
Internet providers in Charlotte, NC
Shopping for internet plans in Charlotte? Compare our top picks for best internet service providers in Charlotte, NC to find the plan that best fits your needs.
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COVID Practices
Unlimited data allowance
AT&T consumer home internet or Fixed Wireless Internet customers can use unlimited internet data through September 30, 2020.
Installation practices
Self-installation is the default installation option when available for customers.
Temporary speed upgrade
Get a temporary speed upgrade to 50 Mbps when you order Cox 10 & 30 Mbps internet plans. Offers valid through June 30, 2020.
Installation practices
Self-installation encouraged. Select your desired installation date, and a Cox representative will call to confirm or reschedule your appointment.
N/A
Installation practices
Safety-first Installation: A Frontier technician will perform your installation with appropriate safety protocols including wearing protective equipment and maintaining social distancing. In taking these precautions, it’s recommended that Frontier customers wear a face mask or face covering for the safety of technicians.
New TV plan
Introducing a new “Local 50” video plan to support contactless installation.
Installation practices
Contactless installation: Mediacom will send an installation kit and a technician to set up a single high-speed data connection, phone, or one local TV channel plan with the help of someone in your home.
N/A
Installation practices
Self-installation is encouraged. For professional installation, contact-free delivery is available for work done outside of the home. For customers moving more than 7 days from the date the order is placed, professional installation is available.
N/A
Installation practices
Free Contactless Delivery: An Xfinity technician will drop-off your equipment with installation instructions, then perform any outside work. Get your installation fees back in a customer credit for a no-charge installation.
Internet service in Charlotte, NC
Best ISPs in Charlotte
- Google Fiber – Best overall
- AT&T – Fastest internet
- Spectrum – Best availability
Internet availability by connection type
Cable – 100%
DSL – 93%
Fiber optic – 78%
All available Charlotte residential internet providers
Provider | Starting price | Speed range | Internet type | Charlotte average availability |
---|---|---|---|---|
Spectrum | $49.99/mo.* | 300 – 940 Mbps | Cable | 100% |
AT&T | $55.00/mo.* | 300 – 4,700 Mbps | DSL, fiber optic | 88% |
Windstream | $39.99/mo.* | 25 – 1,000 Mbps | DSL, fiber optic | 13% |
Google Fiber | $70.00/mo.* | 1,000 – 2,000 Mbps | Fiber optic | 8% |
Comporium | $44.94/mo.* | 300 – 1,000 Mbps | Cable, fiber optic | 1% |
HughesNet | $64.99/mo.* | 3-25 Mbps | Satellite | 99% |
Viasat | $49.99/mo.* | 12-100 Mbps | Satellite | 99% |
*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 04/14/22.
Our methodology
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 one to five, 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 three and four. 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.
See how we review internet providersFastest internet available in Charlotte
Provider | Download Speed | Plan name | Connection type |
---|---|---|---|
AT&T | 4,700 Mbps | Internet 5 Gig | Fiber |
Google Fiber | 2,000 Mbps | 2 Gig | Fiber |
Spectrum | 1,000 Mbps | Internet Gig | Fiber |
*Pricing per month plus taxes for length of contract. Additional fees and terms may apply. Pricing varies by location and availability. All prices are subject to change at any time. May or may not be available based on service address. As of 04/15/22.
Charlotte real-world internet speed performance
Google Fiber is the clear winner when it comes to fast internet in the Charlotte area. In fact, it has one of the fastest average speeds you’ll find anywhere in the country. That said, AT&T and Spectrum still provide plenty of speed for most people, and both are above the national average.
The only provider that you might run into issues with is Spectrum. Because it’s a cable internet provider instead of fiber like Google and AT&T, its upload speeds are significantly slower. That means you might have doing things like online gaming or Zoom calls at the same time.
Google Fiber – 313 Mbps
AT&T – 240 Mbps
Spectrum – 132 Mbps
Provider | Average download speed | Average upload speed |
---|---|---|
Google Fiber | 313.2 Mbps | 259.5 Mbps |
AT&T | 240.2 Mbps | 177.7 Mbps |
Spectrum | 132.2 Mbps | 19.4 Mbps |
Charlotte internet speed compared to the national average
Charlotte gets pretty average internet speeds compared to the state and country as a whole. Its 109 Mbps download speed is a little slower than average — but still plenty for most households — while its upload speeds are actually a little faster. That’s largely due to fiber internet in Charlotte, which typically provides the same upload and download speeds.
Download speeds
Charlotte – 109 Mbps
North Carolina – 116 Mbps
U.S. – 117 Mbps
Upload speeds
Charlotte – 48 Mbps
North Carolina – 42 Mbps
U.S. – 42 Mbps
Source
The average speeds listed above are based on over 3 million real speed test results taken in Charlotte over a six-month window from the M-Lab NDT Data Set 2021-09-01–2022-02-28. Measurement Lab is an open source platform aimed at advancing Internet research.
Cheapest internet options in the Queen City
Although all three of these providers — Spectrum, Windstream and Comporium — list prices at or below $50/mo., the rates for these Charlotte internet providers may not cover fees for installation, equipment and taxes. Listed prices may be an introductory offer that could increase after three to 12 months, and you could be required to sign up for autopay and/or paperless billing.
Provider | Download Speed | Monthly Price* | Connection type |
---|---|---|---|
Spectrum | 300 Mbps | $49.99 | Cable |
Comporium | 100 Mbps | $39.94 | DSL |
Kinetic by Windstream | 100 Mbps | $37.00 | DSL |
*Pricing per month plus taxes for length of contract. Additional fees and terms may apply. Pricing varies by location and availability. All prices are subject to change at any time. May or may not be available based on service address. As of 04/14/22.

