Internet Service Providers in Durham

There are several internet service providers in Durham, North Carolina, and you’ll need to research them to determine which works best for your needs. Their prices, contract lengths, speeds and hidden fees differ. Here’s what to consider to help you make the right choice.

Internet Providers Near Me in Durham

Here are all of the residential internet service providers in Durham:

• AT&T
• Frontier
• EarthLink
• T-Mobile
• Google Fiber
• Verizon
• Spectrum

Most of these internet providers rely on fiber optic connections, so their availability is limited. Make sure your address is in their coverage area before you continue researching.

Cheapest Internet Providers in Durham

Here are the starting prices for the internet service providers in Durham from lowest to highest:

1. Frontier ($44.99/month)
2. Spectrum ($49.99/month)
3. EarthLink ($54.95/month)
4. Verizon ($60/month)
5. T-Mobile ($65/month)
6. Google Fiber ($70/month)
7. AT&T ($85/month)

Remember to compare the speed-to-price ratio to get the best value. For example, while T-Mobile might seem like a better deal than Google Fiber at first glance, the $5 in savings gets you 382 Mbps instead of 1 Gbps.

High-Speed Internet Options in Durham 

All internet service providers in Durham — except for T-Mobile — offer at least 1 Gbps. Most also have 300 Mbps and 500 Mbps options if you know you won’t need gigabit internet.

The cheapest way to get gigabit internet in Durham is through Frontier since it charges just $64.99 monthly. Google Fiber is a good, similarly-priced alternative if that provider isn’t available in your area. 

Frontier, EarthLink, Google Fiber and AT&T all offer 2 Gbps and 5 Gbps. Google Fiber’s plans cost $100 and $125, respectively, making it the most affordable way to get these speeds. Since every provider uses a fiber connection, your upload and download speeds will be equal.

If you spend your time on bandwidth-intensive tasks like rendering, uploading large files or building artificial intelligence models, you might want a plan faster than 2 Gbps or even 5 Gbps. Luckily, Google Fiber offers up to 8 Gbps for $150 per month.

What’s the Fastest Internet in North Carolina?

Since most internet service providers in Durham offer fiber optic connections, North Carolina has some of the country’s fastest download and upload speeds. Although Durham residents get 275 Mbps download speeds on average, much faster options are available. 

Google Fiber has an 8 Gbps plan — which is 8,000 Mbps — which is one of the fastest residential internet speeds available. There’s no telling how much faster it could get as telecommunication technology advances.

What Service Has the Cheapest Internet?

Frontier is technically the cheapest option. However, it’s only available if you enroll in autopay and paperless billing for a $15 discount. Plus, after some time, the price rises. For example, the $64.99 1 Gbps plan becomes $79.99 after 12 months.

Spectrum, technically the second cheapest option, has a one- or two-year price lock, depending on the plan you choose. While it won’t force you into a contract, you must eventually decide whether the price jump is worth it. 

Despite looking expensive, Google only has a higher starting price because it just offers gigabit plans. It guarantees you won’t have to deal with contracts, hidden fees or price jumps. Compared to other service providers, it’s the cheapest option for high-speed internet.

How Much Should You Pay for Home Internet?

Since the offerings of internet service providers in Durham vary, it can be hard to tell how much you should pay. Knowing that Durham residents spend $69.50 on average for at least 60 Mbps can help you establish a baseline. The normal range is $50-$110 per month. 

Naturally, you should expect to spend more if you go for a high-speed connection. However, knowing the average can still be useful in that situation because scaling up the price-to-speed ratio helps you determine if you’re overspending.

Do Your Research Before Committing to a Service Provider

Choosing among all the internet service providers in Durham becomes much easier when you know what to compare. Remember to double-check the small details before committing to one so you don’t end up stuck in a contract with a service you don’t like.

Internet Service Providers in North Carolina by City