Best Internet Providers in Wilmington, North Carolina
Our Experts
What is the best internet provider in Wilmington?
AT&T Fiber is the best internet service provider in Wilmington. Along with fast, symmetrical upload and download speeds, the area’s largest fiber internet provider offers competitive pricing and simple service terms, including unlimited data and free equipment rental.
AT&T Fiber also boasts the fastest internet plan in Wilmington with multi-gigabit service advertising speeds up to 5,000 megabits per second starting at $250 per month. That’s understandably more than most would like to pay for internet, which is why AT&T Fiber offers a variety of other plans with monthly rates ranging from $55 to $150.
Several other local providers (Spectrum included) have a cheaper starting price than AT&T for internet in Wilmington. Spectrum has arguably the best cheap internet plan, offering download speeds up to 500Mbps starting at $50 monthly. Fixed wireless providers, including T-Mobile Home Internet, US Cellular and Verizon 5G Home Internet, also start at $50, but lack the speed potential and reliability you’d get with Spectrum.
Our methodology
CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Wilmington across many 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 Wilmington. 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 Wilmington, North Carolina
AT&T Fiber
Best internet provider in Wilmington, NC
Our take - AT&T Fiber has the best plan selection, fastest speeds (upload and download) and highest customer satisfaction of any Wilmington internet service provider. The contract-free service includes free equipment rental and unlimited data, and special bonus offers such as gift cards may be available when you sign up.
Spectrum
Best high-speed coverage in Wilmington, NC
Our take - More than 90% of Wilmington households are serviceable for Spectrum, the highest of any nonsatellite provider in the area. Download speeds up to 500 and 1,000Mbps are available, but upload speeds are slower due to the limitations of a cable internet network. The monthly rate on both plans increases by $30 after one year.
T-Mobile Home Internet
Best fixed wireless internet in Wilmington, NC
Our take - T-Mobile Home Internet isn’t the fastest internet provider in Wilmington, but the simple setup and customer-friendly service terms make it worth considering as an alternative to AT&T or Spectrum. A mobile bundle discount is also available to Magenta Max customers, bringing the home internet cost down to $30 per month -- the lowest of any major ISP in Wilmington.
Wilmington 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 | 1.5TB DSL, none fiber | None | 7.4 |
|
Spectrum Read full review | Cable | $50-$70 | 500-1,000Mbps | Free modem, $5 router rental (optional) | 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 |
| US Cellular | Fixed wireless | $50 | 25-100Mbps | Varies | 25GB, unlimited available | None | N/A |
|
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 Wilmington?
| Plan | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Spectrum Internet Read full review | $50 | 500Mbps | Free modem, $5 router rental (optional) |
|
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 |
| US Cellular | $50 | 25-100Mbps | Varies |
|
AT&T Fiber 300 Read full review | $55 | 300Mbps | None |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Wilmington
The best internet deals and the top promotions in Wilmington depend on what discounts are available during that period. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Wilmington internet providers, such as Spectrum, may offer lower introductory pricing for a limited time. Many providers, including AT&T Fiber, T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet, 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 Wilmington
| Plan | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
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 |
|
Spectrum Internet Gig Read full review | $70 | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | None | Cable |
|
AT&T Internet 1000 Read full review | $80 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
|
Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet Read full review | $70 ($45 for eligible Verizon Wireless customers) | 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 Federal Communication Commission. 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 at the same time.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Wilmington
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. 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.
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 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 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 Wilmington FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in Wilmington?
AT&T Fiber is the best internet service provider in Wilmington due to its fast, symmetrical speeds, favorable service terms (free equipment, unlimited data, no contracts) and record of high customer satisfaction.
Spectrum is a close second to AT&T Fiber in Wilmington. The area’s largest cable internet provider is available to more local households than AT&T Fiber and has a lower starting price of $50 per month. Spectrum’s cheapest plan also offers faster maximum download speeds than AT&T Fiber, 500Mbps compared to 300Mbps.
Is fiber internet available in Wilmington?
Yes. Around a third of Wilmington addresses are wired for fiber internet service, according to the most recent FCC data. Coverage is greatest in the South Oleander, Princess Place and Pine Valley Estates neighborhoods, but fiber service can be found in random areas throughout the city. AT&T Fiber is Wilmington's largest and essentially only fiber internet provider.
Who is the cheapest internet provider in Wilmington?
Spectrum, T-Mobile Home Internet, US Cellular and Verizon 5G Home Internet all have a starting price of $50 per month, the cheapest in Wilmington from any major provider. Spectrum offers the fastest download speeds, up to 500Mbps. Equipment rental, although optional, will add $5 to your monthly bill with Spectrum, whereas T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet include equipment rental at no extra cost.
Which internet provider in Wilmington offers the fastest plan?
AT&T Fiber offers the fastest internet plan in Wilmington with speeds up to 5,000Mbps starting at $250 per month. Service comes with the fiber-unique benefit of symmetrical upload and download speeds, a perk not available from cable internet like that of Spectrum or fixed wireless internet.
Home Internet Guides
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