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Internet Providers in Columbia, South Carolina

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Home Internet in Columbia, SC

  • 1. AT&T
    Speeds Up To
    5 Gbps
    See *
    Connection: IPBB, Fiber, 5G Internet
    Availability: 91.2%
    Columbia speed tests confirm high speeds for AT&T Internet
  • 2. Spectrum
    Speeds Up To
    1 Gbps
    * See **
    Connection: Cable, Fiber
    Availability: 93.5%
    Columbia speed tests confirm high speeds for Spectrum
  • 3. Kinetic by Windstream
    Speeds Up To
    200 Mbps
    * See **
    Connection: DSL
    Availability: 2.8%
  • 4. Viasat
    Speeds Up To
    150 Mbps
    * See **
    Connection: Satellite
    Availability: 100%
  • 5. EarthLink
    Speeds Up To
    100 Mbps
    * See **
    Connection: 5G Internet
    Availability: 72%
  • 6. Hughesnet
    Speeds Up To
    100 Mbps
    * See **
    Connection: Satellite
    Availability: 100%
  • 7. Lumos
    Speeds Up To
    5 Gbps
    * See **
    Connection: Fiber
    Availability: 10%
  • 8. NTInet
    Speeds Up To
    1 Gbps
    * See **
    Connection: Fixed Wireless, Fiber
    Availability: 70%
  • 9. TruVista
    Speeds Up To
    1 Gbps
    * See **
    Connection: Fiber
    Availability: 25%
  • CarolinaConnect
    Speeds Up To
    1 Gbps
    * See **
    Connection: Fiber
    Availability: 6.5%
  • Starlink
    Download Speeds:
    50 - 220 Mbps
    * See **
    Connection: Satellite
    Availability: 100%
  • Verizon
    Speeds Up To
    1 Gbps
    * See **
    Connection: 5G Internet
    Availability: 30.9%
  • EIN
    Speeds Up To
    5 Gbps
    * See **
    Connection: Fiber
    Availability: 50%

Home Internet Summary in Columbia, SC

If you live in Columbia, South Carolina, consider AT&T Internet. AT&T provides both IPBB and fiber connections with maximum download speeds up to 5 Gbps. The service reaches 91.20% of Columbia residents, starting at $55 per month. Its exceptional speed and wide coverage make AT&T a strong choice for reliable internet.

Spectrum is another option in Columbia. It uses cable connections and covers 93.50% of the city, offering speeds up to 1 Gbps. The service starts at $49.99 per month. While Spectrum's speeds are lower than AT&T's, its extensive coverage ensures most residents can access its services. Columbia boasts 40% cable coverage and 94% fiber coverage from various providers, offering residents several solid internet choices.

Best Internet Providers in Columbia, SC

If you’re shopping for internet in Columbia, South Carolina, your clear-cut best choice for internet is AT&T Fiber. Not to be confused with AT&T Internet (which is AT&T’s brand name for IPBB internet — it’s basically DSL), AT&T Fiber is AT&T’s top-flight internet offering. It uses a fiber-optic network to offer lightning-fast speeds up to 5 Gbps. We like AT&T Fiber because it has exceptional feedback from customers who leave reviews with us, and you can pair it with AT&T’s wireless service, which is one of the best in the nation.

If AT&T Fiber isn’t available in your area of Columbia, your second choice should be Spectrum, the dominant cable internet provider in the region. Spectrum gets mixed but overall decent marks from its customers based on our review data and its score of 68 on the American Customer Satisfaction Index. Spectrum’s top available speed up to 1 Gbps (wireless speeds may vary) is fast enough to easily handle a typical household’s internet traffic. Spectrum offers internet-only plans starting at $50 per month for 12 months. It also offers sizable savings with its package offerings, which start at $90 per month for 12 months and include other services, like home phone, mobile phone or cable TV.

We recommend sticking with fiber or cable internet, but there are other connection types available in Columbia. AT&T Internet uses a DSL connection type, among others, to create its “IPBB” network. T-Mobile 5G Home Internet and its 5G home competitors use cell towers to reach customers wirelessly. Satellite internet services like Starlink are wireless, too.

If you want to get the most out of your internet service, you’re in luck as a new customer. Most ISPs offer limited-time deals and promotions if you’re new to their service. AT&T is a popular choice among new subscribers because of its exclusive deals for its fiber internet plans. For example, you have the chance to earn up to a $150 Visa Reward Card depending on the fiber plan. ISPs switch out their deals and promotions often, so your best bet is to check frequently to get the latest discounts added to your internet savings.

Fastest Internet Providers in Columbia, SC

AT&T is the fastest provider in Columbia, with speeds up to 5 Gbps.

Columbia’s fastest internet provider is AT&T Fiber. Offering maximum speeds up to 5 Gbps, AT&T Fiber surpasses all other competitors in Columbia by a long shot. In fact, AT&T Fiber offers three different gigabit and mult-gig plans to accommodate even the hungriest of internet households. Pair those offerings with the fact that the multi-gig plans come with AT&T All-Fi for extended Wi-Fi coverage, and you have the ultimate fiber internet combination.

For most users, gigabit internet (meaning a speed of 1 Gbps) will be plenty of bandwidth, even if you have a large household and plan to use multiple internet-connected devices at once to do intense things like stream live TV. Multi-gig speeds are likely to be overkill for most families, though that could change as technology continues to advance and higher-quality (and therefore more bandwidth-intensive) streaming formats are popularized.

