Best Internet Providers in Wake Forest, North Carolina
What is the best internet provider in Wake Forest?
CNET’s top recommended Wake Forest Internet service providers include:
- spectrum:Best Internet Provider in Wake Forest
- T-Mobile Home Internet: Wake Forest’s best fixed wireless network
- Ting fiber:Best Fiber ISP in Wake Forest
Brightspeed and AT&T Fiber are also good options for Wake Forest fiber internet, but local availability is much more limited than Ting Fiber. Read on to learn more about Wake Forest internet providers, including the cheapest and fastest plans available.
Wake Forest, NC Internet Providers Comparison
| provider | Internet technology | monthly price range | speed range | Monthly equipment cost | data cap | contract | CNET Review Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Fiber Read full review |
fiber | $55-$245 | 300-5,000Mbps | without any | without any | without any | 7.4 |
| speed of light | DSL, fiber optic | $49-$75 | 10-100Mbps DSL, 200-1,000Mbps fiber optic | without any | without any | without any | 6.6 |
| spectrum Read full review |
cable | $30-$70 | 100-1,000Mbps | Free modem, $10 router (optional) | without any | without any | 7.2 |
| Ting fiber | fiber | $89 | 1,000Mbps | $11 (optional) | without any | without any | not applicable |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$55 with eligible mobile plans) | 87-415Mbps | without any | without any | without any | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 with eligible mobile plans) | 50-1,000Mbps | without any | without any | without any | 7.2 |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What are the cheapest internet plans in Wake Forest?
| plan | starting price | Maximum download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spectrum Internet Advantages Read full review |
$30 | 500Mbps | $10 (optional) |
| Brightspeed Fiber 200 | $49 | 200Mbps | without any |
| Spectrum Internet Premier Read full review |
$50 | 500Mbps | $10 (optional) |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 318Mbps | without any |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 300Mbps | without any |
| AT&T Fiber 300 Read full review |
$55 | 300Mbps | without any |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Wake Forest’s Fastest Internet Plans
| plan | starting price | Maximum download speed | Maximum upload speed | data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Internet 5000 Read full review |
$245 | 5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | without any | fiber |
| AT&T Internet 2000 Read full review |
$145 | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | without any | fiber |
| AT&T Internet 1000 Read full review |
$80 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | without any | fiber |
| Brightspeed Fiber 1G | $75 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | without any | fiber |
| Spectrum Internet Performance Read full review |
$70 | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | without any | cable |
| Ding Fiber Gigabit | $89 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | without any | fiber |
| Verizon 5G Home + Internet Read full review |
$70 ($45 with eligible mobile plans) | 1,000Mbps | 75Mbps | without any | fixed wireless |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What is 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 video conferencing, streaming video, or gaming, you’ll get a better experience with a stronger connection. The recommended minimum download speeds for various applications are outlined below, According to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission. Please note that these are guidelines only and internet speeds, service and performance vary based on connection type, provider and address.
For more information, see our guide How much internet speed do you really need?.
- 0 to 5Mbps allows you to handle the basics: browsing the Internet, sending and receiving email, and streaming low-quality video.
- 5 to 40Mbps gives you higher quality video streaming and video conferencing.
- 40 to 100Mbps should provide one user with enough bandwidth to meet the needs of modern remote working, video streaming, and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one or two users to participate in high-bandwidth activities such as video conferencing, streaming and online gaming simultaneously.
- 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities simultaneously.
CNET How to Choose the Best Internet Provider in Wake Forest, NC
Internet service providers are numerous and regional. different from the latest cell phone, laptop, router or kitchen toolsit is impractical to personally test every ISP in a specific city. What is our approach? We started by looking at pricing, availability, and speed information, using our own historical ISP data, provider sites, and map information from the Federal Communications Commission: fcc.gov.
It doesn’t end there: We went to the FCC’s website to check our data and make sure we accounted for every ISP offering service in a certain area. We also enter local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We evaluate customer satisfaction with ISP services by looking at sources such as the US Customer Satisfaction Index and JD Power. ISP plans and prices may change frequently; all information provided is accurate as of publication time.
Once we have localized information, we ask three main questions:
- Does the provider offer reasonably fast internet speeds?
- Are customers getting value for money?
- Are customers satisfied with their service?
The answers to these questions are often layered and complex, but we recommend the provider that comes closest to a “yes” on these three questions. When choosing the cheapest internet service, we look for the plan with the lowest monthly fee, although we also consider factors like price increases, equipment costs, and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively simple. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and consider real-world speed data from the following sources: Okla and Federal Communications Commission Report. (Ookla and CNET are owned by the same parent company, Ziff Davis.)
To explore our processes in more depth, visit our How we test ISPs Page.
FAQs for Internet Providers in Wake Forest, NC
What is the best internet service provider in Wake Forest?
Spectrum is Wake Forest’s best Internet service provider. The cable internet provider has the best broadband coverage in Wake Forest, with access to approximately 93% of local households. According to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission. In addition to high availability, Spectrum offers fast pricing, even if standard pricing goes into effect after the first year.
Does Wake Forest University have fiber optic internet?
According to the latest Federal Communications Commission dataapproximately 70% of the population in the Wake Forest area has access to fiber optic Internet. Ting Fiber is the most widely used fiber ISP in Wake Forest, although Brightspeed and AT&T Fiber also offer fiber connections in parts of the city.
What is the cheapest internet provider in Wake Forest?
Spectrum’s 100Mbps Internet Advantage plan has the lowest Internet starting rate in Wake Forest at $30 per month. Brightspeed, T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet are not far behind, with services starting at about $50 per month. Renting a router with Spectrum will add $10 to your bill, while Brightspeed, T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet include equipment rental at no additional cost. But note that Spectrum also has higher rate increases than other budget ISPs in Wake Forest, as the price of standalone Internet service increases by at least $20 after the first year.
Which internet provider in Wake Forest offers the fastest plans?
AT&T Fiber offers the fastest Internet plans in the Wake Forest area, with symmetrical maximum speeds of 5,000Mbps, or 5 gigabits per second. AT&T Fiber has very limited availability in Wake Forest. Wake Forest’s other high-speed providers, including Brightspeed, Spectrum and Ting Fiber, offer download speeds of up to 1,000Mbps. Additionally, Verizon 5G Home Internet advertises speeds ranging from 85 to 1,000Mbps, but actual speeds will vary based on location and network congestion.
