What’s the finest web supplier in Charleston?
CNET recommends AT&T Fiber as the highest web supplier in Charleston. If AT&T Fiber isn’t obtainable in your space, don’t fear—Charleston residents have loads of strong alternate options. Choices vary from fiber plans provided by native supplier House Telecom to cable connections from Xfinity and Spectrum. For these involved in wi-fi choices, T-Cell House Web and Verizon 5G House Web present dependable 5G service.
Broadband entry in Charleston is spectacular. In keeping with the Federal Communications Fee, each family within the metropolis has entry to broadband speeds of a minimum of 100Mbps obtain and 20Mbps add, whereas 98% can go for plans providing speeds as much as 250Mbps. That’s considerably higher than in Columbia, South Carolina’s capital, the place solely 91% of households have entry to such high-speed plans—sufficient to simply deal with streaming, distant work and on-line gaming for a household of 4, based on FCC requirements.
My visits to Charleston are inclined to focus extra on its sandy seashores and iconic delicacies than on web speeds, nevertheless it’s good to know that quick, dependable connectivity is obtainable regardless of the place you go within the Holy Metropolis.
Charleston web suppliers in contrast
| Supplier | Web expertise | Month-to-month value vary | Velocity vary | Month-to-month gear prices | Knowledge cap | Contract | CNET evaluation rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Web Air Learn full evaluation |
Mounted wi-fi | $60 | 10-100Mbps | None | 1.5TB | None | 7.4 |
| AT&T Fiber Learn full evaluation |
Fiber | $65-$255 | 300-5,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| House Telecom | Fiber | $70-$100 | 300-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | N/A |
| Spectrum Learn full evaluation |
Cable | $30-$70 | 100-1,000Mbps | Free modem; $10 for router (non-obligatory) | None | None | 7.2 |
| T-Cell House Web Learn full evaluation |
Mounted wi-fi | $50-$70 ($35-$50 with eligible cellular plans) | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G House Web Learn full evaluation |
Mounted wi-fi | $50-$70 ($35-$45 with eligible telephone plan) | 50-250Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
| WOW Learn full evaluation |
Cable | $30-$95 | 300-1,200Mbps | None | None | None | 7 |
| Xfinity Learn full evaluation |
Cable | $35-$95 | 150-1,200Mbps | $15 (non-obligatory) | 1.2TB | 1-2 years, relying on plan | 7 |
Present extra (4 gadgets)
Supply: CNET evaluation of supplier information.
Different obtainable Charleston residential web suppliers
Charleston has extra ISPs than many different cities within the US, offering a reasonably extraordinary vary of choices. Listed below are another suppliers value contemplating.
- House Telecom: This firm covers about 8% of Charleston, with availability principally within the Daniel Island space. Its fiber-optic plans supply 300Mbps, 500Mbps, 1 gig or 2 gig for $70, $80, $100 or $130 month-to-month — which is a little more costly than AT&T’s Fiber plans. But it surely’s a neighborhood outfit, gear is included and there aren’t any information caps or contracts.
- Satellite tv for pc web: We suggest avoiding satellite tv for pc web in Charleston, on condition that cheaper and quicker choices are broadly obtainable. Satellite tv for pc web is finest for rural areas that cable and fiber do not attain. If that is the place you reside, Hughesnet and Viasat are probably the most distinguished suppliers, though every requires a two-year contract. Elon Musk’s Starlink affords greater obtain speeds and decrease latency, though it requires $499 for the standard set up, all the way down to $349 proper now, not together with the month-to-month fee of $120 monthly.
- Spectrum Web: Constitution Communications’ residence web service is obtainable to about 5% of the realm, principally north of town in Ladson and Summerville. There are two cable web plans: 500Mbps for $50 monthly and a gigabit providing for $70 monthly. There aren’t any information caps or contracts. Costs enhance by $30 month-to-month after the primary yr.
- Verizon 5G House Web: Like T-Cell, Verizon makes use of its mobile community to wirelessly present residence broadband connections. But it surely’s solely obtainable to about 26% of Charleston households.
Pricing data on Charleston residence web service
The typical beginning value for web in Charleston is round $46 monthly — on par with different cities, together with Austin, Dallas and Philadelphia.
Low cost web choices in Charleston
| Supplier | Beginning value | Max obtain velocity | Month-to-month gear price | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WOW Web 300 Learn full evaluation |
$30 | 300Mbps | None | None |
| Xfinity Join Learn full evaluation |
$35 ($66 after one yr) | 150Mbps | $15 (non-obligatory) | None |
| Xfinity Join Extra Learn full evaluation |
$35 ($86 after one yr) | 300Mbps | $15 (non-obligatory) | None |
| Spectrum Web Learn full evaluation |
$40 ($80 after one yr) | 500Mbps | None | None |
| T-Cell House Web Learn full evaluation |
$50 ($35 with eligible cellular plans) | 245Mbps | None | None |
| Verizon 5G House Web Learn full evaluation |
$50 ($35 with eligible cellular plans) | 100Mbps | None | None |
| AT&T Fiber Web 300 Learn full evaluation |
$65 | 300Mbps | None | None |
| House Telecom 300 | $70 | 300Mbps | None | None |
Present extra (4 gadgets)
Supply: CNET evaluation of supplier information.
