Find fiber internet in your area

Fiber internet offers best-in-class service

Fiber is the gold standard for home internet, offering a faster and more reliable connection than cable or DSL internet. Fiber optic internet uses small strands of glass wrapped with plastic to transmit data as light, rather than coaxial cables that use electricity to send data.

All of that adds up to significantly faster speeds. Most fiber plans get between 300 and 1,000 Mbps, but providers like AT&T, Frontier, Google Fiber and Xfinity all offer speeds even faster than that. At 1,000 Mbps, it would take you about 10 seconds to download a two-hour movie, compared to 10+ minutes on a 20 Mbps connection.

According to the FCC, nearly 43% of the U.S. population has access to fiber internet service. With few exceptions, you should opt for a fiber connection if it’s available to you. A recent FCC report found that download speeds for DSL connections average 21 Mbps, compared to 178 Mbps for cable and 447 Mbps for fiber. Fiber plans are typically more expensive than DSL, but you’ll pay a similar price to cable.

What’s more, fiber internet provides symmetrical speeds — the same upload and download speeds — where cable and DSL usually have much slower upload speeds. That could translate to glitchy gaming or Zoom meetings, and longer wait times for uploading media.

Check to see which fiber providers are available near you

*Pricing per month plus taxes for length of contract. Additional fees and terms may apply. Pricing varies by location and availability. All prices subject to change at any time. May or may not be available based on service address. Speeds may vary. As of 01/30/23.

**per month w/ Auto Pay & Paperless Bill. Max wired speed 5000/5000. Wi-Fi, actual & average speeds vary. One-time charges apply. 03/13/23.

Allconnect’s top fiber optic internet provider: AT&T

Although Google Fiber is the best fiber provider out there, serviceability is limited and users are more likely to find AT&T available in their area. AT&T’s Allconnect rating for AT&T fiber service is 4.43 out of 5 stars and the starting price for fiber service is $55/mo.

How we score internet providers

We evaluate broadband providers in four categories: affordability, performance, value and customer satisfaction. Each category contains multiple sub-factors, all of which are weighted differently to impact the provider’s overall score.

We evaluate broadband providers in four categories: affordability, performance, value and customer satisfaction. Each category contains multiple sub-factors, all of which are weighted differently to impact the provider’s overall score.

For each sub-factor, we score all providers on a continuous scale of 1 to 5, relative to the industry as a whole. Because the average download speed in America is currently 180 Mbps, for example, we assigned all plans with download speeds between 100 and 299 Mbps a score between 3 and 4. Xfinity’s 200 Mbps plan received a 3.50 score for download speed, while Spectrum’s 400 Mbps plan got a 4.16.

We only considered standardized data points in our scoring system. More abstract data like consistency of service and brand reputation is still part of our analysis, but we opted to let our writers address them in the context of each review.

Learn more about our methodology

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How fiber internet works

Fiber optic internet, also known as “fiber internet” or just “fiber,” uses thin cables made of glass or plastic fibers to transfer data as light signals. Fiber Internet usually refers to an FTTH (Fiber to the home) connection, which means that the infrastructure is 100% fiber, all the way to your home. This type of internet connection can support faster, more reliable download and upload speeds compared to DSL and cable internet networks.

Most gigabit internet providers use a fiber optic network, but not all fiber internet connections are the same. Depending on where you live, you may have access to FTTN, FTTH or FTTC networks. As a relatively new internet technology, fiber optic service is quickly growing in popularity and availability.

“Fiber internet” means different things to different providers, but when most people say “fiber internet,” they mean “fiber to the premises.” Cable and DSL providers may use fiber in some stages of their infrastructure, but unless it does all the way to the home, it doesn’t deliver the speeds fiber is known for.

Here are the types of fiber internet that are commonly available:

FTTN – fiber to the node

Fiber to the node (FTTN) connections use fiber optic cables to carry data to a hub close to your home but are generally DSL internet. This is why your speeds get slower the farther away you are from a central node because the copper wires that connect the endpoint to the node cannot carry the signal without data loss. From this point, DSL or coaxial cables carry the data the rest of the way.

FTTN connections can also be referred to as “hybrid fiber-coaxial network” or HFC, and are common connection types from cable internet providers. Since this type of connection isn’t pure fiber, the connection is not as reliable or fast when it comes to upload speeds. 

