Best Internet Providers in Knoxville, Tennessee
Our Experts
Knoxville offers a plethora of options if you're in the market for high-speed internet. With six great internet providers to choose from, five of which offer gigabyte speeds, you'll have no problem picking out a great option. However, AT&T Fiber stands tall as CNET's pick for the best internet provider in Knoxville. Alternatively, you may also consider Xfinity and WOW for their wide citywide coverage and fast cable internet services.
Our team considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Knoxville across various categories. Our evaluation includes spot-checking local addresses for service availability. We also do a close read of providers' terms and conditions and, when needed, will call ISPs to verify the details.
Our process has some limitations though. Pricing and speed data are variable: Certain addresses may qualify for different tiers of service and monthly costs may vary, even within a city. The best way to identify your particular options is to plug your address into a provider's website.
Note that the prices, speed and other information listed above and in the provider cards below may differ from what we found in our research. The cards display the full range of a provider's pricing and speed across the US, according to our database of plan information provided directly by ISPs. At the same time, the text is specific to what's available in Knoxville. The prices referenced within this article's text come from our research and include applicable discounts for setting up automatic payments each month -- a standard industry offering. Other discounts and promotions might also be available for things like committing to a contract or bundling with a cellphone plan.
To learn more about how we review internet providers, visit our full methodology page.
Top internet providers in Knoxville
Knoxville residents have a surprisingly high number of quality internet providers to choose from. According to FCC mapping data, 99.5% of the city has access to internet speeds of at least 250Mbps download and 25Mbps upload and 72% can get 1,000/100Mbps speeds.
AT&T Fiber
Best overall internet provider in Knoxville
Our take - If AT&T Fiber is available in a city, there’s a good chance it’s going to be our top pick. CNET named it the best fiber provider in our review of the best ISPs nationwide, and it earned top scores from the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power. AT&T Fiber gives you everything you’d want in an internet provider: fast, symmetrical speeds, reasonable pricing and unlimited data.
WOW
Cheapest internet plans in Knoxville
Our take - If you’re just looking for the cheapest internet you can get in Knoxville, WOW’s prices are about as low as you’ll find anywhere in the country -- at least for the first year. Your bill will go up after that, but prices are still very affordable after the increase. Like all cable providers, upload speeds are much slower than download, which could be an issue for houses with a lot of online gaming or working from home.
Xfinity
Best availability in Knoxville
Our take - Xfinity has a significant presence in Knoxville, with almost every house in the city having access to the cable internet provider. Like WOW, the main downsides are low upload speeds and complicated price increases. Still, Xfinity is a solid option for houses that can’t get AT&T Fiber. J.D. Power ranked it second for provider satisfaction in Knoxville’s region, behind only AT&T.
T-Mobile Home Internet
Best alternative to wired home internet in Knoxville
Our take - If you’re sick of the hassles that come with traditional ISPs, T-Mobile Home Internet is a refreshingly straightforward solution. It only has one plan to choose from, everything you need is included in the price, and your bill is locked in for as long as you maintain service. Its speeds might not be enough for bigger households -- especially during internet rush hour -- but it’s great for homes with only one or two people.
Overview of Knoxville internet providers
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
AT&T Fiber Read full review | Fiber | $55-$250 | 300-5,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| Knoxville Utilities Board | Fiber | $65-$300 | 1,000-10,000Mbps | $15 (optional) | None | None | NA |
|
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 | $60-$80 ($50-$70 with autopay) | 100-3000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
|
WOW Read full review | Cable | $30-$95 | 300-1,200Mbps | $14 (optional) | 1.5TB-Unlimited | None | 7.2 |
|
Xfinity Read full review | Cable | $20-$100 | 150-2,000Mbps | $15 (optional) | 1.25TB-Unlimited | Optional | 7 |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data
Other available Knoxville residential internet providers
- Knoxville Utilities Board: KUB is a municipal broadband provider in Knoxville that offers three fiber internet plans: 1,000Mbps upload and download speeds for $65 monthly, 2,500Mbps for $150 and 10,000Mbps for $300. If KUB Fiber were available to more people, it would have a good argument for being our top pick. Right now, only 13% of Knoxville residents can get it, but it says it will be available at every home in the city by 2028.
- Satellite internet: You can get satellite internet at every address in Knoxville, but there are almost no situations where you should. HughesNet and Viasat are the traditional satellite providers in the area, and they both come with steep prices, stingy data caps and slow speeds. Starlink is a newer option that gives you better speed and latency but has high monthly prices and upfront equipment costs.
- Verizon 5G Home Internet: Like T-Mobile Home Internet, Verizon uses its 5G wireless network to provide home internet connections. It offers faster speeds than T-Mobile, but only about 18% of Knoxville residents currently have access.
