10 Ways to Get Internet Service Without Cable

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Lady with little girl working on computer FI

One of the main issues people face when deciding whether to cut the cord is how they’ll have access to the Internet from home if they cancel their cable TV subscription.

So many cable companies bundle Internet access with cable TV and landline phone subscriptions. But sometimes it can be challenging to find a company that offers Internet access only.

However, there are options out there. When our family moved from the city onto a hobby farm about 45 minutes out of the metropolitan area, there was only one choice for cable.

Being we’d decided to ditch the cable subscription after we moved, we were no longer interested in doing business with the one available provider.

Luckily, there was a provider who would give us Internet access and landline phone access without having to purchase cable too.

How to Get Internet Without Cable

These types of companies exist all over the country. Here is a list of some of the Internet Service Providers (ISPs) who will give you Internet access in your home without having to purchase a cable package.

1. AT&T

AT&T home page

AT&T has packages that include the Internet and Direct TV. Plus, they have an Internet-only plan. The Internet only plan AT&T offers is $50 per month and provides Internet speeds of up to 100 Mbps.

AT&T internet is available in a variety of states currently, including:

  • Alabama
  • Arkansas
  • California
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Illinois
  • Nevada
  • Texas
  • Michigan

And more. Contact AT&T via the link above for more information.

2. Verizon Fios

Verizon Fios Internet-only service is currently available widely on the East Coast in states such as New York, Virginia, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and a few more options.

You can choose from a couple of different plans with Verizon Fios.

The Verizon $39.99 Plan

This plan with Verizon costs, as you probably have guessed, $39.99 per month. You get up to 200 Mbps with this plan, which should be more than enough for avid users.

This exclusive online deal is a 1-year commitment (or they have a 2-year commitment to waive the setup fee as well) and saves you $10 a month off the regular price.

The Verizon $59.99 Plan

Verizon’s $59.99 plan will give you up to 400Mbps per month. This plan should be sufficient for multiple users or sharing large files.

The Verizon $79.99 Plan

Verizon’s $79.99 plan will give you up to 940/880 Mbps of speed. As with the other plans, this is a 1-year commitment offer. However, if you choose a 2-year commitment, Verizon will waive the setup fee for you.

3. Xfinity Residential

Affordable contract-free home internet starts at $30 per month with Xfinity Residential. To get this low rate, you may need to add an Xfinity Mobile cell phone plan and choose a slower connection speed (300 mbps).

Faster speeds cost more and the fastest speed is 1200 Mbps. Advanced internet equipment and free router upgrades can also cost extra.

Your internet service has a two-year price guarantee and includes the necessary internet equipment. For example, you receive a free Flex 4K streaming box to broadcast your favorite shows on your smart TV.

The internet router also includes the Xfinity 6E WiFi technology which is faster than the normal 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. This ultrasonic band has a quicker connection speed for paired devices and 4K video streaming.

It’s also possible to add a cable TV subscription and a home security package.

4. FreedomPop

FreedomPop provides wireless Internet for users via a hotspot. A hotspot is a wireless access point available in a public location, but you can use them in your home.

With the FreedomPop Internet service, you can choose from a variety of plans to get Internet access. Here are the details of their different plans.

Basic Plan

FreedomPop’s basic plan is free – yes, it costs nothing. You get 500 MBs of data per month on this plan, and additional data is charged at $0.02 per MB. This plan allows access to the 4G network only. Not a lot of usage time here, but it is a legitimate way to get free Internet.

Pro 500 Plan

The Pro 500 Plan offers the 500 MB of data per month, but at $3.99 per month. The difference between this and the basic plan? You get access to both 4G and 3G networks. Additional data is the same charge of $0.02 per MB.

Premium 3GB Plan

This plan costs $28.99 per month and offers users 3GB of data and 3G and 4G network access. Additional data costs $0.015 per MB.

Premium 4GB Plan

FreedomPop’s 4GB plan comes with 4GB of data, access to both the 3G and 4G networks, and costs $34.99 per month. Additional data costs the same $0.015 per MB.

Premium 5GB Plan

With this plan, you get 5GB of data for $39.99 per month and access to both 3G and 4G networks. Additional data costs $0.015 per MB.

