Staff rating

4.5

Customer rating

4.1

(419)

Plans starting at $55.00

Download speeds up to 5000Mbps

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Staff rating

4.3

Customer rating

4.6

(18)

Plans starting at $70.00

Download speeds up to 2000 Mbps

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Staff rating

3.7

Customer rating

3.5

(2)

Plans starting at $20.00

Download speeds up to 1000 Mbps

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See what providers service your area.

Staff rating

4.5

Incredible price for fast fiber internet

We're big fans of AT&T fiber internet for its fast speeds, reasonable prices, and great customer service. AT&T offers fantastic value: fast fiber internet speeds at reasonable prices, plus some of the best customer support in the business and rock-solid reliability. With no contracts, no data caps, and no monthly equipment fee, AT&T is one of the best home internet providers.

What we like

Competitive fiber plans
Solid customer support
Excellent reliability

What we dislike

Expensive installation fees
Few TV bundling options

See full review

Savings tip: AT&T often has sign-up promotions for first-time customers. Call to ask a rep about current deals and discounts.

Check deals

Staff rating

4.3

Fast and reliable fiber connection in limited locations

Google Fiber offers affordable gig speeds with no contracts, data caps, fees, or fuss. Unfortunately, it’s still hamstrung by extremely limited availability.

What we like

Fast, reliable speeds
Affordably priced
Super-simple plan selection

What we don't like

Limited availability
No budget plans

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Savings tip: Google Fiber often has sign-up promotions for first-time customers. Call to ask a rep about current deals and discounts.

Check deals

Staff rating

3.7

Solid, well-priced internet for most households

Hargray is a good buy for most families willing to commit to at least a year of service, but its steep setup costs and early termination fees mean canceling too soon will cost you big. Meanwhile, YouTube creators wanting high-performance fiber internet should move on.

What we like

Great service
Low price for the speed
Low equipment rental costs

What we dislike

Steep early termination fees
Underutilized fiber network
High installation costs

See full review

Savings tip: Hargray often has sign-up promotions for first-time customers. Call to ask a rep about current deals and discounts.

Check deals

Value

4.0

Fiber internet is an excellent deal

The AT&T fiber internet plans represent give you serious value for your money. The speeds are competitive, and the prices at any given tier are lower than nearly every other provider. One exception, Xfinity, offers slightly cheaper gig plans in some markets. Another, Google Fiber, offers $10 less on gigabit speeds. However, AT&T is more likely to be available in areas that have cable internet from Spectrum and Cox, and we think AT&T fiber is usually the better deal.

For the money with AT&T, you get outstanding download speeds and excellent upload speeds. And with unlimited data on fiber internet plans, you can actually use your gigabit connection without worry on speeds being throttled after you're over a data allotment.

Some legacy AT&T customers may have DSL internet from AT&T. The most affordable AT&T plan is about $50 per month, and this can either be basic DSL (speeds up to 75 Mbps) or the outstandding, fiber-based Internet 300. Availability of plans depends on your service area.

If you can get only AT&T fixed wireless, you may experience data caps and get 1 Mbps upload speeds. In this case, other internet providers might offer you better deals on DSL internet plans.

Pricing details vary by location. Visit

AT&T's website

or call 1-833-804-1770 to speak with a rep.

See pricing

Value

4.0

Some of the best value in the internet business

Google Fiber internet is an excellent value for the money. There are only two plans: 1,000 Mbps (1 gig) for $70 per month and 2,000 Mbps (2 gigs) for $100 per month. The 1 gig plan is among the most affordable we’ve seen at that speed, costing a little more than half the national benchmark fro similar plans (1). The 2 gig option is also drastically cheaper than many other providers’ similar offerings (if they even have a 2 gig plan). There’s no budget option for those who don’t need speeds this fast, but for what Google does offer, the value is hard to beat.

Pricing details vary by location. Visit

Google Fiber's website

or call to speak with a rep.

See pricing

Value

2.5

For the average household, it’s a great deal

Overall, Hargray offers a lot of speed for the price, and all plans come with unlimited data, which made us do happy dances. For the best deal (AKA the lowest price-to-speed ratio), stick with one of Hargray’s slowest plans—which are fast enough for most households anyway. This company’s 100 and 200 Mbps plans come in at just 45% of what most plans in the US cost, while its 1 Gig plans cost around 85% of the national benchmark (1).

