What is the best internet provider in Aurora?
Xfinity is the best internet service provider in Aurora due to its broad coverage and plan variety, which includes the cheapest and fastest plans in the area. Xfinity Connect is the cheapest internet plan in Aurora, offering download speeds up to 75 megabits per second, starting at $20 per month. On the high-speed end of the spectrum, Xfinity Gigabit Extra boasts download speeds up to 1,200Mbps, starting at $85 monthly.
Quantum Fiber and fellow Lumen Technologies brand CenturyLink are also decent choices for home internet in Aurora. CenturyLink is available to more Aurora households than Quantum Fiber, but you’ll get faster speeds and much better value from the latter’s fiber internet service.
Additionally, Aurora is home to multiple fixed wireless internet providers. Verizon 5G Home Internet offers the fastest speeds for the money, but T-Mobile Home Internet is also a practical option, particularly in rural areas to the east. Availability, pricing and overall value from other fixed wireless providers, including Starry Internet, Aerux Broadband and Rise Broadband, will vary by location.
CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Aurora across several categories. Our evaluation includes referencing a proprietary database built over years of reviewing internet services. We validate that against provider information by spot-checking local addresses for service availability. We also do a close read of providers’ terms and conditions and, when needed, will call ISPs to verify the details.
Despite our efforts to find the most recent and accurate information, our process has some limitations you should know about. Pricing and speed data are variable: certain addresses may qualify for different service tiers, and monthly costs may vary, even within a city. The best way to identify your particular options is to plug your address into a provider’s website.
Also, the prices, speed and other information listed above and in the provider cards below may differ from what we found in our research. The cards display the full range of a provider’s pricing and speed across the US, according to our database of plan information provided directly by ISPs. At the same time, the text is specific to what’s available in Aurora. The prices referenced within this article’s text come from our research and include applicable discounts for setting up automatic payments each month — a standard industry offering. Other discounts and promotions might also be available for things like signing a term contract or bundling with multiple services.
To learn more about how we review internet providers, visit our full methodology page.
Best internet in Aurora, Colorado
75 – 2,000 Mbps
$20 – $120 per month
Our take – The nation’s largest cable internet provider is Aurora’s main cable ISP. Service is available pretty much anywhere in the city, with six internet-only plans and numerous internet and TV bundle combinations.
75 – 2,000 Mbps
$20 – $120 per month
200 – 8,000 Mbps
$30 – $165 per month
Our take – Internet from Lumen Technologies is available to around nine in 10 Aurora homes, but most of that coverage comes from the DSL service, CenturyLink. If your address happens to be serviceable for Quantum Fiber, it’s worth checking out for the fast, symmetrical speeds and free equipment.
200 – 8,000 Mbps
$30 – $165 per month
Fixed wireless
85 – 1,000 Mbps
$50 – $70 per month
Our take – Denver is a Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband capable city. That 5G coverage extends into much of Aurora, but that doesn’t guarantee home internet service will be available, even if you can get 5G on your phone. If your address is eligible for service, there’s no risk (no contracts) to seeing what speeds you can get.
Fixed wireless
85 – 1,000 Mbps
$50 – $70 per month
Fixed wireless
72 – 245 Mbps
$50 per month
Our take – While Verizon 5G Home Internet largely sticks to the cities and suburbs, T-Mobile Home Internet availability reaches more rural and remote areas. Service starts at $50 per month for speeds ranging from 72 to 245Mbps — not the fastest of ISPs, but speedier than other fixed wireless providers, Rise Broadband and Aerux Broadband.
Fixed wireless
72 – 245 Mbps
$50 per month
Aurora internet providers compared
Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aerux Broadband | Fixed wireless | $99-$169 | 20-50Mbps | $8 (does not include router) | None | None | N/A |
CenturyLink | DSL | $50 | 20-100Mbps | $15 (optional) | None | None | 6.7 |
Quantum Fiber | Fiber | $50-$75 | 500-940Mbps | None | None | None | 6.7 |
Rise Broadband | Fixed wireless | $45-$55 | 25-50Mbps | $10 | 250GB or unlimited | None | 6.2 |
Starry Internet | Fixed wireless | $50-$85 | 200-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7 |
T-Mobile Home Internet | Fixed wireless | $50 ($30 with eligible mobile plans) | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
Verizon 5G Home Internet | Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 for eligible Verizon Wireless customers) | 50-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
Xfinity | Cable | $20-$70 | 75-1,200Mbps | $15 (included in most plans) | 1.2TB or unlimited | None required | 7 |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Aurora
The best internet deals and top promotions in Aurora depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Aurora internet providers, such as Xfinity, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, however, including Quantum Fiber, CenturyLink and Rise Broadband, run the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
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 user sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming.
- 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Aurora
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 the time 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 it comes to 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 also take into account real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports.
To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.
Internet providers in Aurora FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in Aurora?
Xfinity is the best internet service provider in Aurora. It has the greatest availability of any non-satellite provider in the area, the best plan variety and higher customer satisfaction than the area’s next-largest provider, CenturyLink.
Quantum Fiber is another excellent choice for home internet, but the ISP falls short regarding availability, reaching less than a quarter of Aurora households.
Is fiber internet available in Aurora?
Yes. Approximately 20% of Aurora homes are wired for fiber internet service, according to the FCC. Serviceability is greatest in the western part of the city, though parts of Traditions and other communities throughout the city may also be serviceable for fiber internet. Quantum Fiber is the largest fiber internet provider in Aurora.
Who is the cheapest internet provider in Aurora?
Xfinity has the two cheapest internet plans in Aurora, Connect and Connect More, which offer max download speeds of 75 and 200Mbps starting at $20 and $30 per month, respectively. Xfinity also has the lowest starting monthly rate on gigabit service in Aurora at $60.
Which internet provider in Aurora offers the fastest plan?
Xfinity’s Gigabit Extra plan offers the fastest download speeds in Aurora, up to 1,200Mbps. It’s worth noting, however, that Xfinity’s max upload speeds are significantly slower, topping out at 35Mbps.
Quantum Fiber is the only Aurora internet provider to offer symmetrical upload and download speeds. Its fastest plan in the Aurora area advertises upload and download speeds up to 940Mbps.