Best Internet Providers in Columbus, Georgia
What is the best internet provider in Columbus?
WideOpenWest, aka. wow internetselected by CNET as the best internet provider in Columbus, Georgia. WOW has a lot of great options high speed plan — Outperforming cable TV competitors mediacom and spectrum. It is also the cheapest internet service provider among the major ISPs in the region. It costs $25 per month and offers speeds up to 300 megabits per second. Mediacom has a $20 per month plan with slightly slower speeds and access speeds of 250Mbps.
in Cable Internet WOW also offers the fastest internet plans with a maximum download speed of 1,200Mbps. AT&T Fiber,main Fiber Optic Supplier Located in Columbus, it is the fastest internet provider overall, with speed tiers up to 2,000 and 5,000Mbps.
If you’re looking for an alternative to a large cable or fiber provider, start with T-Mobile Home Internet. This fixed wireless provider offers service in most areas of Columbus, with service starting at just $50 per month with no additional device fees, data caps or contracts. Verizon 5G Home Internet Offers similar pricing and service terms, but availability in Columbus is more limited.
Best Internet in Columbus, Georgia
Columbus, Georgia Internet Providers Comparison
| provider | Internet technology | monthly price range | speed range | Monthly equipment cost | data cap | contract | CNET Review Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Read full review |
DSL, fiber optic | DSL $60, Fiber $55-$245 | 90-3000Mbps DSL, 300-5,000Mbps fiber optic | without any | without any | without any | 7.4 |
| mediacom Read full review |
cable | $20-$60 | 250-1,000Mbps | $14 | 350-3,000GB | without any | 6.4 |
| spectrum Read full review |
cable | $30-$70 | 100-1,000Mbps | Free modem, $10 router rental (optional) | without any | without any | 7.2 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($40-$50 with eligible mobile plans) | 72-245Mbps | without any | without any | without any | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 for eligible Verizon Wireless customers) | 50-1,000Mbps | without any | without any | without any | 7.2 |
| open west | cable | $25-$90 | 300-1,200Mbps | without any | Varies, 1.5TB to unlimited | without any | 7.2 |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What are the cheapest internet plans in Columbus?
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to Find Columbus Internet Deals and Promotions
The best internet deals and top promotions in Columbus depend on the discounts available during that time. Most offers are short-lived, but we’re often on the lookout for the latest deals.
Columbus internet providers, such as WideOpenWest and AT&T Fiber, may offer lower introductory prices or free gift cards for a limited time. However, many companies, including Mediacom, T-Mobile Home Internet and Spectrum, use the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of promotions, check out our guide Best Internet Deals.
The fastest internet plans in Columbus
| 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 |
| WOW Internet 1.2 show Read full review |
$90 | 1,200Mbps | 50Mbps | without any | cable |
| AT&T Internet 1000 Read full review |
$80 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | without any | fiber |
| WOW Internet 1 show Read full review |
$55 | 1,000Mbps | 50Mbps | without any | cable |
| MediaCom 1 show Read full review |
$60 | 1,000Mbps | 50Mbps | 3,000GB | cable |
| Spectrum Internet Performance Read full review |
$70 | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | without any | cable |
| Verizon 5G Home + Internet Read full review |
$70 ($45 with eligible mobile plans) | 85-1,000Mbps | 50-75Mbps | 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 – 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—browse the Internet, send and receive email, stream low-quality video.
- 5 to 40Mbps gives you higher quality video streaming and video conferencing.
- 40 to 100Mbps should provide a person with enough bandwidth to meet the needs of modern remote working, video streaming, and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two people to participate in high-bandwidth activities such as video conferencing, streaming, and online gaming simultaneously.
- 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more people to engage in high-bandwidth activities simultaneously.
CNET How to Choose the Best Internet Provider in Columbus
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. So what is our approach? We first research pricing, availability and speed information based on our own historical ISP data, provider site and map information fcc.gov.
But it didn’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?
While the answers to these questions are often layered and complex, we recommend the provider that comes closest to a “yes” on these three questions. When choosing the cheapest internet service, we look for plans with the lowest monthly fees, although we also consider factors like price increases, equipment fees, 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. (Disclosure: 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.
Columbus Internet Providers FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in Columbus, Georgia?
WideOpenWest (WOW for short) is the best internet service provider in Columbus because of its wide high-speed coverage, low prices, and fast download speeds. The no-contract service includes one year of free device rental on select plans, while the 1.2 field plan offers ongoing free device rental and unlimited data.
Is there fiber optic internet in Columbus?
More than a quarter of Columbus homes have access to fiber optic internet, According to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission. The Castlewood, Northstar, and Hillside Terrace communities have the highest serviceability, although random areas throughout Columbus have fiber coverage.
AT&T Fiber is the largest fiber internet provider in Columbus, although Public Service Communications also has a small fiber presence in the area. Beamspeed also recently became a fiber provider in the Columbus area, but as of this writing, the service appears to still be in beta.
What is the cheapest internet provider in Columbus?
WideOpenWest has the cheapest internet plans among Columbus’ top internet providers at $25 per month with download speeds up to 300Mbps. Mediacom has a 250Mbps plan starting at $20, but availability is slightly less than WOW.
Which internet provider in Columbus offers the fastest plans?
AT&T Fiber offers the fastest internet plans in Columbus, Georgia, with speeds up to 5,000Mbps for $245 per month. This plan comes with symmetrical upload and download speeds, which is one of the biggest benefits of using a 100% fiber connection.
AT&T Fiber also has the second-fastest plans in Columbus — 2,000Mbps starting at $145 per month — while cable Internet providers WOW, Mediacom and Spectrum have download speeds that top out at about 1,000 to 1,200Mbps.
