Top 9 Internet Providers in Tucson, AZ (Jul 2024) (2024)

Best Internet Providers in Tucson, AZ

Tucson has several solid broadband options, but our data suggests that the best choice in town is Quantum Fiber. Quantum Fiber offers speeds up to 8 Gbps on a fiber connection type. The only downside: a limited market area that covers only about one-tenth of Tucson. Depending on where you live, fiber internet may or may not be an option for your home Wi-Fi network.

If you don’t have access to plans from Quantum Fiber in your area of Tucson, you’ll most likely want to sign up for a plan or bundle with one of Tucson’s two cable internet companies: Cox and Xfinity. If you have your choice between the two, you’ll want to focus on Xfinity, which offers significantly better speeds that are more appropriate for streaming and online gaming. The unfortunate reality, however, is that you’re not likely to be able to choose between the two providers —you’ll probably have access to only one provider or another.

There are other options in town, including CenturyLink DSL internet. We don’t generally recommend DSL for most households, since it’s not as fast or reliable as other connection types. In some parts of town, you may want to consider 5G home internet providers like T-Mobile 5G Home Internet. While we wouldn’t recommend these services over fiber or most broadband cable connections, they can be a worthy option if you don’t have high-speed wired internet options in your neighborhood of Tucson.

Fastest Internet Providers in Tucson, AZ

Tuscon’s clear-cut fastest internet provider is Quantum Fiber, which offers top speeds up to 1 Gbps. Generally speaking, you’re going to get the fastest and most reliable internet from fiber-optic connections. Cable internet is second-best, and other options —like DSL and satellite internet — tend to be slower.

Your internet speed requirements will vary depending on how much bandwidth you need for your household. Some internet activities — such as online gaming and streaming live TV —are more taxing than others. It takes almost no data to check one’s email, so anyone can accomplish that efficiently even on very slow connections. Conversely, it takes a lot of data to watch Netflix, so you need a faster connection to make sure that the information moves along quickly enough to keep your video stream smooth and in high definition. You’ll also need significantly more speed in larger households, because streaming Netflix on two different devices at once is twice as taxing as streaming one show at a time!

If you can, shoot for at least 250 Mbps for reliably fast internet; though, 500 Mbps to 1 Gbps is better, especially for larger households with more significant internet needs.

Internet Availability in Tucson, AZ

In your area of Tucson, you can generally expect to see between two and three options for internet service. Your cable provider will be either Cox or Xfinity, depending on your area. You may be able to get Quantum Fiber, too, and will likely be able to get DSL service from CenturyLink.

So where is the dividing line between Cox and Xfinity in Tucson? Well, there’s actually some overlap — some neighborhoods have a mix of both providers, though it’s pretty rare for individual addresses to have both options. Xfinity’s service area is mostly along the northern and western edges of town. Xfinity’s footprint covers neighboring Flowing Wells and the Catalina Foothills, and it creeps down into Tucson proper in areas like Campus Farm. The situation is similar along the western edge of town, where Xfinity serves Valencia West and Drexel Heights, and bleeds into Tucson proper in areas like Midvale Park and Sunnyside.

Other than one tiny patch of coverage out past the Pantano Wash in the area around Highland Trails, that’s it for Xfinity —the rest of the Tucson area, including the vast majority of Tucson proper, will be Cox territory.

As for fiber, your best bet for Quantum Fiber is a swath of neighborhoods running north and south through the geographic center of town — along the Pantano Wash, particularly Udall Park and Broadway/Northeast, and (on the other side of the Pantano) Pantano East. Tierra Del Sol, near the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, is another good spot for Quantum.

These neighborhoods are fiber’s traditional strongholds (they date back to the days of CenturyLink Fiber — that company’s fiber network is now largely in Quantum’s hands). But Quantum has expanded into other areas, so it’s worth checking your ZIP code with our tool, especially if you live near the University of Arizona or down around South Tucson.