Charleston broadband speeds
In keeping with the FCC, 100% of Charleston residents have entry to broadband web and, much more impressively, greater than 47% are eligible for gig velocity connections (940-1,000Mbps) from both AT&T Fiber, House Telecom, Spectrum or Xfinity. AT&T additionally affords multigigabit plans as much as 5 gigs (5,000Mbps).
What are the quickest web plans in Charleston?
| Supplier | Max obtain velocity | Max add velocity | Beginning value | Knowledge cap | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Fiber Web 5000 Learn full evaluation |
5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | $255 | None | None |
| AT&T Fiber Web 2000 Learn full evaluation |
2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | $155 | None | None |
| WOW Web 1.2 Gigs Learn full evaluation |
1,200Mbps | 50Mbps | $95 | None | None |
| Xfinity Gigabit Additional Learn full evaluation |
1,200Mbps | 35Mbps | $95 ($126 after two years) | 1.2TB | 2 years |
| AT&T Fiber Web 1000 Learn full evaluation |
1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | $90 | None | None |
| WOW Web 1 Gig Learn full evaluation |
1,000Mbps | 50Mbps | $60 | None | None |
| House Telecom | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | $100 | None | None |
| Spectrum Web Gig Learn full evaluation |
1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | $70 ($100 after two years) | None | None |
| Xfinity Gigabit Learn full evaluation |
1,000Mbps | 20Mbps | $85 ($116 after one yr) | 1.2TB | 2 years |
Present extra (5 gadgets)
Supply: CNET evaluation of supplier information.
How CNET selected one of the best web suppliers in Charleston
Web service suppliers are quite a few and regional. In contrast to the newest smartphone, laptop computer, router or kitchen device, it is impractical to personally check each ISP in a given metropolis. What’s our method? For starters, we faucet right into a proprietary database of pricing, availability and velocity data that pulls from our personal historic ISP information, accomplice information and mapping data from the Federal Communications Fee at FCC.gov. We additionally cross verify speeds with Ookla’s Speedtest.internet. (Ookla is owned by the identical dad or mum firm as CNET, Ziff Davis.)
This information leverages an in-house synthetic intelligence device referred to as RAMP, which is educated on our personal writing and makes use of our database to generate content material about particular web service suppliers that our writers can use in figuring out and presenting our picks for a given information. Test CNET’s AI coverage for extra details about how our groups use (and don’t use) AI instruments.
As a result of our database is just not exhaustive, we go to the FCC’s web site to verify the first information for ourselves and ensure we’re contemplating each ISP that gives service in an space. Plans and costs additionally differ by location, so we enter native addresses on supplier web sites to search out the particular choices obtainable to residents. We take a look at sources, together with the American Buyer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Energy, to judge how pleased prospects are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and costs are topic to frequent modifications; all data offered is correct as of our prepublication fact-check.
As soon as now we have this localized data, we ask three most important questions:
- Does the supplier supply entry to fairly quick web speeds?
- Do prospects get respectable worth for what they’re paying?
- Are prospects pleased with their service?
The reply to these questions is commonly layered and sophisticated, however the suppliers who come closest to “sure” on all three are those we suggest. To discover our course of in additional depth, go to our web page on how we check ISPs.
What’s the underside line on Charleston web suppliers?
Residents of Charleston have quite a lot of choices in the case of selecting a broadband supplier. Xfinity covers practically each deal with within the metropolis, and a few households can get quicker add speeds by fiber connections from AT&T and native supplier House Telecom. If it’s low-cost web you’re after, look no additional than WOW — it has among the lowest beginning costs you’ll discover wherever within the US which do not spike after 1-2 years of use.
Web suppliers in Charleston FAQs
Which is one of the best web service supplier in Charleston?
It depends upon the place you reside. AT&T Fiber is a strong selection — and CNET’s high decide — nevertheless it’s not obtainable to all households; most residents must accept the supplier’s DSL connection. If that is the case, there are higher choices in that value vary. Xfinity covers the best variety of addresses however comes with information caps and non permanent reductions. T-Cell House Web affords no information caps, no value will increase and free gear rental — however its obtain speeds high out below 240Mbps, which is likely to be inadequate for households with a number of customers.
Which is the most affordable web supplier in Charleston?
Charleston’s least expensive web supplier is WOW with their 300Mbps plan for $30 monthly, and when you go for a $5 value assure, it will keep that method. WOW’s gigabit plan, which affords 1,000Mbps and prices $60 month-to-month, is likely one of the finest values within the US at 6 cents per Mbps.
Which Charleston web supplier affords the quickest plan?
The title goes to AT&T Fiber, whose 5,000Mbps plan prices $255 month-to-month — one other nice worth at round 5 cents per Mbps.
Is fiber web obtainable in Charleston?
Sure. AT&T Fiber affords three plans for as much as 1 gig in a number of areas and as much as 5 gigs in others. Native supplier House Telecom affords 4 fiber plans with sturdy protection within the Daniel Island space.