Brittany McGhee
Contributing Writer
Brittany is a Contributing Writer for Switchful with over five years of experience writing about technology in the US and Europe. Her primary focus is on mobile and internet topics. She is passionate about helping people choose the right tech for their needs at the right price.
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Brittany McGhee2/9/23
You’ll probably run into abbreviations like Mbps, Gbps, MB, and GB when researching internet plans. Since these terms are used to measure internet speed and amounts of data, understanding them is important for picking an internet plan that meets your needs.
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Brittany McGhee3/30/23
Cable and satellite TV providers change up their promotions constantly, but there are always good deals to be found. We share the different types of TV package promotions to look for, how to know if you’re getting a good deal, and which providers offer the most exciting savings and bonuses.
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Brittany McGhee2/10/23
Internet providers are always offering deals to entice new customers. Whether you’re moving to a new home or considering switching to a new provider, you can save money by taking advantage of these ever-changing promotions. We explain the most common types of internet deals and terms to look out for and share which providers typically have the highest discounts and best perks.
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Brittany McGhee2/9/23
This step-by-step guide will walk you through how to switch your home internet service painlessly. It covers how to research providers, what fees and discounts to look out for, and when to schedule your cancellation and installation. By following our guide, you can feel empowered to make the switch with confidence.
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Brittany McGhee4/6/23
If your current Wi-Fi router doesn’t cover your whole home, you’ll experience problems like dead zones and dropped signals. Mesh Wi-Fi improves the range of your wireless network by using multiple devices, so you can get a signal even in the farthest corners of your home. We explain how it works, who needs it, and which mesh Wi-Fi system you should get.
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Brittany McGhee2/9/23
Fiber is an internet connection type that uses light to transmit data over fiber-optic cables. It’s the fastest type of internet connection and often costs about the same as cable. Here’s what you need to know if you’re considering fiber internet for your family.
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Brittany McGhee2/9/23
DSL internet (or digital subscriber line) is an internet connection type that uses phone lines to transmit data. Though it isn’t known for high speeds or especially good value, it’s widely available, even in rural areas. Here’s what you need to know if you’re considering DSL internet for your home.
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The cost of living keeps going up, and your internet bill is full of opportunities to save money. Here are our top tips for lowering your monthly costs, including buying your own router, negotiating with your provider, and getting discounts.
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Brittany McGhee2/10/23
Fiber is synonymous with speed, but how fast is it really? Fiber internet can go up to 10 Gbps, but 1–2 Gbps plans are much more common. We'll share what speeds you can get with fiber home internet, what you can do with the speed, and which providers offer the fastest fiber plans.
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HughesNet has the cheapest broadband satellite internet plans, with speeds up to 25 Mbps and data limits up to 100 GB. You'll pay a lot of money for not a lot of speed and not much data, but it's a workable way to connect for folks in rural areas. Where available, consider other connection types or satellite internet providers if you don’t want to be held back.
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Brittany McGhee2/3/23
Your Wi-Fi router alone may not be able to provide coverage for your whole home. If you can’t get a Wi-Fi signal or the signal strength drops in certain rooms or corners of your house, you should consider installing a Wi-Fi booster or extender to increase the range of your network. We walk you through the basics of choosing a Wi-Fi extender and setting it up, and we provide our recommendations for the best ones.
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Brittany McGhee2/9/23
Satellite internet uses satellites to deliver internet access wirelessly. It’s available in most locations, even rural areas, but its performance and value aren’t as good as cable or fiber. Here’s what you should know about satellite internet service before signing up.
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Brittany McGhee2/9/23
Starry provides no-contract fixed wireless internet in just a handful of cities. Its cheap plans, free equipment, and high speeds make it a solid alternative to cable and fiber. Unfortunately, the company's financial instability makes it a poor choice for anyone with other options.
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Brittany McGhee3/30/23
Bundling is a great way to save money on internet and TV service. We cover the different types of bundles you can get from your internet and TV providers, how to choose a bundle and make sure you’re getting a good deal, and which providers tend to offer the best perks and discounts with their bundles.
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Brittany McGhee2/9/23
Cable internet is an internet connection type that uses the same coaxial cables as cable television to bring internet service to your home. Cable internet can reach gigabit speeds, and though it can’t quite match the performance of fiber, it’s good enough for most households. Here's what you can expect from cable internet service.
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Brittany McGhee2/6/23
You may be able to get a better deal on your internet service by negotiating with your internet service provider (ISP). We show you what information you’ll need to gather beforehand, how to find deals with other providers, how to speak with your ISP about lowering your monthly bill, and additional ways to save.
