The best internet providers in Columbus, Ohio

What are the best internet providers in Columbus?
According to CNET broadband experts AT&T fiber The best internet service provider in Columbus, Ohio Thanks to its fast fiber plan and reasonable price. In fact, AT&T fiber has the fastest full speed: 5 Gigabit, $245 per month and $145 per month. That is, the coverage area is not 100%. If you don’t have AT&T on your address, there are some other reliable options based on Spectrum, T-Mobile and Verizon, depending on which ISP you are at.
T-Mobile and Verizon also offer 5G internet in Columbus, which can offer deep discounts if you have already made a phone plan with one of the companies. Plans for both providers start at $50 and drop to $35 when bundled with qualified phone plans. If you’re looking for an affordable plan, check out the Breezeline Base, which connects 100 megabits per month for $25 per month.
The Best Internet in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus Internet Provider Comparison
Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment cost | Data cap | contract | CNET Comment Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AT&T fiber Read the full review |
fiber | $55- $245 | 300-5,000Mbps | Nothing | Nothing | Nothing | 7.4 |
AT&T Internet Air Read the full review |
Fixed wireless | $60 | 75-225Mbps | Nothing | Nothing | Nothing | 7.4 |
breeze | Cable/Fiber | $25-$50 | 100-1,000Mbps | Free for 2 years, after $15 (optional) | Nothing | Nothing | N/A. |
spectrum Read the full review |
cable | $25-$70 | 50-1,000Mbps | Free modem; $10 router (optional) | Nothing | Nothing | 7.2 |
T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 (Qualified Mobile Customers $35-$55) | 87-415Mbps | Nothing | Nothing | Nothing | 7.4 |
Verizon 5G home internet Read the full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$55, eligible Verizon 5G mobile plan) | 50-1,000Mbps (varied with position) | Nothing | Nothing | Nothing | 7.2 |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Other available internet providers in Columbus
- breeze: Breezeline’s wired internet is about 68% of Columbus, with plans ranging from $25 per month to $1,000MBps to $1,000Mbps per month.
- Verizon 5G Home Internet: Verizon provides 5G Internet services throughout central Columbus. The plan starts at $50 per month for 50 to 85Mbps and $70 per month for 85 to 250Mbps. Additionally, Verizon mobile customers pay $35 per month per month and pay through AutoPay and Selese Mobile plans.
Columbus cheap internet options
The cheapest plan you might find in Columbus is the basic tier of Breezeline, which is $25 per month. However, this is not available in all areas of the city. Another reliable deal is Verizon 5G home internet for $50 per month. Why? Qualified Verizon mobile customers can discount $15 per month, down to just $35 per month.
What is the cheapest internet plan in Columbus?
Provider | Starting price | Maximum download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
---|---|---|---|
Breeze Basics | $25 | 100Mbps | $15 (optional) |
Spectrum Internet Assistance Read the full review |
$25 | 50Mbps | Free modem; $10 router (optional) |
Advantages of spectrum Internet Read the full review |
$30 | 100Mbps | Free modem; $10 router (optional) |
Spectrum Internet Premier Read the full review |
$50 | 500Mbps | Free modem; $10 router (optional) |
Verizon 5G home internet Read the full review |
$50 ($35, eligible Verizon 5G mobile plan) | 85Mbps | Nothing |
AT&T fiber 300 Read the full review |
$55 | 300Mbps | Nothing |
AT&T Internet Air Read the full review |
$60 | 225Mbps | Nothing |
T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review |
$50 (Qualified Mobile Customers $35) | 318Mbps | Nothing |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Columbus
The best internet deals and highest promotions in Columbus depend on the discount available in a given time. Most transactions are short-lived, but we often look for the latest quotes.
Columbus internet providers such as Spectrum and T-Mobile may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many people, including AT&T, Breezeline and Verizon, run the same standard pricing throughout the year.
For a wider list of promotions, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
How fast is Columbus broadband?
Speeds in Columbus range from very modest 50Mbps to 5,000Mbps, although not everyone can access these numbers. Many plans are in the range of 100 to 300Mbps, and some faster speeds can be found.