Premium 10GB Plan

This is FreedomPop’s biggest plan. For $74.99 per month, you get 10GB of data accessible on both the 4G and 3G networks. Additional data costs the same $0.015 per MB.

Note: Some people (rightly) have concerns about hotspot security – hotspots can be a “hacker’s paradise,” according to some. Check out this article on hotspot security for more information on protecting yourself when using a hotspot.

5. Boost Mobile

Boost Mobile home page

Boost Mobile provides internet courtesy of a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot too. They’ve only got one plan, and it’s a great deal at just $50 a month for 50GB of data.

Boost Mobile uses a 4G LTE network, and you can bring your hotspot wherever you go. And for those who want more data, Boost Mobile gives you the option to purchase additional data packs.

Note that as with many hotspot plans, you need to purchase a broadband device directly from Boost Mobile to use their hotspot Wi-Fi services.

6. Google Fiber

Google Fiber provides Internet access to customers in cities around the U.S. and is steadily expanding.

They provide service in a variety of large cities, including:

  • Atlanta
  • Charlotte
  • Denver
  • Miami
  • Chicago
  • Los Angeles
  • Boston

Google Fiber plans and costs vary depending on which city you live in. As an example, in Kansas City, you can choose from five different Google Fiber Plans:

Fiber 100

The Fiber 100 plan costs $50 per month and provides up to 100 Mbps of speed. You can use 5+ devices with this plan, and there are no data caps. It takes about six minutes to download an entire HD movie with this plan.

Fiber 1000

The Fiber 1000 plan costs $70 per month and provides up to 1000 Mbps of speed. You can use 10+ devices with this plan, and downloading is much faster at 40 seconds for an entire HD movie. No data caps here either.

There are other Google Fiber plans in the Kansas City area, but they all come with TV subscriptions.

7. Frontier Communications

Frontier Communications is the company we use for ISP service. Their headquarters are based in New York City, but they provide service to various parts of the country. For Internet service only you can choose from a few different plans.

Simply Broadband Core

The Simply Broadband Core plan costs $20 per month (with a 2-year agreement) and will give you Internet up to 6 Mbps and a free Wi-Fi router for two years. This plan is a good one for light users.

Simply Internet Ultra

The Simply Internet Ultra plan costs $25 per month (with a 2-year agreement) and will give you Internet speeds up to 12 Mbps.  This plan is suitable for gamers and streamers who need more speed.

Simply Internet Elite

The Simply Internet Elite plan costs $40 per month (same 2-year agreement) and will give you Internet speeds up to 24 Mbps. This plan is best for high users who run multiple devices at the same time.

Note that with Frontier and all ISP providers, not all plans are available in all areas. If you live in a more rural area as we do, you might be stuck with a lower Mbps plan depending on the type of equipment installed in your area.

For years, because of our rural location, we were stuck with the Core plan through Frontier but got upgraded last year due to county-wide upgrades to the Ultra plan.

CenturyLink Internet service is available in over 30 U.S. states currently, including:

  • Arizona
  • Colorado
  • Florida
  • Idaho
  • Iowa
  • Minnesota
  • Nebraska
  • Nevada
  • New Mexico
  • North Carolina
  • Oregon
  • Utah
  • Washington

And more. Although prices and plans and speeds can vary by state, Century Link does share its basic plans on their website. Here are the details:

This plan offers speeds of up to 100 Mbps and costs $50 per month. This is a no-contract plan according to the site.

This plan offers speeds of up to 940 Mbps and costs $65. Century Link says this plan will allow users to stream multiple HD movies at once.

Note that CenturyLink plans and speeds in your area may differ and prices do not include taxes, fees or surcharges.

9. WOW Internet

WOW Internet offers services in parts of several states, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee and South Carolina.

They have several Internet service plans available to choose from. However, note that all plans may not be available in all areas. Here are their current plans in the Illinois area.

Internet 200

The Internet 200 plan provides up to 200 Mbps of speed and costs $44.99 per month. This plan is best for households with one to three users.

Internet 500

The Internet 500 plan provides 500 Mbps of speed and costs $54.99 per month. This plan is the one WOW Internet suggests for gamers and homes with multiple users and streamers. Upload speed is 50 Mbps with this plan.

