INTERNET GUIDE
Internet Providers in Illinois
Illinois’s internet market shifts from dense northeastern corridors to farm communities and small towns downstate, where availability can vary street by street. Because manufacturing, logistics, finance, and agriculture depend on dependable service, compare plans by exact address and weigh reliability and upload performance—not just advertised download speed.
Speed Availability in Illinois
Maximum download speeds available by census block
gigabit speeds available
Source: FCC Broadband Data Collection · 307,873 census blocks analyzed
Illinois Broadband at a Glance
- Illinois received $1,040,560,993.15 in BEAD funding, supporting broadband deployment to unserved and underserved locations statewide. [Source]
- Illinois’s Connect Illinois program commits $400 million to broadband infrastructure grants, prioritizing unserved and underserved communities. [Source]
- From 2018–2022, 91.4% of Illinois households had broadband subscriptions, leaving 8.6% without one. [Source]
- Jo-Carroll Energy’s $28.955-million USDA-backed fiber project targets 4,000 rural premises in northwestern Illinois. [Source]
Illinois’s Internet Landscape
Illinois’ internet history grew from research and education networks before it became a consumer utility. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign joined ARPANET in 1971, and its National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA), established in 1986, helped advance public internet use through the Mosaic web browser, released in 1993. Argonne National Laboratory and Fermilab also provided major research-network capacity, while Chicago’s carrier hotels, data centers, and commercial exchanges made the city a central Midwest interconnection point. Regional providers such as Chicago-based InterAccess served early business and residential users in the 1990s. During the late 1990s and 2000s, cable modem service from Comcast and DSL service from Ameritech, later SBC and AT&T, expanded broadband in populated areas. The Illinois Century Network, launched around 2000, connected schools, libraries, community colleges, and other public institutions. Statewide academic connectivity was also supported by IREN, the Illinois Research and Education Network.
Find Your City
Internet by City in Illinois
Internet availability varies significantly by address. Select your city to see which providers serve your area and compare options.
Major Cities
Chicago
Pop. 2,664,452Chicago, Illinois, has 10 internet providers serving its population of 2,664,452, with AT&T and Xfinity among the providers offering service. Residents can choose fiber, cable, or fixed wireless connections, with maximum available speeds reaching 5.0 Gbps; check your specific address to confirm available providers, technologies, and plans.
Aurora
Pop. 177,563Aurora, Illinois, has 11 internet providers serving its 177,563 residents, including Metronet Holdings and AT&T. Availability includes fiber, cable, and fixed wireless connections, with maximum available speeds reaching 5.1 Gbps; check your specific address to confirm available plans and speeds before signing up.
Joliet
Pop. 150,489Joliet, Illinois, has 13 internet providers serving its population of 150,489, with AT&T and Xfinity among the providers offering broad coverage. Residents can choose fiber, cable, or fixed wireless service, with maximum advertised speeds reaching 5.1 Gbps; check your specific address to confirm available plans and speeds.
Naperville
Pop. 150,245Naperville, Illinois, has 10 internet providers serving its population of 150,245, including AT&T and Xfinity. Residents can choose among fiber, cable, and fixed wireless connections, with maximum available speeds reaching 5.1 Gbps; check your specific address to confirm available providers, technologies, and speeds.
Rockford
Pop. 146,120Rockford, Illinois, has 19 internet providers serving its population of 146,120, with options from T-Mobile and Xfinity. Residents can choose fiber, cable, or fixed wireless service, with maximum advertised speeds reaching 8.0 Gbps; fiber is available in the city. Check your specific address to confirm providers, technologies, and speeds.
Elgin
Pop. 113,310Elgin, Illinois, with 113,310 residents, has 14 internet providers, including AT&T and Xfinity. Residents can choose among fiber, cable, and fixed wireless connections, with maximum available speeds reaching 5.1 Gbps; fiber service is available in the city. Check your specific address to confirm available providers, technologies, and speeds.
Peoria
Pop. 110,460Peoria, Illinois, has 15 internet providers serving its population of 110,460, with options from Xfinity, i3 Broadband, and Verizon. Residents may find fiber, cable, or fixed wireless service, with advertised speeds reaching 2.0 Gbps and fiber available in parts of the city. Check your specific address to confirm availability and pricing.
Mid-Size Cities
Bloomington
Pop. 78,587Bloomington, Illinois, has 20 internet providers, including Frontier, Metronet Holdings, and Xfinity. Residents can find fiber, cable, and fixed wireless service, with maximum advertised speeds reaching 8.0 Gbps and fiber available in the city. Check your specific address to confirm available providers, technologies, and speeds.
Schaumburg
Pop. 75,750Schaumburg, Illinois, has 9 internet providers offering fiber, cable, and fixed wireless connections, with maximum speeds reaching 5.0 Gbps. AT&T and Xfinity are among the providers with the broadest coverage, while fiber service is available in the city. Check your specific address to compare available plans and technologies.
