AT&T Internet Review: Plans, Pricing, Speed and Availability

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AT&T home internet rating

How we calculated our rating

7.4/10

CNET Score

We score internet providers for speed, value and customer care. Our data sources include the FCC, J.D. Power, The American Customer Satisfaction Index and extensive in-house research.

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7.4

/ 10

SCORE

Speed

7/10

Value

7.5/10

Customer Care

7.5/10

Pros

• No contracts required to receive the lowest available price
• No data caps for any fiber plans
• Valuable perks and promotional offers

Cons

• Much slower DSL plans are more prevalent than fiber options
• Data caps enforced on all non-fiber plans

See more pros and cons

AT&T internet review

AT&T is one of only a few internet providers offering customers three different internet connection types: 5G home internet, DSL and fiber internet. With over 28 million customers plus the distinction of being named the nation's fastest ISP, according to Ookla data from the second half of 2024, AT&T is a popular home internet option. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)

But how do AT&T's different internet services measure up to each other? If you're living in one of the 22 states where AT&T provides wired internet service and are one of the eight million customers eligible for the company's fiber internet plans, you're in luck. AT&T's fiber service offers the best value for reliably fast speeds.

However, many of AT&T's service area customers aren't living in homes wired for fiber. Instead, AT&T connects those customers using fixed wireless connections like AT&T Internet Air or AT&T Fixed Wireless, which uses 4G LTE, or its DSL hybrid service. That means less value and much slower speeds than you'll get with fiber. 

In other words, recommending AT&T home internet service depends on where you live and what type of internet service is available at your address. If AT&T Fiber is an option, move it to the top of your list. If you aren't serviceable for fiber, shop around for other available internet service providers to see if you can do better than AT&T's fixed wireless or DSL services.

Let's take a closer look at what you can expect with AT&T internet service.

AT&T internet plans

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

A couple of potential outcomes exist when you seek to sign up for AT&T's home internet service. If you see the 300, 500 or gigabit speed tiers offered at your address, you can access AT&T's fiber internet service, which uses 100% fiber technology. Fiber connections are symmetrical by design, which means that your upload speeds will be just as fast as your downloads, unlike DSL, cable and other modes of internet. That's particularly useful for videoconferencing, transferring files (for those working and schooling from home) and online gaming.

AT&T officially discontinued offering its 100% DSL networks to new customers in 2020. Now, it uses a DSL-fiber hybrid infrastructure to deliver speeds up to 100Mbps, rebranded as "AT&T Internet." While those plans are contract-free, you can expect a data cap of 1.5TB on all plans. AT&T recently announced plans to discontinue its DSL-hybrid offerings by 2029, though we'll have to wait and see how that plays out.

Alternatively, AT&T also offers fixed wireless internet connections. AT&T's Fixed Wireless offering, which relies on 4G LTE to get you online, features speeds up to 10Mbps down and 1Mbps up. In 2023, AT&T introduced AT&T Internet Air, a newer fixed wireless solution targeted to current customers subscribed to slower DSL plans. This plan features download speeds of up to 225Mbps and upload speeds of up to 30Mbps. This connection meets the FCC's benchmark for home broadband of 100Mbps download speed and 20Mbps upload, making it a decent alternative to DSL plans if you can get top speeds. That said, when CNET's Joe Supan gave AT&T Internet Air a one-week test run, he did not consistently experience broadband speeds.

Overall, AT&T's most reliable, cost-efficient plans are its fiber internet plans, which come without contracts or data caps and feature speeds up to 5,000Mbps. The company tells CNET that three of those fiber plans -- Internet 300, Internet 500 and Internet 1000 -- are available to approximately 21 million customers in the company's footprint. The multi-gig plans are available to a smaller portion of that base, currently just over 8 million. Overall, AT&T Fiber is available in more than 100 major cities in the US, per the company's website. All of AT&T's fiber plans are rock-solid options, and the company's overall fiber-optic service frequently tops customer service surveys and polls.

Where can you get AT&T internet service?

AT&T's wired internet service area covers 22 states:

• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Arizona
• California
• Florida
• Georgia
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Michigan
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Nevada
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Wisconsin

You can dig deeper on the AT&T coverage map to see the specific cities included within each state.

Straightforward terms for AT&T Internet

For the most part, AT&T's internet service has simple, easy-to-understand terms and conditions. However, a few differences from other ISPs should attract your attention. 

