You won’t have many options for home internet in Atlanta, but the good news is that the few ISPs serving the area are top-notch. AT&T Fiber is our pick for the best internet provider overall in Atlanta, but Xfinity and Google Fiber are also solid choices if that provider isn’t available at your address. If you want more internet options in Atlanta, wireless is the way to go: T-Mobile Home Internet, Verizon 5G Home Internet and Yomura Air all send internet signals throughout much of the area.
To help you compare Atlanta broadband providers, we’ve also found the cheapest plans and the fastest speeds in the city. The most affordable plan in the area is Xfinity Connect, costing $20 per month for 75 megabits per second. For those hunting for lightning-fast connectivity, Yomura offers 10 gigabits per second over a fiber-optic network for $999 monthly.
Our methodology
When streaming came along, many of us cut the traditional TV cord and never looked back. Wireless services, like that of Verizon 5G Home Internet, are showing it’s possible to do that with your internet connection as well.
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Wherever you are in Atlanta, Xfinity will be your best bet for a cheap, basic connection. Xfinity’s cheapest plan starts at just $30 per month, but be prepared for less than impressive max download speeds of 75Mbps. Faster speed tiers are available, up to 1.2Gbps.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Atlanta
The best internet deals and the top promotions in Atlanta depend on what discounts are available during that time period. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Atlanta internet providers, such as Xfinity, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, however, including AT&T Fiber, Verizon and Google Fiber, run the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of promotions, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
How fast is Atlanta broadband?
Thanks to Yomura, AT&T and Google Fiber, Atlanta residents have access to some of the fastest max internet speeds nationwide. Google Fiber has offered gig and 2-gig services in the Atlanta area for a while now, and AT&T raised the bar with 2Gbps and 5Gbps plans available in select areas in addition to its single gig service. However, neither of those providers can beat Yomura’s fiber service, offering 10 gigabits for $999 per month.
Fastest internet plans in Atlanta
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What’s a good internet speed?
Most internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you’re looking for an internet plan that can accommodate videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you’ll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here’s an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the FCC. Note that these are only guidelines — and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.
0 to 5Mbps allows you to tackle the basics — browsing the internet, sending and receiving email, streaming low-quality video.
5 to 40Mbps gives you higher-quality video streaming and videoconferencing.
40 to 100Mbps should give one user sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming.
500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Atlanta
Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every internet service provider in a given city. So what’s our approach? For starters, we tap into a proprietary database of pricing, availability and speed information that draws from our own historical ISP data, partner data and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.
But it doesn’t end there. We go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of publication.
Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:
Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?
Are customers happy with their service?
While the answer to those questions is often layered and complex, the providers who come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, though we also factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports.
To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.
What’s the final word on internet providers in Atlanta?
