What is the best internet provider in Nampa?

CNET recommends Sparklight as Nampa’s best internet service provider because of the ISP’s wide availability, low introductory pricing and fast speeds. Almost every household in Nampa has access to high-speed internet from Sparklight, with plans priced between $35 and $75 per month and speeds ranging from 100 to 1,000 megabits per second.

If you’re looking for a more affordable plan, Sparklight also offers a $35 plan, which is the cheapest internet option in Nampa. However, if you rent equipment, the $14 fee will increase the overall price to $49 per month (after auto pay discount), which might be too steep, especially when considering it’s almost as much as Quantum Fiber’s cheapest plan.

You’ll have to consider your internet needs before choosing between Sparklight and Quantum Fiber. The latter’s cheapest plan offers speeds up to 500Mbps, starting at $50 per month with no added equipment fees and no data caps, plus a price-for-life guarantee that secures your rate for as long as you have the plan. That being said, if Quantum Fiber isn’t available to provide internet at your address, you can always turn to CenturyLink.

Keep in mind that DSL service is quite slow, so in most cases, you may want to opt for a different fixed wireless provider — or go with Sparklight if price isn’t a concern. If you’re going with a fixed wireless service, we recommend Rise Broadband, which has the best fixed wireless coverage in the area. T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet may also be available at your address.

Best internet in Nampa, Idaho

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Nampa

The best internet deals and top promotions in Nampa depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers. 

Nampa internet providers, such as Sparklight, may offer lower introductory pricing for a limited time. Many, however, including CenturyLink, Quantum Fiber and Rise Broadband, run the same standard pricing year-round. 

For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.

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 simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming. 
• 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Nampa

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:

1. Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
2. Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?
3. Are customers happy with their service?

While the answers to those questions are 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 (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis) and FCC reports.

To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.

Internet providers in Nampa, Idaho, FAQs