You can get that gigabit speed from a cable provider, too. Spectrum’s speeds reaching up to 1 Gbps (wireless speeds may vary) are still a suitable fit for intense internet activities. Just realize that cable internet connections come with a major downside: upload speeds. Spectrum’s upload speeds only reach up to 1 Gbps, meaning you may face buffering and lag when you run out of upload speed to go around. While it’s not that common, it could still be a concern if you have a large household.

That said, fiber speeds mean more because fiber internet offers upload speeds that are just as fast as its download speeds. Take AT&T Fiber, for instance. AT&T Fiber’s download and upload speeds are 5 Gbps, so you get the most out of your connection. With cable, DSL and other connection types, upload speeds are always significantly slower than download speeds.

What’s a Good Internet Speed?

Internet Speed Appropriate For Providers in your Area offering this Speed Availability in your Area
100 Mbps
  • Streaming
  • Video chat
  • Online gaming
  • Larger households
  • Kinetic by Windstream
  • Viasat
  • EarthLink
  • Hughesnet
  • Starlink
100%
1000 Mbps (1 Gbps)
  • Heavy streaming (4K video
  • multiple devices
  • etc.)
  • Video chat
  • Lag-free gaming
  • Large households
  • AT&T
  • Spectrum
  • Lumos
  • NTInet
  • TruVista
  • CarolinaConnect
  • Verizon
  • EIN
93.52000000000001%

Learn more about internet speeds:

Internet Availability in Columbia, SC

Deciding which internet provider to choose in Columbia basically comes down to one question: Can you get AT&T Fiber or not? If AT&T Fiber is available to you, we recommend you choose it.  AT&T Fiber has the best speeds, it’s super reliable, and customers love it. If AT&T Fiber isn’t available in your area, you’ll have to choose between Columbia’s cable provider, Spectrum, and AT&T’s DSL-like IPBB product, AT&T Internet.

So where is AT&T Fiber available? In short, it’s available mostly in the residential neighborhoods outside of Columbia’s downtown area. You shouldn’t expect to find AT&T Fiber in Arsenal Hill or in the districts nearest to the University of South Carolina. As we move into areas like Wales Garden (to the south of the University) and Elmwood Park (to the north of Arsenal Hill), you’ll start to see blocks where AT&T offers its fiber internet service. Availability improves as you continue further out, into neighborhoods like Rosewood on the southern side of town and neighborhoods like Eau Claire on the northern side.

Neighborhoods east of the city center don’t do quite as well. Unfortunately, if you live near the Main Street District or in Waverly or Five Points, you aren’t as likely to be able to sign up for AT&T Fiber. In areas like this, consider Spectrum’s high-speed plans and bundles.

Internet Provider Store Locations in Columbia, SC

Provider Connection Types in Columbia, SC

Connection Type About this Connection Type Availability in Columbia, SC
Satellite
  • Available even in very rural areas
  • Typically has high latency (lag)
100%
DSL
  • Typically about 100 Mbps
  • Slower than Cable or Fiber
67.04%
Cable
  • Typically 250 Mbps - 1 Gbps
  • Widely available
  • A good choice for most users
94.17%
Fiber
  • Typically 1 Gbps or faster
  • Upload speeds match download speeds
40.46%

List of Internet Providers in Columbia, SC

Provider Type Top Speed
AT&T IPBB, Fiber, 5G Internet 5 Gbps
Spectrum Cable, Fiber 1 Gbps
Kinetic by Windstream DSL 200 Mbps
Viasat Satellite 150 Mbps
EarthLink 5G Internet 100 Mbps
Hughesnet Satellite 100 Mbps
Lumos Fiber 5 Gbps
NTInet Fixed Wireless, Fiber 1 Gbps
TruVista Fiber 1 Gbps
CarolinaConnect Fiber 1 Gbps
Starlink Satellite 220 Mbps
Verizon 5G Internet 1 Gbps
EIN Fiber 5 Gbps

Internet Providers in Columbia, SC

Provider Plans Starting At Speeds Up To Connections
AT&T Internet $55/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan 5 Gbps Ltd. avail/areas. Speeds vary, not g’td. Single devices wired speed maximum 4.7Gbps. IPBB, Fiber, 5G Internet
Spectrum $50/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan 1 Gbps *Not all internet speeds available in all areas. Cable, Fiber
Kinetic by Windstream $40/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan 200 Mbps *Not all internet speeds available in all areas. DSL
Viasat Internet $129.99/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan 150 Mbps *Not all internet speeds available in all areas. Satellite
EarthLink 5G Home Internet $39.95/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan 100 Mbps *Not all internet speeds available in all areas. 5G Internet
Hughesnet $49.99/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan 100 Mbps *Not all internet speeds available in all areas. Satellite
Lumos $50/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan 5 Gbps *Not all internet speeds available in all areas. Fiber
NTInet $39.95/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan 1 Gbps *Not all internet speeds available in all areas. Fixed Wireless, Fiber
TruVista $85/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan 1 Gbps *Not all internet speeds available in all areas. Fiber
CarolinaConnect $49.95/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan 1 Gbps *Not all internet speeds available in all areas. Fiber
Starlink $120/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan 220 Mbps *Not all internet speeds available in all areas. Satellite
Verizon $50/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan 1 Gbps *Not all internet speeds available in all areas. 5G Internet

Frequently Asked Questions About Internet in Columbia, SC

  • What is the best internet provider in Columbia?

    AT&T Fiber is the best internet provider in Columbia. It offers excellent speeds and fair prices.

  • What is the fastest internet provider in Columbia?

  • What is the cheapest internet provider in Columbia?

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