Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Birmingham residents have a few options for cheap internet. Spectrum has the cheapest plan overall at $30 per month, and a few internet providers offer low-income plans, like Spectrum and Verizon. You may be eligible for further discounts from T-Mobile or Verizon if you bundle phone and internet plans.
Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
---|---|---|---|
Spectrum Internet Advantage Read full review | $30 | 100Mbps | $10 (optional) |
Spectrum Internet Premier Read full review | $50 | 500Mbps | $10 (optional) |
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review | $50 ($40 with eligible mobile plans) | 245Mbps | None |
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review | $50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 300Mbps | None |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How many members of your household use the internet?
The best internet deals and top promotions in Birmingham depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Birmingham internet providers, such as Spectrum or Verizon, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many run the same standard pricing year-round, including AT&T Fiber and T-Mobile Home Internet. If you're after a great internet deal, though, we've got just the place to direct you to.
With five internet plans in the area offering speeds above 1,000Mbps, Birmingham residents have plenty of options for fast internet. The only provider that offers upload speeds as fast as download speeds is AT&T Fiber. If you do a lot of upstream activities like videoconferencing or online gaming, it’s worth prioritizing AT&T Fiber over your other options.
Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
AT&T Internet 5000 Read full review | $245 | 5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
AT&T Internet 2000 Read full review | $145 | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
AT&T Internet 1000 Read full review | $80 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
Spectrum Internet Gig Read full review | $70 | 1,000Mbps | 40Mbps | None | Cable |
Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet Read full review | $70 ($45 with qualifying Verizon 5G mobile plans) | 1,000Mbps | 75Mbps | None | Fixed wireless |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
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.
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? For starters, we tap into a proprietary pricing, availability and speed database that draws from our own historical ISP data, partner data and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.
This guide leverages an in-house artificial intelligence tool called RAMP. It is trained on our own writing and uses our database to generate content about specific internet service providers that our writers can use to determine and present our picks for a given guide. Check CNET’s AI policy for more information about how our teams use (and don’t use) AI tools.
Because our database is not exhaustive, we go to the FCC's website to check the primary data for ourselves and make sure we're considering every ISP that provides service in an area. Plans and prices also vary by location, so we input local addresses on provider websites to find the specific options available to 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 our pre-publication fact-check.
Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:
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.
To explore our process in more depth, you can visit our how we test ISPs page.
There are a few good internet options in Birmingham, but AT&T Fiber is the clear standout. It provides the fastest speeds, its prices don't automatically increase after a year or two, and it has the highest customer satisfaction scores of any ISP in the country. The main drawback is that it's only available to one in three Birmingham households. If you can't get AT&T Fiber, Spectrum and T-Mobile Home Internet are good backup options, but both have limitations.
What is the best internet service provider in Birmingham?
AT&T Fiber is the best internet service provider in Birmingham. It offers fiber internet plans with no data caps or contracts and speeds up to 5,000Mbps.
Is fiber internet available in Birmingham?
Yes, fiber internet is available to nearly 35% of households in Birmingham, according to FCC data. AT&T is the only fiber provider in the area.
What is the cheapest internet provider in Birmingham?
Spectrum offers the cheapest internet plan in Birmingham at $30 per month for 100Mbps speeds.
Which internet provider in Birmingham offers the fastest plan?
AT&T Fiber offers the fastest plan in Birmingham, with download and upload speeds up to 5,000Mbps.
Source: cnet.com