No equipment fees

AT&T includes the cost of equipment rental in your monthly service bill for all internet plans. In some cases, you may even be eligible to use your own equipment.

One-time fees

AT&T charges $99 for a full, in-home tech installation for DSL service. For some addresses, there's no self-install option (you have to go online to find out if you "qualify" for the self-install kit). On the positive side, AT&T's fiber and Internet Air plans frequently waive the installation fee, so keep an eye out for offers like that. If none are available, you could also ask them to waive it when you're calling to sign up.

If you're struggling to get a signal in the far reaches of your home, AT&T will sell you a Smart Wi-Fi Extender to pair with the gateway. Moreover, the gateway modem is included in your monthly bill, while the extender is free for customers on the 2-gig and faster plans. Otherwise, it will cost you an additional $10 a month.

No data caps (except when there are)

Here's where things get a little squirrelly. For the most part, AT&T home internet plans don't come with data caps. Customers get unlimited data with all fiber plans. You won't have to track your data usage for fear of fees or throttling issues once you hit some arbitrary threshold. However, there's still a decent chunk of AT&T's geographic footprint where AT&T's DSL hybrid is the only option. For those households, there is a data allowance. 

AT&T Internet plans from 0.8 to 75Mbps have a data cap of 1.5 terabytes (1,500 gigabytes). If you exceed that monthly limit, you'll incur a $10 charge for each additional 50GB of data you use, up to $100 monthly. That's on par with other major providers who enforce a data cap, including Xfinity and Cox, but both offer a slightly lower cap at around 1.25TB. Cox also waives all your overage charges the first month you break the cap. Don't expect a free pass like that from AT&T.

If you think you'll surpass AT&T's data allowance, you can upgrade your plan to a fiber plan, which includes unlimited data. The Internet 300 plan, for example, offers you the same rate but with faster speeds and unlimited data. Another option is to choose a TV and internet bundle, which would allow you to get unlimited data at no extra charge -- although there's usually a contract involved with any bundling of services.

One last caveat -- the data allowance for AT&T Fixed Wireless Internet is 350GB a month. While the $10 charge for each additional 50GB you use is the same as above, fixed wireless customers can be billed up to $200 extra per month for overage fees. That's a recipe for sticker shock, so you'll want to be extra cautious with your data usage if you're a fixed wireless subscriber.

Perks and promotions

AT&T likes to run short-term promotions and deals throughout the year. The main promo right now is an AT&T Visa Reward Card for new fiber customers who order online. Depending on your selected speed tier, the amount ranges from $50 to $150. In addition, new customers can have their cancellation fee paid in full when they switch to AT&T.

In addition, AT&T's nationwide network of over 30,000 hotspots is free to all AT&T home internet customers. This allows you to connect while away from home without using your mobile data. 

Customers on the 2 gigabit and faster plans can access AT&T's Active Armor internet security (an $80-a-year value) for free. This technology features tools that protect your home internet and mobile devices from a wide range of online threats.

AT&T Internet vs. the competition: Flexing strong customer satisfaction numbers

AT&T crows that "you deserve the best," and the company points to its stellar showing in the 2024 J.D. Power US Residential Internet Service Provider Satisfaction Study as evidence that it's delivering. AT&T nabbed the top spot in that study's North Central and West regions, with an average score of 542 on a 1,000-point scale. Only Verizon Fios (575) and Google Fiber (702) can point to a higher average in the survey.

AT&T also fared extremely well in the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index, which releases a yearly customer satisfaction survey for internet providers. AT&T Fiber's score of 80/100 remained the same from the previous year, topped all fiber ISPs and was well ahead of the industry average of 71 (76 among fiber providers). Since 2023, the ACSI has differentiated between fiber and non-fiber providers, and AT&T certainly benefited from that move. Even the company's non-fiber numbers were decent; it scored a 69 in that category, which was third behind T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet.

Final thoughts on AT&T Internet

If AT&T Fiber is an option for your address, finding a better combination of service and affordability is tough. The catch? AT&T's fiber plans aren't an option for approximately half of the company's coverage area. All other AT&T plans are fraught with issues not faced by fiber, from slower download speeds to data caps. Simply put, don't hesitate if you can hop on an AT&T Fiber plan, but research your options if you're only eligible for DSL or fixed wireless internet from AT&T in your area.

AT&T Internet FAQs