FiberNear tracks two fiber networks in Boston, Verizon Fios and Hotwire Communications, alongside Xfinity and Astound Broadband. Verizon says Fios is widely available across the Boston area, though coverage varies by building and street. Astound also asks for an address before it shows what it offers.
So start with your full street address, not a citywide list. Below, see how to read the FCC map for one location and how to compare the plans offered there, then confirm the result with the provider before you order.
Fiber internet availability in Boston at a glance
Boston, Massachusetts has 352,061 residential broadband-serviceable locations. Fiber reaches 69.8% of them at 100/20 Mbps or faster; cable reaches 99.5%. Gigabit service is available to 76.2% across all technologies.
- Boston has 352,061 residential broadband-serviceable locations, per FCC filings as of December 31, 2025.
- It ranks #10 of 29 markets FiberNear tracks for fiber availability, against a median of 64.2%.
- Cable reaches 29.7% more of Boston than fiber does — the gap most people are surprised by.
- Over fiber specifically, gigabit reaches 18.0%; across all technologies it reaches 76.2%.
- FiberNear tracks 2 fiber networks operating in Boston, alongside 2 major non-fiber providers, and coverage varies street by street — a citywide figure will not tell you what reaches a specific address.
Source: FCC Broadband Data Collection, residential fixed broadband, as of December 31, 2025. Figures are advertised availability self-reported by providers, not measured speeds.
Availability figures: FCC Broadband Data Collection, as of December 31, 2025. Page updated October 14, 2026.
Boston, Massachusetts is a dense Northeast market where Verizon Fios competes against cable street by street, and where business premises are far better served than homes. Because fiber is built out street by street, the useful question isn't "who offers service in Boston?" — it's "who can actually install it at my address?" That is what FiberNear checks for you.
Who actually serves Boston
In Boston, the networks we track as present are Verizon Fios, Hotwire Communications, Xfinity, Astound Broadband. Fiber is 69.8% of homes here; cable is 99.5%. Coverage still stops at the address — check below.
How to find internet providers in your area in Boston
Start with your street address. On the FCC National Broadband Map, search the address and select your home. The map lists each provider that reports service at that location, the technology it uses (fiber, cable, DSL, satellite or fixed wireless) and the maximum advertised download and upload speeds.
- Type your address in the Search by Address bar. If the FCC has the location on file, it appears in capital letters.
- Open Service Filters and choose fiber to set cable and fixed wireless aside. You can also limit the map to residential locations.
- Check the Data As-Of Date at the top of the sidebar before comparing the map with a provider's current offer, then check your address with each provider on your shortlist.
The map shows reported availability, not network performance or affordability. If a provider listed at your address will not connect you, or does not sell the technology or speed the map shows, you can file an Availability Challenge from the map. The provider must concede or respond, and the FCC decides any case the two sides cannot settle.
Sources: FCC, How to Use the FCC's National Broadband Map, read Oct 7, 2026; FCC, How to Submit an Availability Challenge, read Oct 7, 2026; Verizon, Home Internet in Greater Boston, read Oct 7, 2026
What's actually available in Boston
Each figure is the share of Boston's residential broadband-serviceable locations where at least one provider reports service at that speed or better. Read down a column to compare technologies at the same speed tier.
| Technology | 25/3 Mbps | 100/20 Mbps | 250/25 Mbps | 1 Gbps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fiber to the home | 70.2% | 69.8% | 69.7% | 18.0% |
| Cable | 99.5% | 99.5% | 99.5% | 67.4% |
| Fixed wireless | 94.0% | 83.2% | 54.4% | 3.3% |
| DSL / copper | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Any technology | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 76.2% |
Source: FCC Broadband Data Collection, residential fixed broadband, as of December 31, 2025. Figures are advertised availability self-reported by providers, not measured speeds.
How Boston compares
Across the 29 metros FiberNear tracks, the median fiber availability is 64.2% at 100/20 Mbps. Boston sits at 69.8%, which ranks #10 of 29 — Boston has better fiber coverage than a typical market in this set.
Internet providers in Boston
These are the major networks active in and around Boston — fiber first, plus the cable and wireless operators that reach a large share of the market. Each card names the connection type, because that is the difference that actually matters. Coverage varies by neighborhood and address, so use the checker to confirm which of them reach your home.
Which providers operate in each market is FiberNear's own editorial assessment, not an FCC figure. The FCC's public filings report how much fiber reaches a city, but not which brand it belongs to.
Verizon Fios
100% fiber-optic; plans commonly range from 300 Mbps up to 2 Gbps where available. Known for consistently strong reliability scores and symmetrical upload speeds.
Hotwire Communications
Fiber-to-the-home; plans commonly range from 250 Mbps up to multi-gigabit tiers where available. Known for serving whole buildings under bulk agreements rather than selling address by address.
Xfinity
Hybrid fiber-coaxial cable, with fiber to a limited set of addresses; plans commonly range from 150 Mbps up to 2 Gbps where available. Known for the widest gigabit-capable cable footprint in the US.
Astound Broadband
Hybrid fiber-coaxial cable, with fiber across part of its footprint; plans commonly range from 300 Mbps up to gigabit-plus tiers where available. Known for overbuilding incumbents in dense urban markets.
See if fiber is available at your address
Enter your address and we'll compare the fiber providers that actually serve your home — free and no obligation.
Check My Boston Address →How to compare internet packages in Boston
Start with the plans offered at your address. Verizon's Boston page sends you to its availability checker to see whether you can get Fios, 5G Home Internet or both. Astound says coverage in Boston varies by address and lists neighborhoods such as Allston, Back Bay and South Boston among the areas it serves.
Next, look for each plan's broadband label. The FCC requires providers to show one for every standalone home internet plan at the point of sale, online and in stores.
- Connection: ask whether the plan reaches your home over fiber or over cable. Astound says its connection to the premises is coaxial cable, or fiber where available.
- Speed: compare upload speed as well as download.
- Data: check the data allowance on the label.
If Fios and Xfinity both reach your address, our Verizon Fios vs Xfinity comparison covers how the two networks differ.
Sources: Verizon, Home Internet in Greater Boston, read Oct 7, 2026; Astound, Internet in Boston, read Oct 7, 2026; FCC, Broadband Consumer Labels, updated Jul 23, 2026
Fiber vs cable in Boston
Cable currently reaches more of Boston than fiber does — 99.5% of locations versus 69.8% at 100/20 Mbps. But coverage and quality are different questions. The gap shows up at the top of the range: 18.0% of Boston can get gigabit over fiber, compared with 67.4% over cable.
Where it is available, fiber generally outperforms cable and DSL on speed consistency, upload performance and latency — which matters most for video calls, cloud backups, and a household with several people online at once. Actual speeds, pricing and availability are set and confirmed by each provider. How fiber availability works →
Looking for business internet in Boston?
Everything above is the residential figure. The FCC reports business availability separately, and in Boston fiber reaches 96.1% of business locations against 69.8% of homes — so a street with fiber in it does not settle the question for a commercial premises. Business fiber in Boston →
Common questions about fiber internet in Boston
Is fiber internet available in Boston?
What percentage of Boston can get gigabit internet?
Is cable or fiber more widely available in Boston?
How do I find out which internet providers serve my exact address in Boston?
Is FiberNear an internet provider?
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Compare providers in Boston: Verizon Fios · Hotwire Communications · Xfinity · Astound Broadband