Best Internet Providers in Poughkeepsie, New York

What is the best internet provider in Poughkeepsie?

Fiber internet is often the best choice for speed, reliability and value. That’s true in Poughkeepsie, where Verizon Fios is the best internet service provider overall. Verizon Fios offers the fastest internet speeds in Poughkeepsie, up to 2,300 megabits per second, plus a variety of other plans with symmetrical download and upload speeds, a unique advantage to fiber internet.

Other benefits of Verizon Fios include free equipment, unlimited data and no contract requirements, but you can also get that from other local ISPs. Spectrum offers a free modem, while Optimum provides the modem and router at no extra cost, and both providers include unlimited data with their contract-free services. 

Optimum is also decent options for cheap internet in Poughkeepsie. Its service starts at $40 a month for speeds up to 300Mbps -- $10 less than Verizon Fios for the same download speed potential. Spectrum is also a great option, with a 500Mbps plan for $50 a month, but it charges an additional $10 for a router. All in, Optimum will come out as the cheapest wired internet provider in Poughkeepsie.

Fixed wireless internet, from Verizon 5G Home Internet and T-Mobile Home Internet, adds to the broadband competition in Poughkeepsie. Verizon 5G Home Internet availability is limited in Poughkeepsie due to the broad Verizon Fios coverage in the area, so T-Mobile Home Internet will be your best option if you’re interested in fixed wireless service.

Best internet in Poughkeepsie, New York

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

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How to find internet deals and promotions in Poughkeepsie

The best internet deals and the top promotions in Poughkeepsie depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers. 

Poughkeepsie internet providers, such as Optimum and Spectrum, may offer lower introductory pricing or other incentives for a limited time. Others, however, including Verizon Fios, 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 person sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming. 
• 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two people to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming. 
• 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more people to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Poughkeepsie, New York

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:

1. Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
2. Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?
3. Are customers happy with their service?

While the answers to those questions are often layered and complex, the providers that 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. (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)

To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.

Internet providers in Poughkeepsie, New York, FAQs