Tired of Your Internet Provider? New J.D. Power Study Reveals Which Companies Consumers Love Most

If you have ever stared at a spinning buffering wheel or watched your Zoom call freeze mid-sentence, you likely know the frustration of dealing with a subpar internet service provider. For millions of American households, the broadband provider is utilities-level essential, yet rarely met with genuine affection or loyalty. However, according to a major new industry report, some companies are managing to buck that trend and genuinely satisfy their subscribers.

The latest annual U.S. Residential Internet Service Provider Satisfaction Study, released by data analytics and consumer intelligence firm J.D. Power, has identified the internet service providers (ISPs) that have earned the highest levels of trust and satisfaction across the United States. Based on comprehensive feedback from a massive survey of more than 31,500 active consumers, the annual report offers an illuminating look at how Americans view the companies powering their homes, remote jobs, and entertainment.

The study’s findings reveal a shifting landscape in consumer expectations and technological preferences. Notably, the data shows that customers continue to rate wireless internet service significantly higher than traditional wired service overall, pulling in an average score of 645 compared to 560 on a 1,000-point scale. While a distinct preference for wireless persists, the gap between the two mediums has narrowed in the latest ranking, suggesting that wired providers are working to close the satisfaction divide.

Behind these scores lies a fundamental shift in how consumers view broadband connectivity. As remote work, streaming, and smart-home devices have become ubiquitous parts of daily life, reliable connectivity has transcended the realm of a mere luxury.

"Stable internet service is no longer a differentiator. It’s a basic expectation," said Carl Lepper, a senior director at J.D. Power, summarizing the core takeaway of the latest research results.

In evaluating their providers, survey participants were asked to grade their internet service across seven distinct dimensions that capture the full consumer experience, ranging from performance and reliability to customer service, cost, and billing transparency. The cumulative results highlight stark regional differences in how traditional cable and fiber providers perform, as well as how national wireless alternatives stack up against established competitors.

Following are the internet providers that earned the highest customer satisfaction ratings across the country, categorized by region and service type.

The East

In the Eastern United States, navigating the broadband market means choosing among a dense web of legacy cable and emerging fiber providers. Among wired internet providers available in this heavily populated region, the average overall customer satisfaction score sat at 542 out of 1,000.

For consumers living in the East, a select group of companies managed to rise above the regional baseline to earn above-average ratings from their subscribers. Meeting or exceeding consumer expectations in this region requires dense infrastructure capable of serving both sprawling suburban developments and high-density urban corridors.

Meanwhile, several major industry players landed at or below the regional benchmark. Frontier Communications managed to hit right at the regional average with a score of 542. However, other household names fell short of the mark, including Xfinity with a score of 536, Spectrum trailing at 519, and Optimum posting a below-average score of 506.

The Eastern region covered by the J.D. Power study includes customers residing in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia.

North Central

Moving into the industrial and agricultural heartland of the country, the North Central region presented its own distinct set of broadband dynamics. Among wired internet providers operating across these Midwestern and neighboring states, the average overall customer satisfaction score was slightly higher than the East, coming in at 553.

Subscribers in this part of the country rated a select group of providers above the regional average for overall satisfaction. These top-performing companies successfully navigated the region’s unique geography—which spans dense metropolitan centers like Chicago and Detroit alongside vast rural tracts—to keep their customer bases content.

On the other end of the spectrum, several prominent providers failed to clear the regional hurdle. Spectrum earned a below-average score of 547, Frontier Communications logged a 526, and Xtream powered by Mediacom brought up the rear with a score of 499.

The North Central region encompasses customers from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

The South

The expansive Southern U.S. market features some of the most fiercely contested broadband territory in the country, driven by rapid population growth and aggressive fiber-optic network expansions. Among wired internet providers available in the Southern states, the average overall customer satisfaction score reached 585, representing a notably higher baseline of contentment than the Eastern or Western regions.

A diverse group of regional and national players captured above-average marks from Southern consumers, reflecting successful investments in network reliability and customer care infrastructure across the Sun Belt.

Despite the higher regional average, a large cohort of providers struggled to impress their customer bases. Spectrum earned a below-average score of 578, followed closely by Brightspeed at 567, Sparklight at 555, and Cox Communications at 546. Rounding out the below-average tier in the South were Kinetic with a score of 528 and Optimum at 522.

The Southern region incorporates customers from a broad swath of the country, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.

The West

Across the Rocky Mountains and down the Pacific Coast, Western consumers deal with unique geographic and infrastructural challenges, ranging from rugged mountain terrain to massive suburban sprawl. Among wired internet providers operating in the Western U.S., the average overall customer satisfaction score settled at 544, closely mirroring the baseline seen in the Eastern region.

A distinct group of providers managed to separate themselves from the pack by earning above-average customer satisfaction ratings from Western subscribers, demonstrating superior performance in a notoriously demanding market.

However, not all major operators found favor with their Western customer bases. Both Cox Communications and Xfinity fell below the regional average, logging scores of 538 and 535, respectively.

The Western region includes customers from Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

Wireless Internet (National)

While regional wired providers continue to dominate traditional broadband discussions, the J.D. Power study highlights the growing prominence of wireless home internet solutions. Because of how these networks are deployed and managed, wireless internet providers are ranked on a national scale rather than broken down by individual geographic regions.

Capturing the attention of consumers looking for alternatives to traditional cable lines, the wireless sector commanded an impressive overall average customer satisfaction score of 645, far outstripping the regional averages posted by traditional wired infrastructure. T-Mobile Home Internet emerged as the singular provider in this category to be rated above average by its customers.

Meanwhile, other major telecommunications giants offering competing wireless broadband solutions lagged behind the market leader. Verizon pulled in a national score of 631, while AT&T registered a score of 612, placing both companies below the industry average in the latest consumer satisfaction standings.