Best Internet Providers in Portland, Oregon for 2026
Compare the Best Internet Service Providers in Portland, OR
Not all plans are available in all areas. Provider plan, availability, and speed tier data provided by BroadbandNow.com. Speedtest real-world data is only present where sample size has reached significance within a region. Additionally, averages may include aggregated tests across multiple Internet Types (Fiber, DSL, Cable, etc.).
Portland is a large city, filled with hundreds of thousands of folks who are into a little of everything. You’ll find that the locale is known for coffee culture, indie art, and rain-soaked commutes, oh, and Dame-Time, of course.
For the coders sipping cold brew in the Pearl District to remote workers tucked into bungalows in Sellwood, fast Wi-Fi is the unsung engine needed to make the city go. You’ll find small business owners managing online shops, designers uploading projects, and families streaming three shows at once—the city’s creativity and tech scene thrive on a strong and stable internet connection.
Portland’s hilly geography and patchwork neighborhoods mean coverage can vary wildly from one street to the next. Download speeds are hugely important, but uploads and latency are where real quality shows, especially for the city’s growing army of freelancers, gamers, and hybrid workers. The right provider in Portland is whoever can deliver a consistent, reliable connection no matter how quirky your setup or schedule.
How much speed do you really need? Portlanders use the internet for just about everything, including streaming, working, creating, gaming, and running side hustles. But not every household needs gigabit speeds. One device (or even a few devices) that doesn’t use the internet that heavily outside of maybe watching Netflix and scrolling TikTok will be comfortable with around 25 Mbps download and 10 Mbps upload.
Now if you switch the scenario to a tech-heavy household that has people working from home, constantly uploading, gaming it up, and streaming from sunrise to sunset, that can push bandwidth to its limit. In that case, 100–300 Mbps is a practical starting point. If you’re a content creator, software developer, or anyone running cloud-based apps, fiber speeds that can offer symmetrical upload/download balance may be worth considering.
Additionally, Portland’s creatives and remote professionals rely on low latency (usually under 20 ms) to keep meetings crisp and uploads quick. Whether you’re on a virtual production call or battling through an online match, a responsive connection makes the whole experience better.
Just make sure you match your plan to your habits…not your neighbor’s.
What’s Coming Down the Pipeline?
Portland is no stranger to innovation, and its broadband future looks bright. A few key projects are shaping the city’s next phase of connectivity:
- Broadband Equity Study Story Map: Portland launched an interactive Story Map to visualize internet access disparities across neighborhoods. It combines census data and resident feedback to identify underserved zones and guide future funding and policy.
- Multnomah County Library—Albina Branch Internet Upgrades: The newly expanded Albina Library includes upgraded Wi-Fi, more devices, and creative software access. It’s part of a $387M capital bond modernization effort across Portland’s library system.
- Oregon Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program: Oregon’s BEAD Final Proposal outlines $621 million in broadband infrastructure funding to reach over 100,000 locations statewide. About 53% of those will be served by fiber, with East Portland included among eligible zones.
Portland’s connectivity is on track to rival the nation’s most wired cities—meaning faster, fairer access for everyone from downtown lofts to suburban family homes.
How to Choose the Right Internet Plan in Portland
Always remember to base your selection on how you use the internet from day to day. You don’t want to go too high or too low unnecessarily, and there’s no need to guess. The type of activities you engage in will tell you the speeds you should get to be able to use the internet without too many hiccups. Again, the fastest number isn’t always the best option.
Watch out for the following:
- Promotional pricing that jumps after 12 months
- Data caps that sneak into contracts
- Equipment rental fees buried in small type
Portland’s infrastructure can vary even within the same ZIP code, so run your address through provider websites to confirm coverage. If you’re eligible for multiple options, fiber almost always wins on reliability and long-term value.

How Much Speed Do I Need?
Download speeds of at least 100 Mbps and upload speeds of at least 10 Mbps are widely considered fast enough to handle nearly any online activity. A quick guide to what speeds you need for different online activities is below, and you can read our full guide to internet speeds and performance for more information. Keep in mind that the numbers below are the bare minimum for one device at a time. If you’re trying to use multiple devices on a network at the same time, you’ll want higher speeds.
0–5 Mbps (Slow)
- Stream SD video
- Connect on Slack
- Use Microsoft Teams
- Write and read email
- Scroll social media
- General web browsing
5–20 Mbps (Better)
- Stream HD video at 1080p
20–40 Mbps (Solid)
- Stream 4K video
- Play games online
40–100 Mbps (Good)
- Stream HD games
100+ Mbps (Fast)
- Engage in multi-player gaming
- Download huge files
1+ Gbps (Very fast)
- Do anything you want on multiple devices
ISP Speeds in Portland, OR
Portland performs well compared to other Pacific Northwest cities. According to Speedtest Intelligence®, as of January 2026, the city reports median fixed broadband download speeds of 240.30 Mbps, uploads around 41.71 Mbps, and latency at 12 ms. That’s solid performance overall, but you have to make sure that the provider offers coverage in your area.
