Internet Service Providers in
Durham, NC

Work for a tech company in the Startup Company of the South? Studying medicine at Duke? Or just trying to order shrimp and grits over DoorDash? You need internet access for all that, so try one of Durham's three top Wi-Fi options. Google Fiber is the speediest service in town, delivering symmetrical bandwidth up to 8Gbps for a fair price. Cable provider Spectrum Internet includes unlimited data and other perks if you want to stretch your dollar. Or if you'd like something more low-key, try simple, affordable, easy-to-setup T-Mobile 5G Home Internet.

—Brianne Sandorf

The top critically acclaimed internet in Durham is AT&T Fiber, which netted the highest score of any internet service provider in the ACSI 2024 survey. It’s also one of the top internet providers in our guide to the best internet providers.

Spectrum Internet has the biggest area of coverage in Bull City, occupying 93% of the city. Not only is Spectrum widely available, but it also comes with plenty of perks, such as a free modem and antivirus protection.

Satellite providers Starlink, Viasat, and Hughesnet technically have wider coverage than Spectrum, covering the entire city, but most residents are much better off with a lower-priced and faster cable or fiber plan.

If you want fast fiber and furious fiber, you’re in luck. The elusive Google Fiber and its 8Gbps maximum speeds are available in Durham.

Google Fiber is found only at certain addresses. Plans also vary depending on where you live; the fastest options aren’t available for all homes. But that’s okay because Google Fiber’s 1Gbps plan is the perfect pick. It costs $70 per month and gives you enough bandwidth to cover pretty much anything you throw at it. Starting prices are a bit higher than what you get from Spectrum, but Google Fiber beats out the cable service on dollar value thanks to its much faster speeds.

You can’t get fiber without a fiber line, so prepare for some yard digging. But hey, the installation is free.

If you want to maximize your internet subscription, consider signing up for Spectrum home internet.

Spectrum’s cable service includes free antivirus software, a modem/router gateway, and a 12-month Unlimited Mobile line on qualifying plans. You have to pay $5 a month to activate the Wi-Fi, but you can partially offset the cost by signing up for Spectrum’s autopay, which nets you a discount.

Spectrum prices start low, but users experience price hikes after 12 months. While the price hikes are modest compared to some, your service area determines the exact amount.

T-Mobile 5G Home Internet is a good option for a straightforward starter experience. The wireless, 5G network-based setup is painless. And while there aren’t many plans to choose from, there’s also a small price range, and it’s a good one: $50 to $70 a month.

T-Mobile 5G Internet has no data caps, so feel free to stream Bull Durham repeatedly while Alexa reads you a recipe for homemade biscuits. There are no contracts either, so if you find the 415Mbps max download speed isn’t enough, you can easily cancel your service and switch to something else without forking over cancellation fees.

Verizon Fios isn’t available in Durham, although Verizon 5G Home Internet is. If you have your heart set on fiber, Google Fiber or AT&T Fiber should be able to scratch that itch.

Internet in Durham goes up to 8,000Mbps—that’s about 20 times the speed most residences need. You’d be better off with one of the 300Mbps, 500Mbps, or 1,000Mbps plans readily available from Durham internet providers like Spectrum, AT&T Fiber, or Google Fiber.

Yes, Spectrum is available in Durham. In fact, it covers more of Durham than any other internet service, apart from satellite internet providers.