Questa è una versione PDF del contenuto. Per la versione completa e aggiornata, visita:
https://blog.tuttosemplice.com/en/best-home-internet-connection-complete-guide/
Verrai reindirizzato automaticamente...
Browsing the internet from home has become fundamental, almost like having running water or electricity. Whether it’s for smart working, attending online classes, streaming movies, or simply staying connected with the world, a good connection is essential. But navigating through acronyms like FTTH, FTTC, FWA, amazing offers, and promises of supersonic speeds can turn into a real maze. Choosing the best home internet connection is not trivial.
I too have spent hours comparing rates, trying to understand the difference between real and theoretical megabits, and deciphering hidden clauses in contracts. That is precisely why I decided to put everything I’ve learned down on paper, creating a guide that I hope will be useful to you. The goal? To help you make a conscious choice, based on your real needs and the technology actually available at your address.
In this article, we will explore the different connection technologies together, analyze the crucial factors to consider before signing a contract, and take a look at the main operators in the Italian market. No incomprehensible technical jargon, I promise. Just clear and practical information to find the solution that is truly right for you.
The first step in choosing the right connection is understanding what technological options exist and what they entail in terms of performance and reliability. Not all connections are created equal, and the difference can be abysmal. It seems obvious, but I assure you it is not. Many stop at the price or the most catchy advertisement, only to end up with inadequate service. Let’s look at the main technologies available in Italy together.
When you hear about “true fiber,” it almost always refers to FTTH technology, an acronym for Fiber To The Home. It is, without a doubt, the highest-performing technology currently available for home connections. Imagine a highway dedicated just to you, without traffic jams or slowdowns. That is what FTTH is like for data.
Unlike old copper connections (like ADSL), FTTH uses fiber optic cables to transport the internet signal directly inside your home. These cables are made of very thin filaments of glass or plastic polymers, capable of transmitting data in the form of light pulses at very high speeds and with minimal signal dispersion, even over long distances. Installation requires the fiber cable to physically reach the socket inside the house, often involving minor laying work. It sounds complicated, but usually, the intervention is quick and minimally invasive, handled directly by the operator’s technician.
The advantages of FTTH are remarkable. First of all, speed: we commonly talk about connections of 1 Gigabit per second (Gbps) in download, but offers of 2.5 Gbps or even 10 Gbps are also spreading. The upload speed is also significantly higher compared to other technologies (often hundreds of Mbps), a crucial aspect if you often upload heavy files, make work video calls, or play online. Another strength is stability and reliability: fiber optics are less subject to electromagnetic interference or problems related to the distance from the central station compared to copper. This translates into a more constant connection and very low latency (ping), fundamental for online gaming and real-time applications.
The main “disadvantage” of FTTH, if we can call it that, is geographic coverage. Despite major investments in recent years, pure fiber optic does not yet reach all homes in Italy, especially in rural areas, small towns, or some peripheral zones of cities. Bringing fiber right to the home requires specific and expensive infrastructure. Before getting excited about FTTH, it is therefore fundamental to verify if your address is actually covered by this technology. Another small drawback, in some cases, can be the monthly cost, slightly higher compared to other technologies, although the difference is narrowing.
If FTTH doesn’t reach your home, it is very likely that you can access FTTC technology, or Fiber To The Cabinet. As the name suggests, it is a hybrid solution that uses fiber optics only up to the street distribution cabinet (that gray or beige box you see on sidewalks), and then continues to your home using the traditional copper telephone cable.
Basically, the signal travels fast on fiber up to the cabinet nearest your home, but the last stretch, the one entering your apartment, uses the old telephone infrastructure. This “bottleneck” in the final copper section inevitably limits the maximum achievable performance compared to FTTH. However, installation is much simpler and less expensive for operators, which is why FTTC coverage is decidedly more widespread than FTTH in Italy. Often, it doesn’t even require a technician’s intervention in the house if you already have an active telephone line.
