What is the best internet provider in New Paltz?
With its competitive introductory pricing in the first year and wide availability throughout the city, Spectrum is CNET’s top pick for the best internet service provider in New Paltz. According to the latest data from the Federal Communications Commission, Spectrum offers cable internet to over 89% of New Paltz households, making it likely that your address will be serviceable. Speeds reach up to a gigabit (or 1,000 megabits per second), and unlimited data is available. Watch out for a price increase after the promo period ends in the second year.
Finding high-speed internet in New Paltz might be harder since very few ISPs offer gigabit speeds throughout the city. Spectrum and Optimum offer download speeds of up to 1,000Mbps and 35Mbps in upload. These cable providers are the only ISPs in the area that offer fast internet.
Optimum offers one of the fastest plans in the city, but it also offers one of the cheapest services, coming in with a $40-a-month plan for speeds of 300Mbps. Most ISPs in the area offer plans starting at $50 a month, but Optimum scores the cheapest internet service for New Paltz residents. You can also bundle your internet with a mobile plan and get discounted rates from fixed wireless providers like Verizon 5G Home Internet and T-Mobile Home Internet.
CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in New Paltz 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 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 New Paltz. 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. Discounts and promotions might also be available for signing a term contract or bundling multiple services.
To learn more about how we review internet providers, visit our full methodology page.
New Paltz internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hughesnet Read full review |
Satellite | $50-$95 | 50-100Mbps | $15-$20 or $300-$450 one-time purchase | 100-200GB | 2-years | 6 |
| Optimum Read full review |
Cable | $40-$65 | 300-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 6.2 |
| Spectrum Read full review |
Cable | $50-$70 | 500-1,000Mbps | Modem included; $10 for router (optional) | None | None | 7.2 |
| Starlink Read full review |
Satellite | $120-$5,000 | 25-220Mbps | $299 one-time purchase (or $2,500 for Priority) | Unlimited; 40GB-5TB (Priority) | None | 6.5 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($40-$50 for eligible Go5G Plus and Magenta Max mobile customers) | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 for eligible Verizon Wireless customers) | 100-300Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
| Viasat Read full review |
Satellite | $100 | Up to 150Mbps | $15 or $250 one-time purchase | Unlimited; 850GB (soft cap) | None | 6.1 |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Other available internet providers in New Paltz
- Verizon 5G Home Internet:This fixed wireless provider offers decent speeds of up to 300Mbps for New Paltz residents. In addition, the service comes with unlimited data and is free of contracts, so you don’t have to worry about paying termination fees. Equipment is also included with your monthly bill. The downside is whether your address is serviceable for this ISP, with Verizon only reaching about 1% of households in New Paltz.
- Satellite internet: Satellite internet usually gets a bad rep for its slow and inconsistent speeds, but one thing you don’t have to worry about with satellite internet is its availability. Satellite ISPs like Hughesnet, Viasat and Starlink offer services nearly everywhere. Starlink boasts the fastest speeds of the three, peaking at 225Mbps versus Hughesnet at 100Mbps and Viasat at 150Mbps. Hughesnet might be the more affordable option since Starlink’s monthly service starts at $120. Moreover, satellite internet might not be the fastest, but it could be a decent alternative to addresses lacking cable or fiber access.
Aerial view of the Mohonk Moutain House in New Paltz, NY.
Cheap internet options in New Paltz
The average cost of home internet in New Paltz is around $47 a month. Optimum is the only ISP in the area offering home internet at a lower cost. Optimum offers download speeds of 300Mbps for $40 a month. Unlike Spectrum, your equipment is fully covered with your service so you don’t have to worry about additional fees. You might be able to find lower rates with Verizon and T-Mobile if you bundle your home internet with eligible mobile plans.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in New Paltz?
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Optimum Read full review |
$40 ($55 after 12 months) | 300Mbps | None |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
$50 ($35 for eligible Verizon Wireless customers) | 100Mbps | None |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
$50 ($40 for eligible Go5G Plus Magenta Max customers) | 245Mbps | None |
| Spectrum Internet Read full review |
$50 ($80 after 12 months) | 500Mbps | Modem free; $10 for router (optional) |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in New Paltz
The best internet deals and top promotions in New Paltz depend on what discounts are available during a given time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
New Paltz internet providers, such as Spectrum and Optimum, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, including T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet, run the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
How fast is New Paltz broadband?
Ookla does not list New Paltz in their latest speed test data, the state of New York came in with an average download speed of 129Mbps and 14Mbps in upload and named T-Mobile as the fastest prover for the state. (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.) Nearby cities to New Paltz, like Poughkeepsie and Binghamton, came in with fixed median download speeds of 266Mbps and 245Mbps, respectively. Fast internet is not widely available throughout the city as Spectrum and Optimum tie for being the only ISPs to offer 1,000Mbps.
Fastest internet plans in New Paltz
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spectrum Internet Gig Read full review |
1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | None | Cable | |
| Optimum Internet Gig Read full review |
1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | None | Cable |
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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 and 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 New Paltz
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. 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.
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?
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, although 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 New Paltz?
Spectrum Internet offers the widest coverage of any ISP in the area, ensuring that your address is serviceable. Spectrum is a go-to for many households as it offers many perks like unlimited data and no contracts. After a year, you can expect your monthly bill to triple. Fixed wireless provider T-Mobile Home Internet might not be as fast, but it offers you decent prices without worrying about any price increases down the line. If you’re looking for affordable internet, Optimum is the way to go, but you can also find discounted rates with T-Mobile and Verizon if you bundle with a qualifying mobile plan.
Internet providers in New Paltz FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in New Paltz?
Spectrum Internet is CNET’s top pick for the best internet provider in New Paltz because it offers wide availability and competitive introductory pricing for the first year. According to the latest data from the FCC, Spectrum’s cable coverage reaches over 89% of households in New Paltz. You can choose between two main plans: 300Mbps for $50 a month or 1,000Mbps for $70 a month. Service comes with unlimited data and no contracts. The modem is included. If you choose to lease a router, it’ll cost you an additional $10 monthly.
Is fiber internet available in New Paltz?
What is the cheapest internet provider in New Paltz?
Optimum has the cheapest internet in the area, offering a $40-a-month plan with 300Mbps download speeds. After a year, that price will increase by $15 a month. You can also turn to Verizon and T-Mobile for their discounts on home internet when bundling with qualifying mobile plans.
Which internet provider in New Paltz offers the fastest plan?
Spectrum and Optimum are tied for the fastest plan in the city, each offering 1,000Mbps download and 35Mbps upload.
