Highest-rated internet providers in Austin
EarthLink is by far the highest-rated internet provider in Austin. It ranked first overall in our 2020 customer satisfaction survey. Additionally, AT&T, Spectrum, Frontier, and CenturyLink all landed in the top 50% of internet providers in our survey, with providers like AT&T ranking especially high in customer satisfaction for speed and installation and setup.
Spectrum scores well for speed and reliability, which is something you’d expect from a cable network. Cable networks are capable of reaching higher speeds than DSL, and they aren’t susceptible to weather interference.
CenturyLink tends to fall toward the middle or rear of the pack for most satisfaction categories in our 2020 survey, but it has one big advantage: its Price for Life guarantee on its service packages. This ensures that the price you agree to when signing up is the price you’ll pay for as long as you have service. That’s a refreshing alternative to unexpected price hikes after the first year of a contract, and it’s likely a big part of why CenturyLink ranks fourth overall in monthly bill satisfaction.
Fastest internet service providers in Austin
AT&T offers internet at speeds up to 1000 Mbps
EarthLink offers internet at speeds up to 1000 Mbps
Suddenlink Communications offers internet at speeds up to 1000 Mbps
Easy Internet Now offers internet at speeds up to 1000 Mbps
When it comes to internet speed in Austin, AT&T is the top dog. AT&T customers in Austin get access to the provider’s speedy fiber network, with speeds up to 1 gig available at a reasonable price. Spectrum also offers solid speeds (up to 100 Mbps).
CenturyLink falls quite short of the pack with only 15 Mbps available in Austin. However, if you’re on the southwest side of town—where AT&T has a coverage gap—CenturyLink may be a good bet.
If none of these providers offer the package you need, you can also consider satellite internet. Although it’s far from the fastest option, both Viasat and HughesNet cover the entire area (as well as the whole rest of the country) and have speeds ranging from 12 Mbps to 100 Mbps.