plan anyone in the Boston metro area can order from XFINITY goes up to 1,000 Mbps, and all Boston customers can get this speed.
Show all download speeds
- 100.0% up to 1,000.0 Mbps
XFINITY from Comcast cable upload speeds
In the Boston metro area download speeds tend to be than upload speeds for XFINITY cable. Compared to other ISPs, XFINITY is below average where upload speeds are concerned, and average compared to other Boston cable providers. XFINITY offers no different upload speeds across the city. The fastest upload speed available to anyone from this ISP in the Boston metro area is up to 35 Mbps, which is available to everyone covered.
Show all upload speeds
- 100.0% up to 35.0 Mbps
Astound Broadband powered by RCN Cable in Boston, MA
Astound Broadband cable coverage
About 22.64%, or 1,003,003 people, have Astound Broadband cable internet available to them in the city. The company covers the central, west, south, southwest, east, northeast, north, and northwest Boston area. Astound Broadband is one of the largest internet service providers internet service providers in the US, with internet service available in a small portion of the Boston metro area.
Astound Broadband powered by RCN cable download speeds
Astound Broadband is above average when comparing download speeds to all other internet providers in the Boston metro area. Versus other cable providers in the area, Astound Broadband cable is below average. There are 2 different maximum speeds throughout the Boston metro area. The fastest plan anyone in the Boston metro area can order from Astound Broadband goes up to 1,000 Mbps, the slowest package only goes up to 500 Mbps, and the city-wide average maximum speed for Boston customers is up to 884 Mbps.
Show all download speeds
- 76.8% up to 1,000.0 Mbps
- 23.2% up to 500.0 Mbps
Astound Broadband powered by RCN cable upload speeds
In the Boston metro area download speeds tend to be than upload speeds for Astound Broadband cable. Compared to other ISPs, Astound Broadband is below average where upload speeds are concerned, and the slowest compared to other Boston cable providers. Astound Broadband offers no different upload speeds across the city. The fastest upload speed available to anyone from this ISP in the Boston metro area is up to 20 Mbps, which is available to everyone covered.
Show all upload speeds
- 100.0% up to 20.0 Mbps
Boston Cable by Area
This information is most helpful to those looking for homes or considering moving to the Boston metro area or any of the areas nearby.
How does cable internet in the Boston metro area compare to the rest of Massachusetts?
Cable internet speeds in the Boston metro area are comparable versus the average speeds in Massachusetts: 987 Mbps in Massachusetts versus 999 Mbps in the city. The state has similar cable availability compared to the city. Average cable coverage in Massachusetts is 98.08% versus 98.68% in the Boston metro area.
What zip codes have cable internet?
Cable internet coverage varies by zip code and neighborhood. Some examples in or around the Boston metro area are shown below. You can enter any zip code here to see TV and internet providers by zip code.
What does cable internet look like in other cities?
Below are cities nearby and with similar populations. This comparison can be useful if living somewhere with fast internet is important to you.
Nearby Cities
- Boston, MA: less cable coverage, faster speeds
- Charlestown, MA: more cable coverage, faster speeds
- Cambridge, MA: less cable coverage, faster speeds
- Brookline, MA: more cable coverage, faster speeds
- Jamaica Plain, MA: more cable coverage, faster speeds
- Allston, MA: more cable coverage, faster speeds
- Somerville, MA: more cable coverage, faster speeds
- Chelsea, MA: more cable coverage, faster speeds
- Brighton, MA: less cable coverage, faster speeds
- Everett, MA: more cable coverage, faster speeds
Cities with Similar Populations
- Phoenix Metro, AZ: less cable coverage, slower speeds
- Riverside Metro, CA: less cable coverage, slower speeds
- Detroit Metro, MI: less cable coverage, slower speeds
- Seattle Metro, WA: less cable coverage, slower speeds
- Atlanta Metro, GA: less cable coverage, slower speeds
- Washington Metro, DC: less cable coverage, slower speeds
- San Francisco Metro, CA: less cable coverage, slower speeds
- Minneapolis Metro, MN: less cable coverage, slower speeds
- San Diego Metro, CA: less cable coverage, slower speeds
- Miami Metro, FL: less cable coverage, faster speeds