Best Internet Providers in Greenville, South Carolina [CNET]

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When it comes to internet services, it’s important to do your research before signing up. You’ll want to consider what you need out of your internet service and which company might be the best internet provider for you. If you’re looking for internet options in Greenville, South Carolina, we’re breaking it all down in this guide.

Greenville, South Carolina, a city that serves as a midpoint between Atlanta and Charlotte, North Carolina, boasts a walkable Main Street and several parks. There’s also what VisitGreenvilleSC describes as “the only single-sided suspension bridge in the Western Hemisphere.” The city says it holds more than 300 events per year and has an average annual temperature of 61 degrees, so perhaps there’s no need for Greenville residents to stay indoors and use the internet. Ah, who are we kidding? There’s always time to go online!

What is the best internet provider in Greenville, South Carolina?

So, what’s the best internet service provider for most Greenvillians? CNET’s pick for the best overall ISP is AT&T Fiber. CNET examines customer service, speed, pricing and overall value before recommending the best broadband in your area. AT&T Fiber boasts symmetrical speeds, high customer satisfaction marks and decent pricing.

If your home isn’t connected for fiber yet, getting online through Spectrum is a solid option. Otherwise, there’s also 5G home internet from Verizon and T-Mobile, and satellite internet from Hughesnet and Viasat. No matter which ISP you choose, all prices listed on this page reflect available discounts for setting up paperless billing. If you decide not to go with automatic monthly payments, your price will be higher.

Best internet service providers in Greenville

Your choice of ISP in Greenville and anywhere else really comes down to which ISPs service your address. Thankfully, for folks in Greenville, it seems that service from major carriers AT&T and Spectrum is available throughout the city.

Note: The prices, speeds and features detailed in the article text may differ from those listed in the product detail cards, which represent providers’ national offerings. Your particular internet service options — including prices and speeds — depend on your address and may differ from those detailed here.

Overview of internet providers in Greenville, SC

Provider Internet technology Monthly price range Speed range Monthly equipment costs Data cap Contract CNET review score
AT&T
Read full review
DSL/fiber $55-$245 10-5,000Mbps None None None 7.4
Hughesnet
Read full review
Satellite $50-$95 50-100Mbps $15 or $350 one-time purchase 100-200GB 2 years 6
Spectrum
Read full review
Cable $25-$80 50-940Mbps Free modem; $7 router None None 7.2
T-Mobile Home Internet
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Fixed wireless $60 ($40 with eligible mobile plans) 72-245Mbps None None None 7.4
Verizon 5G Home Internet
Read full review
Fixed Wireless $50-$70 ($35 to $45 for eligible mobile customers) 50-1,000Mbps None None None 7.2
Viasat
Read full review
Satellite $120 25-100Mbps $15 or $300 one-time purchase 850GB 2 years 6.1

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data

How many members of your household use the internet?

All available Greenville residential internet providers

Most of Greenville can connect online with either AT&T’s DSL or fiber internet or Spectrum’s cable broadband. If you’re a mobile customer of either T-Mobile or Verizon, their 5G home internet services become very compelling options at about half off. Here are some other choices for Greenville residents.

  • EarthLink: EarthLink uses other providers’ networks to connect its customers to the internet. The company provides a good variety of speeds, starting at 100Mbps and going up to a whopping 5,000Mbps, with prices ranging from $60 to $190. Its pricing for its 5,000Mbps plan actually beats that of AT&T.
  • EIN: This Kansas-based ISP services some of Greenville. Fiber internet plans start at $88 per month for 300Mbps.
  • Hughesnet: With solid options from AT&T and Spectrum, folks in Greenville likely won’t need satellite internet (SpaceX’s Starlink is now available as well). Hughesnet offers speeds up to 50Mbps, with prices starting at $50 with a two-year contract and equipment fees. 
  • T-Mobile Home Internet: Speeds with the mobile carrier’s home internet range from 72 to 245Mbps for a price of $65 per month. Customers of the company’s Go5G Plus or Magenta Max phone plans pay $40 monthly. T-Mobile customers with Go5G, Magenta or Essentials plans get less of a discount at $50 per month. 
  • Viasat: Viasat’s monthly prices start at $120, with speeds ranging from 25 to 100Mbps based on the plan.

