Best Internet Providers in Albany, Georgia [CNET]

What is the best internet provider in Albany, Georgia?

Home internet choices are somewhat limited in Albany, Georgia. You should check if AT&T Fiber is available at your address. If it is then it’s likely the best internet service provider. AT&T Fiber offers the best internet plan selection in Albany, with speeds ranging from 300 to 5,000 megabits per second — the fastest in the area — and all plans include free equipment rental and unlimited data.

Considering the speeds and straightforward pricing, AT&T Fiber arguably presents the best value, but with service starting at $55 per month, it isn’t the cheapest internet provider. Mediacom has the lowest introductory rate for internet in Albany at just $20 for speeds up to 250Mbps. The low pricing is only good for one or two years, and a $14 equipment fee plus potential charges for exceeding the data cap may add to the monthly costs.

If you’d prefer to skip the equipment fees and data caps but AT&T Fiber isn’t available in your area, check out fixed wireless internet from T-Mobile Home Internet. While not the fastest ISP in Albany (speeds range from 72 to 245Mbps), the simple setup and pricing make it an option worth considering. Local provider Public Communications Service also offers fixed wireless internet in Albany, but availability is limited and speeds vary by address.

Best internet in Albany, Georgia

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Albany, Georgia

The best internet deals and top promotions in Albany depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers. 

Albany internet providers, such as Mediacom and T-Mobile Home Internet, may offer lower introductory pricing for a limited time. Others, such as AT&T Fiber, run the same standard pricing year-round. 

For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.

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 Federal Communications Commission. Note that these are only guidelines and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.

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 and 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 Albany, Georgia

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. 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.

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 publication.

Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:

1. Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
2. Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?
3. Are customers happy with their service?

The answer to those questions is often layered and complex, but 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, although 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.

To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.

Internet providers in Albany, Georgia, FAQs