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Brittany McGhee3/3/23
In this article, we explain the process of getting satellite internet from HughesNet, Viasat, and Starlink. We also tell you what you can expect in terms of costs and installation time frames from the different satellite internet service providers.
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Brittany McGhee2/10/23
When it comes to internet connections, fiber internet is the best you can get. The downside to fiber is that it isn’t as widely available as other connection types. We explain where you can find fiber internet, where the best fiber providers offer service, and what the best alternative is if you can’t get fiber.
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Brittany McGhee4/6/23
Frontier is our top choice for the best cheap internet provider. You get the incredible performance of fiber, plus no-nonsense terms. No contract is required, data is unlimited, and a router is included at no extra cost. At $50 per month for 500 Mbps speeds, the value is undeniable.
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Brittany McGhee2/7/23
Sparklight, formerly known as Cable One, is a cable internet provider primarily serving suburbs and rural areas in over a dozen states. Its no-contract plans offer good download speeds to areas fiber doesn’t often reach, but its data caps aren’t ideal.
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Brittany McGhee1/26/23
A hotspot is a Wi-Fi network that lets you connect your devices to the internet when you’re on the go. There are a few different types of hotspots. The term hotspot can refer to a public Wi-Fi network, a portable hotspot device, or your smartphone’s hotspot feature. Connecting your devices to a hotspot is as easy as connecting to any other Wi-Fi network.
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Brittany McGhee2/10/23
Xfinity is our choice for the best cable internet provider. It offers impressive speeds up to 1 Gbps and great value. Plus, it has the highest customer satisfaction rating of any cable internet provider, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). If you're looking to bundle services, check out our lineup of
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Brittany McGhee2/9/23
Fixed wireless internet is an internet connection type that uses radio waves instead of underground cables to connect your home to the internet. It’s great for remote households that need reasonably priced broadband speeds but don’t have access to wired connections like
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Brittany McGhee1/25/23
Wi-Fi and Ethernet are both options for connecting your devices to the internet. The main difference between the two is how they transmit data: Ethernet uses cables, while Wi-Fi networks are wireless. To help you decide which is right for the different types of devices in your home, we explain what Ethernet and Wi-Fi are and compare the two in terms of convenience, speed, and reliability.
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Brittany McGhee1/27/23
There’s nothing more annoying than when your TV service and internet connection aren’t working as they should. We show you how to fix the most common TV and internet service issues yourself and share tips for getting the fastest solutions when you have to contact your provider for help. We also give advice on switching providers if your problems don’t get resolved.
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Starlink uses new low-orbit technology to deliver satellite internet to customers around the globe. The company got its start offering faster speeds and much lower latency than other satellite providers, but now offers download speeds comparable to those offered by other satellite providers. Starlink still offers decently low latency for satellite, but it can’t compete against fiber or cable internet providers.
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Brittany McGhee2/7/23
Switching to a new TV service doesn’t have to be a pain. This guide will show you how to find a new TV provider, save money, and coordinate canceling your old service with installing your new service.
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Our choice for the best satellite internet provider is Viasat. It’s one of only two satellite internet providers that offers service nearly everywhere in the US. And it’s the better choice because it offers plans with higher speeds and more high-speed data. If you're looking for more providers that serve remote areas, check out our
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Viasat (formerly also Exede internet) can’t keep up with cable or fiber, but it’s a relatively fast and widely available choice for satellite internet. Viasat offers more speed and data than HughesNet, but can't match Starlink for upload speed and latency.
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Our pick for the best DSL provider is Kinetic by Windstream. It offers broadband speed across more of its DSL service area than any of our other top choices. Kinetic by Windstream also has low pricing and unlimited data.
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Brittany McGhee3/2/23
In this article, we explain what 3G, 4G, and 5G technologies are and the differences between them. We also cover how 4G LTE and 5G are used to deliver mobile and fixed wireless home internet connections so you can decide what kind of connection is best for your situation.
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Brittany McGhee3/2/23
You can get satellite internet in even the most rural areas, but there are plenty of good reasons to avoid it. Satellite internet is expensive and, because of its high latency, you’ll experience lag with even the highest speed plans. Plus, the major providers have long contracts, data caps, and speed throttling, which make satellite an impractical choice for many.
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Brittany McGhee1/27/23
We’ve picked CenturyLink as the best rural internet provider. CenturyLink has good DSL availability in remote areas, so you can still get a reliable, wired internet connection even where cable and fiber don’t reach. It offers low prices, no contracts, and unlimited data. All of this makes it an attractive option compared to satellite internet or fixed wireless.