Internet Providers in Memphis, Tennessee

Best Internet Providers in Memphis, TN

If you’re shopping for internet in Memphis, there’s a certain order in which you’ll want to consider your options. The first option to consider is undoubtedly AT&T Fiber, which is the area’s only fiber-optic internet network. Fiber internet is simply the best, fastest, and most reliable option for internet service on the market, and AT&T Fiber uses that technology to deliver speeds up to 5 Gbps. It also offers lower-priced plans (which are still very fast relative to the competition), with its lowest-cost plan starting at $55 per month.

If AT&T Fiber isn’t available in your area or isn’t an option for you for some other reason, the next provider to consider will be Xfinity. Xfinity uses a cable network. Cable isn’t quite as cutting-edge as fiber, but it’s still a broadband internet option and still represents a significant step up over DSL. Xfinity’s top speed — up to 1 Gbps — is nothing to sneeze at, and the provider is popular for its bundle deals, which start at $55 per month and include services like pay TV or phone service.

Next in the pecking order are DSL plans. Memphis’ DSL provider is AT&T Internet (not to be confused with the aforementioned AT&T Fiber, which is AT&T’s brand name for fiber internet). AT&T Internet uses a connection type that AT&T calls “IPBB,” which is a hybrid network that makes significant use of DSL infrastructure. As a shopper, you should consider it to be more or less analogous to regular old DSL. DSL isn’t as fast as cable or fiber, but it can be cheaper, so this may be a feasible option for some households.

Fastest Internet Providers in Memphis, TN

If pure speed is your priority, look no further than AT&T Internet. AT&T Internet is the single fastest home internet provider in Memphis, and its top speed is up to 5 Gbps. Just make sure that your Wi-Fi router is fast enough to handle all of that speed!

There are essentially two options for truly high-speed internet in Memphis: AT&T Fiber (up to 5 Gbps on a fiber network) and Xfinity (up to 1 Gbps on a cable network). Both of these providers break the 1 Gbps barrier (known as “gigabit speed”), and anything over 1 Gbps is going to feel very fast to most internet users. In fact, depending on how demanding your internet usage is, 500 Mbps may feel fast enough for you.

In a practical sense, most households can get by with 250 Mbps, though it may not always “feel fast.” And some households will be able to work with just 100 Mbps, though that’s likely to give you some trouble when you try to do more bandwidth-intensive activities like streaming Netflix or playing online video games. If you can afford it, we recommend looking for plans at 250 Mbps and up, and we think it’s worth splurging on 500 Mbps or 1 Gbps in many cases.

Internet Availability in Memphis, TN

Figuring out which internet service providers are available to you in your area of Memphis is pretty straightforward (especially if you use the ZIP check tool on this page!). The short version is this: You’re going to see two major providers in just about every neighborhood in town, and those two providers are Xfinity and AT&T. The only real question is whether you have access to AT&T Fiber, as opposed to the DSL-powered AT&T Internet product.

So where is AT&T Fiber strongest? It’s at its very best in East Memphis, in neighborhoods like Pidgeon Estates and Richland Acres. Availability is also pretty good just to the north of that area, across Sam Cooper Boulevard and Summer Avenue in Berclair and nearby areas.

AT&T’s fiber footprint isn’t quite as complete in Hyde Park or Hollywood, but it gets stronger again in Midtown and Crosstown, near the Memphis Zoo and Brooks Museum of Art. And you’re also likely to have access to AT&T Fiber if you live north of Route 40, in places like Frayser and Raleigh, though there are exceptions. There are parts of Harbor Town with access to AT&T Fiber, too.

AT&T Fiber’s coverage in Downtown Memphis isn’t quite as good, though there are exceptions. AT&T Fiber is available along the Mississippi in the South Bluffs area, and there’s also a nice patch of coverage down in Longview Heights, near the golf course. AT&T’s fiber footprint gets stronger again as you go by Graceland — you’ll likely be able to sign up if you live around there or down in Whitehaven. AT&T Fiber is also available in some areas east of the airport, particular around Parkway Village.