Best Internet Providers in Lafayette, Louisiana
Our Experts
What is the best internet provider in Lafayette?
AT&T Fiber and local public utility service LUS Fiber both offer quality fiber internet service in Lafayette. However, AT&T Fiber is CNET's pick for Lafayette's best internet provider due to its lower pricing and high customer satisfaction.
Unless you’re interested in multigigabit internet, AT&T Fiber will be the better cheap internet provider compared with LUS Fiber. However, AT&T Fiber doesn’t have the cheapest plan in the area, as Cox and T-Mobile Home Internet start at $50 per month. Cox also has a unique prepaid internet plan, an option unavailable from many ISPs.
On the other hand, if you are interested in multigigabit internet, LUS Fiber offers the fastest internet plan in Lafayette with speeds up to 10,000 megabits per second (10 gigabits per second) starting at $296 per month. That’s the most expensive internet plan in Lafayette, but it’s still a better value than AT&T Fiber’s 5Gbps plan, which starts at $250 monthly.
So, which is better for your home? The slightly cheaper, national brands or the potentially faster, local utility service? We’ve listed details on the best internet providers in Lafayette below to help you decide.
Our methodology
CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Lafayette across several categories. Our evaluation includes referencing a proprietary database built over years of reviewing internet services. We validate that against provider information by 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.
Despite our efforts to find the most recent and accurate information, our process has some limitations you should know about. Pricing and speed data are variable: certain addresses may qualify for different service tiers, 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.
Also, 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 Lafayette. 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 signing a term contract or bundling with multiple services.
To learn more about how we review internet providers, visit our full methodology page.
Best internet in Lafayette, Louisiana
AT&T Fiber
Best internet provider in Lafayette, LA
Our take - AT&T Fiber and LUS Fiber are closely matched, but AT&T Fiber is the more budget-friendly service. Its 300Mbps plan, for example, is $27 cheaper per month, and gig service costs $25 less than LUS Fiber. When all else is equal, it’s hard not to recommend the cheaper service, especially one with a record of high customer satisfaction.
LUS Fiber
Fastest internet provider in Lafayette, LA
Our take - It’s always nice to support locals when you can, but doing so often means paying a little more. That’s the case with LUS Fiber, but the convenience of dealing with a local service provider may be well worth the additional cost. The ISP is also the fastest in Lafayette, with speeds up to 10,000Mbps.
Cox Communications
Best cable internet provider in Lafayette, LA
Our take - Cox is the Lafayette area’s main cable provider. Along with T-Mobile Home Internet, Cox has the lowest monthly rate for internet service of any major provider in Lafayette at $50, but max download speeds (100Mbps) are lower than you’d get with AT&T Fiber for $5 more. The service also comes with a data cap of 1.25TB. That’s a generous amount of data, but still something to be aware of when signing up.
T-Mobile Home Internet
Best fixed wireless internet in Lafayette, LA
Our take - With speeds typically from 72 to 245Mbps, T-Mobile Home Internet isn’t the fastest internet service in Lafayette, but the low pricing and simple service terms make it worth considering. The provider’s single plan starts at $50 per month -- $30 for qualifying Magenta Max customers -- and comes with free equipment, unlimited data and no contracts.
Lafayette internet providers compared
| 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 DSL, $55-$250 fiber | 10-100Mbps DSL, 300-5,000Mbps fiber | None | None | None | 7.4 |
|
Cox Communications Read full review | Cable | $50-$110 | 100-1,000Mbps | $13 (optional) | 1.25TB | None required | 6.2 |
| LUS Fiber | Fiber | $82-$296 | 300-10,000Mbps | None | None | None | N/A |
|
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-$45 for eligible Verizon Wireless customers) | 50-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What's the cheapest internet plan in Lafayette?
| Plan | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review | $50 ($30 with eligible mobile plans) | 72-245Mbps | None |
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review | $50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 50-300Mbps | None |
|
Cox Go Fast Read full review | $50 | 100Mbps | $13 (optional) |
|
AT&T Fiber 300 Read full review | $55 | 300Mbps | None |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Lafayette
The best internet deals and top promotions in Lafayette depend on the discounts available during that period. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Lafayette internet providers, such as Cox, may offer lower introductory pricing or extra perks for a limited time. Many, however, including AT&T and LUS Fiber, run the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
Fastest internet plans in Lafayette
| Plan | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LUS Fiber 10 Gig | $296 | 10,000Mbps | 10,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
|
AT&T Internet 5000 Read full review | $250 | 5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
|
AT&T Internet 2000 Read full review | $150 | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
|
AT&T Internet 1000 Read full review | $80 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| LUS Fiber 1 Gig | $105 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
|
Cox Go Super Fast Read full review | $110 | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | 1.25TB | Cable |
|
Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet Read full review | $70 ($45 with eligible mobile plans) | 85-1,000Mbps | 50-75Mbps | None | Fixed wireless |
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, 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 at the same time.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Lafayette
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 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, though 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.
To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.
Internet providers in Lafayette FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in Lafayette, Lousiana?
AT&T Fiber is the best internet provider in Lafayette due to its extensive fiber network, customer-friendly service terms and, most notably, its low pricing. Compared with local fiber provider LUS Fiber, AT&T Fiber has lower pricing on its 300Mbps and gig speed tiers.
Is fiber internet available in Lafayette?
Lafayette is one of the most fiber-connected cities in Louisiana, thanks to AT&T Fiber and local utility company LUS Fiber. Approximately 70% of Lafayette households are eligible for fiber internet, according to recent FCC data. Coverage is greatest around the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and in the Larabee, Rivers Bend Estates and Audobon Trace communities, but fiber service is available throughout much of Lafayette.
Who is the cheapest internet provider in Lafayette?
Cox and T-Mobile Home Internet have the lowest starting price in Lafayette at $50 monthly. T-Mobile Home Internet is the outright cheapest, though: T-Mobile includes equipment for free (Cox’s rental fee is $13) and unlimited data, whereas Cox internet service has a 1.25TB data cap and fees for going over.
Which internet provider in Lafayette offers the fastest plan?
Local internet provider LUS Fiber offers the fastest plan in Lafayette, with symmetrical upload and download speeds up to 10,000Mbps starting at $296 monthly. AT&T Fiber offers the next fastest plans, 5,000 and 2,000Mbps, starting at the monthly rates of $250 and $150, respectively.
Home Internet Guides
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