Best Internet Providers in West Virginia

What is the best internet provider in West Virginia?

Frontier has the best wired internet availability in West Virginia, plus simple service terms and a straightforward pricing structure, giving it an advantage over many of the state’s competing ISPs. Frontier’s fiber service is preferred, but in areas where fiber or cable internet connections are unavailable, its DSL service is a step above satellite internet.

Frontier’s DSL speeds will vary by location, but Frontier Fiber offers the fastest speeds in West Virginia, up to 5,000 megabits per second. At $155 per month, Frontier’s fastest plan isn’t the cheapest around; cable internet providers Breezeline and Xfinity have the cheapest plans in West Virginia, with service prices starting at $20 and $25 per month, respectively.

The cheapest, fastest and all-around best internet services for your home will depend on where you live in West Virginia. You’ll find everything you need to know about the leading ISPs in West Virginia below.

Best internet in West Virginia

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

West Virginia ISP honorable mentions

• Armstrong: Regional internet provider Armstrong is available in the Huntington, West Hamlin, Chapmanville and Pennsboro areas. Pricing is on par with competing cable internet providers, but speeds are a bit slower than expected, between 25 and 500Mbps. Fiber speeds are better (up to 940Mbps), but availability is limited. 
• Optimum: West Virginians in the Charleston, Beckley, Lewisburg and Huntington areas may remember this cable ISP as Suddenlink, but parent company Altice recently united all home internet services under the Optimum brand. Pricing and speeds are decent — $40 to $80 per month for speeds of 300 to 940Mbps — as are the service terms, with no equipment fees, data caps or contracts. Consistently low customer satisfaction is something to be aware of, however, with Optimum.
• Micrologic: Fixed wireless provider Micrologic covers a chunk of West Virginia from Sutton north to Barrackville and east to Parsons and parts of Bismarck. With service starting at $45 per month for speeds of 25 to 50Mbps, it will get you online, but T-Mobile Home Internet is likely to deliver faster speeds for not that much more. 
• Shentel: Shenandoah Telephone Company offers cable internet with some fiber mixed in, mostly in the southernmost part of West Virginia. Service is relatively expensive at $70 to $205 per month for speeds of 150 to 1,000Mbps, but the free equipment rental and unlimited data help justify the cost. 
• Spectrum: A top pick for cable internet, Spectrum features fast speed tiers of 50 to 1,000Mbps along with fair, transparent pricing and simple service terms like unlimited data, no contracts and a low router rental fee. The only problem in West Virginia is that service is largely limited to the Clarksburg and Barrackville areas. 
• US Cellular: Another fixed wireless option, US Cellular, is available to roughly a quarter of West Virginia households, with primary service areas east of Charleston, including in the Eastern Panhandle. As with Micrologic, speeds are less than impressive for the price, so you may want to start with T-Mobile Home Internet if considering fixed wireless service.
• Satellite internet: While Hughesnet is the cheaper satellite option, Viasat may have faster speeds and a higher data allowance. Check out our Hughesnet and Viasat comparison page for more on how the two compare. Starlink is another potential option, and although it won’t do much to alleviate the high costs of satellite internet, it has the potential for faster speeds than Hughesnet or Viasat, plus unlimited data.

Internet breakdown by city in West Virginia

It’s hard to cover the internet options of an entire state like West Virginia while giving individual cities the in-depth attention they deserve. For this reason, we’ve also put together lists of the best internet providers in cities across the US, including those in West Virginia. If you don’t find your hometown below, check back later. We’re working to add more every day.

Cheap internet options in West Virginia

As mentioned above, Breezeline has the cheapest internet plan in West Virginia, offering speeds up to 100Mbps starting at $20 per month. However, Xfinity isn’t far behind, with a 75Mbps plan starting at $30 per month. While the low pricing is tempting, renting a router may add to your costs — up to $15 with Breezeline and Xfinity.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in West Virginia

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

West Virginia internet providers, such as Breezeline and Xfinity, may offer lower introductory pricing or special offers for a limited time. Many providers, including Frontier Fiber and Shentel, run the same standard pricing year-round. 

For a more extensive list of promotions, check out our guide on the best internet deals. 

How fast is West Virginia broadband?

Ookla speed test data from May 2024 ranked West Virginia 43rd for fastest median download speeds at around 172Mbps. That’s well below the national average (248Mbps), but it’s worth noting that speeds of 159Mbps are sufficient for many internet uses, including streaming in HD or 4K, on multiple devices.

Keep in mind that the speed test data is a statewide average and isn’t necessarily representative of the speeds you can get in your home. Many West Virginia internet providers offer plans with maximum speeds significantly faster than the state’s median download speed.

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; 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 West Virginia

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.

We also go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We input local addresses on provider websites, as well, 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:

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 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 West Virginia?

Regardless of location, I’d recommend a fiber internet connection when available. In West Virginia, fiber internet will likely come from Frontier — CNET’s pick for the best provider in the state — or possibly Armstrong. 

If you can’t get fiber internet, look to cable internet for comparable speeds and potentially lower introductory rates. Xfinity, Breezeline and Armstrong are top cable ISPs in West Virginia, although Shentel, Spectrum and others may be available depending on where you live.

Fixed wireless internet, specifically that of T-Mobile Home Internet (though Micrologic and US Cellular may be worth a look), is a practical option for broadband in rural areas where cable or fiber connections do not reach. As a last resort, satellite internet from Hughesnet, Viasat or Starlink may provide the only access to broadband speeds in West Virginia’s more rural areas.

Internet providers in West Virginia FAQs