Arlington Heights
Pop. 74,495Arlington Heights residents can choose among eight internet providers, including AT&T, Xfinity, and Astound Broadband. Plans use fiber, cable, or fixed wireless technology, with fiber service available and maximum advertised speeds reaching 5.0 Gbps. Check your specific address to confirm provider availability and speeds.
Skokie
Pop. 64,937Skokie, Illinois, has 8 internet providers offering fiber, cable, and fixed wireless connections, with maximum speeds reaching 5.0 Gbps. AT&T and Xfinity are among the providers with broad coverage, while fiber service is available in the city. Check your specific address to confirm available providers, technologies, and speeds.
Downers Grove
Pop. 49,706Downers Grove, Illinois, has 9 internet providers serving its population of 49,706, with AT&T and Xfinity among the providers offering broad coverage. Residents can find fiber, cable, and fixed wireless connections, with maximum advertised speeds up to 5.0 Gbps. Check your specific address to confirm available providers, technologies, and speeds.
Plainfield
Pop. 47,448Plainfield, Illinois, has 10 internet providers serving its 47,448 residents, with options from Metronet Holdings, AT&T, and Xfinity. Fiber, cable, and fixed wireless services are available, and maximum advertised speeds reach 5.1 Gbps; check your specific address to confirm availability, technology, and plan speeds.
Glenview
Pop. 46,904Glenview, Illinois, has nine internet providers offering fiber, cable, and fixed wireless connections. AT&T and Xfinity are among providers with broad coverage, while maximum available speeds reach 5.0 Gbps. Availability and speeds can vary by location, so check your specific address for current service options.
Urbana
Pop. 38,209Urbana, Illinois, has 19 internet providers serving its population of 38,209, with AT&T, Xfinity, and i3 Broadband among the providers with the broadest coverage. Residents can choose fiber, cable, or fixed wireless plans, with advertised speeds reaching 10.0 Gbps. Check your specific address to confirm availability and options.
Northbrook
Pop. 33,977Northbrook, Illinois, has nine internet providers, including AT&T, Xfinity, and Astound Broadband. Residents can choose among fiber, cable, and fixed wireless connections, with speeds reaching up to 5.0 Gbps; fiber service is available in the city. Check your specific address to confirm providers, technologies, and speeds available.
Provider Guide
Illinois Internet Providers
Statewide Players
T-Mobile
1264 citiesT-Mobile internet is available in approximately 1,264 Illinois cities, using fiber and licensed fixed wireless technologies with speeds up to 2,000 Mbps. It may work well for households needing reliable connectivity for streaming, remote work, and multiple devices, but availability and performance can vary depending on whether fiber or fixed wireless is offered at your address. Check your address on T-Mobile’s website to confirm the available technology and speed.
View T-Mobile detailsVerizon
1240 citiesVerizon internet is available in approximately 1,240 Illinois cities and uses licensed fixed wireless technology, with maximum speeds of up to 1,000 Mbps. It may work well for households seeking wireless broadband, but availability and speeds vary by address, so check your location for service options and any fiber or DSL alternatives.
View Verizon detailsAT&T
1038 citiesAT&T internet is available in approximately 1,038 Illinois cities and uses copper, fiber, and licensed fixed wireless technologies, with speeds up to 5,000 Mbps where fiber is available. It can work well for households, remote workers, and businesses, but service quality and speed vary by location, so check your address to see whether fiber or another technology is offered.
View AT&T detailsFrontier
1001 citiesFrontier internet service is available in approximately 1,001 Illinois cities through copper and fiber connections, with advertised speeds up to 7,000 Mbps where fiber is offered. It may suit households needing high-capacity service, but performance can differ substantially between copper and fiber, so check your address for available technology, speeds, and pricing before ordering.
View Frontier detailsMediacom Xtream
868 citiesMediacom Xtream offers cable, fiber internet service across 868 locations with speeds up to 2.0 Gbps. Check availability at your address to see specific plans and pricing.
View Mediacom Xtream detailsXfinity
638 citiesXfinity offers cable, fiber internet service across 638 locations with speeds up to 2.0 Gbps. Check availability at your address to see specific plans and pricing.
View Xfinity detailsRegional Providers
Silo Communications
7 citiesSilo Communications offers fiber internet in approximately seven Illinois cities, covering about 44% of the state, with maximum speeds of 100 Mbps. It may work well for households and small businesses that need a fiber connection for everyday browsing, streaming, and video calls; check your address to confirm service and fiber availability.
Silo CommunicationsHome Telenetworks
7 citiesHome Telenetworks offers fiber internet in approximately seven Illinois cities, with maximum speeds of up to 600 Mbps. It may suit households that need consistent performance for streaming, remote work, and multiple connected devices, though availability and speeds can vary by address. Check your address with Home Telenetworks to confirm fiber service and available plans.
Home TelenetworksWest Kentucky Rural Telephone Coop Corp Inc
6 citiesWest Kentucky Rural Telephone Coop Corp Inc offers fiber internet service in approximately six Illinois cities, covering about 38% of the state, with speeds up to 2,000 Mbps. Its fiber connection may suit households, remote workers, and businesses needing high-speed service, so check your address for availability and exact plan options.
