Best Internet Providers in Charles Town, West Virginia – CNET

Xfinity – Best overall among internet providers in Charles Town

  • Prices from $20 – $300 per month
  • Speeds from 75 – 6,000Mbps
  • Data caps on some plans

Frontier – Best for lightning-fast speeds among Charles Town internet providers

  • Prices from $50 per month
  • Speeds from Varies
  • Unlimited data

T-Mobile Home Internet – Best bundle plan among Charles Town internet providers

  • Prices from $50 per month
  • Speeds from 33 – 182Mbps
  • Unlimited data

Charles Town, West Virginia, is just a 64-mile drive west of Washington, DC. While it may not enjoy the same fast lifestyle as the nation’s capital, it has some fast internet. Fiber, even. If you live in the eastern corner of West Virginia, you can choose between multiple internet providers that make streaming and gaming easy. 

According to the latest Ookla data, West Virginia ranks 42nd in the nation regarding internet speeds. As a state, its median download speed is just over 149 megabits per second. That being said, Charles Town is above average. Multiple plans promise at least 1 gigabit per second download speed. 

Internet options in Charles Town range from satellite to fiber. The most recent Federal Communications Commission data from 2021 put Comcast’s Xfinity internet service at the head of the leaderboard when it comes to the fastest download speeds. However, you’ll also find good speed from Shentel and Frontier. Today, Frontier’s fiber plan is the fastest. The best internet plan for you will depend on your budget and how you use the internet. 

Best internet providers in Charles Town

For a small town, Charles Town delivers impressive high-speed internet and many plans. The best provider for our money is Xfinity, which promises fast speeds without an astronomical price. 

Xfinity Logo
<span class="g-color-text-meta u-inline-block g-text-xxxsmall">Sarah Tew/CNET</span>

Xfinity

Best overall among internet providers in Charles Town

Product details

Price range $20 – $300 per month Speed range 75 – 6,000Mbps Connection Cable Highlights Data caps on some plans, lots of plan options, solid customer satisfaction numbers

Xfinity covers about 97% of Charles Town, which makes it nearly ubiquitous here. It offers several plans that can accommodate most budgets. It also has some of the faster download speeds in Charles Town. You can get internet with up to 1.2Gbps download speeds and unlimited data for just $80 monthly.

Availability: Xfinity is one of the most available providers in Charles Town. It covers nearly 100% of the town. You can check your address before you sign up for a plan to learn exactly what’s offered, including bundles, at your address. 

Plans and pricing: Xfinity’s cheapest plan offers 200Mbps for only $25 per month, ideal for customers on a budget. The company offers a free Getting Started kit for setup, and no annual contract is required. 

Fees and service details: Xfinity has a $15 monthly equipment fee if you use its modem and router. You won’t have to pay this additional rental fee if you use your own equipment. 

Read our Xfinity home internet review.

Frontier logo
<span class="g-color-text-meta u-inline-block g-text-xxxsmall">Sarah Tew/CNET</span>

Frontier

Best for lightning-fast speeds among Charles Town internet providers

Product details

Price range $50 per month Speed range Varies Connection DSL Highlights Unlimited data, no contracts, no equipment fee

Frontier is the best plan for people who need superfast speeds and don’t mind paying for it. If you watch a lot of videos or are a gamer, this is probably the best option. 

Availability: Given that Frontier covers nearly all of Charles Town, people who work at home or have a large family may find one of the company’s plans the most appealing. 

Plans and pricing: Frontier has the fastest speeds by far in Charles Town — but you will pay for them. The company offers a 5Gbps plan at $155 per month if you use autopay and 2Gbps speeds for $100 a month with autopay. It also offers slower speeds of up to 500Mbps for as little as $50. 

Fees and service details: Routers are included with the price of your plan and no contracts are required. 

Read our Frontier home internet review.

T Mobile wireless logo on an iPad
<span class="g-color-text-meta u-inline-block g-text-xxxsmall">Sarah Tew/CNET</span>

T-Mobile Home Internet

Best bundle plan among Charles Town internet providers

Product details

Price range $50 per month ($30 for eligible T-Mobile Magenta Max customers) Speed range 33 – 182Mbps Connection Fixed wireless Highlights Unlimited data, equipment included, no contracts, no additional fees

T-Mobile Home Internet might be the best plan for people who already use T-Mobile for cell service and want to streamline their subscriptions. The company offers a decent coverage area, too. 

Availability: T-Mobile Home Internet has a generous coverage map in and around Charles Town, particularly to the east. Still, you’ll want to check your address to find out if T-Mobile has home internet at your residence. You can enjoy speeds between 33 and 182Mbps on average.

