Internet providers in North Carolina

Find North Carolina internet providers by city

North Carolina offers residents and visitors a little bit of everything. Whether you live near the mountains in a city like Asheville, on the coast in Wilmington or in one of North Carolina’s largest cities like Charlotte or Raleigh, there are several top internet service providers (ISPs) available in the Tar Heel State. You can choose from fiber, cable, DSL and satellite internet options. Competitive prices are the standard in North Carolina, so checking out current internet plans in your area can save you money.

Explore internet availability and speed in various North Carolina cities below. We’ve included each city’s median download speed from Ookla’s Speedtest.net, the percentage of households in each city with access to at least 100 Mbps, 250 Mbps and 1,000 Mbps and the number of providers available in each city.

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Internet in North Carolina 

Spectrum is the most widely available non-satellite internet provider in North Carolina, serviceable to 74% of the state. The fastest internet provider in the state is AT&T Fiber, which provides fiber speeds from 300 to 5,000 Mbps.

Charlotte is the most populated city in North Carolina, and has a median download speed of about 335 Mbps, and a median upload speed of 40 Mbps. Spectrum is the most widely available provider in Charlotte with 93% serviceability. Spectrum offers two cable internet plans, 500 Mbps and 1,000 Mbps.

Best internet providers in North Carolina

We’ve ranked the top internet providers in North Carolina by coverage area, technology and starting price. We’ve done the research so you can easily find the providers in your area that are the best fit for 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 01/08/25.
**Limited time offer; subject to change. Requires purchase of qualifying Brightspeed Fiber internet service in select areas. Promotional price offered through bill credit for new Brightspeed customers only. Bill credit of: $20/month over first 6 months for purchase of 200 Mbps plan; $20/month over first 12 months for purchase of 500 Mbps plan. Standard rates apply after promotion period.

Fastest internet in North Carolina

AT&T, Brightspeed and TDS provide the fastest internet in North Carolina. AT&T has the fastest plans, with speeds up to 5,000 Mbps, and it is available in cities like Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro and Wilmington.

• AT&T Fiber offers fiber plans ranging from 300 – 5,000 Mbps, starting at $55/mo.
• Brightspeed offers fiber speeds from 200 – 2,000 Mbps, starting at $29.00/mo.
• TDS offers fiber internet speeds from 25 – 2,000 Mbps

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 01/08/25.

Cheapest internet in North Carolina

Verizon and T-Mobile have the cheapest options available, though you must bundle with a mobile plan to get the best price. Both providers are widely available throughout the state. With most providers in Charlotte offering plans over $50.00/mo., this is a solid deal, especially if you are willing to switch to T-Mobile or Verizon mobile service. 

• T-Mobile offers 5G internet starting at $40.00/mo. for up to 245 Mbps
• Verizon offers two 5G plans starting at $35.00/mo. with a mobile plan
• Spectrum offers a 500 Mbps plan for $50.00/mo.

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 01/08/25.

North Carolina internet resources

Lifeline

Lifeline is a federal assistance program offering $9.25/mo. toward eligible customers’ internet and phone services. Eligibility depends on participation in other assistance programs and income.

Access Charlotte 

Access Charlotte is a digital equity initiative that began in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, Access Charlotte has provided internet to over 8,000 households across 75 cities through a partnership with Spectrum Internet^®.

North Carolina internet statistics

Compare North Carolina’s median download and upload speeds to the U.S. median upload and download speeds. North Carolina pulls ahead when it comes to download speed, but the U.S. has a faster median upload speed.

Source: Ookla’s Speedtest.net

Internet availability in North Carolina

100% of North Carolina households have access to the minimum broadband speed of 100/20 Mbps. Explore the availability of different internet technology types in North Carolina, including cable, fiber, satellite and fixed wireless (based on access to 100/20 Mbps broadband speed).

Source: FCC broadband map

Quality of internet access in North Carolina

100% of North Carolina has access to the minimum recommended broadband speeds of 100/20 Mbps, but less than 37% of the state has access to gigabit speeds:

• Residents with broadband access (speeds at or over 100/20 Mbps): 100%
• Residents with access to 250/25 Mbps: 88%
• Residents with access to gigabit speeds (at or over 1,000/100 Mbps): 44%

Source: FCC coverage maps

North Carolina internet FAQs