What is the best ISP in Wake Forest?
CNET's top recommended Internet service providers in Wake Forest include:
- Spectrum: Best ISP in Wake Forest
- T-Mobile Home Internet: Best Fixed Wireless Internet in Wake Forest
- ting fibres: Best Fiber ISP 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 ISPs, including the cheapest and fastest plans available.
Wake Forest, North Carolina, ISPs compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Agreement | CNET Review Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T fiber Read the full review |
Hair | $55-$245 | 300-5,000 Mbps | No one | No one | No one | 7.4 |
| Light speed | DSL, fiber | $49-$75 | 10-100Mbps DSL, 200-1,000Mbps fiber | No one | No one | No one | 6.6 |
| Spectrum Read the full review |
Cable | 30-70 dollars | 100-1,000 Mbps | Free modem, $10 router (optional) | No one | No one | 7.2 |
| ting fibres | Hair | 89 dollars | 1,000 Mbps | $11 (optional) | No one | No one | N/A |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$55 with eligible cellular plans) | 87-415 Mbps | No one | No one | No one | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read the full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 with eligible cellular plans) | 50-1,000 Mbps | No one | No one | No one | 7.2 |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What is the cheapest internet plan in Wake Forest?
| Plan | Starting price | Maximum download speed | Monthly subscription for equipment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spectrum Internet advantage Read the full review |
30 dollars | 500 Mbps | $10 (optional) |
| Brightspeed Fiber 200 | 49 dollars | 200 Mbps | No one |
| Spectrum Internet Premier Read the full review |
50 dollars | 500 Mbps | $10 (optional) |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible cell phone plans) | 318 Mbps | No one |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read the full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible cell phone plans) | 300 Mbps | No one |
| AT&T Fiber 300 Read the full review |
55 dollars | 300 Mbps | No one |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
The fastest internet plans in Wake Forest
| Plan | Starting price | Maximum download speed | Maximum upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Internet 5000 Read the full review |
245 dollars | 5,000 Mbps | 5,000 Mbps | No one | Hair |
| AT&T Internet 2000 Read the full review |
145 dollars | 2,000 Mbps | 2,000 Mbps | No one | Hair |
| AT&T Internet 1000 Read the full review |
80 dollars | 1,000 Mbps | 1,000 Mbps | No one | Hair |
| Brightspeed Fiber 1 Gig | 75 dollars | 1,000 Mbps | 1,000 Mbps | No one | Hair |
| Spectrum Internet gig Read the full review |
70 dollars | 1,000 Mbps | 35 Mbps | No one | Cable |
| Ting Fiber Gigabit | 89 dollars | 1,000 Mbps | 1,000 Mbps | No one | Hair |
| Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet Read the full review |
$70 ($45 with eligible cell phone plans) | 1,000 Mbps | 75 Mbps | No one | Fixed wireless |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider 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 accommodate video conferencing, streaming video, or gaming, you'll have a better experience with a stronger 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: web browsing, sending and receiving email, and streaming low-quality video.
- From 5 to 40 Mbps, you can enjoy higher quality video streaming and video conferencing.
- 40 to 100 Mbps should give a user enough bandwidth to meet the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500 Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities such as video conferencing, streaming, and online gaming.
- 500 to 1,000 Mbps allows three or more users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities.
How CNET picked the best ISPs in Wake Forest, North Carolina
Internet providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest ones smart phone, laptop, router or kitchen toolit is impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. What is our approach? We begin by researching pricing, availability, and speed information, drawing our own historical data from ISPs, provider locations, and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission to 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 a certain area. We also enter local addresses on supplier 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 correct as of the time of publication.
Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:
- Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
- Are customers getting decent value for what they are paying for?
- Are customers satisfied with their service?
The answer to those questions is often layered and complex, but the providers who 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 factors such as price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively simple. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and look at real-world speed data from sources like Okla and The FCC reports. (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)
To explore our process in more detail, visit our how we test ISPs page.
ISPs in Wake Forest, NC FAQ
What is the best internet service provider in Wake Forest?
Spectrum is the best internet service provider in Wake Forest. The cable 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 fiber internet available in Wake Forest?
According to the latest FCC datafiber optic internet is available to approximately 70% of Wake Forest. Ting Fiber is the most widespread 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 100 Mbps Internet Advantage plan has the lowest starting internet rate 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 a month. Renting a router with Spectrum will add $10 to your bill, while Brightspeed, T-Mobile Home Internet, and Verizon 5G Home Internet include equipment rental at no extra cost. But note, Spectrum also has a higher increase rate than other low-cost ISPs in Wake Forest because the cost of standalone Internet service increases 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 peak speeds of 5,000 Mbps, or 5 gigabits per second. AT&T Fiber availability is very 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 1,000 Mbps, but actual speeds will vary based on location and network congestion.