ISPreports.org is a new site promising two things the internet service market has been lacking: accountability for internet service providers, and better data for consumers. ISP Reports give more details and more helpful suggestions on internet service than anyone else. It is also the only site that lets you see ISPs at your address, not just your zip code or city.
Over the last 30 years, the internet has altered how we communicate, entertain, work, shop, and learn. It touches nearly every aspect of our lives. In its infancy, having internet in the home was a luxury few enjoyed.
Now, we can't live without it. Remote employment, online education, and digital entertainment enhance our lives and connect us to global communities. The only thing holding us back now is the speed at which we can access these amenities.
ISP Reports has gathered an unprecedented number of statistics nationwide to bring together a cohesive look at the whole country right down to your neighborhood.
Input your address, and it will show you what internet providers exist, real reviews from real customers, and a grade based on the existing internet infrastructure.
This isn't my address for obvious reasons, but you can see in this screenshot the footprint of Google Fiber in my city. That dropdown at the top lets you select any provider (and their connection type, Centurylink fiber and DSL are separated instead of one big map) and zoom as far as a neighborhood road.
Gone are the days of wondering if you will have the technology to work remotely from your new home. No more asking the neighborhood Facebook group what the best internet service is in the area, only to find out that it's not that great on your block.
Unhappy with your current service? Find out what real users are saying about each company that services your neighborhood and feel more at ease to make the jump.
The Internet and Neighborhood Appeal
Access to high-speed internet is more important now than ever. With many industries moving to web-based apps and fully remote or hybrid employment becoming the norm, having a reliable high-speed connection is one thing people should be looking for in a new neighborhood.
While 90% of the country technically has access to federally defined high-speed internet of at least 25 Mbps, those speeds are hardly fast enough to keep up with today's digital demands.
Neighborhoods with strong internet infrastructure attract more professionals, young families, and tech-savvy individuals. As internet demands go up in a home—remote work, online education, video streaming—the ability to run everyone's devices at desired speeds is paramount in finding a provider fit for the task.
ISP Reports: A Tool for the Modern House Hunter
ISP Reports grades far beyond the simple federal definition of high-speed internet of only 25 Mpbs, giving a snapshot of everything available, from 10 Gig options to dial-up. It ranks each provider available, sorting them by a weighted score of coverage and customer reviews. It also shows which company users view as the best deal, who delivers the fastest speeds, and whose customer service is top-notch.
ISP Reports also uses a transparent internet health assessment to rank each city on its internet infrastructure and resident's digital needs. Are you looking to relocate and want to ensure you won't be downgrading your internet experience?
Each city is assigned a grade and a Digitial Connectivity Index to help compare it to surrounding areas, the state, and the nation.
The grade is computed from three parts: The availability of fiber, the average download speed most households get, and the number of providers available for most people, weighted by block rather than the city.
As communities improve their infrastructures with high-speed broadband options and providers, this grade shifts to recognize that. If cities are slow to adopt innovations in digital technologies, their grade could suffer, making the results as accurate as the most current data available allows.
The Digital Connectivity Index looks at factors indicating the usage level in a place based on demographics. A score between 1-100 is issued for each city and gives consumers an idea of how well the internet needs of a community are being met.
A low score indicates that the place might not have as much need for internet as the average US city. A higher score might indicate that the location is very tech-forward and demands high performance from their local internet infrastructure.
Comparing this Digital Connectivity Index to the assigned Report Card is an interesting way to evaluate neighborhoods. While a high grade on the report card is never bad, a large mismatch could indicate that the city built more than was really needed.
We plugged in Chattanooga, TN because they are known for fantastic internet service. And as expected, they scored an A- on the ISP Report Card, but their Digital Connectivity Index is 60 / 100. While it's not a bad score, that does seem to indicate that there was less demand from the residents than push from city officials to expand their internet. This, of course, isn't bad because it helps them attract business and more residents.
These days, the internet is firmly in the must-have column. With education, healthcare, employment, entertainment, and shopping rapidly migrating to the World Wide Web, living in a digital dead space could spell disaster.
In March 2020, when the country shut down for the Covid-19 pandemic, many places in the United States lacked adequate internet to run schools and work online effectively.
While the federal government is trying to narrow the digital gap, especially in more rural areas of the country, the nation's varied economic, demographic, and geographic differences make it difficult to ensure that everyone has unfettered access to high-speed internet sufficient for their needs, even within the biggest cities of the country.
ISP Reports has built an extremely impressive tool built on robust data. We encourage you to use it in your search for the best neighborhoods!