Internet 1000

This is WOW Internet’s biggest plan. It provides 1000 Mbps of speed and costs $74.99 per month. Upload speed is 50 Mbps – same as with the Internet 500 plan. This package is suggested for large file sharing, power streaming and VR gaming.

Note that all of the WOW Internet plans require 2-year contracts except for the Internet 10 plan.

Lots to choose from with this rapidly expanding company.

10. DSL Extreme

DSL Extreme home page

DSL Extreme offers its TrueStream Internet service packages in a variety of states, including parts of California, Alabama, Florida, Wisconsin, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, South Carolina and more.

You can choose from several different Internet service packages with this company. I’m not going to outline all of them in this post, but I will hit on some that seem to target the majority of users.

Express

This plan offers 1.5 Mbps of speed and costs $24.95 per month. Upload speed is 384 kbps. With this speed, it could take you as long as 3+ hours to download a movie.

Pro 3.0

The Pro 3.0 plan offers up to 3.0 Mbps of speed and costs $24.95 per month. The upload speed with this plan is 512 kbps.

Elite

Now we’re getting somewhere. This plan offers up to 7.1 Mbps of speed for $44.95 per month.

There may be a few other plans sprinkled in with their offerings as well, depending on where you live. Note that all plans are not available in all areas.

Summary

Luckily, we live in a time where we no longer have to be tied to a cable subscription to get Internet service. Save yourself some cash by using one of the ISPs mentioned here today, and cut the cord for good!

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29 Comments

  1. I’m in Florida and have Spectrum. They are the only player in town. What can be done. Can I get high speed internet without using them?

  2. OMGOODNESS, We live in a rural area, actually just moved here from Florida, we had Spectrum internet only because we stream on our RoKu, can’t find anyone that will help us out with just INTERNET! UGH! We live on Lake Michigan, and its truly sad that we can’t get internet unless we buy into a cable plan which I refuse to do…

  3. Freedom Pop only offers cell phone plans, not internet service for the home.

  4. I have to laugh at all this “Cut the cable” crap on how to save money. I live in Grand Rapids, Mi and Comcast and AT&T are the two largest rip offs in the city.
    You have to have internet in order to connect online. If you want only internet with Comcast, it will run you about $100 a month because you aren’t BUNDLING it with TV or phone. They only discount if you bundle so there is NO savings there. The speeds are ok but if you have older laptops or desktop, you might as well stay at 100 mbps or lower cause they can’t handle speeds higher than that. Comcast usually doesn’t have 60 or 100 mbps speeds on a discounted PLAN so you will get the higher speeds and can’t use it all all of the speed you are paying for. They also tell you that you can’t get tv stations on a Roku box unless you use THEIR modem/router.

  5. I live in the country in Kentucky the only internet service I have here is Viasat & HugesNet Satellite internet. I currently have Viasat which charge us $150.00 a month for Unlimited there biggest package but it is a lie because after we use 150GB they prioritize our data behind everyone else and we can not use our internet for the remainder of the month. I have family right across the lane that has had AT&T for the last 10 years but the company states they do not provide ports for our area anymore. I have called 14 companies trying to find new internet with better service an have been turned down by everyone. I moved here 2 years ago, I love where I live however, I can not stand our internet service. Does anyone know of any tech (Google, Apple, NetGear, ect) that works that I could buy to provide us with more GB or even TB a month.

  6. Has anyone had experience with 4GAS?

  7. I am sick of the constantly upward cost for cable. I would like internet only. I love to watch local channels and movies, some football other sports. Can I do that with internet and possibly a streaming service?

    1. Yes! Some streaming service, such as Hulu Live TV do allow you to watch live TV with just internet and no cable!

  8. Stephanie Stephanie says:

    I’m in Baltimore and the only reason I need internet for now is because I just bought a home camera that requires WiFi so I can see from my phone at work. What’s the best no contract cheapest option to connect my home camera to my phone

  9. Great article! I live in the NYC/NJ area and use digital antennas. So, no hbo, etc. but I get main channels plus more for free. My optimum plan costs more for just internet alone so I pay for cable without using it… Did not get the cable boxes, etc. to avoid the additional box fees. I use Netflix and Hulu a lot – what do you suggest?

