Our Methodology
Every ranking on MyCableNet is produced by a five-category scoring model built on publicly verifiable data. Here's exactly how it works.
Each provider receives a score from 0 to 10 in every category. The composite score is a weighted average of all five.
The single heaviest weight in our model
We evaluate the total cost of ownership, not just the advertised intro rate. This includes: regular rate after the promotional period, equipment rental fees, installation charges, early termination fees, and any mandatory broadcast or regional sports surcharges. We normalize costs to a 24-month average to allow apples-to-apples comparison across plans with different contract lengths.
Advertised vs. real-world measured
We cross-reference advertised download and upload speeds with the FCC Measuring Broadband America report, which uses real hardware deployed in consumer homes to measure actual delivered speeds. We weight upload performance more heavily than most sites because it has become critical for remote work and video calls. We also score the ratio of upload speed to download speed as a separate sub-metric.
Transparency, portability, and exit terms
Providers are scored on: whether a no-contract option is available, the magnitude of early termination fees, introductory rate transparency (how clearly the regular rate is disclosed at signup), data cap policies and overage costs, and price-lock guarantees. We penalize providers that bury regular rates in fine print or use misleading advertising.
Independent survey data, not our own
We use the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) Internet Service Provider report — an independent, nationally representative survey — as the primary satisfaction input. We supplement it with J.D. Power residential internet satisfaction data and the FCC complaint database. We do not conduct our own satisfaction surveys, which avoids self-selection bias from readers who already use our site.
Coverage footprint and infrastructure
We factor in geographic availability (FCC broadband availability data), reported outage frequency (downdetector historical trends, FCC network outage reporting system), and network technology type. Fiber-to-the-home infrastructure receives a technology bonus for its inherent reliability and symmetrical speed advantages over HFC cable.
MyCableNet earns commissions when readers sign up for a provider through our links. We are required by the FTC to disclose this relationship, and we do so on every page of this site.
Our firm policy: affiliate relationships have zero influence on rankings. A provider that pays us a higher commission does not receive a higher score. A provider that offers us no commission is ranked solely on the five-category model above.
We maintain a separation of responsibilities: our data team calculates scores without knowledge of commission rates; our commercial team handles partner relationships without the ability to edit rankings. Both teams report to the Editor-in-Chief, who has final authority over all editorial content.
If you believe a ranking on this site is inaccurate, we welcome the challenge. Contact our editorial team with supporting data and we will review within five business days.
All advertised prices are reviewed monthly. Promotional rate expirations are tracked and updated within 48 hours of confirmation.
Speed performance scores are refreshed quarterly using the latest FCC and Ookla data releases.
ACSI and J.D. Power data is updated when new annual reports are published, typically in Q2 each year.
Our editorial team is happy to walk through any scoring decision or data source.