Best Internet Providers in Alabama

What is the best internet provider in Alabama?

AT&T is CNET’s pick for the best internet service provider for most households in Alabama, offering broad network coverage and high-speed fiber plans in select areas. But AT&T internet service isn’t available everywhere in the state, so Spectrum or T-Mobile Home Internet are also solid picks, depending on what you can get at your address. 

If you’re hunting for the lowest prices or fastest speeds, we’ve got those top options as well. With Mediacom‘s entry-level cable plans, you’ll find the cheapest internet in Alabama at $20 monthly. And Google Fiber and AT&T Fiber have some of the fastest internet speeds in Alabama, with plans that top out at 8,000Mbps and 5,000Mbps, respectively.

Best internet options in Alabama

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Rural internet options in Alabama

• Buzz Broadband: Buzz Broadband is one of those local ISPs that supplies fiber where you might not expect to find it. The ISP services areas of Covington County surrounding Andalusia and Opp, with plans to expand to the north through 2023 and 2024. Speeds range from 200Mbps to 2,000Mbps for $60 to $100 monthly. There are no data caps, contracts or equipment fees. 
• Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative: FTC specializes in fiber. It services DeKalb, Jackson, and Marshall counties. It began as a telephone cooperative and later expanded into internet service. There are two plans: 400Mbps for $82 per month or 1,000Mbps for $102 with symmetrical speeds. FTC doesn’t accept online orders, so call, email or stop by the ISP’s business office in Rainsville.
• Point Broadband: Point reaches several areas of Alabama, including Baldwin County and the towns of Hazel Green, Lillian, Lake Martin and Opelika. It offers fiber with speeds up to 2,000Mbps or fixed wireless with speeds up to 200Mbps. Here’s how fixed wireless compares to other internet connection types. Point’s plans can be a little confusing to sort through. A $40-per-month 200Mbps fiber plan stays at that low price for just three months before jumping to $65 per month. Your best bet is to run your address and check for offers. Keep an eye on the fine print. 
• Total Radio Services: Many rural homes are serviced by local fixed wireless ISPs. Total Radio Services covers Marshall and Blount counties, focusing on homes that can’t get cable or DSL. Prices start at $35 per month, but speeds are variable based on location. 
• Weiss Internet: Weiss Internet’s fixed wireless coverage area focuses on Cherokee County but also reaches neighboring counties. Plans start at $55 per month for 3Mbps service and up to $150 monthly for 100Mbps downloads. There is a $150 installation fee. There are no data caps. Weiss also has a very limited fiber presence in Centre, with plans to expand. 
• Satellite internet: The three big US competitors are Starlink, Hughesnet and Viasat. Satellite, which can be slow and expensive, is usually a last resort when other ISPs don’t work out. If sheer speed is a priority, look into Starlink, but be prepared for a $349 upfront equipment cost. 

Internet breakdown by city in Alabama

It’s hard to cover the broadband options of an entire state and give individual locations the attention they deserve. That’s why we also compile lists of the best internet providers in cities across the US, including those in Alabama. We tackle details such as internet connection types, maximum speeds, cheapest providers and more. Check back later if you don’t find the area you’re looking for below. We’re working to add more cities every week. 

• Best internet providers in Birmingham
• Best internet providers in Huntsville
• Best internet providers in Mobile
• Best internet providers in Montgomery

Cheap internet options in Alabama

Many Alabama ISPs have plans in the $50 range, but there are ways to trim that down if the conditions are right. One option is to use T-Mobile or Verizon’s 5G home internet and bundle with an eligible phone plan. That can get your monthly home internet price down as low as $35-$40. 

Mediacom offers a one-year introductory deal of $20 per month for its 250Mbps cable plan, but you’ll need to either pay a $14-per-month modem rental fee or provide your own. Your price will also go up after the year is out. Xfinity has its version with a $35-per-month 150Mbps plan with an optional $15 equipment rental.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Alabama

The best internet deals and top promotions in Alabama depend on what discounts are available during a given period. Most deals are short-lived, but we frequently look for the latest offers. 

Alabama internet providers, such as Spectrum and Mediacom, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many providers, including AT&T Fiber and Google Fiber, tend to run the same standard pricing year-round. 

For a more extensive list of promotions, check out our guide on the best internet deals. 

How fast is Alabama broadband?

Recent state broadband rankings from Ookla place Alabama in the middle of the pack when it comes to median download speed. Ookla data has Alabama at 209Mbps, with Google Fiber as the state’s fastest provider. Many factors are at play with these rankings, and speed test data can vary considerably. Your speeds can be impacted by the type of connection, network congestion or your Wi-Fi equipment.

FCC data shows most Alabama homes can access broadband speeds of at least 25Mbps down and 3Mbps up. Only about 47% of households can get 1,000Mbps downloads with 100Mbps uploads. Fiber ISPs are your best bet for that kind of speed, so look to the likes of AT&T Fiber or Google Fiber if you need speedy uploads and downloads. Cable providers like Mediacom and Spectrum can deliver gig downloads but have much slower uploads.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

What’s a good internet speed?

Most internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you’re looking for an internet plan that can accommodate videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you’ll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here’s an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the FCC. Note that these are only guidelines — and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.

For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need.

• 0 to 5Mbps allows you to tackle the basics: browsing the internet, sending and receiving email and streaming low-quality video.
• 5 to 40Mbps gives you higher-quality video streaming and videoconferencing.
• 40 to 100Mbps should give one user sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming. 
• 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming.  
• 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming all at the same time.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Alabama

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every internet service provider in a given city. What’s our approach? For starters, we tap into a proprietary database of pricing, availability and speed information that draws from our own historical ISP data, partner data and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov. 

It doesn’t end there: We go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of publication. 

Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions: 

• Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds? 
• Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying? 
• Are customers happy with their service? 

While the answer to those questions is often layered and complex, the providers who come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, although we also factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports. (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)

To explore our process in more depth, you can visit our how we test ISPs page.

What’s the final word on internet providers in Alabama?

Shopping for an internet provider hinges on which ISPs service your home. There’s a bevy of cable, fiber, DSL, 5G and fixed wireless companies with different coverage areas across Alabama. If available at your address, fiber from AT&T Fiber or Google Fiber is desirable. Otherwise, look to cable providers like Mediacom or Xfinity for gig speeds, but keep an eye on plan terms and be ready to negotiate if you have a cheap introductory deal expiring. 

Internet providers in Alabama FAQs