In the Chicago metro area there are 2 residential DSL providers covering 96.44% of the city. The average home can get speeds up to 67 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.
DSL Internet Service Providers in Chicago
To avoid wasting your time, providers with less than 1% coverage in the Chicago metro area are not shown.
Chicago 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 Chicago metro area is DSL internet available?
DSL Internet Availability Key
DSL is available in 96.44% of the Chicago metro area. Areas in green have DSL internet service, where areas in yellow or red may not. The most widely available provider is AT&T. Call one of the companies with service in the Chicago metro area above to see who has service at your home.
How fast is DSL internet in the Chicago metro area?
The map below shows maximum DSL internet speeds by area in the Chicago metro area.
DSL Internet Speed Key
The average Chicago home can get up to 67 Mbps on their DSL internet plan. The fastest DSL download speed in the city is 500 Mbps, which less than 1% 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 0.50 Mbps. See the internet provider details below for info about their speed and coverage in the Chicago metro area.
DSL internet speeds tend to be faster in the central parts of the Chicago metro area, and slower in the southeast areas of the city.
Is DSL the fastest internet I can get in the Chicago metro area?
The fastest internet for you may vary based on where in the Chicago metro area you live. In general, cable competes most often with DSL in the city.
- Fiber is the fastest internet type for 22.28% of Chicago homes.
- Cable is fastest for 75.96% of the city.
- DSL is fastest for less than 1%.
- Fixed wireless is fastest for 1.08%.
- Satellite internet may be the only option for less than 1% of Chicago homes.
DSL Providers in Depth
Below you'll find which TV and internet providers offer service in the Chicago metro area, along with details on where in the Chicago metro area and at what speeds.
AT&T DSL in Chicago, IL
AT&T DSL coverage
About 92.11%, or 8,668,944 people, have AT&T DSL internet available to them in the city. The company covers the entire Chicago area. AT&T is one of the largest internet service providers internet service providers in the US, with internet service available in most of the Chicago metro area.
AT&T DSL download speeds
AT&T is below average when comparing download speeds to all other internet providers in the Chicago metro area. Versus other DSL providers in the area, AT&T DSL is below average. There are 14 different maximum speeds throughout the Chicago metro area. The fastest plan anyone in the Chicago metro area can order from AT&T goes up to 100 Mbps, the slowest package only goes up to 0.77 Mbps, and the city-wide average maximum speed for Chicago customers is up to 69 Mbps.
Show all download speeds
- 51.4% up to 100.0 Mbps
- 10.2% up to 75.0 Mbps
- 13.1% up to 50.0 Mbps
- 0.0% up to 45.0 Mbps
- 5.2% up to 25.0 Mbps
- 0.2% up to 24.0 Mbps
- 4.9% up to 18.0 Mbps
- 3.0% up to 12.0 Mbps
- 1.2% up to 10.0 Mbps
- 5.5% up to 6.0 Mbps
- 0.9% up to 5.0 Mbps
- 2.5% up to 3.0 Mbps
- 1.1% up to 1.5 Mbps
- 0.7% up to 0.8 Mbps
AT&T DSL upload speeds
In the Chicago metro area download speeds tend to be than upload speeds for AT&T DSL. Compared to other ISPs, AT&T is below average where upload speeds are concerned, and below average compared to other Chicago DSL providers. AT&T offers 12 different upload speeds across the city, so your internet plan's upload speed may vary by neighborhood. The fastest upload speed available to anyone from this ISP in the Chicago metro area is up to 20 Mbps. Some customers have slower plan choices, which only go up to 0.26 Mbps. On average, AT&T customers can get speeds up to 14 Mbps.
Show all upload speeds
- 61.5% up to 20.0 Mbps
- 13.1% up to 10.0 Mbps
- 0.0% up to 8.0 Mbps
- 0.0% up to 6.0 Mbps
- 3.5% up to 5.0 Mbps
- 0.2% up to 3.0 Mbps
- 1.7% up to 2.0 Mbps
- 7.9% up to 1.5 Mbps
- 9.1% up to 1.0 Mbps
- 1.6% up to 0.5 Mbps
- 1.0% up to 0.4 Mbps
- 0.1% up to 0.3 Mbps
Earthlink DSL in Chicago, IL
Earthlink DSL coverage
About 3.77%, or 354,564 people, have Earthlink DSL internet available to them in the city. The company covers the southeast, northwest, west, southwest, and north Chicago area. Earthlink is one of the largest internet service providers internet service providers in the US, with internet service available in a very small piece of the Chicago metro area.