Greenville broadband at a glance

Median download speeds in Greenville exceed those across South Carolina, likely thanks to compelling internet options from AT&T and Spectrum. When you’re not out enjoying the city’s beautiful parks, you’ll be streaming and gaming with ease.

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Photo by DenisTangneyJr/GettyImages

Pricing info on Greenville home internet service

Spectrum offers cheaper ways to get online, but most Greenvillians will spend around $50 per month for internet service.

Cheap internet options in the Greenville metro area

If you’re looking for the cheapest way to get online in Greenville, go with Spectrum. The cable internet company offers its Internet Assist plan (geared toward low-income households) for $25 and its Internet 100 plan for $30. From there, expect to pay around $50 per month for more speed, unless you’re an existing customer of T-Mobile or Verizon and are eligible for their 5G home internet offerings.

What’s the cheapest internet plan in Greenville, SC?

Provider Starting price Max download speed Monthly equipment fee Contract
Spectrum Internet Assist
Read full review
$25 50Mbps Free modem; $7 router None
Spectrum 100
Read full review
$30 100Mbps Free modem; $7 router None
Spectrum Internet
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$50 300Mbps Free modem; $7 router None
Verizon 5G Home Internet
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$50 ($35 for eligible mobile customers) 300Mbps None None
AT&T Fiber 300
Read full review
$55 300Mbps None None
T-Mobile Home Internet
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$65 ($40 for eligible cellphone customers) 245Mbps None None

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data

Broadband insights for Greenville, SC

Among the 50 US states and the District of Columbia, South Carolina ranks 17th for highest median download speeds, with 203Mbps. Greenville median speeds are even faster, at about 235Mbps. Greenvillians can browse the web at speeds much higher than that, thanks to gig-plus speed options from AT&T and Spectrum.

Fastest internet providers in Greenville

Most Greenville residents who can connect online through AT&T or Spectrum can access their gigabit (and faster) speeds. Multigigabit options may be available at certain addresses.

What are the fastest internet plans in Greenville, SC?

Provider Max download speed Max upload speed Starting price Data cap Contract
AT&T Fiber 5000
Read full review
5,000Mbps 5,000Mbps $245 None None
AT&T Fiber 2000
Read full review
2,000Mbps 2,000Mbps $145 None None
AT&T Fiber 1000
Read full review
1,000Mbps 1,000Mbps $80 None None
Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet
Read full review
1,000Mbps 50Mbps $70 None None
Spectrum Internet Gig
Read full review
940Mbps 35Mbps $80 None None

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every internet service provider in a given city. What’s our approach? For starters, we tap into a proprietary database of pricing, availability and speed information that draws from our own historical ISP data, partner data 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: 

  • 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 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.

Final word on internet providers in Greenville, SC

Greenville is well served by AT&T and Spectrum. People who want a lot of speed can get plans reaching 5,000Mbps from AT&T and Earthlink, which interestingly offers a better price on the high-speed option (even though it’s using AT&T’s network), as well as EIN. For more affordable options, Spectrum offers cheaper ways to get online, while existing customers of T-Mobile or Verizon get nice discounts on those companies’ 5G home internet options.

Internet providers in Greenville, SC, FAQ

Which is the best internet service provider in Greenville, SC?

Recommended by both CNET editors and posters on the Greenville subreddit, AT&T Fiber is the best ISP in Greenville. If you can get it, that’s the best way for most Greenville residents to connect online. AT&T Fiber gets high marks on customer satisfaction surveys and offers a good variety of plans.

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Is fiber internet available in Greenville, SC?

Greenvillians can look to AT&T, Earthlink and EIN for fiber internet. Speeds go up to a blazing 5,000Mbps.

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Should I choose AT&T or Spectrum?

For a full breakdown of the differences between AT&T and Spectrum, the most prevalent ISPs in Greenville, check out the CNET guide to AT&T vs. Spectrum. But the gist is that if AT&T’s fiber plans are available at your address, that’s the better choice.

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