The best internet options for remote workers depend on the user’s needs. Those who do basic internet tasks like web browsing and emailing won’t need very fast speeds, whereas, those who are constantly on video calls will need faster internet. Fiber, cable, DSL, and satellite options are good for those who are going to be working from home. A mobile hotspot might be the best option for anyone moving around town while working.
Having a reliable and fast internet connection is important for telecommuters. Here are some of the best internet plans for your remote working needs.
Internet Speeds for Working from Home
Depending on the tasks you do during your work day, you’ll need the following internet speeds:
What internet speeds do I need?
| Best For | Speeds | Our Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Basic web browsing & email | At least 5Mbps | 5 Mbps plan from Ting |
| Quality streaming & video conferencing | At least 20Mbps | Zoom Express 25Mbps plan from Armstrong |
| Transferring large files | At least 35Mbps | Internet 60Mbps plan from Mediacom |
| 2+ people working from home | At least 50Mbps | Internet 100Mbps plan from AT&T |
Of course, if you have multiple people in your home—and multiple devices connected at a time—you may need a faster internet connection. Most households can get by with internet speeds of at least 25Mbps. Check your current internet speed with our internet speed test tool to determine how much more speed you actually need.
Types of Internet for Remote Workers
When we think about remote working, we mostly talk about working from home. Your typical home internet options are going to be the best internet options for working remotely. These include cable, fiber, DSL, and satellite.
Fiber internet
Fiber internet will provide you with the fastest and most reliable connection. Our choice for the best fiber internet is AT&T Fiber. Their plans give you great speed at competitive prices. Additionally, AT&T Fiber gets above-average reviews when it comes to reliability. Your meetings shouldn’t get interrupted by loss of internet connection. Take a look at AT&T Fiber and other great options like Google Fiber for various fiber internet providers:
|
AT&T
Internet 300 (Fiber 300Mbps)
$35/mo
Price after Autopay & Paperless bill discount. Plus taxes & fees. Limited availability. May not be available in your area.
|
|
Frontier
Fiber 500 Internet
$29.99/mo
with AutoPay
|
|
AT&T
Internet 5000 (Fiber 5 GIG)
$135/mo
Price after Autopay & Paperless bill discount. Plus taxes & fees. Limited availability. May not be available in your area.
|
|
Xfinity
1.2 Gig
$100/mo
5 year price guarantee
|
|
Kinetic
100 Mbps
$24.99/mo
for 12 months. This advertised price includes a $5.00 credit for AutoPay enrollment.
|
Cable internet
Cable internet also provides blazing fast internet and reliable connections but falls just short of fiber in both categories. Companies like Optimum, Spectrum, and Cox are known to provide strong and fast internet connections for solid prices. These internet plans should be more than enough to handle your work needs:
|
Xfinity
300 Mbps
$40/mo
5 year price guarantee
|
|
Spectrum
Internet Gig
$70/mo
($60 plan + $10 modem)
for 1 year
+ $20 Upfront
|
|
TDS
Ultra 1 Gig Internet
$56.99/mo
($49.99 plan + $7 modem)
for 24 months then $79.99/month
|
DSL
DSL internet can provide great speeds; however, if you live far away from your provider’s hub, you will see greatly compromised speeds and reliability. If you are shopping for DSL internet, make sure to consult with the provider and ask how strong the connection will be. While they do want your business, they don’t want to give you a bad experience that, in turn, reflects poorly on them.
|
CenturyLink
Simply Unlimited 100 Mbps
$55/mo
Available in select locations. Paperless billing required.
|
Satellite internet
Satellite internet can provide you with good download speeds; however, satellite internet isn’t very reactive. This is especially cumbersome for those whose jobs require them to be in several virtual meetings. Satellite internet should be considered as a last resort for home internet and remote workers—unless you have access to up-and-comer Starlink internet, which promises eventual speeds surpassing 1Gbps and makes it an excellent rival to fiber internet. Those in rural areas may benefit from satellite when other connections aren’t available.
Starlink, Viasat, and HughesNet are the current major satellite internet providers in the country. Here’s a look at their plans:
|
Starlink
Residential 100 Mbps
$55/mo
Available in select locations
+ $369 Upfront
|
|
Viasat
Viasat Essentials
$71.22/mo
for 12 months. Contract required.
|
4G/5G home internet
You can also take advantage of home internet that connects to a 4G or 5G wireless signal—the same that connects your cell phone. All three major phone carriers offer some form of 4G or 5G home internet. If you have great cell service in your area, then opting to use that same signal for your home internet could be an excellent option. Compared to fiber or cable, the download speeds are typically slower, but it might be cheaper to bundle your phone and internet costs into one single bill. It's also a much faster and more reliable service than DSL. If you have access to a 5G network in your area, wireless home internet is some of the best Wi-Fi you could ask for.
|
T-Mobile
Rely Internet
$50/mo
5 year price guarantee. With AutoPay. Guarantee exclusions like taxes and fees apply.