AT&T offers the fastest internet plan in Columbus. It has fiber options including multi-gabit plans, including 2,000Mbps and 5,000Mbps.
Columbus’ fastest internet plan
Provider | Starting price | Maximum download speed | Maximum upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
AT&T fiber 5000 Read the full review |
$245 | 5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | Nothing | fiber |
AT&T fiber 2000 Read the full review |
$145 | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | Nothing | fiber |
AT&T fiber 1000 Read the full review |
$80 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | Nothing | fiber |
Breezeline Gigafast | $50 | 1,000Mbps | 50Mbps | Nothing | cable |
Spectrum Internet Performance Read the full review |
$70 | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | Nothing | cable |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What is good internet speed?
Most Internet connectivity programs can handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you are looking for an internet plan that can accommodate video conferencing, streaming videos or games, you will get better experience and have a stronger connection. According to the FCC, this is an overview of the minimum download speeds recommended for various applications. Note that these are just guides, internet speed, services and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.
For more information, see our guide on how much internet speed you really need.
- 0 to 5Mbps allows you to solve the basics: browse the internet, send and receive emails and stream low-quality video.
- 5 to 40Mbps provides you with higher quality video streaming and video conferencing.
- 40 to 100Mbps should provide a user with sufficient bandwidth for remote communications, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one to perform high bandwidth activities for two users simultaneously, such as video conferencing, streaming and online gaming.
- 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high bandwidth activities simultaneously.
How CNET chooses the best Internet provider in Columbus
There are numerous and regional Internet service providers. Unlike the latest smartphones, laptops, routers, or kitchen tools, it is impractical to test every internet service provider in a given city in person. What is our method? For beginners, we leverage a proprietary pricing, availability and speed database that draws mapping information from FCC.GOV’s Federal Communications Commission from our own historical ISP data, partner data and mapping information.
It doesn’t end: We visit the FCC’s website to check our data and make sure we consider all ISPs that provide services in a certain area. We also enter a local address on the provider’s website to find specific options for residents. We look at resources including the U.S. Customer Satisfaction Index and JD Power to evaluate how satisfied ISP services have with customers. ISP plans and prices change frequently; all information provided is accurate as of publication.
Once this local information is obtained, we ask three main questions:
- Can providers access reasonable and fast internet speeds?
- Do customers get decent value for the money they pay?
- Are customers satisfied with their service?
The answers to these questions are usually layered and complex, but the three we recommend are closest to the provider of “yes”. When choosing the cheapest internet service, we look for the lowest monthly plan, although we also consider issues such as price increase, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively simple. We view upload and download speeds on ads and consider actual speed data from sources such as Ookla and FCC reports. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET.)
To explore our process more deeply, visit our test ISP page.
What is the last sentence of Columbus Internet providers?
AT&T’s fiber plan is the best choice for Columbus, but all homes are not available. There are many other reliable, affordable and fast plans. Whether you need satellite or cable, fiber or DSL, there are several options, some of which are only $25 a month.
Internet provider of Columbus FAQs
Can Columbus use fiber optic internet?
Fiber Internet is available through AT&T, Breezeline and Brightspeed. Although none of these fiber networks are widely available, you will find that about 26% of fiber access is available in the Columbus area.
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What is the cheapest internet provider in Columbus?
The $25 per month plan offered by Breezeline is the cheapest in Columbus. Service speeds up to 100Mbps.
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Which internet provider in Columbus offers the fastest plan?
AT&T Fiber offers a $245 5 gigabit plan per month. You will also find the AT&T Fiber 2000 and AT&T Fiber 1000 plans that are very fast for most people. These plans are sold for $145 and $80 per month, respectively.
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Is AT&T or Spectrum better?
If you can use AT&T’s fiber, it offers faster speeds and value than Spectrum’s cable plan. If you lean towards AT&T’s Internet Air plan, Spectrum will be a faster and more reliable bet. Find more details in the complete comparison of AT&T from CNET vs. Spectrum.
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