AT&T Internet Review 2020

AT&T’s internet plans don’t offer many choices for speed, but sometimes that’s not a bad thing. You’ll likely find more value packed into its fiber plans—though we think you can’t go wrong with the Internet up to 100 Mbps DSL plan, either.

Keep reading to find out which AT&T internet plans pack the most punch when it comes to value, speed, data caps, contracts, and features. Buckle up!

AT&T internet prices and plans

AT&T’s internet plans come fully loaded, but there aren’t a lot of choices.

You may have already noticed that AT&T offers two types of internet: fiber plans and DSL plans. Which type you can get largely depends on where you live, and chances are if you don’t live in a big metro area, you’ll have only the DSL option.

We always say if you can get fiber, go for it, and we stick by that motto with AT&T internet. But if all you’re seeing are AT&T DSL plans, rest assured that we think the Up to 100 Mbps plan is a pretty good deal too.

Here’s how the cookie crumbles when you look at each internet plan—plus how AT&T’s prices and speeds compare to other internet providers.

DSL internet plans

AT&T offers only one DSL plan, and it can be frustratingly hard to know which speed you’ll actually end up with. That’s because AT&T connects you to the fastest download speeds in your area—up to 100 Mbps.

So the question of whether the Up to 100 Mbps plan is a good deal or not really depends on how fast the download speeds in your area are.

See why we’re a little frustrated?

If you peeked ahead to the AT&T Fiber section, you probably already know what we’re about to say next.

If you can get AT&T Fiber in your area, go for that over its p to 100 Mbps DSL plan.

Why? Because you’re guaranteed 300 or 1,000 Mbps speeds with the fiber plans, but not the DSL plan.

How does DSL internet service compare to cable?

Both DSL and cable internet connect you to the internet thanks to copper wires. But while DSL carries data over phone lines, cable typically uses copper cables (hence the name) closer to the ground or even underground.

The not-so-great news: both of these internet connections run into issues the farther you are from your ISP or neighborhood internet node. That’s why we recommend fiber—it uses light technology that doesn’t get as distorted over long distances.

Want to nerd out with us? Check out our fiber internet and cable internet explanations.

Our pick for AT&T DSL: Internet Up to 100 Mbps

Who it’s good for: The Internet Up to 100 Mbps plan is a good match and worth the money if you and your family are average internet users and can get close to the top-end 100 Mbps speeds. That includes playing Stardew Valley with your friends or your 18-year-old streaming the latest Billie Eilish album while they study.

Why we picked it: Okay, there’s not much choice here. But AT&T’s price for loading Facebook at up to 100 Mbps is right in line with other ISPs—and even a little cheaper than some. The one terabyte data cap is a bummer, but most of us will never come close to hitting that ceiling.

Fiber plans

So why go with fiber?

First off, fiber has fewer connection issues. You could say fiber is the most zen internet connection because there’s less chance of your connection freaking out when 20 of your neighbors decide to download a pirated copy of The Lion King all at the same time.

(P.S. We do not condone piracy, the Jack Sparrow kind or the digital kind.)

Overall, we think AT&T Fiber is a better value than DSL. It’s way faster, and you can choose from a wider variety of speeds—some even at lower prices than the competition.

If you want to max out your speed, AT&T Fiber’s 1,000 Mbps plan is priced on the cheaper end, right along with CenturyLink and Verizon Fios. But boy, does AT&T’s unlimited data cap sure look good—and chances are you need it if you’re gobbling up the interwebz at 1,000 Mbps.

Our pick for AT&T Fiber: Internet 300

Who it’s good for: Got a house full of gamers? Does every member of your family have to stream Chernobyl, Stranger Things, and Star Trek: Discovery all in different rooms? We feel you, and we think the Internet 300 plan will keep those lag and buffering monsters away.

Why we picked it: Most of us don’t need 300 Mbps, but if you’ve got home security devices, smart home tech, streaming devices, gaming platforms, cell phones, and other electronics all connected to your internet even when your entire household isn’t busy gaming and streaming, you probably need the extra oomph.