Higher-speed plans also come with another downside: while Hargray boasts a fiber network, people who upload a lot of video will lament its slow (for fiber) upload speeds. In short, Hargray’s a great deal for most people, but if top performance is important to you, save your happy dance for another provider.

Pricing details vary by location. Visit

Hargray's website

or call 1-877-427-4729 to speak with a rep.

See pricing

Performance

5.0

Fast, reliable speeds any time of day

AT&T claims 99% reliability (1) for its fiber internet service, and that’s astoundingly accurate in our experience. In fact, over several years of constant daily use in a packed house (two people working from home, two kids doing schoolwork, lots of streaming video and calls), we haven’t had a single major disruption. This is a huge victory compared to experiences I've had with other internet providers.

When you have reliable internet from AT&T, you don't even think about it. All your internet-based needs are met, without any friction or worry. AT&T internet speeds are consistent, with little variation based on the time of day, activity, or even the particular speed test used. Its median download speeds are slightly slower than its cable and fiber internet competitors, but only by a matter of milliseconds, which is hardly noticeable (2). This all adds up to a great experience where the service “just works,” and nobody ever really needs to wonder if they’ll be able to do what they need to do.

It's also worth mentioning that because AT&T fiber internet uses fiber-optic cables, upload speeds are equal to download speeds. That means you can upload huge files in seconds, video chat, live stream game play, and more without a hiccup. With many other internet providers, the download speeds are much slower than the download speed, so this is a huge benefit.

Available speeds vary by location. Call 1-833-804-1770 to speak with a AT&T rep or

go to its website.

Performance

5.0

Consistently fast performance and rock-solid reliability

Google Fiber is one of the fastest internet providers and offers excellent performance. The speeds are more than enough for even the heaviest users, and there’s enough bandwidth to power a whole household of HD streams. Since this is fiber, upload speeds are also excellent—1,000 Mbps on both plans. Unlimited data is the cherry on top of this delicious internet sundae. Our only knock is that some providers have started offering even faster speeds (though the majority of households won’t need more than what Google offers).

Available speeds vary by location. Call to speak with a Google Fiber rep or

go to its website.

Performance

4.5

Fast enough speeds for most, but we shed a tear for the unused potential

Hargray uses a fiber optic network, which is much more reliable than satellite or fixed wireless (like 5G) internet. Fiber is also capable of faster speeds (up to 5 Gigs for both download and upload) than any other kind of internet.

Unfortunately, Hargray isn’t using its fiber network to its fullest extent. Its fastest speed is only 1 gig, which most cable internet companies offer. It’s kinda bumming us out, like a straight-B student who could totally ace the class if only they’d apply themselves more. But the real bummer is that Hargray gives you only 20–50 Mbps for uploading, which is great but nowhere close to the symmetrical ideal that fiber can deliver. While most people will love how quickly they can upload a file to Google Drive or post to their Insta account, we think it’s a tragic underutilization of fiber technology. We know. #FirstWorldProblems.

Available speeds vary by location. Call 1-877-427-4729 to speak with a Hargray rep or

go to its website.

Equipment and installation

4.0

Free equipment and free self-installs for fiber internet

It's very easy to install AT&T fiber internet. In fact, internet installation really doesn't get easier. You can choose between professional installation or self-install, which is really nice. Many other internet providers don't give you the option to choose your installation type yourself. You can choose a $99 professional installation by an AT&T technician or a DIY self-install kit.

If you can only get DSL with AT&T, the equipment is still free but you'll be charged a $49 activation fee. If you don't want to self-install, you can have a pro come out for an additional $99 and have them do everything for you.

If you're up for installing yourself, AT&T sends easy and clear instructions. Activation and configuration of your Wi-Fi network are handled through the simple AT&T Smart Home Manager app, so you don’t even need to log into the router settings page like with some other providers. It's a really seamless DIY install experience.

If you prefer to have your AT&T internet installed for you, it's a breeze. You can count on fast and friendly service. I've personally interacted with in-person AT&T on a couple of occasions, and I was very happy with the experience. Professional installation is nice when you don't have the time, energy, or confidence to install internet yourself. You'll feel like you're getting the royal treatment as you sit back, relax, and have it done for you.

