AT&T Internet Review: Plans, Pricing, Speed and Availability

Yahoo

16-02-2025

AT&T is one of few internet providers offering three different internet services to its customers: 5G home internet, DSL and fiber internet. With over 28 million customers plus the distinction of becoming the fastest ISP, according to Ookla data from the second half of 2024, AT&T is a popular home internet option. (Disclaimer: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)
But how do AT&T's different internet services measure up to each other? If you're living in one of the 22 states where AT&T provides wired internet service and are one of the eight million customers eligible for the company's fiber internet plans, you're in luck. AT&T's fiber service offers the best value for reliably fast speeds.
However, many of AT&T's service area customers aren't living in homes wired for fiber. Instead, AT&T connects those customers using fixed wireless connections like AT&T Internet Air or AT&T Fixed Wireless, which uses 4G LTE, or its DSL hybrid service. That means less value and much slower speeds than you'll get with fiber.
In other words, recommending AT&T home internet service depends on where you live and what type of internet service is available at your address. If AT&T Fiber is an option, move it to the top of your list. If you aren't serviceable for fiber, shop around for other available internet service providers to see if you can do better than AT&T's fixed wireless or DSL services.
Let's take a closer look at what you can expect with an internet service from AT&T.
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
A couple of potential outcomes exist when you seek to sign up for AT&T's home internet service. If you see the 300, 500 or gigabit speed tiers offered at your address, you can access AT&T's fiber internet service, which uses 100% fiber technology. Fiber connections are symmetrical by design, which means that your upload speeds will be just as fast as your downloads, unlike DSL, cable and other modes of internet. That's particularly useful for videoconferencing, transferring files (for those working and schooling from home) and online gaming.
AT&T officially discontinued offering its 100% DSL networks to new customers in 2020. Now, it uses a DSL-fiber hybrid infrastructure to deliver speeds up to 100Mbps, rebranded as "AT&T Internet." While those plans are contract-free, you can expect a data cap of 1.5TB on all plans. AT&T recently announced plans to discontinue its DSL-hybrid offerings by 2029, though we'll have to wait and see how that plays out.
Alternatively, AT&T also offers fixed wireless internet connections. AT&T's Fixed Wireless offering, which relies on 4G LTE to get you online, features dismal speeds up to 10Mbps down and 1Mbps up. In 2023, AT&T introduced AT&T Internet Air, a new fixed wireless solution targeted to current customers subscribed to slower DSL plans. This plan features download speeds of up to 225Mbps and upload speeds of up to 30Mbps. This connection meets the FCC's benchmark for home broadband of 100Mbps download speed and 20Mbps upload, making it a decent alternative to DSL plans if you can get top speeds. That said, when CNET's Joe Supan gave AT&T Internet Air a one-week test run" target="_self, he did not consistently experience broadband speeds.
Overall, AT&T's most reliable, cost-efficient plans are its fiber internet plans, which come without contracts or data caps and feature speeds up to 5,000Mbps. The company tells CNET that three of those fiber plans -- Internet 300, Internet 500 and Internet 1000 -- are available to approximately 21 million customers in the company's footprint. The multi-gig plans are available to a smaller portion of that base, currently just over 8 million. Overall, AT&T Fiber is available in more than 100 major cities in the US, per the company's website. All of AT&T's fiber plans are rock-solid options, and the company's overall fiber-optic service frequently tops customer service surveys and polls.
AT&T's wired internet service area covers 22 states across the country:
Alabama
Arkansas
Arizona
California
Florida
Georgia
Illinois
Indiana
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Michigan
Mississippi
Missouri
Nevada
North Carolina
Ohio
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Wisconsin
AT&T announced recent plans to continue expanding its fiber network and multigig plans in places like Sevastopol in Wisconsin, which will extend its fiber network to over 2,000 locations, as well as the San Bernardino and San Mateo counties in California, covering over 7,500 locations.
AT&T's fiber expansion is even more evident with its continued efforts to partner with new third-party companies like BlackRock. "This continuing investment on behalf of our clients in Gigapower is helping bridge the digital divide and support economic growth in communities across America through expanded access to critical broadband services," BlackRock Chairman and CEO Larry Fink says.
You can dig deeper on the AT&T coverage map to see the specific cities included within each state.
For the most part, AT&T's internet service has simple, easy-to-understand terms and conditions. However, a few differences from other ISPs should attract your attention.
AT&T includes the cost of equipment rental in your monthly service bill for all internet plans. In some cases, you may even be eligible to use your own equipment.
AT&T charges $99 for a full, in-home tech installation for DSL service. For some addresses, there's no self-install option (you have to go online to find out if you "qualify" for the self-install kit). On the positive side, AT&T's fiber and Internet Air plans frequently waive the installation fee, so keep an eye out for offers like that. If none are available, you could also ask them to waive it when you're calling to sign up.
If you're struggling to get a signal in the far reaches of your home, AT&T will sell you a Smart Wi-Fi Extender to pair with the gateway. Moreover, the gateway modem is included in your monthly bill, while the extender is free for customers on the 2-gig and faster plans. Otherwise, it will cost you an additional $10 a month.