Allconnect’s affordable choice: Spectrum
While all three of these providers offer cheap high speed internet in Charlotte, NC, Spectrum gives you the best value for your money.

Allconnect Rating
4.50 / 5
Google Fiber: Best overall
Google Fiber is a popular offering for apartment buildings and houses in Charlotte and offers fast speeds of 1 and 2 gigs. Plans come with no data caps, no hidden fees and no contracts.
Why Charlotte loves Google Fiber
Plans offer up to 2 gigs, the fastest plan for fiber internet in Charlotte
Free professional installation
Things to consider
More expensive compared to other providers

Allconnect Rating
4.43 / 5
AT&T: Fastest internet
AT&T is among the best internet providers in Charlotte and is available throughout much of the city, including Uptown and South Charlotte communities such as Southpark, Steele Creek and Carmel. To the east, AT&T is available in Hickory Grove and Mint Hill, but hard to find in much of Matthews. AT&T is also available to the west past Charlotte Douglas Airport and north to Huntersville.
Why Charlotte loves AT&T
AT&T is the highest rated in customer service for the southern region.
There is a wide range of internet speeds to choose from, with speeds as high as 940 Mbps with fiber optic internet.
Things to consider
Limited availability
Limited plan options

Allconnect Rating
3.57 / 5
Spectrum: Best availability
Spectrum is available at almost every address in Charlotte, and it’s a solid option overall, although you won’t get the same speeds as fiber internet providers like AT&T and Google Fiber.
Why Charlotte loves Spectrum
Nearly 100% availability in the Charlotte area
Low equipment fees compared to other providers
Things to consider
Spectrum typically increases prices after 12 months
Upload speeds are slower than fiber internet providers
Additional providers to consider
T-Mobile 5G
One of the newer internet providers around, T-Mobile’s 5G Home internet service uses the same type of wireless connection as your smartphone. It’s not quite as reliable as cable or fiber internet, but you can expect download speeds around 100 Mbps.
Comporium
Comporium Communications is local to North and South Carolina, and it primarily uses a cable internet connection. Plans are a little more expensive than other providers in the area, but it’s a good option if you can’t get cable or fiber internet elsewhere.
Windstream
Kinetic by Windstream is available to around 13% of the Charlotte area. It offers both DSL and fiber internet service. If you can get fiber internet from Windstream, it’s a great option, delivering fast speeds for a reasonable price. If you only have access to Windstream’s DSL plans, however, you’re usually better off going with a different provider.
HughesNet
HughesNet is a satellite internet provider that is typically only used by people who can’t get cable or fiber internet at their address. You’ll have low data limits with HughesNet, and speeds are on the slow side. That said, it might still be a better option than DSL in some cases.
Viasat
Like HughesNet, Viasat is a satellite internet provider that should be viewed primarily as a last resort. You can get plans with decent speeds, but you’ll pay more than twice as much as you would with cable or fiber providers, and you’ll have to deal with low data caps.
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Written by:
Erin GoblerContributor
Erin Gobler is a freelance writer based in Madison, WI. She writes about topics including budgeting, student loans, credit, mortgages, investing, broadband and insurance. Including Allconnect.com, her work has b… Read more
Edited by:
Robin LaytonEditor, Broadband Content
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