In Rhode Island there are 5 residential internet providers covering 99.17% of the state. The average home can get speeds up to 996 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.
5 Internet Service Providers in Rhode Island
To avoid wasting your time, providers with less than 1% coverage in Rhode Island are not shown.
Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island is internet available?
Internet Availability Key
Internet service is available in 99.17% of Rhode Island. Areas in green are more likely to have fiber, cable, DSL, or fixed wireless internet service. Areas in red may be more reliant on satellite service. The most widely available provider is Cox. Call one of the companies with service in Rhode Island above to see who has service at your home, or click the technology to see where it can be found in Rhode Island.
How fast are internet speeds in Rhode Island?
The map below shows maximum internet speeds by area in Rhode Island.
Internet Speed Key
The average Rhode Island home can get up to 996 Mbps on their internet plan. For most people, the fastest download speed in the state is 1,000 Mbps, which 98.08% 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 0.77 Mbps. See the internet provider details below for info about their speed and coverage in Rhode Island.
Internet speeds tend to be faster in the east parts of Rhode Island, and slower in the southeast areas of the state.
What type of internet should I choose in Rhode Island?
The fastest internet for you may vary based on where in Rhode Island you live. If speed is your main concern, cable will be the fastest internet in the state.
- Fiber is the fastest internet type for 1.10% of Rhode Island homes.
- Cable is fastest for 97.66% of the state.
- 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 Rhode Island homes.
Internet Market Health in Rhode Island
Internet Competition Key
The map shows how competitive the Rhode Island internet service market is. Areas in green have more alternatives, areas in yellow have a few choices, and areas in red may have only one provider. More competition usually means faster speeds and better prices for you, the customer.
Below are quick facts on internet competition and market health in Rhode Island based on what connections the average home has availabile:
- Average number of internet service providers to a home: 3.0 (very unhealthy)
- Average types of service (fiber, cable, DSL, etc): 2.9 (healthy)
- Average providers with broadband (25 Mbps+) speeds: 2.2 (very unhealthy)
Overall, competition is unhealthy.
Rhode Island internet customers have the ability to buy internet service from 1 to 5 different providers, depending on where they live. For different types of service, Rhode Island homes have between 1 and 4 options. The type(s) of service available are cable, fiber, dsl, and fixed wireless, though these may vary depending on the region within the state.
When it comes to broadband download speeds faster than 25 Mbps, the situation is worse. Rhode Island internet customers who want faster speeds have between 0 and 4 choices of companies offering speeds up to or over 25 Mbps.
More internet companies with faster speeds means fewer monopolies and better prices for customers. In promoting a free market for internet, Rhode Island needs improvement.
TV & Internet Providers in Depth
Below you'll find which TV and internet providers offer service in Rhode Island, along with details on where in Rhode Island and at what speeds.
Cox Communications Cable in Rhode Island
Cox cable coverage
About 97.98%, or 1,031,274 people, have Cox cable internet available to them in the state. The company covers the entire Rhode Island area. Cox is one of the largest internet service providers internet service providers in the US, with internet service available in most of Rhode Island.
Cox Communications cable download speeds
Cox is one of the fastest when comparing download speeds to all other internet providers in Rhode Island. Versus other cable providers in the area, Cox cable is one of the fastest. There are no different maximum speeds throughout Rhode Island. The fastest plan anyone in Rhode Island can order from Cox goes up to 1,000 Mbps, and all Rhode Island customers can get this speed.
Show all download speeds
- 100.0% up to 1,000.0 Mbps
Cox Communications cable upload speeds
In Rhode Island download speeds tend to be than upload speeds for Cox cable. Compared to other ISPs, Cox is below average where upload speeds are concerned, and one of the fastest compared to other Rhode Island cable providers. Cox offers no different upload speeds across the state. The fastest upload speed available to anyone from this ISP in Rhode Island is up to 35 Mbps, which is available to everyone covered.
Show all upload speeds
- 100.0% up to 35.0 Mbps
Verizon Fiber in Rhode Island
Verizon fiber coverage
About 84.69%, or 891,419 people, have Verizon fiber internet available to them in the state. The company covers the entire Rhode Island area. Verizon is one of the largest internet service providers internet service providers in the US, with internet service available in much of Rhode Island.
Verizon fiber download speeds
Verizon is above average when comparing download speeds to all other internet providers in Rhode Island. Versus other fiber providers in the area, Verizon fiber is the slowest. There are no different maximum speeds throughout Rhode Island. The fastest plan anyone in Rhode Island can order from Verizon goes up to 940 Mbps, and all Rhode Island customers can get this speed.
Show all download speeds
- 100.0% up to 940.0 Mbps
Verizon fiber upload speeds
In Rhode Island download speeds tend to be than upload speeds for Verizon fiber. Compared to other ISPs, Verizon is the fastest where upload speeds are concerned, and the fastest compared to other Rhode Island fiber providers. Verizon offers no different upload speeds across the state. The fastest upload speed available to anyone from this ISP in Rhode Island is up to 880 Mbps, which is available to everyone covered.
Show all upload speeds
- 100.0% up to 880.0 Mbps
Verizon DSL in Rhode Island
Verizon DSL coverage
About 80.58%, or 848,209 people, have Verizon DSL internet available to them in the state. The company covers the entire Rhode Island area. Verizon is one of the largest internet service providers internet service providers in the US, with internet service available in much of Rhode Island.
Verizon DSL download speeds
Verizon is the slowest when comparing download speeds to all other internet providers in Rhode Island. Versus other DSL providers in the area, Verizon DSL is the fastest. There are 8 different maximum speeds throughout Rhode Island. The fastest plan anyone in Rhode Island can order from Verizon goes up to 15 Mbps, the slowest package only goes up to 0.77 Mbps, and the state-wide average maximum speed for Rhode Island customers is up to 6.9 Mbps.
