Top ISPs That Provide the Fastest Netflix Experience

Are you one of the 29 million people who use Netflix frequently? Have you ever sat there while your kids are screaming their heads off and prayed Barney would load faster? Well like most Americans, we all somewhat suffer from a form of A.D.D. and expect our entertainment to be delivered to us immediately. This is especially true when it involves keeping our kids happy.

While you might sit there and complain that the Netflix service is holding you back from receiving your content, the real root cause is actually from your Internet service provider. Netflix has released an ISP speed index indicating the rank of each provider based on the average performance of all streams on each ISPs network. http://ispspeedindex.netflix.com/

Here’s a breakdown of the top 3 providers based on average speed for Netflix streams:

1. Google Fiber at 3.45 (Mbps) – Yes, Google Fiber claims the top spot, and is also the newest provider on the block that is exclusively only in Kansas City right now. Google is more notably known for their search engine and email; however Internet is king when it comes to delivering information. Google claims to provide connection speeds 100 times faster than today’s normal broadband speeds. So if you’re one of the lucky few who live in Kansas City, I would definitely consider taking advantage of this service. https://fiber.google.com/about/
2. Cablevision – Optimum at 2.39 (Mbps) – Cablevision came in 2nd serving the New York Metropolitan area and Rocky Mountain States. Cablevision offers speeds up to 15 Mbps as well as an Optimum Online Booster which pushes speeds up to 30 Mbps. This is a great choice considering it is available in more states than Google Fiber. www.cablevision.com
3. Cox Communications at 2.25 (Mbps) – Cox Communications followed in 3rd place and actually is available in more areas across the country than Google and Cablevision. Their most expensive, top of the line option “Ultimate”, claims download speeds of 100 Mbps. This is the perfect choice for those households with multiple Netflix users. www.cox.com

At the bottom of the list we have AT&T DSL (1.46 Mbps), Verizon DSL (1.40 Mbps), and in last place Clearwire (1.24 Mbps). DSL is slowly declining as a top player in the high-speed Internet industry as it struggles to keep up with the consumer’s daily needs. As the fiber optic (U-verse/FiOS) infrastructure continues to grow, it would be in your best interest to consider making the switch to this technology, especially if you want to enjoy Netflix at an optimal level. Unless of course one of these providers happens to be your only option; unfortunately you will have to suffer until another provider starts offering fiber optic Internet in your area.

Understanding where the providers in your area rank in speed will help you ultimately choose what fits your Netflix streaming needs. If you want to see how your Internet service provider stacks up against the competition, check out http://ispspeedindex.netflix.com/ for the full results.