Best Internet Service Providers in North Carolina

The bandwidth researchers at CNET are here to assist you in finding the ideal internet service provider and plan for your needs. We’ve done the work, and whether you want the fastest speeds or the most budget-friendly solution, we’ve found something for everyone. Our experts chose Band as the best internet service provider in North Carolina after reviewing the available providers and evaluating their choices based on their rapid speeds, common presence, and reasonable prices. There are plenty of other possibilities, depending on where you live, if you’re outside of the state’s insurance area.

If you want top speeds, offers the fastest computer in North Carolina, with speeds as high as 8, 000 megabits per second at affordable prices. But, merely serves find locations in North Carolina, for as Charlotte and Wilmington. If you live in a remote area, you can choose local fiber internet service providers or fixed mobile options like . Select parts of the state can even get speeds of up to 5, 000Mbps through AT&amp, T Fiber. Find the best online service for your home by checking out all of our best picks above.

What’s the best online services in North Carolina?

Whether games, watching movies and TV shows, or working, North Carolina is home to some of the fastest internet velocity in the country. While AT&amp, T and Google’s fiber options are generally limited to Charlotte and The Triangle, North Carolinians you get several online connection types. We rate Spectrum as the best online company general in North Carolina because of its statewide presence, quick velocity, and affordable prices. Your options will range depending on where you live, but thankfully, everyone in the state you find online, although it may be through dish internet.

Our strategy

CNET uses various factors, including speeds, costs, customer service, and nevertheless value, to recommend the best web service in North Carolina across a range of categories. Our analysis includes references to a specialized database created from years of internet service reviews. We spot-check native addresses for support availability to compare that against company information. We even carefully read providers ‘ terms and conditions and, when needed, contact ISPs to confirm the details.

Despite our best efforts to provide the most recent and reliable data, there are some limitations that you should be aware of. Prices and frequency data vary depending on which addresses may qualify for various service levels, and monthly expenses may vary, yet within a city. The best way to find out what options are available is to enter your address into the site of the provider.

Additionally, the company cards below and the prices, rate, and other details may not match what we found in our analysis. According to our database of strategy information provided instantly by ISPs, the cards show the complete range of a company’s pricing and speed across the US. At the same time, the word is certain to what’s attainable in North Carolina. The costs referenced in the text of this article are based on our research and include appropriate discounts for setting up monthly automatic payments, which is a common industry offer. Discounts and promotions might also be offered when you sign a term contract or bundle several companies.

Visit our entire strategy page to learn how we evaluate online providers.

Best online options in North Carolina

Origin: CNET analysis of company data

A quick overview of North Carolina’s bandwidth

According to state statistics, about 96 % of North Carolinians can obtain download speeds of 100 Mbps and upload speeds of 20 Mbps. This figure is 100 %, according to FCC information. Additionally, North Carolina ranks eighth among the 50 states and , for the fastest middle download speeds, per the speed-testing business . ( Disclosure: is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis. ) Raleigh occupies the top spot on the list of cities with the fastest web, with middle download speeds of about 289Mbps, while the Tar Heel State’s median download speed is currently around 231Mbps, which is largely attributable to the effectively fast Google Fiber. &nbsp, North Carolina boasts a four places in the top 30 of ‘s rating of 100 cities by fastest internet speeds, with Raleigh coming in at the bottom, Durham at seven, Charlotte at 21, Winston-Salem at No. Greensboro ranks at No. 22 overall. 45. So yes, the Tar Heel State has some fast internet, mostly thanks to fiber internet from AT&amp, T and Google. Just over 48 % have access to a fiber internet connection, although mostly in Charlotte and The Triangle.

breakdown of the internet in each city in North Carolina

It’s challenging to give each city the attention they deserve while covering all of a state’s broadband options. In order to compile lists of the top internet providers in cities across the US, including those in North Carolina, we also compile lists of these lists. We address issues like the best internet service providers, maximum speeds, and cheapest prices. Check back later if you don’t find the city you’re looking for below. Every week, we’re attempting to add more locations.

Internet pricing in North Carolina

Expect to pay around$ 50 to access online service in North Carolina depending on where you live, based on the most popular ISPs in the state. If you’re a former customer of a particular T-Mobile plan and have access to its 5G internet option, you can get that service for$ 40 per month.

How CNET chose the top North Carolina internet service providers

There are numerous and local Internet service providers. Unlike the latest , , or , it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. What’s our approach? We begin by researching the pricing, availability, and speed information, using historical ISP data, provider websites, and mapping data from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC. gov.

We visit the FCC’s website to check our data and make sure we take into account every ISP that offers service in a given area. For more personalized options for residents, we also enter local addresses into provider websites. 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. All information provided is current and accurate at the time of publication. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes.

Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:

1. Does the provider provide access to reasonably quick internet speeds?

2. Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?

3. Are customers happy with their service?

The providers we recommend are the ones who come closest to “yes” on all three of those questions, even though they frequently have layers and are complex. We look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee when choosing the least expensive internet service, taking into account costs like price increases, equipment costs, and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. We take into account real-world speed data from sources like and as well as advertised upload and download speeds.

Visit our page to learn more about our process.

Future of broadband in North Carolina

Late in June, the state received$ 1.5 billion from the federal government to expand high-speed internet access throughout the state. The Department of Information Technology Division of Broadband and Digital Equity” will use]Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment ] funding to connect high-cost areas, remaining unserved and underserved locations, and community anchor institutions without fiber access”, reads the state’s five-year plan draft. Additionally, the government intends to improve digital literacy and increase the cost of internet access.

FAQs for the internet in North Carolina

Does North Carolina have good internet?

You can bet your tar-heel does it. Not only does North Carolina rank 7th out of the 50 states and District of Columbia in terms of fast median download speeds, according to Ookla, but five cities– Charlotte, Durham, Greensboro, Raleigh and Winston-Salem– boast some of the highest city download speeds in the country.

Is there fiber internet in North Carolina?

Yes. There are two primary providers: AT&amp, T and Google. Charlotte and The Triangle have the highest rates of Fiber internet access, but the state government intends to expand it over the next five years.

Is Spectrum or AT&amp, T better to connect to the internet in North Carolina?

If you have access to Spectrum and AT&amp, T, you may wonder which is the best choice. The short answer: If you can get fiber internet from AT&amp, T, that’s your best option. If AT&amp, T’s DSL service is matched up against Spectrum’s cable connection, you’d be wise to turn to Spectrum. Read more in CNET’s breakdown of AT&amp, T vs. Spectrum.