Plans and pricing: If you already have T-Mobile cell phone service or are interested in getting it, T-Mobile Home Internet may be a smart choice. The service is $50 per month with no additional fees or contract required. If you bundle a Magenta Max voice plan with home internet, your monthly internet cost drops to just $30.

Fees and service details: T-Mobile doesn’t require you to pay additional equipment rental fees, and it boasts a price-for-life guarantee with no additional fees.

Read our T-Mobile Home Internet review.

Internet providers in Charles Town overview

Provider Internet technology Monthly price range Speed range Monthly equipment costs Data cap Contract CNET review score
All Points Broadband Fixed wireless $89-$299 4-25Mbps One-time purchase between $99-$199 None None N/A
Frontier DSL/fiber $50-$155 500-5,000Mbps None None None 6.3
HughesNet Satellite $50-$150 25Mbps $15 None 24 months 5.7
Shentel Cable $65-$200 50Mbps-1,000Mbps None None None N/A
T-Mobile Home Internet Fixed wireless $50 33-182Mbps None None None 7.4
Viasat  Satellite $70-$300 12-150Mbps $15 None 24 months 6.1
Xfinity Cable $25-$80 200Mbps-1,200Mbps $15 (skippable) None None 7

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All available Charles Town residential internet providers

Other internet service providers in Charles Town exist besides Xfinity, Frontier and T-Mobile. Depending on your budget or speed requirements, you may also want to consider one of the following companies. 

  • All Points Broadband: This company specializes in underserved markets, so it may be a viable option if you’re on the outskirts of town. It’s pricey, with plans starting at $89 per month for just 4Mbps. 
  • HughesNet: HughesNet is another satellite internet provider in Charles Town. Plans start at $65 per month for 25Mbps speed. More expensive plans don’t offer faster download speeds but do offer more data usage before you slow down.
  • Shentel: This company has speeds up to 1Gbps at $200 per month, but you can also get 50Mbps speeds for $65 per month if Shentel is available at your address. The company only covers about 15% of Charles Town as of early 2023.
  • Viasat: Viasat offers satellite internet, which may be right for rural customers who are not within range of other providers. Plans start at $70 per month. 

Historic downtown Charles Town, West Virginia.

<!----> <span class="c-shortcodeImage_credit g-inner-spacing-right-small g-outer-spacing-top-xsmall g-color-text-meta g-text-xxxsmall">L. Toshio Kishiyama/Getty Images</span>

Charles Town internet details at a glance

Charles Town internet providers are speedier than what’s available in most parts of the state. And prices are comparable to other plans across the country. 

Pricing details on Charles Town home internet service

You can expect to pay at least $50 per month for internet in Charles Town, though the fastest plans go for well over $100 monthly. A more expensive plan is often worth it if you have multiple users or want to play video games. 

Cheap internet options in the Charles Town metro area

With Xfinity offering a plan at just $25 per month, you can get quality service at a low price in Charles Town. T-Mobile and HughesNet also come in at under $60 per month, but T-Mobile requires no contract and has no additional equipment fee. If you want to save even more, see if the Affordable Connectivity Program will help lower your monthly internet expenses.

What’s the cheapest internet plan in Charles Town?

Here are the internet speeds you can find in Charles Town

Charles Town has surprisingly fast speeds for West Virginia, where the median download speed for the state is approximately 149Mbps. Fiber options in this part of the state are the best way to guarantee that you’ll enjoy fast downloads and uninterrupted streaming. 

Download speeds

Charles Town – 192 Mbps
WV – 130 Mbps
US – 133 Mbps

Upload speeds

Charles Town – 31 Mbps
WV – 29 Mbps
US – 46 Mbps

*Data sourced from M-LAB speed tests taken by real users in Charles Town.

Fastest internet providers in Charles Town

Frontier and Xfinity have the fastest plans in Charles Town. Frontier has two multigig internet plans, and the provider also throws in a free router. 

What are the fastest internet plans in Charles Town?

What’s the final word on internet providers in Charles Town?

If you need fast internet in Charles Town, look no further than Frontier plans. If price is top of mind, the cheapest Xfinity plan will leave a budget for streaming platforms. It’s worth noting that while 5Gbps plans are impressive, most casual internet users won’t require that type of speed to be satisfied with their service. 

Internet providers in Charles Town FAQs

Is fiber internet available in Charles Town?

Yes. Internet provider Frontier offers fiber internet in Charles Town.

Who is the cheapest internet provider in Charles Town?

Xfinity offers the cheapest plan in Charles Town, with a $25 monthly price tag for 200Mpbs speed. This plan is recommended for use in households that only need support for about five devices at once, depending on your activity.

Which internet provider in Charles Town offers the fastest plan?

Frontier has the fastest internet plans in Charles Town. Its top tier features 5Gbps speed, ample for use with many devices simultaneously. 

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