Best Internet Providers in Orchard Mesa, Colorado

What is the best internet provider in Orchard Mesa?

Spectrum is CNET’s choice for the best internet provider overall for most households in Orchard Mesa due to its wide coverage and top gig-level download speed. However, Spectrum service isn’t available everywhere in Orchard Mesa, so T-Mobile Home Internet or Optimum Broadband are also good choices, depending on what’s available in your area.

If you’re looking for the lowest prices or the fastest speeds, we’ve found these top options, too. Spectrum’s 500 Mbps plan is the cheapest generally available internet in Orchard Mesa, costing $50 per month for the first year. Spectrum also offers the fastest internet speed in Orchard Mesa, with a citywide gig plan.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Other available internet providers in Orchard Mesa

• CenturyLink: CenturyLink’s DSL network reaches almost as many homes as Spectrum, but the speeds are slower. Many homes reach a top speed of 40 Mbps or 60 Mbps for $55 per month. There is an optional equipment lease for $15 per month, or you can purchase it outright for $200. There is an installation fee of $25. The data is unlimited and there are no contracts.
• Rise broadband: National Internet specialist Rise Broadband covers Orchard Mesa and much of the surrounding area with fixed wireless service. Top speeds may vary depending on your location. The 50 Mbps plan costs $55 per month, while the 100 Mbps plan costs $75 per month. Rise has a $10 equipment rental fee, but can waive it. There are no contracts or data limits. Expect an installation fee of $75.
• Satellite internet: If you’re in a rural area and can’t get Spectrum, check fixed wireless options from T-Mobile, Verizon, Rise, and Optimus. If that doesn’t work, look into satellite internet from Starlink, Viasat or Hughesnet. Satellite can be expensive compared to other options, but it is a lifeline for homes in remote locations with few or no options.
• Verizon 5G home internet: Although Verizon has broad 5G coverage in Orchard Mesa, it can be difficult to find an open spot for home internet service. You will find two subscription options if they are available at your address. The $50 per month plan has speeds up to 100 Mbps, and the $70 per month plan has speeds up to 300 Mbps. Equipment is included and there are no data limits or contracts. Combine with a telephone subscription and get an internet discount at home.

Cheap Internet Options in Orchard Mesa

Expect to pay at least $50 monthly for home internet in Orchard Mesa. For that price, Spectrum offers downloads of 500 Mbps. Make sure you calculate the costs of renting or providing your own router. Please note that the price can increase to $80 per month after the first year. The competing ISPs in the city also offer entry-level plans in the same general price range, but don’t achieve the same speeds as the dominant cable ISP. Check out these tips to lower your internet bill.

What is the cheapest internet plan in Orchard Mesa?

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to Find Internet Deals and Promotions in Orchard Mesa

The best internet deals and top promotions in Orchard Mesa depend on what discounts are available at a given time. Most offers are short-lived, but we regularly review the latest offers.

Orchard Mesa Internet providers, such as Spectrum, may offer lower introductory prices or streaming add-ons for a limited time. However, others, including Rise Broadband and Optimus Broadband, have the same standard prices all year round.

For a more comprehensive list of promos, check out our guide to the best internet deals.

How fast is Orchard Mesa broadband?

There is only one gig-level internet provider in Orchard Mesa and that is Spectrum. There are no options for multiple appearances. If you prioritize fast downloads, then Spectrum is your best bet. Ookla doesn’t mention Orchard Mesa specifically, but Grand Junction achieved an average download speed of almost 285Mbps for wired internet in a recent speed test report. (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.) That’s a good result, considering Colorado residents generally have an average download speed of about 240 Mbps.

Fastest Internet Plans in Orchard Mesa

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

What is a good internet speed?

Most internet plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you’re looking for an internet plan that’s suitable for video conferencing, video streaming, or gaming, you’ll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here you will find an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the FCC. Please note that these are guidelines only and internet speed, service and performance will vary by connection type, provider and address.

For more information, see our guide to how much internet speed you really need.

• With 0 to 5 Mbps you can handle the basics: surfing the web, sending and receiving email, streaming low-quality video.
• 5 to 40 Mbps gives you higher quality video streaming and video conferencing.
• 40 to 100 Mbps should give a single user enough bandwidth to meet the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
• With 100 to 500 Mbps, one to two users can simultaneously participate in high-bandwidth activities such as video conferencing, streaming and online gaming.
• With 500 to 1,000 Mbps, three or more users can perform high-bandwidth activities simultaneously.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Orchard Mesa

Internet 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 is our approach? For starters, we use a proprietary price, availability, and speed database that draws from our own historical ISP data, partner data, and Federal Communications Commission mapping information on FCC.gov.

But it doesn’t end there. We go to the FCC’s website to check our records and make sure we’re considering every ISP that provides service in a particular area. We also enter local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look to sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and JD Power, to evaluate how satisfied customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate at the time of publication.

Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:

• Does the provider offer access to reasonably high internet speeds?
• Do customers get a good price for what they pay?
• Are customers satisfied with their service?

While the answers to these questions are often layered and complex, we recommend the providers who come closest to ‘yes’ to all three questions. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the subscriptions with the lowest monthly amount, but we also take into account things such as price increases, equipment costs and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively easy. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and take into account real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports.

Visit our page on how we test ISPs to explore our process in more depth.

What’s the final word on internet providers in Orchard Mesa?

Spectrum’s combination of coverage, pricing and speed makes it the default internet provider for Orchard Mesa. Country houses outside the city can sign up with the fixed wireless ISPs, but most residents will opt for cable from Spectrum. If the price increase after the first year bothers you, check out T-Mobile or Verizon for 5G home internet. It’s not as fast, but it will be cheaper.

Internet Service Providers in Orchard Mesa Frequently Asked Questions