The main advantage of FTTC is its greater availability across the territory. It still offers significantly superior performance compared to old ADSL, with download speeds that can typically reach up to 100 or 200 Mbps. Upload is usually limited to 20 Mbps, sometimes 30 Mbps. The main con is that performance is strongly influenced by the distance between your home and the street cabinet: the further away you are, the more the signal on the copper cable degrades and the effective speed decreases. Unlike FTTH, where the nominal speed is almost always guaranteed, with FTTC you might have a real speed lower than advertised if you live several hundred meters from the cabinet. Furthermore, copper is more susceptible to disturbances and wear.
FTTC represents an excellent solution when FTTH is not available but you still want a connection more performant than ADSL. It is suitable for most domestic uses: high-definition video streaming (even on multiple devices simultaneously), fluid web browsing, downloading medium-sized files, and smart working. If the distance from the cabinet is not excessive (ideally within 300-500 meters), very good performance can be obtained. It is the classic “good compromise” for very many Italian families.
And if neither FTTH nor FTTC reaches your area? A technology that is gaining more and more ground, especially in “market failure” areas (where operators have no incentive to lay cables), is FWA, Fixed Wireless Access. It is a “fixed wireless” connection that brings internet to the home via radio waves.
Imagine a sort of radio bridge between an operator’s base station (BTS, similar to those for mobile telephony) and an antenna installed directly at your home (usually on the roof or balcony). This antenna receives the internet signal via radio and brings it inside the home via a cable, connecting then to a modem/router like a normal fixed connection. It should not be confused with mobile connections (those of smartphone SIMs or portable hotspots), because the FWA antenna is fixed and designed for continuous domestic use. It uses dedicated radio frequencies and technologies (such as 4G, 5G, or others specific to FWA) optimized to provide a stable connection.
FWA performance can vary greatly depending on the operator, the technology used (4G, 5G, millimeter waves), the distance from the base station, and the presence of physical obstacles (buildings, trees, hills). The most common offers reach download speeds between 30 and 100 Mbps, but with 5G FWA, one can exceed 300 Mbps or, in ideal conditions, approach Gigabit speeds. Upload is usually more limited, similar to that of FTTC (tens of Mbps). Reliability is generally good, but can be influenced by weather conditions (heavy rain or snow can degrade the radio signal) and cell saturation (if too many users are connected simultaneously to the same base station). Latency (ping) is typically a bit higher than fiber, but still acceptable for most uses, sometimes even for online gaming (it depends a lot on the specific implementation).
FWA is the solution of choice for those living in areas where cable connections (FTTH/FTTC/ADSL) are absent or very poor. It allows access to broadband or ultra-broadband internet where it was previously impossible. It is perfect for isolated houses, rural areas, and small mountain villages. Before choosing it, it is crucial to verify the specific coverage of the operator at your address and, if possible, ask for information on the technology used and the average performance in the area. Some operators also offer trial periods. A useful article on this topic is Internet Without a Landline: The Best Solutions.
The Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) was the technology that brought broadband into the homes of millions of Italians starting in the early 2000s. It uses the copper telephone pair, the same as the traditional telephone line, to transmit data.
ADSL offers “asymmetric” speeds, meaning the download speed is significantly higher than the upload speed. The most common offers reach up to 20 Mbps in download and 1 Mbps in upload. However, these are theoretical maximum speeds. As with FTTC, the real performance of ADSL depends heavily on the distance from the telephone exchange and the quality of the copper cables. Often, in areas far from the exchange, effective speeds drop to a few Mbps, making even video streaming or video calls difficult. Stability can be precarious and latency high.
Despite its evident limits compared to modern technologies, ADSL still has a reason to exist because the copper network is extremely widespread and reaches practically every corner of the country. In some very remote areas, where neither fiber nor FWA with decent performance arrive, ADSL might be the only option available to have an internet connection, albeit minimal. Progressively, however, it is being decommissioned by operators (“phase-out”) in favor of FTTC or FWA, also to reduce maintenance costs of the old copper network. If you only have ADSL, periodically check if new FTTC or FWA coverage has arrived in your area.
For truly extreme situations, where none of the terrestrial technologies (cable or FWA) arrive, there is the option of satellite internet. Services like SpaceX’s Starlink or other operators use a dish installed at home that communicates directly with satellites in orbit.
