As part of North Carolina’s Research Triangle, it’s no surprise Durham has access to some of the best internet providers in the state, but which provider is best overall? You really can’t go wrong with any of the area’s top ISPs. Still, CNET recommends AT&T Fiber as the best internet provider in Durham due to its fiber availability, plan variety and high customer satisfaction.
Google Fiber is a close second and has the fastest internet plan in Durham, with speeds up to 8,000 megabits per second. However, it doesn’t have the same fiber coverage as AT&T. Plus, not everyone needs gigabit or multigigabit speeds, which is all Google Fiber offers.
Frontier Fiber is another excellent choice for internet in Durham, especially for those who want a fast, affordable internet plan. Frontier Fiber internet starts at $50 per month — the cheapest price for internet in Durham — and comes with symmetrical speeds up to 500Mbps. Internet service from Spectrum, Verizon 5G Home Internet and T-Mobile Home Internet also starts at $50 per month, but with slower speeds than Frontier Fiber.
With multiple internet providers serving the Durham area, the best one for your home will come down to what’s available in your area and what you need. You’ll find details of the area’s top providers below to help you decide.
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Best internet in Durham, North Carolina
Speed range
300 – 5,000Mbps
Price range
$55 – $250 per month
Our take – With plans ranging from 300Mbps to 5Gbps, AT&T Fiber offers a speed suitable for nearly any household. All plans have free equipment rental, unlimited data and no contract requirements. Those perks are also available with Frontier and Google Fiber, but more Durham residents will be serviceable with AT&T Fiber.
Our take – Spectrum has the greatest availability of any non-satellite internet provider in Durham. It’s largely cable internet, meaning slower upload speeds than you’d get with fiber, but the service is still decent. Plans range from 300 to 1,000Mbps, including unlimited data and a free modem rental.
Our take – Google Fiber recently rolled out 8Gbps internet service in Durham starting at $150 per month — around the same price that would get you max speeds of 2Gbps from AT&T or 5Gbps from Frontier. Speeds of 1, 2 and 5Gbps are also available, but if you’re looking for anything slower (and cheaper than $70 per month), Google Fiber may not be the best provider for you.
Our take – Frontier has the best cheap internet plan in Durham, but there’s nothing “cheap” about the service. Speeds range from 500 to 5,000Mbps, starting at $50 to $155 per month, and all plans come with unlimited data and free equipment rental. Contracts aren’t required, but accepting bonus offers, like a gift card, may come with a one-year term agreement.
Our take – Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband network covers much of Durham, but getting 5G on your phone doesn’t necessarily mean it’s available for internet service in your home. If Verizon 5G Home Internet is available at your address, you’ll have two options ranging from 50 to 300Mbps or 85 to 1,000Mbps, starting at $50 and $70 per month, respectively. Both plans come with free equipment, unlimited data and no contract requirements, and eligible Verizon mobile customers can get an additional discount on home internet service.
$50-$70 ($35-$45 for eligible Verizon Wireless customers)
50-1,000Mbps
None
None
None
7.2
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in Durham?
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
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How to find internet deals and promotions in Durham
The best internet deals and top promotions in Durham depend on the discounts available during that period. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Durham internet providers, such as AT&T Fiber, may offer gift cards or other signup bonuses for a limited time. Many, however, including Frontier, Google Fiber and Spectrum, run the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
Fastest internet plans in Durham
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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 FCC. Note that these are only guidelines — and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.
0 to 5Mbps allows you to tackle the basics — browsing the internet, sending and receiving email, 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 Durham
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. So 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.
But 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 the time of publication.
Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:
Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?
Are customers happy with their service?
While the answer to those questions is often layered and complex, the providers who come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend. When it comes to selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, though 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 also take into account 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.
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