The AT&T wireless gateway is really nice. Called AT&T Smart Wi-Fi, it’s super simple to set up, provides solid range, and looks sleek on a desk. Compared to the routers and gateways provided by some other providers, this one’s a breath of fresh air.

Equipment and installation options can vary widely depending on

AT&T plans

available in your area.

View plans

Equipment and installation

4.0

Free installation, free equipment, and no sneaky fees

Equipment is another area where Google Fiber really shines. Installation of the fiber jack is free, and there are no monthly fees for the network box, which functions as both a modem and router. This means that, outside of any state-imposed access fees, the advertised prices are what you’ll actually pay for broadband internet service. Many other providers end up costing $10–$15 more per month due to equipment rental fees, so this is a refreshing change of pace.

Additionally, Google doesn’t charge any sort of activation fee. This is another area where other internet providers sometimes get you—they advertise free installation, but charge a significant “activation fee” that negates the deal.

On paper, Google Fiber and its equipment are fantastic. We had to bump this score down, however, because of the slow pace of installation. Some customers complain of having to wait for months or even years to have fiber installed at their homes, even after the fiber-optic cables have been laid in their neighborhoods.

Equipment and installation options can vary widely depending on

Google Fiber plans

available in your area.

View plans

Equipment and installation

3.0

Low-cost equipment rentals, high-cost installation

Hargray’s equipment rental prices are super reasonable. You can rent a modem for just $4 per month, which makes the hassle of using your own gear a lot less appealing. Unless, of course, you’re a technophile who has a favorite modem (more power to you!). You can use most modems. Hargray’s Wi-Fi gear is also inexpensive, coming in at $10 per month. The price includes at least two extenders and free Wi-Fi setup to make sure your signal is dialed. That’s a sweet deal.

The rest of your internet installation will cost you, though. Professional installation costs around $100. Self-setup is technically free, but you have to cough up a $99 activation fee. The activation fee is refundable after your first year of service, but it still hurts, and you’ll probably forget you have a refund coming long before it hits your account anyway. Still, with self-setup, you’ll get to skip the dreaded installation appointment window, so it might still be worth it.

Equipment and installation options can vary widely depending on

Hargray plans

available in your area.

View plans

Customer experience

5.0

Better customer service, with more options

Internet providers have traditionally had a terrible reputation for customer service, but AT&T scores above average with national rating organizations like the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). These ratings have improved over the last few years, which is encouraging.

AT&T offers several options for getting help:

Twitter
Facebook
Online chat (scroll all the way to the bottom)
Telephone support (800-288-2020)
Online support site

The support site also has lots of information available. It’s easy to use, and if you do need more help, the options involving service reps usually get a quick, friendly response. While it’s not perfect 100% of the time, AT&T customer support tends to be better than average.

AT&T makes it easy to stay connected away from home, too. Subscribers get access to a nationwide network of free Wi-Fi hotspots. Since AT&T offers mobile phone service in addition to internet, you'll be able to log on in from almost anywhere.

Visit AT&T's website

or call 1-833-804-1770 for more information on contracts and money-back guarantees.

Go to provider

Customer experience

4.5

Straightforward pricing, clear bills, and consistent speeds

Given the excellent speeds, (relatively) affordable pricing, and lack of fees, it’s safe to say that living with Google Fiber makes for a fantastic experience. For the most part, you can just do what you need to do online and forget that you even have an internet service provider, which is great. When Google anticipates a change to your account or service, it generally lets you know well in advance.

If you do end up needing support, you’re dealing with Google. In general, this means really good online help and so-so phone support. That said, we’ve seen comparatively few customer service complaints about Google Fiber, and our own experience with Google Fiber has been that we rarely need customer support anyway. The company claims (2) it topped results in over 20 categories in an American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) survey, but the actual results of that survey don’t appear to be public, so all we have are anecdotes.

Something else that we love about Google Fiber is how straightforward the billing is. The monthly statements are very clear about how much you owe and when you’ll be charged compared to the sometimes confusing internet bills from other providers, so there’s no ambiguity about charges. You can also access your account and billing info using your Gmail login, so you don’t have to worry about yet another username and password.

