Best Internet Providers in Greenville, South Carolina
Our Experts
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Greenville, South Carolina, a city that serves as a midpoint between Atlanta and Charlotte, North Carolina, boasts a walkable Main Street, several parks and what VisitGreenvilleSC describes as “the only single-sided suspension bridge in the Western Hemisphere.” The city says it holds more than 300 events per year and has an average annual temperature of 61 degrees, so perhaps there’s no need for Greenville residents to stay indoors and use the internet. Ah, who are we kidding? There’s always time to go online!
So what’s the best internet service provider for most Greenvillians? CNET’s pick for the best overall ISP is AT&T Fiber. CNET examines customer service, speed, pricing and overall value before recommending the best broadband in your area.
If your home isn’t connected for fiber yet, getting online through Spectrum is a solid option. Otherwise, there’s also 5G home internet from Verizon and T-Mobile, and satellite internet from HughesNet and Viasat. No matter which ISP you choose, all prices listed on this page reflect available discounts for setting up paperless billing. If you decide not to go with automatic monthly payments, your price will be higher.
Best internet service providers in Greenville
Your choice of ISP in Greenville and anywhere else really comes down to which ISPs service your address. Thankfully, for folks in Greenville, it seems that service from major carriers AT&T and Spectrum is available throughout the city.
Note: The prices, speeds and features detailed in the article text may differ from those listed in the product detail cards, which represent providers’ national offerings. Your particular internet service options -- including prices and speeds -- depend on your address and may differ from those detailed here.
Spectrum
Best cable internet provider in Greenville, SC
Our take - Spectrum is a reliable cable internet provider with easy-to-understand prices and terms, and it's a great alternative to AT&T Fiber. It offers the highest median download speeds across South Carolina, according to Ookla.
AT&T Fiber
Best internet provider in Greenville, SC
Our take - AT&T’s fiber option is reliable, fast and fairly priced. We highly recommend it if it’s available at your address.
Verizon 5G Home Internet
Best 5G home internet in Greenville, SC
Our take - South Carolina now ranks in Verizon’s top 10 highest performing metro markets in the US, according to a company rep. Its 5G service is an especially good deal for existing customers of its mobile plans.
Overview of internet providers in Greenville, SC
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
AT&T Read full review | DSL/fiber | $55-$250 | 10-5,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
|
HughesNet Read full review | Satellite | $65-$175 | 25Mbps | $15 or $350 one-time purchase | 15-200GB | 2 years | 5.7 |
|
Spectrum Read full review | Cable | $20-$90 | 30-940Mbps | Free modem; $5 router | None | None | 7.2 |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review | Fixed wireless | $50 ($30 with eligible mobile plans) | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review | Fixed Wireless | $50-$70 ($35 to $45 for eligible mobile customers) | 50-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
|
Viasat Read full review | Satellite | $50-$300 | 25-100Mbps | $15 or $300 one-time purchase | 40-300GB | 2 years | 6.1 |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data
All available Greenville residential internet providers
Most of Greenville can connect online with either AT&T’s DSL or fiber internet or Spectrum’s cable broadband. If you’re a mobile customer of either T-Mobile or Verizon, their 5G home internet services become very compelling options at about half off. Here are some other choices for Greenville residents.
- EarthLink: EarthLink uses other providers’ networks to connect its customers to the internet. The company provides a good variety of speeds, starting at 100Mbps and going up to a whopping 5,000Mbps, with prices ranging from $60 to $190. Its pricing for its 5,000Mbps plan actually beats that of AT&T.
- EIN: This Kansas-based ISP services some of Greenville. Fiber internet plans start at $88 per month for 300Mbps.
- HughesNet: With solid options from AT&T and Spectrum, folks in Greenville likely won’t need satellite internet (SpaceX’s Starlink will soon be available as well). HughesNet offers speeds of 25Mbps, with prices starting at $50 with a two-year contract and equipment fees.
- T-Mobile Home Internet: Speeds with the mobile carrier’s home internet range from 72 to 245Mbps for a price of $50 per month. Customers of the company’s Go5G Plus or Magenta Max phone plans pay $30 monthly. T-Mobile customers with Go5G, Magenta or Essentials plans get less of a discount at $40 per month.