The dish receives and sends data to satellites, which in turn communicate with ground stations connected to the global internet network. Performance has improved greatly in recent years, especially with new Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations like Starlink, which offer download speeds comparable to a good FTTC or FWA (even 100-200 Mbps or more) and uploads in the order of tens of Mbps.
The costs of satellite internet are generally higher compared to terrestrial connections, both for the initial hardware (purchase of the dish) and for the monthly fee. The real Achilles’ heel, especially for services using geostationary satellites (GEO) which are further away, is latency (ping). Due to the great distance the signal must travel (Earth-satellite-Earth), ping is inherently high (often hundreds of milliseconds). This can make activities like competitive online gaming or very fluid video calls problematic. LEO services like Starlink have much lower latency (tens of ms), but still generally higher than fiber. The connection can also be influenced by extreme weather conditions or physical obstacles blocking the dish’s “view” of the sky. It is truly the option to consider only if all others are impracticable.
Once the different technologies are understood, how do you choose the right one? It’s not enough to aim for the fastest one on paper. You need to evaluate a series of factors based on your specific needs, the actual availability at your address, and your budget. Ignoring these aspects can lead to paying for an oversized service or, worse, ending up with a frustrating and inadequate connection. Let’s look at the fundamental points.
Speed is often the first parameter we look at, bombarded by advertisements promising “Gigabits” and stratospheric performance. But how many Mbps (Megabits per second) do you really need? And what is the difference between download and upload?
Mbps is the unit of measurement for data transfer speed. One Megabit equals one million bits. The higher the number of Mbps, the faster data travels on your line. Download speed indicates how quickly you can download data from the internet (e.g., watching a movie, downloading a file, loading a web page). Upload speed indicates how quickly you can send data from your home to the internet (e.g., uploading a photo to social media, sending a heavy attachment via email, transmitting your video in a call, backing up to the cloud). Remember that 1 Byte = 8 bits, so to download a 100 Megabyte (MB) file with a 100 Mbps line, in theory, it takes 8 seconds (100 MB * 8 bit/Byte / 100 Mbps = 8 s).
Speed necessities vary enormously.
We tend to focus on download, but upload is becoming increasingly important. Think about how many times you upload photos or videos to social media, use cloud storage services (Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud), do online backups, participate in video conferences showing your face or sharing your screen. In all these cases, a good upload speed (at least 20-30 Mbps, ideally more) makes the experience much more fluid and fast. Technologies like ADSL (1 Mbps) or some basic FWA/FTTC (a few Mbps) can be very limiting from this point of view. FTTH, with uploads that can reach hundreds of Mbps or even be symmetric to download (e.g., 1 Gbps/1 Gbps), is the best in this regard.
This is perhaps the most crucial step and often a source of frustration. You can desire the fastest FTTH fiber in the world, but if the cables don’t reach your building, it’s useless to even consider those offers. Verifying coverage at your specific address is the first filter to apply.
Almost all operators offer tools on their websites to check coverage. By entering your full address (street, house number, municipality, province), the system will tell you which technologies (ADSL, FTTC, FTTH, FWA) and what estimated maximum speeds are available with that specific operator. There are also third-party aggregator sites (like AGCOM’s or other comparison portals) that try to map the coverage of different operators, but it is always better to check on the official websites of the providers you are interested in, because maps might not be updated to the last meter. Check with multiple operators, because not all use the same infrastructure (especially for FTTH and FWA).
If the check reveals that FTTH is not available, don’t despair. Check the availability and estimated speed of FTTC. If the cabinet is close (e.g., estimated speed 100-200 Mbps), it could be an excellent alternative. If FTTC is also absent or very slow (e.g., estimated under 30 Mbps), then explore FWA options. Verify which FWA operators cover your area and with what performance (look for FWA offers on 4G+ network or, even better, 5G if available). As a last resort, if you live in a truly isolated area, consider ADSL (if still active) or satellite internet, carefully evaluating pros and cons (especially costs and latency for satellite).
Price is an important factor, but one shouldn’t stop at the monthly fee touted in advertisements. There are other costs, sometimes hidden or written in small print, to consider carefully to get a complete picture of the expense.
