Best Internet Providers in Durham, North Carolina

What is the best internet provider in Durham?

As part of North Carolina’s Research Triangle, it’s no surprise Durham has access to some of the best internet providers in the state, but which provider is best overall? You really can’t go wrong with any of the area’s top ISPs. Still, CNET recommends AT&T Fiber as the best internet provider in Durham due to its fiber availability, plan variety and high customer satisfaction.

Google Fiber is a close second and has the fastest internet plan in Durham, with speeds up to 8,000 megabits per second. However, it doesn’t have the same fiber coverage as AT&T. Plus, not everyone needs gigabit or multigigabit speeds, which is all Google Fiber offers.

Frontier Fiber is another excellent choice for internet in Durham, especially for those who want a fast, affordable internet plan. Frontier Fiber internet starts at $30 a month — the cheapest price for internet in Durham — and comes with symmetrical speeds up to 200Mbps. Spectrum and Verizon 5G Home Internet are also top choices for cheap internet, especially the latter if you qualify for the provider’s mobile bundle discount.

With multiple internet providers serving the Durham area, the best one for your home will come down to what’s available in your area and what you need. You’ll find details of the area’s top providers below to help you decide.

Best internet in Durham, North Carolina

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Durham

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

Durham internet providers, such as AT&T Fiber, may offer gift cards or other signup bonuses for a limited time. Many, however, including Frontier, Google Fiber and Spectrum, run the same standard pricing year-round. 

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

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 user sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming. 
• 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming. 
• 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Durham

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.

To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.

Internet providers in Durham FAQs