What is the best internet provider in Chapel Hill?
CNET’s recommendations for the best internet providers in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, include:
- AT&T Fiber: Best internet provider in Chapel Hill
- Spectrum: Best internet and TV bundles in Chapel Hill
- Google Fiber: Best gig internet provider in Chapel Hill
- T-Mobile Home Internet: Best fixed wireless internet in Chapel Hill
Read on for more details about home internet in Chapel Hill, including the cheapest and fastest plans available in the area.
Chapel Hill, North Carolina, internet providers compared
| 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 |
| Google Fiber Read full review | Fiber | $70-$150 | 1,000-8,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.5 |
| Spectrum Read full review | Cable | $30-$90 | 100-1,000Mbps | $5 (optional) | None | None | 7.2 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review | Fixed wireless | $60 ($40-$50 with eligible mobile plans) | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review | Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 with eligible mobile plans) | 50-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What is the cheapest internet plan in Chapel Hill?
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Fastest internet plans in Chapel Hill
| Plan | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Fiber 8 Gig Read full review | $150 | 8,000Mbps | 8,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| AT&T Internet 5000 Read full review | $245 | 5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Google Fiber 5 Gig Read full review | $125 | 5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| AT&T Internet 2000 Read full review | $145 | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Google Fiber 2 Gig Read full review | $100 | 2,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| AT&T Internet 1000 Read full review | $80 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Google Fiber Gig Read full review | $70 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Spectrum Internet Gig Read full review | $70 | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | None | Cable |
| Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet Read full review | $70 ($45 with eligible mobile plans) | 85-1,000Mbps | 50-75Mbps | None | Fixed wireless |
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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.
How many members of your household use the internet?
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 Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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 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. (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)
To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.
Internet providers in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in Chapel Hill?
AT&T Fiber will be the best internet provider for most households in Chapel Hill. With five speed tiers ranging from 300 to 5,000Mbps, AT&T Fiber plans to meet low and high-demand home internet use. Entry-level plan pricing is lower than Google Fiber (although for slower speeds), and, unlike Spectrum, there are no set price increases with AT&T Fiber.
Is fiber internet available in Chapel Hill?
Approximately 58% of Chapel Hill residential addresses are serviceable for fiber internet, according to the most recent FCC data. AT&T Fiber and Google Fiber are the top options for fiber internet in Chapel Hill.
What is the cheapest internet provider in Chapel Hill?
Spectrum and wireless internet providers T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet offer the lowest starting price for internet in Chapel Hill at $50 a month. Spectrum offers more speed, up to 500Mbps, but opting to rent equipment will add $10 to your monthly bill, and the internet rate increases by $30 after a year of service. Verizon 5G Home Internet has a longer price guarantee while T-Mobile Home Internet boasts a price-for-life guarantee, and both ISPs include Wi-Fi equipment at no extra cost.
Which internet provider in Chapel Hill offers the fastest plan?
Google Fiber offers the fastest internet plan in Chapel Hill with symmetrical upload and download speeds of up to 8,000Mbps starting at $150 a month. AT&T Fiber and Google Fiber have a 5,000Mbps speed tier, but Google Fiber’s is considerably cheaper at $125 compared to $245 from AT&T.