The best internet providers in North Carolina

Whether you want the fastest speed or the most budget-friendly option, CNET’s broadband experts have done the job for you. After reviewing available providers, our experts chose spectrum As the best internet service provider in North Carolina For its fast speed, availability and reasonable pricing. The cable giant service has many addresses in the state, but if you are not within its coverage, there are many other options, depending on where you live.

If you want the highest speed, Google Fiber Provide the fastest internet in North Carolinapriced up to 8,000 megabits, reasonable price. However, Google Fiber serves selected cities in North Carolina, including the Greater Charlotte and the Raleigh Durham area. If you are in a rural area, you can choose a local fiber provider or a fixed wireless option, such as T-Mobile Home Internet. The selection of the state also allows access to speeds up to 5,000Mbps via AT&T fiber. Please check out all the top picks below to find the best internet provider for your home.

What are the best internet providers in North Carolina?

Whether it’s games, watching movies and TV shows or working, North Carolina is home to some of the fastest internet speeds in the country. Although AT&T and Google’s fiber options are mostly limited to Charlotte and triangles, North Carolina has access to many types of internet connections. Due to its wide availability in the state, fast speed and simple price, we Spectrum is the best internet provider in North Carolina. Your options will vary depending on where you live, but luckily, everyone in the state can access the internet despite it’s possible through satellite internet.

Source: CNET Analysis of Provider Data

A glance at the broadband in North Carolina

According to state data, about 96% of North Carolinas can use 100Mbps download speeds and 20Mbps upload speeds. FCC data lists this number as 100%. Additionally, according to speed testing company Ookla, North Carolina ranks seventh in median download speeds in 50 states and Rhode Island. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET (Ziff Davis).) The median download speed of Tar Heel State is at about 231Mbps, thanks in part to the reliable Google Fiber, Raleigh actually holds its fastest internet list with the fastest digit download speeds and has a median download speed of about 289mbps. North Carolina has four of the top 30 cities in Ookla with the fastest internet speeds, with Raleigh at the top, Durham at seven, Durham at 21, Winston-Salem at 22, Greensboro at 22 and Greensboro at 45. Although most are in Charlotte and triangles, more than 48% of people can access fiber-optic internet connections.

Internet failure in North Carolina cities

It is difficult to cover broadband options across the state and provide the attention that cities deserve. That’s why we also compiled a list of the best internet providers in various cities in the United States, including those in North Carolina. We address details such as internet connection types, maximum speeds and cheapest providers. If you can’t find the city below, please check it later. We are working to add more locations per week.

Internet pricing in North Carolina

The starting price of North Carolina Internet services will depend on where you live, but from the state’s most extensive ISPs, it is expected to pay about $50 for internet access. If you are an existing customer of some T-Mobile plans and have access to their 5G Internet products, you can get the service for $40 per month.

How CNET Chooses the Best Internet Provider in North Carolina

There are numerous and regional Internet service providers. Unlike the latest smartphones, laptops, routers, or kitchen tools, it is impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. What is our method? We begin by looking at pricing, availability and speed information, leveraging our own historical ISP data, provider sites, and information from the FCC.Gov FCC.

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 our local address on the provider 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:

1. Can providers access reasonable and fast internet speeds?
2. Do customers get decent value for the money they pay?
3. Are customers satisfied with their service?

Although the answers to these questions are often layered and complex, 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.

To explore our process more deeply, visit our test ISP page.

The Future of Broadband in North Carolina

In late June, the federal government awarded North Carolina $1.5 billion to expand high-speed internet access across the state. Information Technology Department Broadband and Digital Fairness Department “will use [Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment] The state’s five-year plan is funded to connect high-cost areas, remaining unserved and underserved locations, and community hosting agencies without fiber access.

North Carolina FAQ