Best Internet Providers in Augusta, Georgia

What is the best internet provider in Augusta?

Augusta has some of the best internet providers available anywhere. We’ve gathered up the best options, and every ISP featured in our list has a CNET review score of 7 or higher. AT&T Fiber is CNET’s top pick for the best home internet provider in Augusta. AT&T Fiber isn’t the cheapest ISP in the area, but I’d argue the speeds, simple service terms and high customer satisfaction make it well worth it for most households.

Looking for the cheapest internet in Augusta? WideOpenWest (WOW) offers plans starting at $30 per month for speeds up to 300 megabits per second, followed by Xfinity at $35 a month for 150Mbps. However, WOW has the best selection of cheap plans and doesn’t require a contract to get the lowest price, like Xfinity.

If cheap internet isn’t your speed and you want the fastest internet out there, AT&T Fiber is the fastest internet provider in Augusta. It offers symmetrical speeds of 2,000Mbps (2Gbps) starting at $145 per month and 5Gbps starting at $245. WOW and Xfinity offer a 1,200Mbps plan, though Xfinity’s is $10 cheaper at $85 per month. Xfinity also has a 2Gbps plan at $119 a month. Verizon 5G Home Internet has gig speed potential, starting at $70 monthly, too.

Best internet providers in Augusta

Source: CNET analysis of provider data

Other potential internet options in Augusta

• AT&T Internet: Less desirable but more widely available in the Augusta area, AT&T Internet — the provider’s copper-based (DSL) service — may be available in local areas where AT&T Fiber isn’t. Service costs $55 monthly for the fastest speeds available, likely around 10 to 100Mbps. I’d recommend applying that $55 toward faster speeds from WOW, Xfinity or even a wireless provider.
• Breezeline: As the only other fiber provider in the area, Breezeline is a tempting option, with plans starting at $20 per month and speeds ranging from 100 to 1,000Mbps. Serviceability in Augusta is almost nonexistent, however. Currently, the provider primarily operates across the state line in South Carolina.
• T-Mobile Home Internet: If you’re interested in wireless internet but aren’t serviceable for Verizon 5G Home Internet, you may want to consider T-Mobile Home Internet. The provider’s single plan advertises a maximum speed range of 72 to 245Mbps, starting at $50 monthly. Qualifying T-Mobile Magenta Max members can get an additional $15 off the home internet rate.
• Satellite internet: HughesNet, Viasat and even Starlink are available throughout the Augusta area, but with cheaper and faster cable, wireless and possibly fiber connections available, there’s no reason to resort to satellite internet service.

Cheap internet in Augusta

Excluding satellite internet and mobile discounts with wireless service, the average starting price of internet in Augusta is $44 per month. WOW has the cheapest monthly rate for internet at $30, Xfinity right behind at $35, but WOW offers more speed (300Mbps compared to 150Mbps) and doesn’t require a contract to get the lowest rate.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data

How to find internet deals and promotions in Augusta

The best internet deals and the top promotions in Augusta depend on what discounts are available during that time period. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers. 

Augusta internet providers such as WOW may offer lower introductory pricing or other incentives for a limited time. Many, however, including AT&T Fiber and Xfinity, run the same standard pricing year-round. 

For a more extensive list of deals, check out our guide on the best internet deals. 

How fast is Augusta broadband?

Recent Ookla speed test data reports median speeds of 269Mbps down and 41Mbps up in Augusta. (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.) That’s somewhat above the national average (263Mbps) but a good 24Mbps better than the state average (245Mbps).

AT&T Fiber has the fastest plans in Augusta. Along with a 1Gbps plan starting at $80 per month, AT&T Fiber offers a 2Gbps and 5Gbps plan starting at $145 and $245 per month, respectively. WOW and Xfinity both offer a 1.2Gbps plan for under $100 per month, and Verizon’s 5G service is capable of delivering gig speeds for $70 per month.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data

What’s a good internet speed?

Most internet plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you’re looking for an internet plan that can accommodate videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you’ll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here’s an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the FCC. Note that these are only guidelines — and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.

For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need

• 0 to 5Mbps allows you to tackle the basics — browsing the internet, sending and receiving email, streaming low-quality video.
• 5 to 40Mbps gives you higher-quality video streaming and videoconferencing.
• 40 to 100Mbps should give one user sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming. 
• 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming. simultaneously. 
• 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming simultaneously.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Augusta

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. So what’s our approach? We start by researching the pricing, availability and speed information drawing on our own historical ISP data, the provider sites and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.

But it doesn’t end there. We go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of the time of publication.

Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:

1. Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
2. Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?
3. Are customers happy with their service?

While the answer to those questions is often layered and complex, the providers who come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend. When it comes to selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, though we also factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. We look at advertised upload and download speeds, and also take into account real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports.

What’s the final word on internet providers in Augusta?

AT&T Fiber would be my first choice for home internet in Augusta, but availability is limited. You’ll likely find the speeds, reliability and overall value tough to beat if it’s available at your address.

WOW and Xfinity are also solid choices for home internet, though WOW is generally cheaper, has a higher data cap and doesn’t require a contract to get the lowest price.

T-Mobile and Verizon offer a low-cost, virtually no-risk alternative to traditional wired home internet service, but Verizon’s 5G Home Internet presents a faster speed potential for around the same monthly price.

Internet providers in Augusta FAQs