What is the best internet provider in Juneau?
GCI is the best internet provider in Juneau, with speeds up to 2,500Mbps and prices starting at $85 per month. It’s the only wired connection in the city, making it less susceptible to weather outages than other providers, but you’ll have to deal with data caps on most plans.
If you want lower prices (and higher data caps), the cheapest internet in Juneau is SnowCloud, which offers plans starting at $65 per month for 100Mbps speeds. Satellite internet from Starlink is another decent option, but you’ll have to buy the equipment upfront for a hefty $599 fee.
Best internet in Juneau, Alaska
GCI
Best internet provider in Juneau
Price range
$60 – $300 per month
Speed range
3 – 2,500Mbps
Connection
Cable, fiber, fixed wireless
Key Info
No contracts, equipment included
GCI was CNET’s pick for the best internet provider in Alaska, and it was an easy choice for Juneau, as well. It’s the only ISP in the city that offers a wired connection — the rest are fixed wireless, DSL or satellite. GCI’s cable internet is the fastest in Juneau by a mile, and it’s less prone to weather disruptions and network congestion than other ISPs in the area. I don’t like its stingy data caps, and you’ll still pay more than you would in the lower 48, but at least you’ll get fast speeds for that price.
Availability: GCI’s cable internet is available to 97% of Juneau households, according to FCC data.
Plans and pricing: GCI offers four plans in Juneau, ranging from $85 per month for 250/10Mbps speeds to $185 for 2,500/75Mbps. Data caps start at 250GB and go up to unlimited on the most expensive plan.
Fees and service details: There are no equipment fees or contracts with GCI, but you’ll have to pay a one-time installation fee of $99.
SnowCloud
Cheapest internet in Juneau
Price range
$65 – $95 per month
Speed range
100Mbps
Connection
Fixed wireless
Key Info
Data caps on every plan, no equipment fees or contracts
Internet is expensive in Alaska no matter which provider you choose, but SnowCloud is the cheapest option overall — especially when you take into account that it doesn’t charge for equipment. It uses a fixed wireless network, which can be less reliable than wired connections you’d get through a provider like GCI, but its speeds are decent and the data caps are more generous than other ISPs in the city.
Availability: SnowCloud is available to 59% of Juneau households.
Plans and pricing: There are two SnowCloud internet plans available in Juneau. Both offer 100/20Mbps speeds, so what you’re paying for is the data allowance. 500GB of monthly data costs $65 per month; 2,000GB costs $95. (The average US household uses 534GB of data each month.)
Fees and service details: You can buy a Wi-Fi router from SnowCloud for $100 or purchase your own. There are no contracts required; service is month-to-month.
Starlink
Best satellite internet in Juneau
Price range
$20 – $80 per month
Speed range
20 – 250Mbp
Connection
Satellite
Key Info
1TB data limit, no term contract, low latency
I usually only recommend satellite internet as a last resort, but Starlink’s satellite service is one of the better options available in Juneau. You’ll get speeds up to 250Mbps, and data is technically unlimited, although your traffic may be deprioritized to make room for Priority Data subscribers.
You have to purchase your own equipment for $599, too. That sounds like a lot, but the other satellite ISP in Juneau, HughesNet, charges $14 monthly for equipment and requires a two-year commitment, so you’ll spend at least $336.
Availability: Starlink is available to 100% of households in Juneau.
Plans and pricing: Starlink costs $90 per month, with average download speeds between 25 and 220Mbps and upload speeds between 5 and 20Mbps.
Fees and service details: Equipment costs $599 upfront, plus another $50 for shipping. There are no contracts or hard data caps with Starlink.
Read our Starlink internet overview.