FTTC – fiber to the curb

Fiber to the curb (FTTC) connections are what we traditionally think of as “cable internet” where the fiber lines run closer to an end user and then the last portion is connected via cable. They do carry the fiber optic signals further than FTTN connections, usually stopping at the “curb” of your house.

FTTC does still use a DSL or coaxial cable to bridge the gap between your home and the street, which can leave your connection susceptible to signal interference just like with FTTN.

FTTP – fiber to the premises

Fiber to the premises (FTTP) connections employ fiber optic cables all the way to your home. FTTP offers the best in bandwidth, reliability and speed consistency.

AT&T, CenturyLink, Frontier Fiber and Verizon Fios claim to offer a 100% fiber network in select areas.

FTTP speeds can reach up to 5,000 Mbps, or 5 Gigs. This puts fiber connections far ahead of other internet types, such as DSL that averages under 100 Mbps, or cable internet that averages around 150 Mbps.

Compare top fiber optic internet providers

Check to see how fiber internet connections differ, compare costs and check to see which providers are available at your home:

Provider	Price range*	Download speed range	Rating
Google Fiber	$70.00 – $100.00/mo.	1,000 – 2,000 Mbps	4.50/5
AT&T	$55.00 – $180.00/mo.	300 – 4,700 Mbps	4.43/5
Verizon Fios	$49.99 – $89.99/mo.	300 – 940 Mbps	4.42/5
CenturyLink	$50.00 – $65.00/mo.	200 – 940 Mbps	4.33/5
Frontier Fiber	$49.99 – $154.99/mo.	500 – 5,000 Mbps	4.16/5
Xfinity	$299.95/mo.	3,000 – 6,000 Mbps	3.95/5
Windstream	$39.99 – $69.99/mo.	200 – 1000 Mbps	3.95/5
Cox	$99.99/mo.	940 Mbps	3.80/5
Optimum	$45.00 – $65.00/mo.	300 – 940 Mbps	3.78/5

*Pricing per month plus taxes for length of contract. Additional fees and terms may apply. Pricing varies by location and availability. All prices subject to change at any time. May or may not be available based on service address. Speeds may vary. As of 03/01/23.

Fiber internet availability in your area

If you find yourself asking “is there fiber internet near me”? Wonder no more. Fiber technology is relatively new, and most providers are still working to expand their fiber networks to more areas. Providers such as AT&T, CenturyLink, Cox, Frontier, Mediacom, Suddenlink, Verizon and Kinetic by Windstream currently offer residential fiber Wi-Fi connections in select areas. Here are some areas where fiber internet might be available near you.

Fiber availability by provider

• AT&T

  AT&T offers fiber internet across select cities in California, Texas, the Midwest and most of the Southeast. AT&T continues to build its fiber internet network in the U.S., so more residents in these regions will soon have access to high-speed fiber internet. Check the AT&T fiber coverage map to see if service is available near you.

• CenturyLink

  CenturyLink fiber internet offers speeds up to 1,000 Mbps in 11 major metro areas in the U.S. CenturyLink gig speeds are available in cities such as Denver, CO; Las Vegas, NV; Minneapolis, MN; Omaha, NE; Portland, OR; Seattle, WA and others.

• Cox

  Cox Gigablast internet is available in most Cox service areas. Primary service areas include Phoenix, AZ; San Diego, CA; New Orleans, LA; Oklahoma City, OK; Omaha, NE; Providence, RI and Virginia Beach, VA.

• Frontier

  Frontier Communications offers its fiber service, Frontier Fiber, in select areas of California, Florida, Indiana and Texas.

• Google Fiber

  Google, one of the first fiber internet providers, has fiber optic networks in select cities across the U.S. Right now, Google does not intend to expand fiber internet markets. You can find Google Fiber in parts of cities such as Atlanta, GA; Kansas City, KS; Charlotte, NC; Austin, TX and Salt Lake City, UT. Where available, Google Fiber plans start at $70/mo. and offer speeds ranging from 1,000 to 2,000 Mbps.

• Optimum

  A division of Altice, Optimum has implemented fiber optic networks in select areas. Optimum primarily serves the greater NYC area.

• Verizon Fios

  Verizon’s fiber optic TV and internet, Verizon Fios, is available in select cities across the East Coast. Verizon offers fiber connections across New Jersey, throughout Pennsylvania, in select cities in Virginia and in other major metro areas along the coast.

