Best Internet Providers in North Carolina

spectrum CNET’s top pick for the best internet service provider in North Carolina is Thanks to fast speeds, wide availability, and reasonable pricing. The cable giant serves many addresses in the state, but if you’re outside of their service area, there are plenty of other options depending on where in the state you live.

If you’re looking for maximum speed, Google Fiber provides the fastest internet in North Carolina. Although you can get speeds as high as 8,000 megabits per second for an affordable price, Google Fiber only serves some cities in North Carolina. If you live in a rural area, you can choose a local fiber optic provider or a fixed wireless option like T-Mobile Home Internet. Check out all of our recommendations below to find the best internet provider for your home.

Who are the best internet providers in North Carolina?

Whether you want to play games, watch movies and TV shows, or work, North Carolina has some of the fastest internet speeds in the country. Although AT&T and Google’s fiber options are primarily limited to Charlotte and the Triangle, North Carolinians have access to many types of internet connections. We give this the nod because it’s widely available stateside, has fast speeds, and has simple pricing. Spectrum as the best internet provider throughout North Carolina. Your options vary depending on where you live, but fortunately, everyone in the state can get online, although it may be through satellite internet.

Best Internet Options in North Carolina

Source: CNET analysis of provider data

Broadband Overview in North Carolina

According to , approximately 96% of North Carolina residents have access to download speeds of 100Mbps and upload speeds of 20Mbps. status data. Additionally, North Carolina and Washington, DC rank 7th out of 50 states for the fastest median download speeds, according to speed testing companies. Okura. (Ookla is owned by Ziff Davis, the same parent company as CNET.) Median download speeds in the Tar Heel State are around 262Mbps, thanks in part to reliable Google Fiber, and in fact, Raleigh It maintains its top position. List of cities with the fastest internet, with median download speeds around 331Mbps. North Carolina has five cities in the top 30 of Okura’s ranking of 100 cities with the fastest internet speeds. Raleigh ranks first, followed by Durham in seventh place, Charlotte in 21st, Winston-Salem in 22nd and Greensboro in second. 45. Yes, the Tar Heel State has high-speed internet, thanks in large part to fiber internet from AT&T and Google. just finished 48% accessible Most are located in Charlotte and The Triangle, but are connected to fiber internet connections.

Internet Breakdown by City in North Carolina

Covering broadband options across the state and giving individual cities their own attention is difficult. That’s why we’ve also compiled a list of the best internet providers for cities across the United States, including North Carolina. We’ll tackle details like the type of internet connection, maximum speed, and cheapest provider. If you can’t find the city you’re looking for below, please check back later. We’re working to add more locations every week.

North Carolina internet rates

Starting prices for internet service in North Carolina vary depending on where you live, but based on the state’s most popular ISPs, you can expect to pay around $50 to get online. If you’re an existing customer of certain T-Mobile plans and have access to their 5G internet service, you can get that service for $40 a month.

How CNET chooses the best internet providers in North Carolina

There are many Internet service providers and they vary by region. Unlike the latest smartphones, laptops, routers, and kitchen tools, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a particular city. What is our approach? We start by researching pricing, availability, and speed information using our own historical ISP data, provider sites, and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission. FCC.gov.

This is not the end. We go to the FCC’s website and review the data to ensure we account for all ISPs serving the area. Also, enter your local address on the provider’s website to find specific options for residents. Look at sources like the U.S. Customer Satisfaction Index and JD Power to gauge how satisfied your customers are with your ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices may change frequently. All information provided is accurate at the time of publication.

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

1. Does your provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
2. Are customers getting value for their money?
3. Are your customers satisfied with your service?

The answers to these questions are often layered and complex, but the provider that comes closest to a “yes” to all three is recommended. When choosing the cheapest internet service, look for the plan with the lowest monthly fee, taking into account price increases, equipment costs, contracts, etc. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively easy. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and consider actual speed data from sources such as: Okura and FCC report.

To find out more about our process, please visit our How We Test ISPs page.

The future of broadband in North Carolina

The federal government awarded the award to North Carolina in late June. $1.5 billion in expansion High-speed internet access throughout the state. The Ministry of Information Technology, Broadband and Digital Equity Division, said: [Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment] “Funding to connect high-cost areas, unserved or underserved areas, and community anchor institutions without fiber access.” state five year plan draft. The government also plans to increase digital literacy and make internet access more affordable.

North Carolina Internet Frequently Asked Questions