Best Internet Providers in Las Cruces, New Mexico

What is the best internet provider in Las Cruces, New Mexico?

Xfinity is CNET's top internet pick in Las Cruces,thanks to its wide coverage and its status as the only cable provider in the area. It offers the fastest speeds in the city, with a 1,300Mbps plan for $85 a month and a budget-friendly 150Mbps plan for $20. Prices do go up after a year or two but some plans remain a good deal even at regular rates. Xfinity has also improved its customer satisfaction scores in recent years.

If Xfinity isn't available at your address , fixed wireless or satellite internet are solid alternatives. Although they're typically slower and more prone to network disruptions than wired service is, they still get the job done. T-Mobile Home Internet is our top wireless pick in the area, starting at $50 a month, with bundle discounts for eligible phone plans.

Our methodology

CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Las Cruces across several categories. Our evaluation includes referencing a proprietary database built over years of reviewing internet services. We validate that against provider information by spot-checking local addresses for service availability. We also closely read providers' terms and conditions and, when needed, call ISPs to verify the details.

Despite our efforts to find the most recent and accurate information, our process has some limitations you should know about. Pricing and speed data are variable: Certain addresses may qualify for different service tiers, and monthly costs may vary, even within a city. The best way to identify your particular options is to plug your address into a provider's website. 

Also, the prices, speed and other information listed above and in the provider cards below may differ from what we found in our research. The cards display the full range of a provider's pricing and speed across the US, according to our database of plan information provided directly by ISPs, while the text is specific to what's available in Las Cruces. The prices referenced within this article's text come from our research and include applicable discounts for setting up automatic payments each month -- a standard industry offering. Discounts and promotions might also be available for signing a term contract or bundling multiple services. 

To learn more about how we review internet providers, visit our full methodology page .

Best internet in Las Cruces, New Mexico

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Other available internet providers in Las Cruces

• Verizon 5G Home Internet :  According to the latest FCC data , this fixed wireless provider is available to about 44% of Las Cruces households. If you want to avoid a hike in prices from Xfinity after your promo period ends, this ISP is a great alternative. Verizon offers two plans for the area: a 100Mbps plan for $50 a month and a 300Mbps plan for $70. You can also expect straightforward service terms: no contracts or data caps and the equipment is included at no extra cost.

• Satellite internet: While Starlink is taking the lead for the best satellite connection in the city, Hughesnet and Viasat also offer solid home broadband options. Hughesnet is the cheapest option of the three, with standard service starting at $50 a month for download speeds of 50Mbps. Viasat offers a singular plan for up to 150Mbps with no term agreements.

Cheap internet options in Las Cruces

Most internet options in Las Cruces start at around $43 a month, but a few ISPs offer cheaper options. The cheapest internet offering in the city is Xfinity's $20-a-month plan for download speeds of 150Mbps. If you're looking for more speed, Xfinity also has a 400Mbps plan for just $5 more. Verizon and T-Mobile also offer eligible mobile customers discounts and may knock $10 to $20 off your monthly bill.

What's the cheapest internet plan in Las Cruces?

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Las Cruces

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

Las Cruces internet providers, such as T-Mobile Home Internet, Xfinity and Verizon 5G Home Internet, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, like Starlink, run the same standard pricing year-round.  

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

How fast is Las Cruces broadband?

In the latest Ookla speed test data, Las Cruces had a fixed median download speed of 288Mbps . That's not bad, especially considering that the state of New Mexico had a speed of 185Mbps . (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.) Nearby cities like Albuquerque and Sante Fe also couldn't match Las Cruces, coming in at 264Mbps and 251Mbps , respectively. Rio Rancho took home the trophy for top median speeds, with 291Mbps .

Fastest internet plans in Las Cruces

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 and 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 Las Cruces

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. 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 .

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 answer to those questions is often layered and complex, the providers who come closest to "yes" on all three are the ones we recommend. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, although 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 consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports .

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

What's the final word on internet providers in Las Cruces?

Your home broadband options will be limited if you reside in Las Cruces. Most households in the city are serviceable for a cable connection from Xfinity. Like most cable providers, expect a price hike from Xfinity once the promo period ends. A fixed wireless connection from T-Mobile might be a decent alternative to avoid that increase. Starlink is available virtually everywhere, but you might have to settle for slower speeds and a steeper monthly cost (to say nothing of the $349 upfront cost for starting service).

Internet providers in Las Cruces FAQs

What is the best internet service provider in Las Cruces?

Xfinity is the best internet service provider in Las Cruces, offering the city's fastest speeds, broadest coverage and lowest introductory prices.  According to the latest data from the FCC , Xfinity is available to over 99% of households in Las Cruces, which means that your address is likely eligible for service.

Is fiber internet available in Las Cruces?

Yes, according to the latest FCC data , fiber internet is available to approximately 4% of Las Cruces households. Fiber coverage is limited throughout the city, but few households might be serviceable for Quantum Fiber or Xfinity's fiber internet connection.

What is the cheapest internet provider in Las Cruces?

Xfinity is the cheapest internet provider in Las Cruces, offering a $20-a-month plan for 150Mbps. For just $5 more, you can bump up that speed to 400Mbps.

Which internet provider in Las Cruces offers the fastest plan?

Xfinity offers the fastest internet plan in Las Cruces, with download speeds of up to 1,300Mbps and upload speeds of 40Mbps.