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

3.6

Customer rating

0.0

(0)

Plans starting at $14.99

Download speeds up to 1000 Mbps

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Staff rating

3.5

Customer rating

4.0

(513)

Plans starting at $29.99

Download speeds up to 1 Gbps

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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

3.6

Budget-friendly internet in Mississippi and Alabama

MaxxSouth Broadband delivers fast, reliable cable and fiber internet to much of Mississippi and some of Alabama. The internet service provider (ISP) packs a ton of value in its plans, especially for smaller households. But if you want top-notch customer service, this might not be the company for you.

What we like

Low prices
Fast, reliable plans
Inexpensive professional installation

What we dislike

Poor customer service
No self-setup option
Limited availability

See full review

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

Check deals

Staff rating

3.5

Fast internet at reasonable prices

Spectrum offers speedy, reasonably priced cable internet service, and a strong budget plan. We wish there were fewer fees attached, though.

What we like

Simple plan selection
No contracts
No data cap

What we dislike

Pricey gig plan
Lots of small fees
Price increase after 12 months

See full review

Savings tip: Spectrum 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

3.0

Low prices for the speed you can actually use

MaxxSouth offers plans ranging from 150 Mbps to an incredible 10 gigs. However, anything above 1 gig isn't yet widely available, and for good reason. Most households don't need near those speeds, and current devices can't use it anyway. So stick with MaxxSouth's 1 gig plans or lower. In fact, the slower your plan, the better the deal you get with MaxxSouth. A 150 Mbps plan costs just 28% of the national benchmark, while a 1 gig plan runs about 67% of the national benchmark (which is still a good deal). (1)

Plans come with unlimited data, decent upload speeds, and inexpensive equipment and installation—all with no contract. That’s a ton of value!

Pricing details vary by location. Visit

MaxxSouth Broadband's website

or call 1-844-719-0032 to speak with a rep.

See pricing

Value

3.0

Straightforward internet plans with budget-friendly pricing

Spectrum service offers a solid value—particularly at the lowest tier. There are only three plans to choose from, which could either be a plus or minus depending on your perspective. In this case, we feel it’s a good thing: the plans are straightforward and easy to understand.

The lowest-tier plan offers speeds up to 300 Mbps (wireless speeds may vary) at a decent price, according to government benchmarks (1). That's just $0.17 per megabit per second, with speeds that blow any DSL plan out of the water. The other two internet plans are less exciting, but still reasonably priced for the first year. After 12 months, your price could be up by $20 or more.

Pricing details vary by location. Visit

Spectrum's website

or call 1-866-460-1117 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

High-performance cable and fiber internet plans

MaxxSouth Broadband offers cable and fiber internet plans, both of which are highly reliable. MaxxSouth’s cable plans range from 150 Mbps to 1 gig download speeds, with upload speeds from 5 Mbps to 15 Mbps, which is better than a lot of other providers.

Some MaxxSouth fiber plans boast a whopping 10 gigs (holy cannoli!) with symmetrical connections (meaning the upload speeds match the download speeds). However, it's more realistic to see actual speeds max out at around 1 gig, even if you buy a faster plan. With 10 gigs, you could host the mother of all LAN parties (can we join?) and still have mountains of leftover bandwidth.

Available speeds vary by location. Call 1-844-719-0032 to speak with a MaxxSouth Broadband rep or

go to its website.

Performance

4.0

Reliable internet with speeds up to 1 Gbps

Spectrum offers speedy performance overall, with packages up to 1,000 Mbps available (wireless speeds may vary). The lower tiers are more exciting—almost every provider has a gig plan these days, but Spectrum’s lowest plan has speeds up to 300 Mbps, which is still excellent for all but the heaviest users. Additionally, there are no data caps on any of the plans, so you can use as much bandwidth as you like.

Speed is only half the equation, though—even the fastest connection is useless if it doesn’t work when you need it. Luckily, Spectrum is on par with its closest cable competitors here. It offers faster-than-advertised speeds most of the time, according to the US Federal Communications Commission (2), and earned the top spot for median speeds from Speedtest.net (3). Spectrum’s latency scores were a little higher than competitors Xfinity and Cox, but at just 25 ms, you’re still within the playability range for most online games.

Available speeds vary by location. Call 1-866-460-1117 to speak with a Spectrum 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

Low-cost installation and quality gear

MaxxSouth has minimal equipment and installation costs. A router/modem combo is included in your plan’s pricing, which is a rare find indeed. If you have a large home or a big family, though, you probably want to spring for this provider’s eero TrueMesh Wi-Fi, which uses multiple signal extenders placed throughout your home for the best coverage. At a reasonable $15 per month, this Wi-Fi package also includes an app that helps you find and eliminate dead spots, set parental controls, and even gives you access to remote support.