This fiber plan delivers, and the 300 Mbps speed is priced lower than most. You’ll pay $10 to $25 more for the same speeds with other ISPs. (Mic drop.)

TV + internet bundles

One huge perk you’ll get with AT&T Internet is that bundling can actually save you money. So if you want to follow your favorite sports team throughout the season or get an earful of Gordon Ramsay’s latest creative insults in Hell’s Kitchen, a bundle is the way to go.

You’ll have the choice of bundling your DSL or fiber internet plan with either U-verse (AT&T’s proprietary TV service) or DIRECTV.

Your bundle can also include home phone service, but to keep things simple, we picked out a few of our favorite internet and TV combos to give you a clearer picture.

AT&T internet speed and data caps

AT&T internet delivers more speed than what you pay for.

If you want high-speed internet, AT&T’s got you covered. But if that’s a bit more power than you need, you’ll find more options for low-speed plans with providers like CenturyLink, Cox, and Comcast Xfinity.

Yup, AT&T has only two slower speeds, 5 Mbps and 100 Mbps. That’s its main drawback: there’s nothing hiding behind door number three that might appeal to, say, a married couple who work from home, don’t have kids, and stream Hulu a few times a week.

AT&T’s fiber plans do add three more speeds that cater to more types of internet activities.

You’ve got 100 Mbps for the family that watches CBS All Access together, 300 Mbps for the roommates who game and host a LAN party every weekend, and 1,000 Mbps for the 16-year-old Twitch streamer who’s aiming to win the next $3 million Fortnite championship prize.

How fast is AT&T internet, really?

Internet speed is a tricky thing. You see, you don’t always get what you pay for.

But with AT&T internet, we’ve found that it usually delivers the speeds it advertises.

This is what the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) calls actual/advertised speed, and it’s typically measured as a percentage. In the 2018 “Measuring Broadband Across America” report, the FCC analyzed all of the AT&T plans together, and AT&T scored an average actual/advertised speed of 108.9%.¹

That means, according to the FCC, AT&T over-delivered on speed and its customers zoomed along with faster internet than they paid for. Nice.

(Of course, we try to take the FCC’s reports with a grain of salt. The FCC may not have analyzed AT&T internet in your area—or it may not have analyzed the plan you’re eyeing. Sadly, there are gaps in the FCC’s data, so we like to check out other data before we make our final verdict.)

HighSpeedInternet.com also ranked AT&T well in terms of speed. Its most recent report on the fastest internet providers in the US placed AT&T as the second-fastest in the Northeast and the West, and third-fastest in the Midwest and the South.²

Data caps

Sadly, only the Internet 1,000 plan pulls out all the stops with an unlimited data cap. All the rest of AT&T’s plans are stuck with a one terabyte cap. (But if it makes you feel better, you’re still leaps and bounds ahead of Viasat’s [formerly Exede satellite internet] max 150 GB data cap.)

Of course, you’re gonna need to do a lot of streaming and downloading to reach that one terabyte cap. A lot.

To put that in perspective, here’s a list of average file sizes (plus one for fun):

If you’re all about unlimited power and a terabyte of data each month just won’t cut it, we won’t judge.

Instead, we’ll point you AT&T’s Internet 1,000 plan. Or, if you tend to eat up lots of data only a few times a year (say, when family comes to visit), you can always add more data to your plan each month. That comes at an additional price, though. And you’re limited to spending $100 (which gets you 500 GB) on extra data a month.

If you can’t land that sweet gig speed deal, there’s also Frontier, Grande, Optimum, or Spectrum, all of which have no data cap on their plans.

Fees, contracts, and equipment

AT&T scores brownie points for delivering your equipment right to your door.

Contracts

You’ll need to sign a one-year agreement whether you get DSL or fiber, which is kind of a bummer if you ask us. (You hate to see it, right?)