+ $35 Upfront
|
|
Verizon
myPlan + 5G Home
$35/mo
with AutoPay and any Verizon mobile phone plan
|
|
NOW
100/10 Mbps
$30/mo
|
|
AT&T
Internet Air
$48/mo
Paperless billing required. Plus taxes & fees. Limited availability. May not be available in your area.
|
|
EarthLink
Unlimited 5G Home Internet
$74.90/mo
($59.95 plan + $14.95 modem)
Available in select locations
+ $79.95 Upfront
|
Some carriers, like Verizon, will offer further savings for existing customers. Their 5G home internet plan is a full $20/month less if you already have a Verizon phone plan than if you're signing up as an internet-only customer.
|
Verizon
myPlan + 5G Home
$35/mo
with AutoPay and any Verizon mobile phone plan
|
Mobile hotspot
Remote working doesn’t always mean working from home, and some may find other places outside of the office to get their work done. For them, taking advantage of mobile hotspot offered by wireless carriers may be a great option for internet. All of the major carriers and several MVNOs offer mobile hotspot as part of their cell phone plans. Here are some of the most popular plans that include mobile hotspot allowances:
|
XFINITY Mobile
Mobile Select Plan
$0.00/mo
(for the first year of service) <br>Regular rate of $30/mo. thereafter
|
|
Twigby Mobile
Unlimited Talk, Text and 2GB Data
$5.00/mo
for the first 3 months then $15.00/month
|
|
Lyca Mobile
$33 High Data Plan
$7.50/mo
Pay $7.50/month for the first 6 months<br>Regular rate is $33/month
|
|
Tello
Unlimited Text, 300 Minutes, and 2GB Plan
$8.00/mo
|
|
Mint Mobile
5GB Data Plan
$10.00/mo
$30.00 upfront payment for 3 months (equals to $10.00/month). Intro pricing for new customers only.
|
Discounted internet plans for students
If you're a student or have a member of your household that's in school, you may qualify for a heavily discounted internet connection. Find out the best discounted internet options for students.
The Best Internet for Remote Workers in Your Area
It’s important to remember that whenever you are shopping for the best internet or the cheapest internet, you need to consider your location. No internet provider covers the entire country. The best internet in one area might not be available in another. To find internet options near you, enter in your ZIP code to use our internet search tool.
Best Internet for Working from Home: FAQs
How many GB of data do I need to work from home?
Most households will need at least 8-10GB of data to work from home, if not more. The answer depends heavily on how many people will be working at the same time, what activities you often do while working remotely (Zoom calls, for example, use more data than e-mailing), and what other devices are using your connection while you're working. Do you stream movies or TV shows while you work? Do you play internet radio in the background? All of these things use up additional data on top of what you're using as part of your direct work. So consider 10GB a minimum.
How fast does my internet need to be to use Zoom?
Zoom's technical requirements for group calls state that you need at least 1.5Mbps internet speed to connect. We recommend speeds of at least 10-25 Mbps for the best experience (i.e., to prevent lagging or buffering).
How do I speed up my internet?
To speed up your internet, reduce the number of devices using your connection simultaneously. You can also invest in Wi-Fi extenders so that your signal doesn't need to travel as far to reach your device. Of course, upgrading your internet plan to a faster speed is the fail-safe way to speed up your internet.
Can I deduct my internet if I work from home?
Yes, you may be able to deduct the cost of your internet plan if you work from home. Check with your tax professional for specifics about your situation—we may be experts on cell phones, but we're not about to touch your taxes!
Interested in finding a remote job? See our guide to the best job searching apps.
Angelo Ilumba
Senior Writer
Find a better internet plan
Enter your address to find the best internet providers available in your area.
Related Articles
Related Topics
InternetPopular Topics
Internet Research and Reports News App Explainers T-Mobile US Mobile Carrier Roundups App Roundups Carrier Versus Device TroubleshootingInternet Providers by State
- Internet in Alabama
- Internet in Alaska
- Internet in Arizona
- Internet in Arkansas
- Internet in California
- Internet in Colorado
- Internet in Connecticut
- Internet in Delaware
- Internet in District of Columbia
- Internet in Florida
- Internet in Georgia
- Internet in Hawaii
- Internet in Idaho
- Internet in Illinois
- Internet in Indiana
- Internet in Iowa
- Internet in Kansas
- Internet in Kentucky
- Internet in Louisiana
- Internet in Maine
- Internet in Maryland
- Internet in Massachusetts
- Internet in Michigan
- Internet in Minnesota
- Internet in Mississippi
- Internet in Missouri
- Internet in Montana
- Internet in Nebraska
- Internet in Nevada
- Internet in New Hampshire
- Internet in New Jersey
- Internet in New Mexico
- Internet in New York
- Internet in North Carolina
- Internet in North Dakota
- Internet in Ohio
- Internet in Oklahoma
- Internet in Oregon
- Internet in Pennsylvania
- Internet in Rhode Island
- Internet in South Carolina
- Internet in South Dakota
- Internet in Tennessee
- Internet in Texas
- Internet in Utah
- Internet in Vermont
- Internet in Virginia
- Internet in Washington
- Internet in West Virginia
- Internet in Wisconsin
- Internet in Wyoming
.png?w=280&h=280&usm=20&usmrad=0.8&fit=crop "T-Mobile AWAY Plan: Mobile-friendly internet launches for travelers and nomads")
