Best ISPs in Wake Forest, NC
What is the best ISP in Wake Forest?
CNET’s top recommended ISPs in Wake Forest include:
- Spectrum: The best ISP in Wake Forest
- T-Mobile Home Internet: The best fixed wireless Internet in Wake Forest
- Ting Fiber: The best fiber optic internet provider in Wake Forest
Brightspeed and AT&T Fiber are also decent choices for fiber internet in Wake Forest, but local availability is much more limited than Ting Fiber. Read on to learn more about Wake Forest’s Internet providers, including the cheapest and fastest plans available.
Wake Forest, NC Internet Providers Compared
| Supplier | Internet technologies | Monthly price range | Speed ​​range | Monthly equipment costs | Data Limitation | Contract | CNET review result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Fiber Read the full review |
Fibers | $55-$245 | 300-5000 Mbps | There isn’t | There isn’t | There isn’t | 7.4 |
| Brightspeed | DSL, optical fiber | $49-$75 | 10-100Mbps DSL, 200-1000Mbps fiber optic | There isn’t | There isn’t | There isn’t | 6.6 |
| Spectrum Read the full review |
Cable | $30-$70 | 100-1000 Mbps | Free modem, $10 router (optional) | There isn’t | There isn’t | 7.2 |
| Ting Fiber | Fibers | $89 | 1000 Mbps | $11 (optional) | There isn’t | There isn’t | N/A |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$55 with eligible mobile plans) | 87-415Mbps | There isn’t | There isn’t | There isn’t | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read the full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 with eligible mobile plans) | 50-1000 Mbps | There isn’t | There isn’t | There isn’t | 7.2 |
Show more (2 items)
Shop suppliers at my address
Source: CNET analysis of vendor data.
What is the cheapest internet plan in Wake Forest?
| Plan | Starting price | Maximum download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spectrum Internet Advantage Read the full review |
$30 | 500Mbps | $10 (optional) |
| Brightspeed Fiber 200 | $49 | 200Mbps | There isn’t |
| Spectrum Internet Premier Read the full review |
$50 | 500Mbps | $10 (optional) |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 318Mbps | There isn’t |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read the full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 300Mbps | There isn’t |
| AT&T Fiber 300 Read the full review |
$55 | 300Mbps | There isn’t |
Show more (2 items)
Shop suppliers at my address
Source: CNET analysis of vendor data.
The fastest internet plans in Wake Forest
| Plan | Starting price | Maximum download speed | Maximum upload speed | Data Limitation | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Internet 5000 Read the full review |
$245 | 5000 Mbps | 5000 Mbps | There isn’t | Fibers |
| AT&T Internet 2000 Read the full review |
$145 | 2000 Mbps | 2000 Mbps | There isn’t | Fibers |
| AT&T Internet 1000 Read the full review |
$80 | 1000 Mbps | 1000 Mbps | There isn’t | Fibers |
| Brightspeed Fiber 1 Gig | $75 | 1000 Mbps | 1000 Mbps | There isn’t | Fibers |
| Spectrum Internet Gig Read the full review |
$70 | 1000 Mbps | 35Mbps | There isn’t | Cable |
| Ting Fiber Gigabit | $89 | 1000 Mbps | 1000 Mbps | There isn’t | Fibers |
| Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet Read the full review |
$70 ($45 with eligible mobile plans) | 1000 Mbps | 75Mbps | There isn’t | Fixed wireless |
Show more (3 items)
Shop suppliers at my address
Source: CNET analysis of vendor data.
What is 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 include video conferencing, streaming video, or gaming, you’ll have a better experience with a more stable connection. Here’s an overview of recommended minimum download speeds for different apps, according to the FCC. Note that these are guidelines only and that internet speed, service and performance will vary by connection type, provider and address.
For more information, see our guide to how much internet speed do you really need?.
- 0 to 5 Mbps lets you handle the basics: surfing the web, sending and receiving email, and streaming low-quality video.
- 5 to 40 Mbps gives you higher quality video streaming and video conferencing.
- 40 to 100 Mbps should provide a single user with enough bandwidth to meet the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one or two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities such as video conferencing, streaming and online gaming.
- 500 to 1000 Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities simultaneously.
How CNET chose the best ISPs in Wake Forest, NC
Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest ones smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen toolit is not practical to personally test every ISP in a given city. What is our approach? We start by researching pricing, availability, and speed information, drawing on our own historical data from ISPs, provider sites, and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission on FCC.gov.
It doesn’t stop there: we go to the FCC website to check our data and make sure we account for every ISP that provides service in an area. We also enter local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and JD Power to gauge how satisfied customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent change; all information provided is accurate at the time of publication.
Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:
- Does the provider offer relatively fast internet access?
- Are customers getting decent value for what they pay?
- Are customers satisfied with their service?
The answer to these questions is often layered and complex, but the vendors that come closest to saying yes to all three are the ones we recommend. When choosing the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, although we also take into account things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively easy. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports. (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)
To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.
ISPs in Wake Forest, NC FAQ
What is the best ISP in Wake Forest?
Spectrum is the best internet service provider in Wake Forest. The cable internet provider has the best broadband coverage in Wake Forest, available to approximately 93% of local households, according to the FCC. Along with high availability, Spectrum offers fast speeds for the price, even after standard pricing kicks in after the first year.
Is there fiber internet in Wake Forest?
According to the latest FCC datafiber internet is available to approximately 70% of Wake Forest. Ting Fiber is the most common fiber internet provider in Wake Forest, although Brightspeed and AT&T Fiber also offer fiber connections in parts of the city.
What is the cheapest ISP in Wake Forest?
Spectrum’s 100Mbps Internet Advantage plan has the lowest starting price for Internet in Wake Forest at $30 per month. Brightspeed, T-Mobile Home Internet, and Verizon 5G Home Internet aren’t far behind, with service starting at around $50 per month. Renting a router with Spectrum will add $10 to your bill, while Brightspeed, T-Mobile Home Internet, and Verizon 5G Home Internet include rental equipment at no extra cost. But keep in mind that Spectrum also has a higher rate increase than other low-cost ISPs in Wake Forest, as the cost of stand-alone Internet service goes up by at least $20 after the first year.
Which ISP in Wake Forest offers the fastest plan?
AT&T Fiber offers the fastest Internet plan in Wake Forest, with symmetrical maximum speeds of 5,000 Mbps, or 5 gigabits per second. AT&T Fiber availability is severely limited in Wake Forest. Other high-speed providers in Wake Forest, including Brightspeed, Spectrum and Ting Fiber, offer maximum download speeds of 1,000 Mbps. Additionally, Verizon 5G Home Internet advertises a speed range of 85 to 1000 Mbps, but actual speeds will vary based on location and network congestion.
English