Visit Google Fiber's website

or call for more information on contracts and money-back guarantees.

Go to provider

Customer experience

5.0

Inexpensive technician visits and top-notch premium service plan

Hargray has two levels of customer service (2), and they’re both pretty solid. The first is what you’d expect: you pay full price for all technician visits ($65) and the cost of any repairs, troubleshooting, or installation of new wires and jacks. Other than the cost of work done, there’s no additional charge for this service level.

If connection issues make you nervous or you want Hargray’s highest level of service, you might want to spring for Hargray’s Connected Home Plan for about $6 per month. With that, you’re covered for repairs of common equipment, like wiring, jacks, and splitters—whether the damage was caused by you or an act of God. For services that aren’t fully covered (like learning how to use your Hargray modem or troubleshooting your own router) you pay just $35 per visit.

Visit Hargray's website

or call 1-877-427-4729 for more information on contracts and money-back guarantees.

Go to provider

Made up your mind?

Find out what providers are available near you.

AT&T

4.1

(419)

5 Star

40%

4 Star

40%

3 Star

14%

2 Star

1 Star

Lisafrom New Baltimore, MI

AT&T Customer for 4+ years

Reviewed on: 6-17-2022

The service is acceptable with very few outtages however it is a bit pricey

Anonymous

AT&T Customer for 8+ years

Reviewed on: 6-17-2022

It is ok, speed, reliability are ok

Christinefrom Houston, TX

AT&T Customer for 8+ years

Reviewed on: 6-17-2022

The internet service is generally reliable. The reliability has improved in recent years. The service when contacted is not good. The sales people, service people, and service techs do not communicate.

Kathleenfrom San Diego, CA

AT&T Customer for 1+ years

Reviewed on: 6-17-2022

Everyone can improve. My service is ok but the inconsisting of the pricing is terrible. Customer service is something else. Can never get anyone that you have talked to before

Google Fiber

4.6

(18)

5 Star

67%

4 Star

28%

3 Star

2 Star

1 Star

Zacharias from Kansas City, MO

Google Fiber Customer for 4+ years

Reviewed on: 6-22-2022

The signal consistently fluctuates with service. It runs well just improving on its reception efforts. Maybe have better discounts for long-standing customers. Try to reward your customers that been with you the longest.

Danielfrom San Antonio, TX

Google Fiber Customer for 1+ years

Reviewed on: 6-22-2022

Prices is amazing for the speed. Rarely have any issues with srevices. Can hold up to all the devices on at the same time with no lag.

Carriefrom Atlanta, GA

Google Fiber Customer for 1+ years

Reviewed on: 6-17-2022

Google Fi is a huge improvement over our precious service. We rarely have interruptions to service and if we do it's remedied quickly. They also do a good job communicating with customers about changes.

Craigfrom Shawnee, KS

Google Fiber Customer for 4+ years

Reviewed on: 6-17-2022

Google Fiber is fast and reliable. I consistently get 1 Gbps up and down. But what I really like is that I don't have to use their router/box. I currently use my Orbi with their service and have disconnected their box.

Hargray

3.5

(2)

5 Star

4 Star

50%

3 Star

50%

2 Star

1 Star

Brian Hillfrom Newark, NJ

Hargray Customer for 1+ years

Reviewed on: 11-14-2022

I have been with them for a good few years. They have been professional and have done good work. My internet is the fastest it has ever been.

Earlfrom Danielson, CT

Hargray Customer for 8+ years

Reviewed on: 8-29-2022

They are always there when i want to use them but the price is a bit too high

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Endnotes and sources

(1) "Internet," AT&T. Accessed August 2, 2022.(2) "Fastest Providers," Speedtest.net. Accessed Dec. 9, 2022.

Endnotes and sources

1. “2022 Urban Rate Survey – Fixed Broadband Service,” FCC. Accessed 8 December 2022.2. “Google Fiber,” Google. Accessed 8 December 2022.

Endnotes and sources

1. “2022 Urban Rate Survey – Fixed Broadband Service,” FCC. Accessed 12 December 2022.2. "Connected Home Plan," Hargray. Accessed 12 December 2022