Based on Speedtest data collected in the second half of 2025, here’s how the major providers compare:
- Xfinity: The largest player in Portland with 97% citywide coverage, offering median downloads of 292.59 Mbps, uploads of 41.26 Mbps, and latency at 24 ms. Those are solid speeds for streaming, gaming, and general household use, with uploads right in line with the city median. A reliable choice for most Portland residents.
- CenturyLink: A fiber-capable provider delivering strong median downloads of 268.96 Mbps and impressive uploads of 211.93 Mbps, with latency at just 10 ms. CenturyLink’s symmetrical upload/download speeds make it an excellent option for cloud-based workers, gamers, and anyone who needs a smooth experience while using the internet. However, coverage is limited to just 21% of the city, so availability varies significantly by neighborhood.
- Quantum Fiber: A fiber provider with 57% geographic reach in Portland. Real-world Speedtest data is not yet available for this provider, but their fiber infrastructure offers speeds up to 8000 Mbps for those in coverage areas.
- Ziply Fiber: Offering fiber and DSL service with 27% coverage across Portland. Real-world Speedtest data is not yet available, but they advertise speeds up to 6000 Mbps download.
- Spectrum: A cable provider with 33% geographic reach in Portland. Real-world Speedtest data is not yet available for this provider.
Overall, Portland’s fiber coverage is rapidly expanding, bringing upload parity and lower latency to more neighborhoods. Cable remains the most widely available option, but fiber is catching up fast, and it might be worth switching if you can get it.
Portland Fixed Speeds
Download Mbps
Median download speed
Upload Mbps
Median upload speed
Latency ms
Median latency
To be added to this list for mobile or fixed broadband, 75% of a city's monthly unique user totals over a 13-month period must have a minimum of 200 monthly unique user results. To be updated for mobile or fixed broadband, 75% of a city's monthly unique user totals over a 13-month period must have a minimum of 100 monthly unique user results.
An operator or ISP must account for 3% or more of total test samples in the market to be on this list. We display data if at least two operators or ISPs meet this threshold in a designated region or city.
Home Internet in Portland
Internet use in Portland is pretty diverse. Remote workers rely on steady speeds for back-to-back Zoom meetings, students have to tackle school projects, even food truck owners and small business operators in St. Johns depend on reliable Wi-Fi to process mobile payments and manage inventory.
Fiber is the top pick for most professionals, particularly useful for jobs like video editors, online educators, and virtual consultants, and more who need a painless workflow. Fiber’s stability and symmetrical performance also mean fewer dropped calls and lag-free livestreams.
Cable, meanwhile, is perfect for households centered around downloads: families watching 4K content, streaming music, and managing a few smart gadgets. It’s cheaper and widely available, though uploads tend to be more modest than fiber—something to consider if you work in tech or content creation.
At the time of this writing, plans typically start around $30–$40/month for basic cable, with gigabit fiber options averaging $45–$165/month depending on the provider. As usual, introductory rates often spike after the first year, and modem rental or installation fees can add more to your bill.
What About Wireless and Satellite Options?
Wireless home internet is gaining ground in Portland, especially among renters. T-Mobile 5G Home Internet offers 65% coverage across the city with plans around $50–$70/month, while Verizon 5G Home Internet covers 38% of Portland at $35–$75/month. These services typically deliver 200–400 Mbps downloads depending on tower proximity and signal quality. It’s plug-and-play (no technician needed), which makes it attractive for those frequently moving or avoiding contracts. AT&T Internet Air also covers about 40% of the city, starting from $65/month.
Satellite internet is less common in Portland proper, but residents in rural areas or along the Columbia River Gorge may find it useful. Based on Speedtest data, Starlink delivers median downloads of 135.88 Mbps, uploads of 23.41 Mbps, and latency around 43 ms—solid performance for satellite technology. Viasat and HughesNet offer 100% nationwide coverage with plans ranging from $39.99–$119.99/month, though real-world Speedtest data isn’t available for these providers. Satellite isn’t ideal for real-time gaming or frequent video calls due to higher latency, but for streaming, browsing, or remote work in areas without fiber, it’s a solid backup plan.
How we test the speed of ISPs
Speedtest is the definitive way to test the performance and quality of an internet connection. Millions of users like you use Speedtest.net and our Android and iOS apps every day to test internet performance (including bandwidth, latency, coverage, video metrics, and more) in real world situations. We then use rigorous scientific approaches to aggregate and anonymize those results to empower people like you with content like this so you can understand and optimize your internet experience.

The data found within has not been subjected to the rigorous Speedtest marketing claims and data methodology, and therefore cannot be used in commercial applications. Additionally, promised speeds and plans offered are always subject to change.
How to test your internet speed
Speedtest can help you test the speed and overall performance of your internet for free from any device. Click here to open a new page and take a Speedtest. You can then compare your results with what you’ve learned about internet performance near you. If you aren’t getting the results you expect, you can either use this guide to use your Speedtest results to talk to your internet provider or you can shop for a new provider.