  10. I’m living in Central NY and everyone (myself included) are sick and tired of the tyrants known as Spectrum. I pay each month and the bill just keeps increasing, more fees ontop of fees, and fees for the fees. I am a disabled Vet, I told them how I live on $900/month and they don’t care nor are willing to work with anyone. Before Rectum took over, TWC offered me 30 Mbs at $20/month..perfect. Rectum just won’t do it.

    Two months back (Sept) they told me I was a month behind. I wasn’t, and have records to prove that. After 2 hours on the phone, giving them particular hell, they told me they would bring my account to current, and I downgraded from $150/month for internet to the 100Mbs at $70/month. My bill has increased, not decreased. Many people are telling me how these scumbags charge a month ahead, which is why I can’t catch up on the damn balance. Because I can’t afford to give them $345, they’ll cut me off, and I’ll be left to pay this crap for God knows what.

    Since Verizon won’t get their thumbs out of their rears and bring internet to my area, what else can I do to get internet without being raped by false charges and overall scams from some unchecked “company” like Spec…Rectum?

  11. Peter A DAmato says:

    What are the internet only options for rural CT? I currently have 100Mbps as part of a package with Spectrum but most of te channels I don’t watch and I also want to discontinue my landline. None of the choices above specifically indicate CT.

  12. Shirley Harris says:

    Live in Chicago on aarp. No job, can’t afford cable but would like to use my computer and maybe look at t.v a little. Could you tell me who I could pick?

    1. The best option for you will be based on what sorts of shows you like to watch! I would check out different streaming options and see which shows are available on each to figure out what’s best for you!

  13. Carmen Vazquez says:

    I just moved in a new complex and they have no hookup to Verizon for landline nor any cable service for my internet nor Wi-Fi. What can I do all tenants r upset.

    1. Hey Carmen, check out some of the ways that you can get internet service without any need for cable in this article!

  14. Stanley Shupe says:

    There’s nothing in my area. Cable companies are hosing everybody. They are the only two in town and they must meet and fix prices. Do you have any ideas? I was thinking if someone just had an unlimited mobile hotspot, that would work.

    1. It might. We have a post about hotspots that might help you. At least one of the companies listed in it offers unlimited data. Be sure to check it out.

  15. Steve A. LaVerdiere says:

    Is there a way to access the internet from any area, including mountain and ocean areas, via satellite connection? If so, what kind of plans might be available?

    1. Yes, you could look at the plans available through Dish or HughesNet. Since prices and plan options can change frequently, I would go to those sites to check them out. 🙂

  16. Christine says:

    I’m in Long Island and I need WiFi. My old tenant moved and we shared the cable. I’m moving soon, but not sure when. I need WiFi. I don’t know how to get it and if I need a modem or anything if I get something cheap. Help.

    1. I would check with whichever company or site you are interested in. They should be able to tell you exactly what you need ahead of time, such as a router, etc. Some of them might provide this with your package, others may sell it separately (which might cost more than getting it on your own, so be sure to ask before agreeing to anything!).

  17. Olga LeBeau says:

    What is the best for my area in Pegram, TN? I was using Hughes network and it was horrible. After 2 years, finally my contract is finished. I’m looking for a internet that will let me stream and send emails! Our family uses Netflix and Hulu a lot. What internet will allow me to use Netflix?

    1. The best way to find out whether any of the providers we listed will service your area is to check with them. You can try looking on their websites or contacting them directly by email or phone. As to whether or not they will work with Netflix and Hulu, again, you will need to double check with each one. That way you won’t end up in a long contract again with a service provider that isn’t giving you what you want. I would advise you to ask about all extra fees before you agree to anything. That way you have no surprises when your bill comes!

  18. My friend is a WW2 vet age 95 and needs lowest cost internet with MBPS around 10. Is there a low cost government sponsored plan in the $10-20 per month range?

    1. You might give FreedomPop a try through the link in the article. Also, AT&T has an option that might work.

    2. Xfinity has a plan called Internet Essentials. It is $12.99 a month…but it is not wireless.

      1. Thank you for mentioning that, Kathy! Here are two options to choose from depending on the qualifications: internetessentials.com for Veterans or internetessentials.com for Seniors. I hope one works for him. Also I think the price might be $9.99, but I would definitely check to make sure there are no hidden fees and read the terms carefully as well as following the other suggestions in our post.

  19. I’m so excited for Google Fiber to be available where I live!