Juneau internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Communications | DSL | $85-$100 | 10-75Mbps | None | None | None | NA |
| GCI | Cable | $85-$185 | 250-2,500Mbps | None | 250GB-Unlimited | None | NA |
| HughesNet | Satellite | $50-$150 | 15-50Mbps | $14 per month | 15-200GB | Two years | 5.7 |
| SnowCloud | Fixed wireless | $65-$95 | 100Mbps | None | 500-2,000GB | None | NA |
| Starlink | Satellite | $90 | 25-220Mbps | $599 upfront | None | None | NA |
Show more (1 item)
Source: CNET analysis of provider data
Other available internet providers in Juneau
- Alaska Communications: While it technically offers fiber service at a handful of addresses in Juneau, Alaska Communications is primarily a DSL provider. Speeds depend on your specific address, but the highest I saw was 75Mbps 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 its plans, so it’s worth a look.
- HughesNet: Along with Starlink, HughesNet is your other option for satellite internet in Juneau. You won’t have to pay a huge upfront equipment cost — HughesNet charges $14 monthly for equipment — but it’s significantly worse in every other area. Speeds range from 15Mbps to 50Mbps, but the more concerning issue for most people is the data caps. Prices start at $50 for 15GB and go all the way up to $150 for 200GB. After you hit these limits, HughesNet slows your speed to 1 to 3Mbps for the remainder of the month, making things like streaming TV or videoconferencing unfeasible.
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 (in the first year, at least), but adds an extra $14 for equipment. SnowCloud is the cheaper all-in provider, with plans starting at $65 for 100Mbps speeds and no equipment fees.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in Juneau?
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| HughesNet 15 GB | $50 | 15Mbps | $14 |
| HughesNet 50 GB | $50 ($75 after one year) | 25Mbps | $14 |
| SnowCloud | $65 | 100Mbps | None |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data
How to find internet deals and promotions in Juneau
The best internet deals and the top promotions in Juneau depend on what discounts are available during that time period. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Juneau internet providers such as GCI may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, however, including SnowCloud, Starlink and Alaska Communications, run the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of deals, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
How fast is Juneau broadband?
Internet in Juneau is extremely slow compared to cities in the lower 48, but it stacks up well compared to other cities in Alaska. 97% of Juneau residents have access to 250/25Mbps speeds, compared to just 64% statewide. That’s entirely thanks to GCI; it’s the fastest provider in the state, and it’s available virtually everywhere in Juneau.
Fastest internet plans in Juneau
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GCI red Unlimited | $185 | 2,500Mbps | 75Mbps | Unlimited | Cable |
| GCI Fastest | $160 | 1,000Mbps | 40Mbps | 1,000GB | Cable |
| GCI Faster | $110 | 500Mbps | 20Mbps | 600GB | Cable |
| GCI Fast | $85 | 250Mbps | 10Mbps | 250GB | Cable |
| Starlink | $90 | 220Mbps | 20Mbps | Unlimited | Satellite |
Show more (1 item)
Source: CNET analysis of provider data
What’s a good internet speed?
Most internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you’re looking for an internet plan that can accommodate videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you’ll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here’s an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the FCC. Note that these are only guidelines — and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.
For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need
- 0 to 5Mbps allows you to tackle the basics — browsing the internet, sending and receiving email, streaming low-quality video.
- 5 to 40Mbps gives you higher-quality video streaming and videoconferencing.
- 40 to 100Mbps should give one user sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming. simultaneously.
- 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming simultaneously.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Juneau
Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. So what’s our approach? We start by researching the pricing, availability and speed information drawing on our own historical ISP data, the provider sites and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.
But it doesn’t end there. We go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of the time of publication.
Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:
- Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
- Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?
- Are customers happy with their service?
While the answer to those questions is often layered and complex, the providers who come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend. When it comes to selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, though we also factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. We look at advertised upload and download speeds, and also take into account real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports.
What’s the final word on internet providers in Juneau?
Compared to the country as a whole, the internet landscape in Juneau leaves a lot to be desired. But that’s apples to oranges — by Alaska’s standards, Juneau fares pretty well. The best internet provider for most people is GCI, which is the only wired connection in the city. It’s the fastest internet in Juneau by far, 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 it requires a $599 equipment purchase upfront.
Internet providers in Juneau FAQs
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Source: CNET