Earthlink DSL download speeds
Earthlink is below average when comparing download speeds to all other internet providers in the Chicago metro area. Versus other DSL providers in the area, Earthlink DSL is below average. There are 11 different maximum speeds throughout the Chicago metro area. The fastest plan anyone in the Chicago metro area can order from Earthlink goes up to 115 Mbps, the slowest package only goes up to 1.0 Mbps, and the city-wide average maximum speed for Chicago customers is up to 31 Mbps.
Show all download speeds
- 6.9% up to 115.0 Mbps
- 5.1% up to 90.0 Mbps
- 3.6% up to 70.0 Mbps
- 5.3% up to 45.0 Mbps
- 23.8% up to 25.0 Mbps
- 25.6% up to 18.0 Mbps
- 24.0% up to 12.0 Mbps
- 1.3% up to 9.0 Mbps
- 1.2% up to 6.0 Mbps
- 1.5% up to 3.0 Mbps
- 1.7% up to 1.0 Mbps
Earthlink DSL upload speeds
In the Chicago metro area download speeds tend to be than upload speeds for Earthlink DSL. Compared to other ISPs, Earthlink is below average where upload speeds are concerned, and below average compared to other Chicago DSL providers. Earthlink offers 7 different upload speeds across the city, so your internet plan's upload speed may vary by neighborhood. The fastest upload speed available to anyone from this ISP in the Chicago metro area is up to 7.0 Mbps. Some customers have slower plan choices, which only go up to 0.13 Mbps. On average, Earthlink customers can get speeds up to 2.0 Mbps.
Show all upload speeds
- 6.9% up to 7.0 Mbps
- 5.1% up to 5.0 Mbps
- 8.9% up to 3.0 Mbps
- 23.8% up to 2.0 Mbps
- 52.1% up to 1.0 Mbps
- 1.5% up to 0.4 Mbps
- 1.7% up to 0.1 Mbps
Chicago DSL by Area
This information is most helpful to those looking for homes or considering moving to the Chicago metro area or any of the areas nearby.
How does DSL internet in the Chicago metro area compare to the rest of Illinois?
DSL internet speeds in the Chicago metro area are slower versus the average speeds in Illinois: 987 Mbps in Illinois versus 67 Mbps in the city. The state has similar DSL availability compared to the city. Average DSL coverage in Illinois is 92.70% versus 96.44% in the Chicago metro area.
What zip codes have DSL internet?
DSL internet coverage varies by zip code and neighborhood. Some examples in or around the Chicago metro area are shown below. You can enter any zip code here to see TV and internet providers by zip code.
What does DSL 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
- Chicago, IL: more DSL coverage, faster speeds
- Evergreen Park, IL: more DSL coverage, faster speeds
- Cicero, IL: more DSL coverage, slower speeds
- Oak Park, IL: less DSL coverage, faster speeds
- Berwyn, IL: less DSL coverage, slower speeds
- Stickney, IL: less DSL coverage, slower speeds
- Forest Park, IL: more DSL coverage, faster speeds
- River Forest, IL: less DSL coverage, slower speeds
- Elmwood Park, IL: more DSL coverage, faster speeds
- Forest View, IL: less DSL coverage, slower speeds
Cities with Similar Populations
- Dallas Metro, TX: less DSL coverage, slower speeds
- Houston Metro, TX: less DSL coverage, slower speeds
- Philadelphia Metro, PA: less DSL coverage, slower speeds
- Miami Metro, FL: less DSL coverage, faster speeds
- San Francisco Metro, CA: less DSL coverage, faster speeds
- Washington Metro, DC: less DSL coverage, slower speeds
- Los Angeles Metro, CA: less DSL coverage, slower speeds
- Atlanta Metro, GA: less DSL coverage, faster speeds
- Boston Metro, MA: less DSL coverage, slower speeds
- Phoenix Metro, AZ: less DSL coverage, faster speeds