Show all download speeds
- 12.9% up to 15.0 Mbps
- 15.9% up to 10.0 Mbps
- 15.0% up to 7.0 Mbps
- 40.2% up to 5.0 Mbps
- 6.6% up to 3.0 Mbps
- 8.7% up to 1.5 Mbps
- 0.6% up to 1.0 Mbps
- 0.1% up to 0.8 Mbps
Verizon DSL upload speeds
In Rhode Island download speeds tend to be than upload speeds for Verizon DSL. Compared to other ISPs, Verizon is the slowest where upload speeds are concerned, and the fastest compared to other Rhode Island DSL providers. Verizon offers 4 different upload speeds across the state, so your internet plan's upload speed may vary by neighborhood. The fastest upload speed available to anyone from this ISP in Rhode Island is up to 1.0 Mbps. Some customers have slower plan choices, which only go up to 0.13 Mbps. On average, Verizon customers can get speeds up to 0.80 Mbps.
Show all upload speeds
- 28.8% up to 1.0 Mbps
- 61.9% up to 0.8 Mbps
- 9.3% up to 0.4 Mbps
- 0.1% up to 0.1 Mbps
i3 Broadband Cable in Rhode Island
i3 Broadband cable coverage
About 4.71%, or 49,612 people, have i3 Broadband cable internet available to them in the state. The company covers the east and southeast Rhode Island area. i3 Broadband is a large internet service provider internet service providers in the US, with internet service available in a very small piece of Rhode Island.
i3 Broadband cable download speeds
i3 Broadband is one of the fastest when comparing download speeds to all other internet providers in Rhode Island. Versus other cable providers in the area, i3 Broadband cable is one of the fastest. There are no different maximum speeds throughout Rhode Island. The fastest plan anyone in Rhode Island can order from i3 Broadband goes up to 1,000 Mbps, and all Rhode Island customers can get this speed.
Show all download speeds
- 100.0% up to 1,000.0 Mbps
i3 Broadband cable upload speeds
In Rhode Island download speeds tend to be than upload speeds for i3 Broadband cable. Compared to other ISPs, i3 Broadband is below average where upload speeds are concerned, and the slowest compared to other Rhode Island cable providers. i3 Broadband offers no different upload speeds across the state. The fastest upload speed available to anyone from this ISP in Rhode Island is up to 30 Mbps, which is available to everyone covered.
Show all upload speeds
- 100.0% up to 30.0 Mbps
T-Mobile Home Internet in Rhode Island
T-Mobile Home Internet fixed wireless coverage
About 27.51%, or 289,563 people, have T-Mobile Home Internet fixed wireless internet available to them in the state. The company covers the entire Rhode Island area. T-Mobile Home Internet is one of the largest internet service providers internet service providers in the US, with internet service available in a small portion of Rhode Island.
T-Mobile Home Internet fixed wireless download speeds
T-Mobile Home Internet is below average when comparing download speeds to all other internet providers in Rhode Island. Versus other fixed wireless providers in the area, T-Mobile Home Internet fixed wireless is the fastest. There are no different maximum speeds throughout Rhode Island. The fastest plan anyone in Rhode Island can order from T-Mobile Home Internet goes up to 25 Mbps, and all Rhode Island customers can get this speed.
Show all download speeds
- 100.0% up to 25.0 Mbps
T-Mobile Home Internet fixed wireless upload speeds
In Rhode Island download speeds tend to be than upload speeds for T-Mobile Home Internet fixed wireless. Compared to other ISPs, T-Mobile Home Internet is below average where upload speeds are concerned, and the fastest compared to other Rhode Island fixed wireless providers. T-Mobile Home Internet offers no different upload speeds across the state. The fastest upload speed available to anyone from this ISP in Rhode Island is up to 3.0 Mbps, which is available to everyone covered.
Show all upload speeds
- 100.0% up to 3.0 Mbps
Rhode Island Internet by Area
This information is most helpful to those looking for homes or considering moving to Rhode Island or any of the areas nearby.
How does internet in Rhode Island compare to the rest of the United States?
Internet speeds in Rhode Island are comparable versus the average speeds in the United States: 951 Mbps in the United States versus 996 Mbps in the state. The nation has similar internet availability compared to the state. Average internet coverage in the United States is 99.41% versus 99.17% in Rhode Island.
What zip codes have widespread internet?
Internet coverage varies by zip code and neighborhood. Some examples in or around Rhode Island are shown below. You can enter any zip code here to see TV and internet providers by zip code.
What does internet service look like in other states?
Below are states nearby and with similar populations. This comparison can be useful if living somewhere with fast internet is important to you.
Nearby States
- Massachusetts: more internet coverage, slower speeds
- Connecticut: more internet coverage, slower speeds
- New Hampshire: more internet coverage, slower speeds
- Vermont: more internet coverage, slower speeds
- New Jersey: more internet coverage, slower speeds
- New York: more internet coverage, slower speeds
- Maine: more internet coverage, slower speeds
- Delaware: more internet coverage, slower speeds
- Pennsylvania: more internet coverage, slower speeds
- Maryland: less internet coverage, slower speeds
States with Similar Populations
- Montana: less internet coverage, slower speeds
- Delaware: more internet coverage, slower speeds
- South Dakota: more internet coverage, slower speeds
- New Hampshire: more internet coverage, slower speeds
- Maine: more internet coverage, slower speeds
- North Dakota: more internet coverage, faster speeds
- Alaska: less internet coverage, slower speeds
- Hawaii: more internet coverage, slower speeds
- District of Columbia: more internet coverage, faster speeds
- Vermont: more internet coverage, slower speeds