What is the best internet provider in Juneau?
GCI is the best internet provider in Juneau. The service offers speeds of up to 2,500 Mbps with prices starting at $90 per month. It’s the only cable connection in town, so it’s less prone to weather outages than other providers’ services, but you’ll have to deal with data caps on most plans.
If you want lower prices (and higher data limits), the cheapest Internet in Juneau is SnowCloud, which offers plans starting at $65 per month for 200 Mbps speeds. Satellite Internet from Starlink is another decent option, but you’ll need to buy the device upfront for a $349 fee and you may have to pay an congestion charge.
The best internet in Juneau, Alaska
Comparison of internet providers in June
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data lock | Bargain | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Communications | DSL | $85-$95 | 10-50Mbps | No | No | No | ON |
| GCI | Cable | $90-$190 | 250-2500Mbps | No | 250 GB – unlimited | No | ON |
| HughesNet Read the full review |
Satellite | $50-$150 | 15-50Mbps | $14 per month | 15-200 GB | Two years | 5.7 |
| Snow cloud | Fixed wireless connection | $65-$95 | 200Mbps | No | 500-2000 GB | No | ON |
| Starlink Read the full review |
Satellite | 90 dollars | 25-220Mbps | $349 upfront, $100 overage fee (varies by location) | No | No | ON |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data
Other available internet providers in Juneau
- Alaska Communications: While technically offering fiber service at several addresses in Juneau, Alaska Communications is primarily a DSL provider. Speeds depend on your specific address, but the highest I saw was 75 Mbps for $100 a month. In most areas, you’ll be looking at 15-30Mbps for $95 – an extremely high price for such low speeds. That said, Alaska Communications is one of the few ISPs in Juneau that includes unlimited data with all of its plans, so it’s worth checking out.
- HughesNet: Along with Starlink, HughesNet is your next option for satellite internet in Juneau. You won’t have to pay a huge upfront cost for equipment—HughesNet charges $14 a month for equipment—but it’s significantly worse in every other area. Speeds range from 15 Mbps to 50 Mbps, but the most concerning issue for most people is data caps. Prices start at $50 for 15GB and go up to $150 for 200GB. After you hit these limits, HughesNet throttles your speed to 1 to 3 Mbps for the rest of the month, making things like streaming TV or video conferencing impossible.
Cheap internet options in Juneau
There aren’t many truly “cheap” internet options in Juneau. The lowest starting price comes from HughesNet, which offers two plans for $50 a month (at least for the first year), but adds an additional $14 for equipment. SnowCloud is a cheaper all-in provider with plans starting at $65 for 200Mbps speeds with no equipment fees.
What is the cheapest internet plan in Juneau?
| Provider | Starting price | Maximum download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| HughesNet 15 GB Read the full review |
50 dollars | 15 Mbps | 14 dollars |
| HughesNet 50 GB Read the full review |
$50 ($75 after one year) | 25 Mbps | 14 dollars |
| Snow cloud | 65 dollars | 200Mbps | No |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data
How to find online deals and events in Juneau
The best online deals and deals in Juneau depend on what discounts are available during that time period. Most offers are short-lived, but we often look for the latest offers.
Juneau Internet providers like GCI may offer lower introductory prices or streaming add-ons for a limited time. However, many, including SnowCloud, Starlink and Alaska Communications, operate the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of deals, check out our guide to the best internet deals.
How fast is broadband in Juneau?
Internet in Juneau is extremely slow compared to cities in the lower 48, but it’s fine compared to other cities in Alaska. 97% of Juneau residents have access to 250/25Mbps speeds, compared to just 75% statewide. This is entirely thanks to GCI; it is the fastest provider in the state and is available virtually everywhere in Juneau.
Fastest internet plans in Juneau
| Provider | Starting price | Maximum download speed | Maximum upload speed | Data lock | Typical wiring |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GCI red unlimited | 190 dollars | 2500 Mbps | 75 Mbps | Unrestricted | Cable |
| GCI Fastest Unlimited | 165 dollars | 1000Mbps | 40Mbps | Unrestricted | Cable |
| GCI Faster Unlimited | 115 dollars | 500Mbps | 20 Mbps | Unrestricted | Cable |
| GCI Fast+ | 90 dollars | 250Mbps | 10 Mbps | 250 GB | Cable |
| Starlink Read the full review |
90 dollars | 220Mbps | 20 Mbps | Unrestricted | Satellite |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data
What is a good internet speed?
Most internet plans now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you’re looking for an internet plan that can accommodate video conferencing, video streaming or gaming, you’ll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here’s an overview of the FCC’s recommended minimum download speeds for various applications. Please note that these are guidelines only – and that internet speeds, services and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.
For more information, see our guide on what internet speed you really need
- 0 to 5 Mbps will get you through the basics – browsing the web, sending and receiving emails, streaming low-quality video.
- 5 to 40 Mbps gives you higher quality video streaming and video conferencing.
- Speeds of 40 to 100 Mbps should provide a single user with enough bandwidth to meet the demands of modern work from home, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500 Mbps allows one to two users to engage in high bandwidth activities such as video conferencing, streaming and online gaming. at the same time.
- Speeds of 500 to 1000 Mbps allow three or more users to engage simultaneously in high-bandwidth activities such as video conferencing, streaming and online gaming.
How CNET picked the best Internet providers in Juneau
Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router, or kitchen appliance, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. So what is our approach? We’ll start by researching pricing, availability, and speed information based on our own historical ISP data, provider websites, and map information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.
But it doesn’t end there. We visit the FCC website to review our data to ensure we account for every ISP serving the area. We also enter local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at 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 change; all information provided is accurate at the time of publication.
Once we have this localized information, we ask ourselves three main questions:
- Does the provider offer access to a reasonably high internet speed?
- Are customers getting decent value for what they pay?
- Are customers satisfied with their services?
While the answers to these questions are often layered and complex, we recommend providers that come closest to saying “yes” to all three. When it comes to choosing the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, although we also factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is quite simple. We track advertised upload and download speeds and also consider actual speed data from sources such as Ookla and FCC reports. (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)
What’s the final word on internet providers in Juneau?
Compared to the country as a whole, Juneau’s internet landscape leaves a lot to be desired. But that’s apples to oranges – by Alaska standards, Juneau is doing pretty well. The best internet provider for most people is GCI, which is the only fixed connection in town. It’s by far the fastest internet in Juneau, but it’s on the expensive side, and you’ll have to deal with data caps on most plans. If you’re looking for cheap internet in Juneau, SnowCloud is your best bet with plans starting at just $65. Satellite Internet from Starlink is another option for reasonably fast speeds, but requires a $349 upfront purchase of the device.
Frequently asked questions about Internet providers in Juneau
What is the best ISP in Juneau?
GCI is the best ISP in Juneau with plans starting at $90/month for speeds of 250 Mbps. More unlimited options are now available, although depending on your area you may see more plans with data caps.
Is fiber optic internet available in Juneau?
Fiber internet is available to less than 1% of Juneau, according to FCC data. This is offered by Alaska Communications, which has rolled out fiber service to several streets in the city.
Who is the cheapest internet provider in Juneau?
SnowCloud is the cheapest Internet provider in Juneau with plans starting at $65 per month for 200 Mbps speeds. HughesNet also offers satellite service starting at $50 per month for 15 Mbps, but equipment costs an additional $14 per month and requires a two-year commitment.
Which internet provider in Juneau offers the fastest rate?
GCI offers the fastest Internet plan in Juneau with speeds of 2,500 Mbps, available for $190 per month.
