Best Internet Providers in Montgomery, Alabama [CNET]

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What is the best internet provider in Montgomery?

Fast speeds, low pricing and simple service terms, including unlimited data, make WideOpenWest, or WOW, the best internet service provider in Montgomery, Alabama. The cable internet provider offers the cheapest internet plan for Montgomery residents, starting at $30 a month for speeds up to 300 megabits per second. That’s $10 cheaper than the same speeds from Spectrum and $25 cheaper than AT&T Fiber’s 300Mbps plan. Other WOW plans, ranging from 600 to 1,200Mbps, are also competitively priced.

Between Spectrum and WOW, cable internet is available to around 85% of Montgomery households, though Spectrum has slightly higher availability than WOW. If you’re looking for fiber internet, AT&T Fiber and C Spire are the area’s leading fiber providers. AT&T Fiber has the best availability, while C Spire offers the fastest multigigabit speeds in Montgomery, up to 8,000Mbps.

Similarly, T-Mobile Home Internet boasts the best fixed wireless broadband coverage in Montgomery, but Verizon 5G Home Internet has faster speed potential. Both providers offer a mobile bundle discount, so your home’s best fixed wireless provider may depend on your wireless service carrier, T-Mobile or Verizon.

Best internet in Montgomery, Alabama

Montgomery, Alabama, internet providers compared

Provider Internet technology Monthly price range Speed range Monthly equipment costs Data cap Contract CNET review score
AT&T
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DSL, fiber $55 DSL, $55-$225 fiber 10-100Mbps DSL, 300-5,000Mbps fiber None None None 7.4
C Spire Fiber $45-$325 500-8,000Mbps $13 (optional) None None N/A
Spectrum
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Cable $30-$90 100-1,000Mbps $5 (optional) None None 7.2
T-Mobile Home Internet
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Fixed wireless $60 ($40-$50 with eligible mobile plans) 72-245Mbps None None None 7.4
Verizon 5G Home Internet
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Fixed wireless $50-$70 ($35-$45 with eligible mobile plans) 50-1,000Mbps None None None 7.2
WideOpenWest Cable $30-$95 300-1,200Mbps $10 (optional) None None 7.2
Show more (2 items)

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

What’s the cheapest internet plan in Montgomery?

Plan Starting price Max download speed Monthly equipment fee
WOW Internet 300
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$30 300Mbps $10 (optional)
Spectrum Internet
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$40 300Mbps $7 (optional)
C Spire Fiber 500 $45 500Mbps $13 (optional)
WOW Internet 600
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$45 600Mbps $10 (optional)
Verizon 5G Home Internet
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$50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) 300Mbps None
AT&T Fiber 300
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$55 300Mbps None
T-Mobile Home Internet
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$60 ($40-$5 with eligible mobile plans) 245Mbps None

Show more (3 items)

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Aerial view of Montgomery, Alabama
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How to find internet deals and promotions in Montgomery

Montgomery’s best internet deals and top promotions depend on what discounts are available during a given time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers. 

How many members of your household use the internet?

Montgomery internet providers, such as WideOpenWest, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, however, including AT&T Fiber, Spectrum and C Spire, run the same standard pricing year-round.

Fastest internet plans in Montgomery

Plan Starting price Max download speed Max upload speed Data cap Connection type
C Spire Fiber 8 Gig $325 8,000Mbps 8,000Mbps None Fiber
AT&T Internet 5000
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$225 5,000Mbps 5,000Mbps None Fiber
AT&T Internet 2000
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$125 2,000Mbps 2,000Mbps None Fiber
C Spire Fiber 2 Gig $90 2,000Mbps 2,000Mbps None Fiber
WOW Internet 1.2 Gig
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$95 1,200Mbps 50Mbps None Cable
AT&T Internet 1000
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$80 1,000Mbps 1,000Mbps None Fiber
Spectrum Internet Gig
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$90 1,000Mbps 35Mbps None Cable
WOW Internet 1 Gig
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$60 1,000Mbps 50Mbps None Cable
Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet
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$70 ($45 with eligible mobile plans) 1,000Mbps 75Mbps None Fixed wireless

Show more (5 items)

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.

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, 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 Montgomery, Alabama

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 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?

While the answers to those questions are often layered and complex, the providers that 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, 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 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 Montgomery, Alabama, FAQs

What is the best internet service provider in Montgomery?

WideOpenWest, or WOW, is the best internet service provider in Montgomery. WOW is available to more than three-quarters of Montgomery households, second only to Spectrum among wired internet providers, and offers the cheapest internet in the area. WOW plans include unlimited data and no contract requirements.

Is fiber internet available in Montgomery?

Fiber internet is available to just over a quarter of Montgomery addresses, according to FCC data from June 2023. Serviceability is greatest around Alabama State University and the Wynlakes Golf and Country Club, though fiber service can be found in random neighborhoods throughout the city. AT&T Fiber is Montgomery’s largest fiber internet provider, while C Spire has a smaller yet growing local fiber presence.

What is the cheapest internet provider in Montgomery?

WideOpenWest has the cheapest internet in Montgomery, with service starting at $25 monthly for speeds up to 300Mbps. Other WOW plans, including 600Mbps and gig service, are competitively priced as well, starting at $45 and $60 per month, respectively.

Which internet provider in Montgomery offers the fastest plan?

Local fiber internet provider C Spire offers the fastest internet plan in Montgomery with symmetrical speeds up to 8,000Mbps. AT&T Fiber offers the next-fastest plan, up to 5,000Mbps, while both providers offer a 2,000Mbps plan. Cable internet providers WOW and Spectrum have slower max download and upload speeds. WOW offers a 1,200Mbps plan (50Mbps upload speeds), while top download speeds from Spectrum reach 1,000Mbps (35Mbps upload).