Pricing info on Knoxville home internet service
Compared to other cities in the area, Knoxville offers plenty of cheap internet plans. Both WOW and Xfinity have some of the cheapest starting prices you’ll find anywhere in the country, although you’ll have to look out for price increases with both providers. Verizon and T-Mobile also have low starting prices -- especially if you add an eligible cellphone plan to the mix.
Cheapest internet plans in Knoxville
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Xfinity Connect Read full review | $20 ($35 after one year) | 150Mbps | $15 (optional) | None |
|
WOW Internet 300 Read full review | $30 ($45 after one year) | 300Mbps | $14 (optional) | None |
|
Xfinity Connect More Read full review | $35 ($50 after one year) | 300Mbps | $15 (optional) | None |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review | $50 ($30 with eligible mobile plans) | 245Mbps | None | None |
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review | $50 ($35 with eligible phone plan) | 300Mbps | None | None |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data
How fast is Knoxville broadband?
Knoxville has a shockingly high number of gig-speed options available in the area, with 12 different plans reaching download speeds above 1,000Mbps. For comparison, Nashville has seven gig-speed plans, Charlotte has five and Asheville has four. With symmetrical speeds of 10,000Mbps, Knoxville Utilities Board offers some of the fastest internet plans you’ll find anywhere in the entire country.
Fastest internet plans in Knoxville
| Provider | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Starting price | Data cap | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville Utilities Board The Gig 10 | 10,000Mbps | 10,000Mbps | $300 | None | None |
|
AT&T Internet 5000 Read full review | 5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | $250 | None | None |
| Knoxville Utilities Board The Gig 2.5 | 2,500Mbps | 2,500Mbps | $150 | None | None |
|
AT&T Internet 2000 Read full review | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | $150 | None | None |
|
Xfinity Gigabit X2 Read full review | 2,000Mbps | 200Mbps | $100 ($120 after one year) | None | None |
|
WOW 1.2 Gig Read full review | 1,200Mbps | 50Mbps | $95($105 after one year) | None | None |
|
Xfinity Gigabit Extra Read full review | 1,200Mbps | 35Mbps | $85 ($95 after one year) | 1.2TB | Two years |
| Knoxville Utilities Board The Gig | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | $65 | None | None |
|
AT&T Internet 1000 Read full review | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | $80 | None | None |
|
WOW 1 Gig Read full review | 1,000Mbps | 50Mbps | $60 ($70 after one year) | 3TB | None |
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review | 1,000Mbps | 50Mbps | $70 ($45 with qualifying Verizon 5G mobile plans) | None | None |
|
Xfinity Gigabit Read full review | 1,000Mbps | 20Mbps | $60 ($70 after one year) | 1.2TB | Two years |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data
What’s the final word on internet providers in Knoxville?
I’ll be blunt: Knoxville is one of the best cities for internet customers that I’ve covered at CNET. It has some of the fastest plans you’ll find anywhere in the country from AT&T Fiber and Knoxville Utilities Board, but it also has some of the cheapest from WOW and Xfinity. You’ll still have to keep an eye out for things like price increases and equipment costs, but that’s true of any city. No matter what you’re looking for in an internet provider, you’ll be able to find it in Knoxville.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Knoxville
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?
While the answers to those questions are often layered and complex, the providers that 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 Knoxville FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in Knoxville?
AT&T Fiber is the best internet provider in Knoxville. It has fast symmetrical speeds, reasonable prices and the highest customer satisfaction scores of any nationwide internet provider. WOW and Xfinity are both good backup options, but they have slow upload speeds and prices increase after one year (and again after two years on most Xfinity plans). T-Mobile Home Internet is a solid option for houses with one or two people, but any more than that might be pushing it.
Is fiber internet available in Knoxville?
Yes, fiber internet is available in Knoxville. AT&T offers fiber internet in the city with no contracts or data caps and symmetrical speeds up to 5,000Mbps. Knoxville Utilities Board also offers fiber internet plans with speeds up to 10,000Mbps, but it’s currently available only at 13% of addresses in Knoxville.
Who is the cheapest internet provider in Knoxville?
WOW is the cheapest internet provider in Knoxville, with starting prices of $20 per month for 100/10Mbps speeds. Xfinity also offers 75/10Mbps speeds for $20 per month. With both providers, the price increases in the second year (and the third with Xfinity).
Which internet provider in Knoxville offers the fastest plan?
The fastest internet plan available in Knoxville is offered by Knoxville Utilities Board, with symmetrical 10,000Mbps speeds for $300 per month. AT&T Fiber also offers symmetrical 5,000Mbps speeds for $250 monthly.
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