- Viasat: Viasat’s monthly prices start at $50 and go up to $300, with speeds ranging from 25 to 100Mbps based on the plan.
Greenville broadband at a glance
Median download speeds in Greenville exceed those across South Carolina, likely thanks to compelling internet options from AT&T and Spectrum. When you’re not out enjoying the city’s beautiful parks, you’ll be streaming and gaming with ease.
Photo by DenisTangneyJr/GettyImages
Pricing info on Greenville home internet service
Spectrum offers cheaper ways to get online, but most Greenvillians will spend around $50 per month for internet service.
Cheap internet options in the Greenville metro area
If you’re looking for the cheapest way to get online in Greenville, go with Spectrum. The cable internet company offers its Internet Assist plan (geared toward low-income households) for $20 and its Internet 100 plan for $30. From there, expect to pay around $50 per month for more speed, unless you’re an existing customer of T-Mobile or Verizon and are eligible for their 5G home internet offerings. Low-income households that qualify for the FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program may be able to get a $30-per-month discount on services, including from AT&T and most other providers.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in Greenville, SC?
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Spectrum Internet Assist Read full review | $20 | 30Mbps | Free modem; $5 router | None |
|
Spectrum 100 Read full review | $30 | 100Mbps | Free modem; $5 router | None |
|
Spectrum Internet Read full review | $50 | 300Mbps | Free modem; $5 router | None |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review | $50 ($30 for eligible cellphone customers) | 245Mbps | None | None |
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review | $50 ($35 for eligible mobile customers) | 300Mbps | None | None |
|
AT&T Fiber 300 Read full review | $55 | 300Mbps | None | None |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data
Broadband insights for Greenville, SC
Among the 50 US states and the District of Columbia, South Carolina ranks 17th for highest median download speeds, with 203Mbps. Greenville median speeds are even faster, at about 235Mbps. Greenvillians can browse the web at speeds much higher than that, thanks to gig-plus speed options from AT&T and Spectrum.
Fastest internet providers in Greenville
Most Greenville residents who can connect online through AT&T or Spectrum can access their gigabit (and faster) speeds. Multigigabit options may be available at certain addresses.
What are the fastest internet plans in Greenville, SC?
| Provider | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Starting price | Data cap | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
AT&T Fiber 5000 Read full review | 5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | $250 | None | None |
|
AT&T Fiber 2000 Read full review | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | $130 | None | None |
|
AT&T Fiber 1000 Read full review | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | $90 | None | None |
|
Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet Read full review | 1,000Mbps | 50Mbps | $70 | None | None |
|
Spectrum Internet Gig Read full review | 940Mbps | 35Mbps | $90 | None | None |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data
Final word on internet providers in Greenville, SC
Greenville is well served by AT&T and Spectrum. People who want a lot of speed can get plans reaching 5,000Mbps from AT&T and Earthlink, which interestingly offers a better price on the high-speed option (even though it's using AT&T’s network), as well as EIN. For more affordable options, Spectrum offers cheaper ways to get online, while existing customers of T-Mobile or Verizon get nice discounts on those companies’ 5G home internet options.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Greenville, SC
Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. So what’s our approach? We start by researching the pricing, availability and speed information drawing on our own historical ISP data, the provider sites and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.
But it doesn’t end there. We go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we’re considering every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. To evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP's service, we look at sources including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of the time 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?
Though 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.
To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.
Internet providers in Greenville, SC, FAQ
Which is the best internet service provider in Greenville, SC?
Recommended by both CNET editors and posters on the Greenville subreddit, AT&T Fiber is the best ISP in Greenville. If you can get it, that’s the best way for most Greenville residents to connect online. AT&T Fiber gets high marks on customer satisfaction surveys and offers a good variety of plans.
Is fiber internet available in Greenville, SC?
Greenvillians can look to AT&T, Earthlink and EIN for fiber internet. Speeds go up to a blazing 5,000Mbps.
Should I choose AT&T or Spectrum?
For a full breakdown of the differences between AT&T and Spectrum, the most prevalent ISPs in Greenville, check out the CNET guide to AT&T vs. Spectrum. But the gist is that if AT&T’s fiber plans are available at your address, that’s the better choice.
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