Best Internet Providers in Charles Town, West Virginia

What is the best internet provider in Charles Town?

Charles Town is just a 64-mile drive west of Washington, DC. You won't find the same fast lifestyle in Charles Town as the nation's capital, but it has fast internet, including fiber. Xfinity is CNET's top pick of the best internet service provider in Charles Town, West Virginia, Xfinity is the best choice for most households because it promises fast speeds at reasonable price. If you're located in the eastern corner of West Virginia, you have a choice between multiple internet providers that make streaming and gaming easy. 

According to the latest Ookla data, West Virginia ranks 43rd in the nation when it comes to internet speed. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.) As a state, it has a median download speed of around 172 megabits per second. That being said, Charles Town is above average, with multiple plans available with download speeds of at least 1 gigabit per second. 

You also have a decent amount of diversity in the internet options in Charles Town, with options ranging from satellite to fiber. The most recent Federal Communications Commission data put Comcast's Xfinity internet service close to the top of the leaderboard when it comes to residential coverage there. However, you'll also find good speed from Shentel and Frontier. But ultimately, the best internet plan for you will depend on your budget and how you use the internet. 

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

All available Charles Town residential internet providers

Other internet service providers in Charles Town exist besides Xfinity, Frontier and T-Mobile. Depending on your budget or speed requirements, you may also want to consider one of the following companies. 

• Hughesnet: HughesNet is another satellite internet provider in Charles Town. Plans start at $50 per month for 50Mbps speed. More expensive plans don't offer faster download speeds but do offer more data usage before you slow down.
  
• Shentel: This company has speeds up to 1Gbps at $205 per month, but you can also get 150Mbps speeds for $70 per month if Shentel is available at your address. The company covers about 58% of Charles Town as of early 2024.
  
• Viasat: Viasat offers satellite internet, which may be right for rural customers who are not within range of other providers. Plans start at $70 per month. 
  

L. Toshio Kishiyama/Getty Images

Pricing info on Charles Town home internet service

You can expect to pay at least $50 per month for internet in Charles Town, though the fastest plans go for well over $100 monthly. A more expensive plan is often worth it if you have multiple users or want to play video games. 

Cheap internet options in the Charles Town metro area

With Xfinity offering a plan at just $20 per month, you can get quality service at a low price in Charles Town. T-Mobile and HughesNet also come in at under $60 per month, but T-Mobile requires no contract and has no additional equipment fee.

What's the cheapest internet plan in Charles Town?

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How fast is internet service in Charles Town?

Charles Town has surprisingly fast speeds for West Virginia, where the median download speed for the state is approximately 149Mbps. Fiber options in this part of the state are the best way to guarantee that you'll enjoy fast downloads and uninterrupted streaming. 

Frontier and Xfinity have the fastest plans in Charles Town. Frontier has two multigig internet plans, and the provider also throws in a free router. 

What are the fastest internet plans in Charles Town?

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Charles Town

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? For starters, we tap into a proprietary pricing, availability and speed database that draws from our own historical ISP data, partner data 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 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 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 consider 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.

What's the final word on internet providers in Charles Town?

If you need fast internet in Charles Town, look no further than Frontier plans. If price is top of mind, the cheapest Xfinity plan will leave a budget for streaming platforms. It's worth noting that while 5Gbps plans are impressive, most casual internet users won't require that type of speed to be satisfied with their service. 

Internet providers in Charles Town FAQs