What is the best internet provider in Aiken?
AT&T Fiber is Aiken’s top internet provider largely due to its local fiber internet coverage, fast download and upload speeds, straightforward pricing and record of high customer satisfaction. AT&T Fiber offers plans ranging from 300 to 5,000 megabits per second, the fastest in Aiken. All plans are contract-free and include free equipment rental and unlimited data.
The only drawback to AT&T Fiber in Aiken is availability. Around two thirds of Aiken residential addresses aren’t serviceable for AT&T Fiber, according to the FCC. In areas where AT&T Fiber is unavailable, Breezeline, Xfinity and T-Mobile Home Internet are leading broadband alternatives.
Breezeline and Xfinity offer the cheapest internet in Aiken with service starting at $20 a month. You’ll get a bit more speed with Xfinity (150Mbps compared to 100Mbps from Breezeline), but equipment costs may be higher with Xfinity and a 1.2TB data cap may apply.
CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Aiken across several categories. Our evaluation includes referencing a proprietary database built over years of reviewing internet services. We validate that against provider information by spot-checking local addresses for service availability. We also do a close read of providers’ terms and conditions and, when needed, will call ISPs to verify the details.
Despite our efforts to find the most recent and accurate information, our process has some limitations you should know about. Pricing and speed data are variable: certain addresses may qualify for different tiers of service, and monthly costs may vary, even within a city. The best way to identify your particular options is to plug your address into a provider’s website.
Also, the prices, speed and other information listed above and in the provider cards below may differ from what we found in our research. The cards display the full range of a provider’s pricing and speed across the US, according to our database of plan information provided directly by ISPs, while the text is specific to what’s available in Aiken. The prices referenced within this article’s text come from our research and include applicable discounts for setting up automatic payments each month — a standard industry offering. Other discounts and promotions might be available as well, for things like signing a term contract or bundling with multiple services.
To learn more about how we review internet providers, visit our full methodology page.
Best internet in Aiken, South Carolina
300 – 5,000 Mbps
$55 – $250 per month
Our take – AT&T Fiber stands out for its fast, symmetrical speeds, stable pricing and favorable service terms. There are no set price increases, and all plans come with free equipment and unlimited data. The speeds, reliability and straightforward pricing helped AT&T Fiber earn and maintain a leading record of customer satisfaction.
300 – 5,000 Mbps
$55 – $250 per month
100 – 1,000 Mbps
$20 – $60 per month
Our take – Many Aiken residents may remember this cable internet service as Atlantic Broadband. Breezeline is the largest wired ISP in Aiken, offering max download speeds of 100 to 1,000Mbps to nearly 98% of local households. As a cable provider, Breezeline doesn’t have the same speed potential as AT&T Fiber, but all plans include unlimited data and free equipment rental for 24 months.
100 – 1,000 Mbps
$20 – $60 per month
Fixed wireless
72 – 245 Mbps
$60 per month
Our take – Fixed wireless internet, like that of T-Mobile Home Internet, is the most practical alternative to traditional cable and fiber connections in Aiken. Service isn’t the speediest, with downloads ranging from 72 to 245Mbps, but the simple service terms (no equipment fees, data caps or contracts) make it an option worth considering.
Fixed wireless
72 – 245 Mbps
$60 per month
Aiken, South Carolina internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
AT&T Read full review |
DSL, fiber | $55 DSL, $55-$250 fiber | 10-100Mbps DSL, 300-5,000Mbps fiber | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| Breezeline | Cable | $20-$60 | 100-1,000Mbps | Free for 24 months, $15 after (optional) | None | None | N/A |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $60 ($40-$50 with eligible mobile plans) | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 with eligible mobile plans) | 50-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
|
Xfinity Read full review |
Cable | $20-$100 | 150-2,000Mbps | $15 (optional) | 1.2TB | 1-2 years (optional) | 7 |
Show more (1 item)
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What is the cheapest internet plan in Aiken?
| Plan | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breezeline Base | $20 | 100Mbps | Free for 24 months, $15 after (optional) |
|
Xfinity Connect Read full review |
$20 | 150Mbps | $15 (optional) |
| Breezeline Fast | $30 | 200Mbps | Free for 24 months, $15 after (optional) |
|
Xfinity Connect More Read full review |
$35 | 300Mbps | $15 (optional) |
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 300Mbps | None |
|
AT&T Fiber 300 Read full review |
$55 | 300Mbps | None |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
$60 ($40-$5 with eligible mobile plans) | 245Mbps | None |
Show more (3 items)
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Aiken
The best internet deals and the top promotions in Aiken depend on what discounts are available during that time period. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Aiken internet providers, such as Xfinity, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, however, including AT&T Fiber, Breezeline and T-Mobile Home Internet run the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of deals, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
Fastest internet plans in Aiken
| Plan | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
AT&T Internet 5000 Read full review |
$225 | 5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
|
AT&T Internet 2000 Read full review |
$125 | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
|
Xfinity Gigabit x2 Read full review |
$100 | 2,000Mbps | 200Mbps | None | Cable |
|
Xfinity Gigabit Extra Read full review |
$85 | 1,200Mbps | 35Mbps | 1.2TB | Cable |
|
AT&T Internet 1000 Read full review |
$80 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Breezeline GigaFast | $60 | 1,000Mbps | 50Mbps | None | Cable |
|
Xfinity Gigabit Read full review |
$80 | 1,000Mbps | 20Mbps | 1.2TB | Cable |
|
Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet Read full review |
$70 ($45 with eligible mobile plans) | 85-1,000Mbps | 50-75Mbps | None | Fixed wireless |
Show more (4 items)
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What’s 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 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 person sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one or two people to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming.
- 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more people to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Aiken, South Carolina
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:
- Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
- Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?
- 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.
To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.
Internet providers in Aiken, South Carolina FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in Aiken?
AT&T Fiber is the best internet service provider in Aiken. Though not the outright cheapest internet provider in Aiken, AT&T Fiber presents the best overall value by offering fast, symmetrical speeds and service that’s free of contracts, data caps, equipment fees and set price increases.
Is fiber internet available in Aiken?
According to the most recent FCC data, approximately 32% of Aiken residential addresses were serviceable for fiber internet as of June 2023. Serviceability is greatest in the Pinecrest and Aiken Estates communities, though fiber internet is available in random neighborhoods throughout the city. AT&T Fiber is the largest fiber internet provider in Aiken while Breezeline has a small fiber presence in the area as well.
What is the cheapest internet provider in Aiken?
Breezeline and Xfinity share the lowest starting price for internet in Aiken at $20 a month. Xfinity offers a bit more speed with max downloads of 150Mbps compared to Breezeline’s 100Mbps. Despite the speed difference, Breezeline’s cheapest plan is the better deal as it comes with free equipment rental for two years and unlimited data. Xfinity, on the other hand, has a $15 equipment rental fee (optional) and 1.2TB monthly data cap.
Which internet provider in Aiken offers the fastest plan?
AT&T Fiber offers the fastest internet in Aiken with max upload and download speeds of 5,000Mbps. AT&T Fiber and Xfinity offer a 2,000Mbps plan in Aiken, though Xfinity’s max upload speeds are significantly slower at 200Mbps.
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