U.S. News & World Report Internet Cost, Speed, and Value Consumer Survey 2023

In August 2023, US News & World Report surveyed more than 3,500 US adults who pay for home internet service to find out what they are currently paying for that service, how much their costs have increased, and what impact that rising expense has on their overall budget and their ability to pay other essential bills. The survey group included customers primarily using Xfinity, Spectrum, AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. Our findings show most US households are now paying more for service that is in many cases way too sluggish, with some struggling to keep up with the escalating costs to stay connected. More than half of our respondents (53%) said they were paying between $20 and $60 per month for internet service when they signed up with their current broadband provider, but now close to that number (48%) pay between $41 and $80 per month for service from that same provider. Inflation has impacted virtually every common expense in the typical American budget, with more than one in three (39%) saying they have had to cut personal expenses in order to pay their monthly internet bill. Additionally, many customers don’t seem to be seeing the results they want in terms of internet speed, with most respondents (64%) reporting having a download speed of at least 101 Mbps—which means that more than one-third (36%) experience a download speed of 100 Mbps or less. Despite facing higher costs and settling for speeds that are often sluggish, many users seem uncertain about whether they are getting a good deal for their dollars, with nearly half (45%) believing that the current monthly cost they pay their provider is worth the internet speed they receive, more than one-quarter (28%) are unsatisfied with the speeds they get for the price, and almost the same amount (27%) are unsure if what they pay for internet is worth the speed they receive.