West Kentucky Rural Telephone Coop Corp IncGrandview Mutual Telephone
6 citiesGrandview Mutual Telephone offers copper-based internet service in approximately six Illinois cities, covering about 38% of the state, with maximum speeds of up to 25 Mbps. It may work well for basic browsing, email, and light streaming, but households with heavier usage should confirm the exact speed and technology available at their address before signing up.
Grandview Mutual TelephoneHighland Communication Services
6 citiesHighland Communication Services offers fiber internet in approximately six Illinois cities, covering about 38% of the state, with speeds up to 2,500 Mbps. Its fiber service may work well for households with multiple users, streaming, gaming, or demanding work-from-home needs; check your address for availability and current plan options.
Highland Communication ServicesQuad State Internet
6 citiesQuad State Internet offers fiber internet service in approximately six Illinois cities, covering about 38% of the state, with speeds up to 1,000 Mbps. Its fiber connection may work well for households that stream, game, work remotely, or connect multiple devices; check your address for availability and plan options.
Quad State InternetCrossville Communications
5 citiesCrossville Communications offers copper-based internet service in approximately five Illinois cities, covering about 31% of the state, with maximum speeds up to 25 Mbps. It may work well for light browsing, email, and streaming on a limited number of devices, but availability and connection type can vary by address, so check with Crossville Communications to confirm service options and speeds before signing up.
Crossville Communications4 SIWI LLC
5 citiesSIWI LLC offers fiber internet service in approximately five Illinois cities, covering about 31% of the state, with download speeds up to 1,000 Mbps. Its fiber connection may suit households that stream, work remotely, game, or connect multiple devices; check your address for availability and contact SIWI LLC to confirm current plans and installation options.
4 SIWI LLCLocal Options
ICS Advanced Technologies
1 citiesICS Advanced Technologies offers fiber internet in approximately one Illinois city, covering about 6% of the state, with maximum speeds of up to 150 Mbps. Its service may suit households that need a reliable connection for streaming, remote work, or everyday browsing; check your address to confirm fiber availability and current plan options.
ICS Advanced TechnologiesSatellite Options
Available statewide but typically slower and more expensive than wired alternatives. Best for rural areas without other options.
HughesNet
Satellite internet is available nearly anywhere with a clear view of the sky. Consider as a backup option or for locations without terrestrial service.
Starlink
Satellite internet is available nearly anywhere with a clear view of the sky. Consider as a backup option or for locations without terrestrial service.
Viasat Inc
Satellite internet is available nearly anywhere with a clear view of the sky. Consider as a backup option or for locations without terrestrial service.
Popular provider searches
Where to compare internet next in Illinois
These links are ranked from local provider and speed data, so they point to the city and provider pages most likely to help with real availability questions.
Top city comparisons
- AT&T is generally best in Urbana, IL
- T-Mobile is generally best in Rockford, IL
- Frontier is generally best in Bloomington, IL
- Metronet Holdings is generally best in Aurora, IL
- AT&T is generally best in Joliet, IL
- AT&T is generally best in Naperville, IL
- AT&T is generally best in Elgin, IL
- Metronet Holdings is generally best in Plainfield, IL
- AT&T is generally best in Chicago, IL
- AT&T is generally best in Schaumburg, IL
Common Questions
Illinois Internet FAQs
Which Illinois programs are expanding broadband access across the state?
Illinois uses the Connect Illinois Capital Program and the federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program to expand reliable, affordable broadband. The Illinois Broadband Lab supports mapping and community planning, while grant projects target unserved and underserved locations. Check state and FCC eligibility maps before assuming a project serves your address.
What internet options are available for rural households in Illinois?
Rural Illinois households can compare DSL, fixed wireless, satellite, and fiber where construction has reached their road. Electric cooperatives are also expanding networks; Sand Prairie Internet, associated with Jo-Carroll Energy, is one Illinois example. Ask local co-ops about planned builds, then verify equipment, installation costs, upload speeds, latency, and data allowances.
Which companies offer fiber internet in Illinois?
Fiber service in Illinois is address-dependent, even within Chicago, Aurora, Joliet, Naperville, and Rockford. Providers listed among Illinois fiber options include AT&T, Frontier, Mediacom Xtream, Xfinity, and T-Mobile. Check each provider’s address lookup for actual fiber versus cable or fixed-wireless service, and compare upload speeds, installation terms, and availability dates.
What 10 Gbps internet option is available in Illinois, and who offers it?
Illinois has service advertised at up to 10 Gbps from LogonixCorporation. That figure does not mean every Illinois household can order it: availability depends on the served building, network route, equipment, and plan. Confirm symmetrical upload speed, installation charges, contract terms, data policies, and whether the quoted rate is promotional before subscribing.
How can I compare Illinois internet providers at my specific address?
Enter your complete street address—not just a ZIP code—into the Illinois Broadband Lab or FCC National Broadband Map, then check provider websites. Illinois directories list 123 providers across 16 cities, but availability can differ by block or unit. Compare technology, speeds, post-promotion price, fees, contracts, data caps, and installation timing; ask whether service is wired to your exact unit.