AT&T Fiber – Best fiber internet coverage in North Carolina
- Prices: $55 – $180 per month
- Speeds: 300 – 5,000Mbps
- Key Info: Unlimited data, no contracts, equipment included
Brightspeed – Best rural carrier for the eastern part of North Carolina
- Prices: $50 – $60 per month
- Speeds: 10 – 940Mbps
- Key Info: Unlimited data, no contracts
Whether gaming, watching movies and TV shows, or working, North Carolina is home to some of the fastest internet speeds in the country, according to Ookla, ranking 10th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The median download speed in the Tar Heel State sits at about 209Mbps, thanks in part to the reliably fast Google Fiber, and in fact, Raleigh holds the top spot on its list of cities with the fastest internet, with median download speeds of about 255Mbps.
While AT&T and Google’s fiber option is mainly limited to Charlotte and The Triangle, North Carolinians can access many internet connection options, including satellite internet from HughesNet and Viasat (and Starlink, soon).
CNET examines customer service, speed, pricing and overall value before recommending the best broadband in your area. Due to its wide availability in the state, fast speeds and simple pricing, we’re giving the nod to Spectrum as the best internet provider overall in North Carolina. Your options will vary depending on where you live, but fortunately, everyone in the state can get online, although it may be through satellite internet. A quick note: If you live in Charlotte or Franklin, check out our guides to internet access in those cities.
Best internet options in North Carolina
As this is a state-level guide, our picks below will focus on the internet service providers that are available to most people in North Carolina, as well as other factors including speed and cost. But the best ISP will be the one available to you. All prices listed on this page reflect available discounts for setting up paperless billing. If you decide not to go with automatic monthly payments, your price will be higher.
Note: The prices, speeds and features detailed in the article text may differ from those listed in the product detail cards, representing providers’ national offerings. Your internet service options — including prices and speeds — depend on your address and may differ from those detailed here.
Price range $40 – $70 per month Speed range 300 – 940Mbps Connection Cable Key Info Unlimited data, simple pricing, no contracts, modem included, free access to nationwide Wi-Fi hotspots
Spectrum may not have the fastest speeds or provide the overall best value, but it’s the no-nonsense way for most North Carolinians to connect to the internet.
Availability: Spectrum is available to more than 73% of households in North Carolina, according to the Federal Communications Commission, serving a decent chunk of the state, including Asheville, Charlotte, Raleigh and all their suburbs. Spectrum is also available on the eastern coast at Kitty Hawk and around Jacksonville, North Carolina.
Plans and pricing: Spectrum typically offers three service tiers, with a 300Mbps plan at $50 a month, 500Mbps for $70 and 940Mbps for $90.
Fees and service details: Spectrum does not cap data or require a contract and offers a free modem.
Price range $55 – $180 per month Speed range 300 – 5,000Mbps Connection Fiber Key Info Unlimited data, no contracts, equipment included
AT&T’s fiber internet offering gets high marks from CNET for its reliability, speed and value, and normally is our top recommendation for connecting to the internet. The issue in North Carolina is its limited availability, as only 10% of households in the state can access it.
Availability: AT&T Fiber is available in Asheville, Boone, Burlington, Charlotte (and most of its surrounding suburbs), Greensboro, Hendersonville, Lenoir, Lumberton, Rockingham, The Triangle, Wilmington and Winston-Salem.
Plans and pricing: AT&T offers five fiber internet options ranging from 300Mbps for $55 a month, 500Mbps for $65, 1,000Mbps for $80, 2,000Mbps for $110 and 5,000Mbps for $180. All AT&T Fiber areas will have at least the first three options available, while some bigger cities will have all five.
Fees and service details: AT&T Fiber plans offer unlimited data and do not require a contract. All plans also come with Wi-Fi equipment.
Price range $50 per month ($30 for eligible mobile customers) Speed range 72 – 245Mbps Connection Fixed wireless Key Info Unlimited data, equipment included, no contracts, no additional fees
With T-Mobile’s home internet option available to three quarters of households in North Carolina, according to the FCC, you can likely connect to the internet through the carrier’s 5G offering.
Availability: You’ll have to give T-Mobile your address to see if you can access its 5G home internet. Much depends on whether any open slots are in your area or neighborhood.
Plans and pricing: T-Mobile Home Internet is available for $50 monthly, with speeds ranging from 72 to 245Mbps. If you’re already a customer of the company’s Go5G Plus or Magenta Max phone plans, the offering gets more compelling at $30 a month. T-Mobile customers with Go5G, Magenta or Essentials plans pay $40 monthly.
Fees and service details: There are no equipment fees, data caps or contracts with T-Mobile Home Internet.
Price range $50 – $60 per month Speed range 10 – 940Mbps Connection DSL, fiber Key Info Unlimited data, no contracts
While Spectrum covers a wide swath of North Carolina, it has a huge coverage gap between Raleigh and Wilson to Kitty Hawk. Brightspeed, a Charlotte-based company that provides internet and voice services to areas previously served by CenturyLink, fills that gap.
Availability: Brightspeed services the areas around the Triangle (but not the Triangle itself), including Johnson and Tusculum in the West, Hickory and the area between Henderson and Kitty Hawk in the North, down to Jacksonville in the South.
Plans and pricing: Brightspeed offers both copper and fiber-based internet, but most of the rural areas of North Carolina will likely have access to just one plan for $50 a month with speeds from 19 to 100Mbps.
Fees and service details: There is a $15 monthly modem lease and a one-time $99 installation fee. All plans include unlimited data, and no contract is required.
Google Fiber
Best high-speed fiber internet for The Triangle and Charlotte
Product details
Source: CNET analysis of provider data
Is there fiber internet in North Carolina?
