Internet providers in Austin, TX

What is the best internet provider in Austin?

• AT&T - Great value
• Spectrum - No data caps
• CenturyLink - Low-cost options
• EarthLink - Multiple service types available
• Viasat - Widely available
• Suddenlink Communications - 30-day money back guarantee
• Frontier - No-contract plans available
• HughesNet - Perfect for rural areas

If you’re looking for ways to connect in the capital of Texas, Austin has several great choices for people shopping for internet service. AT&T and Spectrum both cover the majority of the downtown area and suburbs with solid speeds, while CenturyLink brings affordable options and fiber speeds to outlying areas. Austin is also a Google Fiber city, and coverage has been expanding rapidly into new neighborhoods over the last year.

For those who have a need for speed, Google Fiber offers the fastest speeds with a 2,000 Mbps connection. AT&T offers speeds up to 1,000 Mbps. Spectrum speeds can reach up to 100 Mbps, which is still more than fast enough for almost anything you can throw at it.

Both Spectrum and AT&T cover basically all of the Austin area, so finding an internet plan that works for you should be easy. CenturyLink availability is more limited—mostly in the far northeastern and southern parts of town—but it’s still a good option for people who live in those areas.

Highest-rated internet providers in Austin

EarthLink is by far the highest-rated internet provider in Austin. It ranked first overall in our customer satisfaction survey. Additionally, AT&T landed in second place among internet providers in our survey

Spectrum ranked toward the bottom of the ISPs in our survey, however, it did rank substantially higher in the area of customer service, placing it closer to the middle of the pack.

CenturyLink took last place overall in our survey, however, customers did rank it slightly higher when it came to satisfaction with the price of their internet. CenturyLink still operates a DSL network in most of its service area, so its low scores in speed and reliability will likely improve as it expands its fiber coverage.

Google Fiber did not participate in our customer satisfaction survey, but consistently receives positive reviews from customers.

Fastest internet service providers in Austin

Google Fiber currently offers the fastest internet plan in Austin, with its 2 Gig plan now available in some areas of the city. Other gigabit internet providers include:

AT&T offers internet at speeds up to 1000 Mbps

Spectrum offers internet at speeds up to 1000 Mbps

EarthLink offers internet at speeds up to 1000 Mbps

Grande Communications 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.

Austin residential internet coverage

AT&T in Austin

AT&T offers coverage for the entire downtown Austin area and the vast majority of suburbs. The only major gap is in the southwest area of Austin, past Restoration Ranch Airport.

See AT&T Plans

Spectrum in Austin

Spectrum brings fast cable service to an even larger coverage area than AT&T. Service is available from North Austin and North Burnett all the way down to Sweetbriar. If AT&T doesn’t have a package that meets your needs, chances are good Spectrum will.

See Spectrum Plans

CenturyLink in Austin

CenturyLink provides service to outlying neighborhoods on the north side of town, including North Austin, North Lamar, and Windsor Hills. CenturyLink also covers the southwest area that AT&T misses, so if you live south of Ranch to Market Road, it may be a good option.

See CenturyLink Plans

Google Fiber in Austin

Google Fiber has been in Austin since 2014, but expansion has picked up in the last year. Google Fiber also recently introduced its 2 Gig internet plan to the area, offering speeds up to 2,000 Mbps. To keep up with the latest news, check out our information about the current Google Fiber Expansion.

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