How we review / Methodology

How we research and score internet providers

Our rankings come from public filings, provider labels and dated plan checks, not from provider marketing. Here's where each number comes from and how it becomes a score.

By Jean Gilles, Founder & Editor · Updated Oct 18, 2026
The short version
  • Availability comes from the FCC's provider filings.
  • Prices and typical speeds come from each plan's FCC Broadband Facts label.
  • Every price shows the date we last checked it.
  • Affiliate commissions never change a score or a ranking.

Our research process

1
Start from what's actually available
We map which providers serve each town from the FCC's Broadband Data Collection, the coverage every provider must file. That's why our city pages show what share of homes each one reaches.
2
Read the label, not the ad
Every plan has an FCC Broadband Facts label with the monthly price, fees and the typical speed the provider expects you to get. We quote typical speeds from the label and mark advertised "up to" speeds as advertised.
3
Check the offer and date it
We check current prices, promos and terms on the provider's own plan pages and note the date on the page, for example "checked Oct 18, 2026".
4
Add outside data, with credit
Published speed-test averages, outage reports and customer complaint data fill in what a label can't show. We name the source wherever we use it.
5
Score, then re-check
Each provider gets a weighted score out of 10. We re-check prices monthly and rescore when a label, plan or price lock changes.

What each score weighs

Four weighted parts, the same for every provider. The weights never change for a paying partner.

40%
Speed & value
Typical speed from the label, price per Mbps, and the price after any promo ends.
35%
Reliability
Connection type, latency on the label, outage history and published consistency data.
15%
Support
How you can reach them (phone, chat, store), hours, and complaint data.
10%
Terms
Contracts, data caps, equipment fees, price locks and cancellation terms.
What we don't do

We don't run lab tests on every provider or device. Where a gear pick is based on specs, maker documentation and published reviews, the guide says so near the top. Jean's own experience as a Comcast and Verizon Fios customer informs those reviews, and we say where it does.

Where our data comes from

FCC Broadband Data Collection
Which providers serve each address, updated twice a year.
Broadband Facts labels
Prices, fees, typical speeds and latency for each plan.
Provider plan pages
Current offers and terms, dated on every page.
Published test and outage data
Speed-test averages and outage reports, credited where used.
Customer reports online
Reddit, provider forums and social media, to spot recurring problems. We confirm them before they affect a score.
Our own experience
Jean's years as a Comcast and Verizon Fios customer, noted on the reviews it informs.

Prices are what a new customer pays, including current promos, with the price after the promo where the provider publishes it. Availability and pricing vary by address, so always check your address.

How often we update

Prices and plans monthly, and immediately when a provider changes a plan, a label or a price lock. Deal pages are checked more often in November. Every page shows when it was last checked. When a ranking changes, the page says why.

How we make money

Some links are affiliate links: if you sign up, we may earn a commission at no cost to you. Commissions never change a score, and we rank providers we earn nothing from, such as NOW Internet, wherever they're the better buy. Ads are labeled "Advertisement". See our advertiser disclosure.

Corrections

Spot a wrong price or an outdated plan? Tell us. We check it against the provider's label and fix the page, with a note of what changed.

Jean Gilles
Founder & Editor, ShopHighSpeed

Jean founded ShopHighSpeed after trying to find one straight answer about business internet in his own town. He researches and writes every guide on the site.

More about Jean →
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