Many offers include a one-time activation cost or one paid in installments on the bill for the first few months (e.g., 24 or 48 months). This cost can significantly impact the total initial expense. Always check if it is present and how much it amounts to. Equally important are contractual constraints. Often the cheapest offers require a minimum stay (e.g., 12, 24, or even 48 months). If you withdraw before the constraint expires, you might have to pay penalties or return any discounts used, in addition to standard deactivation costs. Read the contractual conditions carefully before signing, especially if you foresee moving or wanting to change operators soon.
The modem issue is a classic. Some offers include the modem/router in the monthly fee (often on free loan or with a small contribution). Others might require purchasing or renting it separately, adding a fixed monthly cost for the entire duration of the contract or close to it. Since 2018, thanks to an AGCOM resolution (resolution on the “free modem”), users have the right to use a modem of their own property compatible with the line, without additional costs imposed by the operator. However, using the modem provided by the operator simplifies technical support in case of problems. Evaluate if you prefer freedom of choice (and potentially long-term savings by buying a good modem) or the convenience of the modem provided by the operator. Check if the offer you are evaluating imposes costs for the modem or includes it for free.
Many operators propose convergent offers, which combine fixed internet connection with additional services like mobile SIMs (often with unlimited Gigabytes or at discounted prices) or subscriptions to TV platforms (like Sky, DAZN, Netflix, Disney+, included or at a discounted price). These offers can be very convenient if you need multiple services and want to bundle everything with a single provider. However, evaluate well if the included services are really useful to you and compare the total cost of the convergent package with the sum of costs you would incur by taking individual services separately from different operators. Sometimes the convenience is real, other times less so.
A connection can be very fast on paper, but if it drops continuously or if customer support is unreachable when you have a problem, the experience becomes frustrating. Reliability and quality of support are factors not to be underestimated.
Besides speed, connection stability is fundamental. A line that suffers frequent disconnections or severe slowdowns is unusable for many activities. FTTH fiber is generally the most stable. FTTC and ADSL depend on the quality and distance of the copper section. FWA can be influenced by environmental factors. Latency (or ping) measures the time (in milliseconds, ms) it takes for a data packet to reach a server and come back. Low ping (under 20-30 ms) is crucial for online gaming, video calls, and general browsing responsiveness. FTTH offers the lowest ping, followed by FTTC. FWA and especially satellite have higher pings. You can get an idea of real performance with tools like those described in the article How to Test Internet Speed at Home.
Sooner or later, you might need to contact technical or administrative support for problems with the line, billing, or contract. A customer service that is easily reachable (via phone, chat, app, online customer area), competent, and quick to resolve problems makes a big difference. Look for information on the quality of support of various operators. Larger operators often have more articulated structures, but that is not always synonymous with efficiency. Small local operators might offer more personalized service.
Reading online reviews from other users can give an idea of the experience with a certain operator. Sites like Trustpilot or industry forums can be useful. However, take reviews with a grain of salt. Often those who write are motivated by a very negative experience (and thus tend to emphasize problems) or, conversely, a very positive one. Try to read a good number of reviews to get an average idea and pay attention to detailed comments describing specific problems and how (and if) they were resolved by support. Also consider that the experience can vary greatly from area to area.
The Italian home internet connection market is crowded, with large national operators and various local providers or those specialized in specific technologies like FWA. Making an exhaustive comparison of all offers is almost impossible because they change frequently. However, we can give a general overview of the main players and their distinctive characteristics.
This table is purely indicative and serves to give a general idea. Specific offers, speeds, and costs vary continuously and based on address coverage.
