La Crosse, Wisconsin, internet providers compared

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What’s the cheapest internet plan in La Crosse?

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

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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, 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 La Crosse

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 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 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.

Internet providers in La Crosse, Wisconsin, FAQs

What is the best internet service provider in La Crosse?

Spectrum is the best internet service provider in La Crosse due to its broad local coverage, variety of high-speed plans, low pricing and customer-friendly service terms. Spectrum is available to more than 90% of La Crosse homes, offering competitively priced plans that include unlimited data, no contracts and a free modem rental.

Is fiber internet available in La Crosse?

According to the FCC, around 35% of La Crosse households, or approximately 9,200 residences, are serviceable for fiber-optic internet. Serviceability is greatest in the Bluffside and Washburn communities, though availability is also high to the north approaching Onalaska. Brightspeed is the largest fiber internet provider in La Crosse, while TDS has a smaller fiber presence in the city.

What is the cheapest internet provider in La Crosse?

TDS offers the cheapest internet plan in La Crosse, starting at $30 per month for speeds up to 300Mbps. Availability is limited, however, so La Crosse residents may have better luck shopping for cheap internet from Mediacom or Spectrum. Mediacom has a lower starting monthly rate at $35 compared to $40 from Spectrum, but Spectrum has a lower (and optional) equipment fee and delivers more speed for the price.

Which internet provider in La Crosse offers the fastest plan?

TDS offers the fastest internet service in La Crosse with 2,000, 5,000 and 8,000Mbps speed tiers. Other La Crosse high-speed providers, including Brightspeed, Mediacom and Spectrum, offer max speeds of around 1,000Mbps.

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