Ocean City, known for its jaw-dropping coastline and beaches, is a tourist destination in Maryland.
Along with scenic and natural beauties, this small piece of land offers a 3-mile-long boardwalk packed with restaurants and fun activities for tourists.
Besides tourism, Ocean City has become one of the most visited places in the U.S. for digital nomads. Ocean City is home to around 7,000 permanent residents. However, this modern beach town hosts around 8 million people every year.
That being said, the exponential growth in tourism and digital nomadism has attracted a lot of high-speed Internet Service Providers (ISPs). From cable to 5G and satellite internet providers, visitors can enjoy blazing-fast connectivity in the city.
In this article, I will explore how fast internet you can get in Ocean City. Plus, I will also discuss some quality ISPs offering their services in the modern beach town.
But before I explain these things, let’s start by exploring some major activities in Ocean City that simply wouldn’t be possible without reliable connectivity.
Tourism and digital nomadism are the two most important pillars that support the economy of this modern beach town. Reports suggest that Ocean City generated more than $1 million from room tax alone in October last year.
And, the internet is the backbone of this bustling economy that keeps the tourists and digital nomads connected to the rest of the world.
Needless to say, the internet is like a lifeblood for digital nomads. Whether it’s attending online meetings, using work tools, or collaborating with remote teams, no activity is possible without the internet.
As for tourists, an active connection can make or break their vacations. From navigation to communication, online shopping, and payments, most activities require an internet connection.
High-speed internet options in Ocean City have grown exponentially in recent years. Residents in the state can benefit from different connection types while enjoying the scenic beauties.
That being said, I will explain how much internet you would require for different online activities:
After analyzing how much speed different online activities require, it’s safe to say that most ISPs operating in Ocean City can easily match or offer greater speeds.
The average download speeds in Ocean City hover around 250 to 300 Mbps, while visitors can enjoy upload speeds of 50 to 60 Mbps.
Furthermore, the average starting cost of an internet plan in Ocean City is around $165. Comparing the speeds with the average cost of internet plans, I believe it’s a bargain for digital nomads.
To make internet plans more attractive, many ISPs offer value-added perks. For instance, you can easily find uncapped plans, which I believe are ideal for tourists and digital nomads. Such plans empower them to use the internet without worrying about an overage fee.
Similarly, a few ISPs do not bind users to annual contracts. This way, visitors can cancel internet services as soon as their trip ends, without paying an Early Termination Fee (ETF). Also, many ISPs offer price-lock guarantees and free hotspot zones throughout Ocean City.
All in all, the average internet speed and cost in Ocean City are quite reasonable for tourists and digital nomads. Not only can they enjoy a seamless online experience, but they can also stay within a budget.
As I mentioned earlier, you can find different connection types like cable, 5G, DSL, and satellite internet in Ocean City. Below, I will mention some top ISPs that are keeping the residents connected to the world with their flawless connectivity:
It is one of the leading ISPs, not just in Ocean City, but in the entire country, as it offers reliable cable internet services in more than 40 states. Xfinity is one of the few ISPs in Ocean City that offers Gig plans at affordable rates.
In addition, Xfinity does not bind customers in annual contracts or impose data caps on its plans. Moreover, it offers hundreds of secure hotspot zones in Ocean City, which are a great alternative to public Wi-Fi that are often open networks and vulnerable to cyberattacks.
This ISP offers 5G home internet connectivity in Ocean City.
Traditionally, 5G home internet is slower than cable connections. However, T-Mobile can offer speeds up to 500 Mbps, which should easily cater to most online activities.
T-Mobile offers uncapped plans and does not bind customers to annual contracts. In addition, what makes T-Mobile a favorable choice is the option to bundle the internet with a mobile line under a single plan.
It is one of the most widely available ISPs in the U.S, and offers quality satellite internet in Ocean City. Generally, Starlink can offer greater internet speeds than other satellite providers operating in the modern beach town.
Starlink’s connectivity relies on low-orbiting satellites that drastically decrease the travel time and distance of internet signals. However, keep in mind that Starlink’s internet plans might be a bit more expensive than those of other satellite internet providers in Ocean City.
To keep its residents connected, the Town of Ocean City offers free Wi-Fi zones via OCMDFreePublic. Although it might offer ample speeds to fulfil basic online activities, keep in mind that public Wi-Fi is an open network.
Cybercriminals can easily infect public Wi-Fi by installing malware and viruses. What’s worse is that you might never know if the public WiFi you’re connecting to is secure or not.
So, while you connect to a public Wi-Fi, ensure that you’ve enabled a Virtual Private Network (VPN), as it will encrypt the incoming and outgoing data from your device. Also, it’s highly recommended not to access sensitive information like bank accounts, work files, or social media accounts.
Whether you’re a digital nomad or a tourist visiting Ocean City, you can easily find multiple ISPs. However, to choose the best one, keep the following points in mind.
Evaluating how much data you’d consume during your trip can be difficult. However, it’s far better to simply subscribe to an uncapped plan.
Firstly, you’ll be able to use as much data as you want. And secondly, subscribing to an uncapped plan will offer you the much-needed peace of mind, something that you rightly deserve in such a beautiful place.
Just like choosing uncapped plans, opting for providers that do not bind you to a contract just makes more sense. An ISP may fail to deliver the promised speeds. And, instead of sticking with it for the rest of your trip, you can easily switch to another provider when not tied to an annual contract.
Responsive customer support is undervalued yet an important factor to consider while choosing an ISP. Naturally, no one wants their internet connection to become unresponsive in the middle of an online activity.
However, you can rely on solid customer support and expect it to troubleshoot your connectivity problems quickly.
Currently, internet options like Verizon Fios and EarthLink Fiber offer gigabit speeds in Ocean City.
Jolly Roger, Trimper Rides, and Ocean City Mini Golf are some of the most popular attractions in Ocean City.
Yes, Ocean City offers free public Wi-Fi throughout the city, and you can access it by searching and connecting to the “OCMDFreePublic" SSID.