| Operator | Main Technologies Offered | Typical Max Speed (Download/Upload) | Indicative Monthly Cost (€) | General Strengths |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TIM | FTTH, FTTC, FWA, ADSL | 1-10 Gbps / 300 Mbps-2 Gbps (FTTH) | 25 – 40 | Extensive coverage, reliability, TIMvision |
| Vodafone | FTTH, FTTC, FWA (4G/5G) | 1-2.5 Gbps / 200-500 Mbps (FTTH) | 25 – 35 | High-performance modem, fixed-mobile convergence |
| WindTre | FTTH, FTTC, FWA, ADSL | 1-2.5 Gbps / 200-500 Mbps (FTTH) | 23 – 30 | Competitive prices, good FTTC coverage |
| Fastweb | FTTH, FTTC, FWA | 1-2.5 Gbps / 200-500 Mbps (FTTH) | 25 – 35 | Transparency, innovation, proprietary network |
| Sky Wifi | FTTH, FTTC | 1 Gbps / 300 Mbps (FTTH) | 25 – 30 | Service quality, Sky TV integration, Hub |
| Eolo | FWA | 100-300 Mbps / 20-50 Mbps | 25 – 35 | FWA specialist, excellent rural area coverage |
| Iliad | FTTH | 1-5 Gbps / 300-700 Mbps | 20 – 25 | Low price, simplicity, no constraints |
| PosteMobile | FTTC, FWA | Up to 200 Mbps / 20 Mbps (FTTC) | 20 – 27 | Simplicity, reliance on Poste Italiane network |
Facing the choice of a home internet connection can seem like a titanic undertaking, I understand well. We’ve all been there, I believe. Between abstruse acronyms, promises of amazing speeds, and contract clauses written in small print, the risk of making the wrong choice is always around the corner. I sincerely hope this guide has provided you with the tools to navigate this vast ocean with a bit more security and awareness.
Personally, I believe that there is no “best connection” in absolute terms, but there is the best connection for you. It all depends on where you live, how you use the internet, and how much you are willing to spend. FTTH is undoubtedly the top of the line for pure performance, but if it doesn’t reach you, a good FTTC or a high-performance FWA can be excellent alternatives and more than satisfactory for the vast majority of people. The important thing is not to be fooled only by the lowest price or the catchiest advertisement.
Verifying coverage is the mantra to repeat. Don’t take anything for granted and use the operators’ online tools by entering your precise address. And then, read the contracts well: activation costs, constraints, penalties, modem costs. These are details that can make a big difference in the total cost and your future freedom of choice.
My final advice? Get informed, compare, and choose without haste. Dedicate some time to this decision, because a good internet connection can truly improve the quality of your daily digital life, while a poor connection can become a constant source of stress and frustration. The technological landscape is constantly evolving, with ever-increasing speeds and new solutions on the horizon. Staying informed is the key to making the most of the opportunities the web offers us.
FTTH (Fiber To The Home) brings the fiber optic cable directly inside the house, ensuring maximum speeds and stability. FTTC (Fiber To The Cabinet) brings fiber only to the street cabinet, then uses the old copper cable for the last stretch to the house, with lower performance dependent on the distance from the cabinet.
You can use the coverage verification tools available on the websites of the main operators (TIM, Vodafone, WindTre, Fastweb, etc.) by entering your full address. Aggregator sites also exist, but direct verification with the operator is more reliable.
A stable connection of at least 25-30 Mbps in download is recommended for fluid 4K (Ultra HD) streaming. If multiple people use the network simultaneously, a higher speed might be needed.
FWA (Fixed Wireless Access) can be very reliable, but its performance depends on the distance from the base station, the technology used (4G or 5G), and can be influenced by physical obstacles and adverse weather conditions, unlike FTTH fiber which is more stable.
Yes, thanks to the “free modem” resolution, you have the right to use a modem/router of your own property compatible with the line, without additional costs. However, using the one provided by the operator can simplify technical support.
It means that 1 Gbps (Gigabit per second) is the theoretical maximum speed achievable with that technology and offer. With FTTH, the effective speed is usually very close to the nominal one. For FTTC and ADSL, the real speed can be lower due to the distance from the exchange/cabinet and copper quality. With FWA, it depends on various radio factors.
It depends on your needs. Convergent offers can be convenient if you already use or need the additional services offered (mobile SIM, TV subscriptions). Always compare the total cost of the package with the expense you would incur for separate services.
The activation cost is a one-time expense (or paid in installments) to activate the line. The contractual constraint is the minimum duration for which you commit to staying with that operator (e.g., 12, 24 months). Withdrawing before the constraint expires usually involves paying penalties and/or returning discounts.