MaxxSouth’s professional installation will cost you around $20 in most cases, though if your home isn’t quite internet ready, this cost could go up. Since professional installation usually costs $70–$100 even for plug-and-play homes, that’s a sweet deal. The downside is that there’s no free self-install option, which means you’ll have to schedule an appointment. But there are worse trade-offs.

Equipment and installation options can vary widely depending on

MaxxSouth Broadband plans

available in your area.

View plans

Equipment and Installation

4.5

You can rent a router or use your own, and there’s a fee for self-installation

Spectrum’s equipment setup is a bit different than most—at least when it comes to fees. There is no charge for the modem, but there is a $5 monthly fee for the wireless router (waived on the gig plan). What this means is that Spectrum gives you a separate modem and router, instead of a combined gateway. It also means you can opt to bring your own wireless router if you prefer. Customers can also add Wi-Fi extenders, called Pods, for $3 each per month. If you use the Spectrum router, you can use the company's highly rated smartphone app to manage settings and parental controls.

Installation is straightforward and affordable. If you need a pro to come out, you can opt for a professional installation for $59.99. If you can handle the installation yourself, the self-install kit is about $25. We’d prefer free self-installation, but it isn’t the highest self-install fee we’ve seen, so we’ll take what we can get.

Equipment and installation options can vary widely depending on

Spectrum 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

2.5

Decent self-help options, but customer service needs improvement

We love that installation is just $20 in most cases and that you can call into MaxxSouth customer service 24/7/365. However, some of the customer reviews suggest that the low price and availability aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. Multiple reviews cite technicians leaving holes in walls, unsightly cables, or non-functioning internet in their wake, while others say it’s hard to get a person on the phone when they call in.

MaxxSouth has some decent self-help content on its website to help you troubleshoot issues on your own, but not all issues can be solved this way. We’d love to see MaxxSouth’s customer service rise to the level of its value in other areas.

Visit MaxxSouth Broadband's website

or call 1-844-719-0032 for more information on contracts and money-back guarantees.

Go to provider

Customer Experience

2.5

Watch out for hefty fees and price hikes down the road

We’ll just come right out and say it: Spectrum has a lot of fees. While you may never see most of them, it’s worth noting that they’re there. Here’s a sample:

$5 to pay over the phone(?!)
$5 reconnection fee
$19.99 to upgrade equipment when switching to the Internet Gig plan

These aren’t going to be on every bill, and you may never see most of them. However, when you do, it makes for a poor experience.

When you add second-year price hikes in the range of $20+, things aren't looking good for Spectrum customers. However, Spectrum customers seem to be about as satisfied with customer service as customers with competitors Cox and CenturyLink, and it's only slightly worse than average. (4)

If Spectrum is the only cable provider in your area and your home isn't wired for fiber internet, we recommend the service. Just set a calendar reminder to contact customer service in a year and see if you can negotiate the price down!

Visit Spectrum's website

or call 1-866-460-1117 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

MaxxSouth Broadband

0.0

(0)

5 Star

4 Star

3 Star

2 Star

1 Star

Spectrum

4.0

(513)

5 Star

34%

4 Star

41%

3 Star

20%

2 Star

1 Star

Andrewfrom Newark, NY

Spectrum Customer for 1+ years

Reviewed on: 6-17-2022

My internet goes out all the time whenever I first go to use it when returning home from anywhere.

Theresafrom Merriam, KS

Spectrum Customer for Less than a year

Reviewed on: 6-17-2022

My choice was limited due to my location. Not very pleased that I got my first bill less than a week after activation. And due in less than three after activation.

Nathaliafrom Sherman Oaks, CA

Spectrum Customer for 1+ years

Reviewed on: 6-17-2022

The connection is good and fast overall. It disconnects sometimes out of nowhere, so I wish it was more stable.

Jpfrom Evansville, IN

Spectrum Customer for 8+ years

Reviewed on: 6-17-2022

Thank you all right we have a limited opportunities in this

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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 1 February 2023.

Endnotes and sources

“2022 Urban Rate Survey – Fixed Broadband Service,” FCC. Accessed 17 June 2022.
"Measuring Broadband America," FCC. Retreieved Dec. 7, 2022.
"Fastests ISPs of 2022," Speetest.net. Retrieved Dec. 7, 2022.
"Satisfaction Benchmarks by Company, Internet Service Providers," ACSI. Retrieved Dec. 7, 2022.