Even Comcast Xfinity offers a few no-contract options for its internet service. We love the freedom a no-contract option gives us, and we hope AT&T decides to hop on the no-contract bandwagon in the future.

Installation and termination fees

Sorry, y’all. There’s no getting away from fees when it comes to internet service, with AT&T or with any other internet provider. Here’s a quick overview of what AT&T might charge you.

• Installation fees: Pay a $35 activation fee if you prefer DIY installation, or call up the pros for $99.
• Early termination fee: $15 for each month left on your contract—up to a total of $180.

Equipment and fees

If you sign up for AT&T internet, you’ll get a Wi-Fi gateway modem-and-router combo, so chances are you won’t need your own router to set up your Wi-Fi network.

It’s also really nice that you can sign up for internet service and have the equipment delivered straight to your door. A buddy of mine, Andrew, did just this while he was staying in Virginia but needed internet set up in his new house in Florida.

“They shipped the box on Monday. It came Wednesday, [and] my girlfriend hooked it up and followed the instructions. The box activated itself, and she was up and running,” he says.

Imagine that: you move in and your internet is set up before you even get your mattress unloaded. Priorities, right?

AT&T internet customer service

AT&T’s customer service ranks well compared to other ISPs—but that’s still low overall.

Customer service always seems to be a pain point for ISPs, and AT&T is no exception. However, it does score 69 out of 100 on the 2019 American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI)—second only to Verizon Fios.⁴

If you need to get chummy with an AT&T rep, social media or chat may be your best option. Here’s where to find them.

• Online chat
• Facebook: @ATT (hours are 6 a.m.–1 a.m. CST)
• Twitter: @ATTHelp

Recap: Is AT&T internet good?

AT&T’s plans offer good value for a competitive price.

AT&T’s internet offers up some competitive pricing and quick speeds. Here’s a quick recap of why you might like it.

• AT&T’s DSL plans are more widely available and can reach speeds of up to 100 Mbps. If you can get 100 Mbps, the pricing is competitive. But don’t forget that the DSL plans come with a 1 TB data cap—unless you bundle with TV.
• AT&T Fiber is limited to certain areas, but it’s a great buy if you can get it. It comes in two speeds and the fastest 1,000 Mbps plan has no data cap.
• AT&T TV and internet bundles can save you some cash and get rid of that pesky data cap. And you get to choose between DIRECTV or U-verse TV. Choices, choices . . .

AT&T internet prices and plans recap

• AT&T Internet Up to 100 Mbps: $50 per month, download speeds up to 100 Mbps
• Internet 300: $50 per month, download speeds up to 300 Mbps
• Internet 1,000: $70 per month, download speeds up to 1,000 Mbps

FAQ

Q: Where is AT&T Fiber available?

Right now, AT&T Fiber is available at service addresses in 21 states, mostly in the southern and midwestern US:

You can check to see if your city has AT&T Fiber on AT&T’s coverage map.

Q: What is AT&T Fixed Wireless?

AT&T’s fixed wireless internet service brings internet to rural areas of the US by beaming your internet connection from an antenna on your roof to a fixed location.

While fixed wireless is certainly an exciting new technology for rural areas missing out on more than one internet option—or areas with no internet options—it isn’t without its downsides.

Weather and landscape, such as trees and hills, can disrupt a fixed wireless connection. And while fixed wireless will typically run you about the same as a DSL or cable connection in cost, it comes with much lower data caps.

The speeds aren’t much to write home about, either. (AT&T’s cap is 170 GB and speeds are 10 Mbps or faster.)

If you’re stuck hitting up the library for its free Wi-Fi, we feel your pain. We recommend giving AT&T Fixed Wireless a look and checking out this list of Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPs) to see what’s available near you.

Sources

1. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), “2018 Measuring Broadband Across America: Fixed Broadband Report”
2. HighSpeedInternet.com, “The Fastest Internet Providers 2019”
3. Internet Archive, “About the Internet Archive”
4. American Consumer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), “ACSI Telecommunications Report 2018–2019”