Internet providers in North Carolina

Find North Carolina internet providers by city

• North Carolina residents have access to satellite, cable, fiber and fixed wireless internet 
• Spectrum is widely available to over 70% of the state
• Google Fiber offers some of the fastest internet in North Carolina, with speeds ranging from 1,000 – 8,000 Mbps
• Brightspeed offers the cheapest internet plan in North Carolina at just $29.00/mo.

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.

Mecklenburg County

Residents in Mecklenburg County have 10 providers to pick from, but not all are available in all parts of the county. Spectrum, satellite ISPs like Hughesnet, AT&T and T-Mobile are the most available providers. 100% of the county addresses can access 100/20 Mbps, while 95% can get 250/25 Mbps. Only 61% can reach speeds of 1 gig.

Guilford County

Guilford County residents have nine providers available with satellite ISPs, Spectrum and T-Mobile home internet the most available. 100% of addresses can access speeds of 100/20 Mbps. 93% have speeds up to 250/25 Mbps and 57% can reach 1 gig.

Wake County

Wake County is the largest in North Carolina, with over one million residents who have 10 providers to pick from, with Spectrum and satellite services being the most prevalent. All addresses can access speeds up to 100/20 Mbps, 95% can reach 250/25 Mbps and 67% can access 1 gig.

Sources: FCC National Broadband Map and Ookla’s Speedtest.net

Internet in North Carolina

• Spectrum is the most common ISP in North Carolina, while Google Fiber and AT&T are the fastest
• Satellite internet is available to 100% of North Carolina through Starlink, and over 85% with Hughesnet and Viasat
• The entire state has access to at least 100/20 Mbps
• Wake County is the largest county, but also has the fastest internet and largest fiber build-out

Data privacy

With the 2024 North Carolina Consumer Privacy Act, North Carolina residents have control over personal data. They can access, correct or delete any data. Residents can also opt out of targeted advertising or decide if a company can sell their data. 

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 03/17/25.
**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.
***Limited time offer; subject to change; new residential customers only (no Spectrum services within past 30 days) and in good standing with Spectrum. Taxes and fees extra in select states. SPECTRUM INTERNET ADVANTAGE: Offer based on eligibility requirements. Standard rates apply after promo period. Additional charge for installation. Speeds based on wired connection. Actual speeds (including wireless) vary and are not guaranteed. Services subject to all applicable service terms and conditions, subject to change. Not available in all areas. Restrictions apply. ©2025 Charter Communications, all rights reserved.
***Limited time offer; subject to change; new residential customers only (no Spectrum services within past 30 days) and in good standing with Spectrum. Taxes and fees extra in select states. SPECTRUM INTERNET: Standard rates apply after promo period. Additional charge for installation. Speeds based on wired connection. Actual speeds (including wireless) vary and are not guaranteed. Capable modem required for all Gig speeds. For a list of capable modems, visit Spectrum.net/modem. Services subject to all applicable service terms and conditions, subject to change. Not available in all areas. Restrictions apply. ©2025 Charter Communications, all rights reserved.

Fastest internet in North Carolina

AT&T, Google Fiber, Brightspeed and TDS provide the fastest internet in North Carolina with speeds up to 8 gigs.

*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 03/17/25.

Cheapest internet in North Carolina

Brightspeed has the cheapest internet plan in North Carolina, starting at $29.00/mo.

Verizon and T-Mobile have cheap options available, though you must bundle with a mobile plan to get the best price.

*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 03/17/25.
**Limited time offer; subject to change; new residential customers only (no Spectrum services within past 30 days) and in good standing with Spectrum. Taxes and fees extra in select states. SPECTRUM INTERNET ADVANTAGE: Offer based on eligibility requirements. Standard rates apply after promo period. Additional charge for installation. Speeds based on wired connection. Actual speeds (including wireless) vary and are not guaranteed. Services subject to all applicable service terms and conditions, subject to change. Not available in all areas. Restrictions apply. ©2025 Charter Communications, all rights reserved.

North Carolina internet resources

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 half 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 customer reviews

North Carolina internet FAQs