Here's where things get a little squirrelly. For the most part, AT&T home internet plans don't come with data caps. Customers get unlimited data with all fiber plans. You won't have to track your data usage for fear of fees or throttling issues once you hit some arbitrary threshold. However, there's still a decent chunk of AT&T's geographic footprint where AT&T's DSL hybrid is the only option. For those households, there is a data allowance.
AT&T Internet plans from 0.8 to 75Mbps have a data cap of 1.5 terabytes (1,500 gigabytes). If you exceed that monthly limit, you'll incur a $10 charge for each additional 50GB of data you use, up to $100 monthly. That's on par with other major providers who enforce a data cap, including Xfinity and Cox, but both offer a slightly lower cap at around 1.25TB. Cox also waives all your overage charges the first month you break the cap. Don't expect a free pass like that from AT&T.
If you think you'll surpass AT&T's data allowance, you can upgrade your plan to a fiber plan, which includes unlimited data. The Internet 300 plan, for example, offers you the same rate but with faster speeds and unlimited data. Another option is to choose a TV and internet bundle, which would allow you to get unlimited data at no extra charge -- although there's usually a contract involved with any bundling of services.
One last caveat -- the data allowance for AT&T Fixed Wireless Internet is 350GB a month. While the $10 charge for each additional 50GB you use is the same as above, fixed wireless customers can be billed up to $200 extra per month for overage fees. That's a recipe for sticker shock, so you'll want to be extra cautious with your data usage if you're a fixed wireless subscriber.
AT&T likes to run short-term promotions and deals throughout the year. The main promo right now is an AT&T Visa Reward Card for new fiber customers who order online. Depending on your selected speed tier, the amount ranges from $50 to $150. In addition, new customers can have their cancellation fee paid in full when they switch to AT&T.
In addition, AT&T's nationwide network of over 30,000 hotspots is free to all AT&T home internet customers. This allows you to connect while away from home without using your mobile data.
Customers on the 2 gigabit and faster plans can access AT&T's Active Armor internet security (an $80-a-year value) for free. This technology features tools that protect your home internet and mobile devices from a wide range of online threats.
AT&T crows that "you deserve the best," and the company points to its stellar showing in the 2024 J.D. Power US Residential Internet Service Provider Satisfaction Study as evidence that it's delivering. AT&T nabbed the top spot in that study's North Central and West regions, with an average score of 542 on a 1,000-point scale. Only Verizon Fios (575) and Google Fiber (702) can point to a higher average in the survey.
AT&T also fared extremely well in the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index, which releases a yearly customer satisfaction survey for internet providers. AT&T Fiber's score of 80/100 remained the same from the previous year, topped all fiber ISPs and was well ahead of the industry average of 71 (76 among fiber providers). Since 2023, the ACSI has differentiated between fiber and non-fiber providers, and AT&T certainly benefited from that move. Even the company's non-fiber numbers were decent; it scored a 69 in that category, which was third behind T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet.
If AT&T Fiber is an option for your address, finding a better combination of service and affordability is tough. The catch? AT&T's fiber plans aren't an option for approximately half of the company's coverage area. All other AT&T plans are fraught with issues not faced by fiber, from slower download speeds to data caps. Simply put, don't hesitate if you can hop on an AT&T Fiber plan, but research your options if you're only eligible for DSL or fixed wireless internet from AT&T in your area.
No. While the promo price on some plans expires after your first year of service, you don't have to sign a term agreement to receive that price. The one exception is if you seek to sign a bundle deal. Standalone internet service doesn't require a contract, but if you bundle your broadband with another service, you may be required to sign a term agreement.
The answer to this question always depends on which plans are available in your area. No matter the fastest plan that any provider might offer (say, the 50,000Mbps plan from Ziply Fiber), it's moot if it isn't available at your address. For example, AT&T's Internet 5,000 plan is one of the fastest residential plans you can find from a national ISP, but it's not available to all AT&T areas. It covers just over 8 million households across approximately 100 metro areas.
For a third-party perspective on what's fast, the speed-testing website Ookla tracks ISPs based on its scoring system that looks at both download and upload speeds. Using the most recent metrics taken during the first half of 2024, AT&T Fiber came in first place.
Finally, remember that those scores consider the median of AT&T Fiber plans, which are the provider's speedier options. The slower numbers from AT&T's DSL and fixed wireless plans didn't come into play there.
Yes. Access from AT&T is an affordable option for eligible households within the 22 states that AT&T services. You can expect speeds up to 100Mbps symmetrical speeds for $30 monthly. This plan is available for limited-income households participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or getting Supplemental Security Income benefits.
You can start the process by going to the AT&T Contact Us page. Since no contracts are required for service, you can cancel AT&T Internet anytime without an early termination fee. Since you are billed month-to-month, you will not receive a refund or credit if you cancel before the end of your billing cycle. However, customers can be charged up to $150 if the equipment isn't returned within 21 days of canceling.
Also, pay attention to the small print of your promo offers. For example, if you have an internet plan that gets you free HBO Max, you'll lose that access upon cancellation.
Lastly, if you desire to transfer your service, rather than cancel (for a pending move, for example), you can contact an AT&T moving specialist at 800-288-2020. Read our guide on how to cancel your internet service.