• Kinetic by Windstream

  Kinetic by Windstream’s fiber internet service, Windstream Kinetic Gig Internet, is available across 16 states. Cities and towns where Windstream fiber internet is available include Huron, MO; Concord, NC; Avon, OH and Wake Village, TX.

• Xfinity

  Xfinity offers the Gigabit plan (up to 1,000 Mbps) throughout all of its regions. The Gigabit Pro plan (up to 3,000 Mbps), however, is not available everywhere, but you can currently find it in cities such as Fresno, CA; Atlanta, GA; Miami, FL; Chicago, IL; Nashville, TN and more.

What is fiber internet good for?

Compared to other internet types, such as cable and DSL, fiber optic internet is perfect for many uses, including some of the more demanding online tasks.

• Streaming TV – Fiber’s high speeds and connection quality make it ideal for streaming with little to no buffering, even in HD or 4K.
• Downloading shows/movies/games – The gigabit speeds available from most fiber internet providers cut download times for large files such as movies or games significantly. For example, you could download a 4 GB show in around 35 seconds with 1,000 Mbps, compared to nearly an hour with typical speeds from a DSL connection.
• Gaming online – With fiber optic internet, data travels up to 70% the speed of light, making for extremely low lag, which is perfect for gamers.
• Video conferencing – Fiber internet has fast upload speeds compared to cable and DSL internet, which are needed for video conferencing as well as uploading pictures and videos to social media.
• Working from home – With more people working and learning remotely these days, some internet providers have trouble handling all that traffic. With fiber internet’s increased data capacity, you won’t have to worry about your meetings cutting out.

How much speed do you really need?

With AT&T’s latest fiber plan going all the way up to 4,700 Mbps, it’s fair to ask who really needs that much speed. The average internet speed in the U.S. is currently around 223 Mbps, according to Ookla’s Speedtest data, and streaming services like Netflix only require about 25 Mbps to stream in 4K. 

That’s a long way from even 1,000 Mbps. That said, some people will find that fiber speed upgrade worth the price. Here’s what you can do with some of the higher speed tiers:

• 1 Gbps: If you have a lot of people in your house who play online games, stream in 4K or are working or learning from home, you might benefit from 1,000 Mbps of download and upload speeds. According to Twitch, you only need 2.5 to 4 Mbps to play at 720p and 30 frames per second or 3.5 to 5 Mbps for 720p at 60 fps. On a one gig plan, you could broadcast Twitch on 100 screens — and still have half your bandwidth left over.
• 2 Gbps: Going above 1,000 Mbps is overkill for almost anyone. The one exception might be if you’re uploading large files on more than one device at a time. For context, a 2,000 Mbps connection would allow you to upload every episode of The Office in HD — around 100 hours — in a little over a minute.
• 4.7 Gbps: The most widely available fiber plan in the country is from AT&T. It gets you 4,700 Mbps of upload and download speeds — enough to stream video in 4K simultaneously on 188 screens. It’s hard to imagine any situation where that amount of bandwidth is required, and should probably only be considered if you plan on uploading and downloading extremely large files on multiple devices at once. 

Fiber ISPs record the highest customer satisfaction ratings

Overall, fiber internet providers tend to rate higher in customer satisfaction than cable or internet providers. AT&T and Verizon received the top two scores overall in 2022 from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ASCI) — two providers that primarily offer fiber optic service.

Source: ACSI

Fiber vs. Cable vs. DSL

If you live in an area with fiber internet, you probably also have cable and DSL internet options. What’s the difference when matching up fiber vs. cable? Does it matter if you go with fiber or DSL?

DSL uses your home phone line to connect you to the internet, and it’s the slowest of the three by far. Cable internet is more like fiber, but it uses copper coaxial cables instead of fiber’s glass and plastic. That means you’re more likely to experience congestion during high-traffic hours, and your top speeds will generally be slower.

The bottom line: If you have access to fiber, you should get it. Your internet speeds will be significantly faster and more reliable than cable and DSL, and the price is typically about the same. Unfortunately, fiber internet still only covers about half the area that cable does.

Fiber internet FAQs

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Written by:

David Anders

Senior Writer, Broadband Content

David joined the Allconnect team in 2017, specializing in broadband and TV content. His work has been referenced by a variety of sources, including ArcGIS, DIRECTV and more. As a Senior Writer, David is motivate… Read more

Edited by:

Robin Layton

Editor, Broadband Content

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