Compare Madison internet speeds to the national average
Download Speeds
Madison – 194 Mbps
AL – 115 Mbps
U.S. – 123 Mbps
Upload Speeds
Madison – 89 Mbps
AL – 47 Mbps
U.S. – 44 Mbps
*Data sourced from M-LAB speed tests taken by real users in Madison.
Provider | ||||
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AT&T | $55.00 | 10 - 5,000 Mbps | DSL | 79% |
AT&T | $55.00 | 10 - 5,000 Mbps | Fiber-optic | 33% |
Xfinity | $29.99 | 50 - 3,000 Mbps | Cable | 13% |
Mediacom | $19.99 | 100 - 1,000 Mbps | Cable | 3.281% |
WOW! | $29.99 | 200 - 1,200 Mbps | Cable | 96% |
WOW! | $29.99 | 200 - 1,200 Mbps | Fiber-optic | 95% |
HughesNet | $64.99 | 25 - 25 Mbps | Satellite | 100% |
Viasat | $69.99 | 12 - 150 Mbps | Satellite | 100% |
*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. As of Sep 23, 2022.
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people have access to broadband internet of any type
1 provider - 97.50%
2 providers - 85.96%
3 providers - 13.32%
4+ providers - 2.03%
Source: FCC
At 98%, broadband coverage in Madison is comparable to the rest of Alabama - 94%, and comparable to broadband coverage across the U.S. - 95%.
The vast majority of those living in the Madison area will have access to cable, which covers 94% of Madison residents. DSL internet is also an option for many, offering service to 87% of the area. Fiber-optic is less available but still a popular internet option for roughly 54% of those living in Madison.
There are six internet providers serving the Madison area, and 85.96% of households will have internet options from more than one provider. Among Madison's six internet providers, prices start at $19.99 and available download speeds reach up to 5,000 Mbps.
Results from real users
Provider | Download speed | Upload speed | Internet type |
---|---|---|---|
Mediacom | 378 Mbps | 31 Mbps | Cable |
Xfinity | 151 Mbps | 22 Mbps | Cable |
WOW! | 170 Mbps | 31 Mbps | Cable |
AT&T | 259 Mbps | 219 Mbps | DSL |
*Data sourced from M-LAB speed tests taken by real users in Madison.
The largest internet providers in Madison are AT&T and Xfinity bringing DSL, fiber-optic, and cable options to Madison.
DSL internet from AT&T is available to most Madison residents, covering 79% of households. Some will also have the option of fiber-optic from AT&T, which covers 33% of the area. Madison’s third most-available internet provider, Xfinity, offers cable to around 13% of Madison residents.
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*Wireless speeds may vary. 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. As of Sep 23, 2022.
DSL from AT&T offers broadband to most households in Madison covering 79% of the area.
DSL internet from AT&T uses telephone lines in Madison to deliver service, which often leads to lower prices and higher availability, though download speeds are likely to be slower than cable or fiber-optic internet.
Internet prices for AT&T start at $55/mo.*, which is significantly higher than the average starting price for internet in Madison, $44.99.
AT&T customers who choose the lowest-priced plan can expect speeds up to 10 Mbps, which comes to an estimated $5.50 per Mbps, significantly higher than the average cost per Mbps for the lowest priced plans in Madison, $0.45.
For those who value internet speed as much as cost, AT&T offers download speeds up to 5,000 Mbps and upload speeds up to 20 Mbps in Madison. These download speeds are available to 79% of the area, and are much faster than the average max speeds from all Madison's providers, 717 Mbps.
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*Wireless speeds may vary. 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. As of Sep 23, 2022.
Fiber-optic from AT&T offers broadband to some, but not many households in Madison covering 33% of the area.
Fiber-optic service from AT&T is popular for its fast download and upload speeds, even during peak usage times, but may be less available throughout Madison than other internet types.
Internet prices for AT&T start at $55/mo.*, which is significantly higher than the average starting price for internet in Madison, $44.99.
AT&T customers who choose the lowest-priced plan can expect speeds up to 10 Mbps, which comes to an estimated $5.50 per Mbps, significantly higher than the average cost per Mbps for the lowest priced plans in Madison, $0.45.
For those who value internet speed as much as cost, AT&T offers download speeds up to 5,000 Mbps and upload speeds up to 1,000 Mbps in Madison. These download speeds are available to 33% of the area, and are much faster than the average max speeds from all Madison's providers, 717 Mbps.
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*Wireless speeds may vary. 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. As of Sep 23, 2022.
Cable from Xfinity offers broadband to a limited number of households in Madison covering 13% of the area.
Xfinity’s cable network is likely to offer faster speeds than DSL or satellite service, but Madison residents in densely populated areas may experience slowed speeds during peak usage times.
Internet prices for Xfinity start at $29.99/mo.*, which is significantly lower than the average starting price for internet in Madison, $44.99.
Xfinity customers who choose the lowest-priced plan can expect speeds up to 50 Mbps, which comes to an estimated $0.60 per Mbps, about the same as the average cost per Mbps for the lowest priced plans in Madison, $0.45.
For those who value internet speed as much as cost, Xfinity offers download speeds up to 3,000 Mbps and upload speeds up to 35 Mbps in Madison. These download speeds are available to 13% of the area, and are much faster than the average max speeds from all Madison's providers, 717 Mbps.
If you live in the heart of Madison, you’ll likely have options from cable, fiber-optic, and DSL internet providers. For those in rural areas or just outside Madison, however, satellite or fixed wireless internet may be the best internet option.
Satellite internet from HughesNet and Viasat offers 100% availability in Madison and surrounding areas. HughesNet starting prices are significantly higher than average in Madison at $64.99/mo. for speeds up to 25 Mbps. Viasat starting prices are significantly higher than average in Madison at $69.99/mo. for speeds up to 150 Mbps. Satellite internet is a less appealing option for many Madison residents, however, as service typically comes with high latency and low data allowances.
AT&T is the fastest internet provider in Madison with download speeds up to 5,000 Mbps. These speeds are available to 79% of households in Madison. The next fastest internet provider in Madison is AT&T, offering download speeds up to 5,000 Mbps to 33% of the area.
Mediacom offers the cheapest internet in Madison with plans starting at $19.99/mo. This is significantly less than the average starting price for internet in Madison, $44.99.
WOW! is the largest fiber-optic internet service provider in Madison, covering 95% of the city. AT&T also offers fiber internet in Madison and is available to 33% of households.
There are benefits to using your own router vs. buying or renting one from your internet provider, such as lower monthly costs and more product options. If you choose to use your own router, keep in mind that your internet provider’s tech support may not be able to fully assist you with your personal router. Select providers may not give you the option to use your own router.
If you suspect your slow speeds are the result of your internet provider throttling your connection, the easiest way to determine if you’re being throttled is to perform two speed tests. Run the first test on your regular network, then run the second one on a VPN. If the two speeds are drastically different (and the VPN test was higher), your internet provider may be throttling your speeds.
Each video streaming service has varying recommended speeds, but speeds up to 10 Mbps will often handle streaming on one device. For HD and 4K streaming, consider faster speeds of at least 25 Mbps to reduce buffering and maintain optimal picture quality.