AT&T Fiber is an obvious fiber internet standout, but Metronet is no underdog in the fiber internet game. Both offer unlimited data, no contracts, and big speeds.
AT&T vs. Metronet: Which One Is Worth Your Money?
8 min readAT&T Fiber is fast, reliable, and predictable. As the nation’s biggest fiber-optic provider, it delivers symmetrical speeds up to 5,000Mbps with top customer service ratings. While there is a professional installation fee, there are virtually no other fees to worry about in its monthly bill. AT&T also offers some fantastic new-customer deals at discounted prices, including a discount for its wireless mobile service.
Here’s what you get with AT&T Fiber plans:
- Unlimited data
- No contracts
- No equipment fees
- 20% monthly internet and wireless bundle discount
Metronet offers record-fast symmetrical speeds and cheap fiber plans starting at around $35 per month. Customers should factor in annual price hikes, as prices increase after twelve months (though due to its lack of contracts, customers can downgrade their plan at any time at no extra cost). While customers never pay a router rental fee, Metronet does charge customers a unique extra monthly fee of $13 called the Tech Assurance fee.
Here’s what you get with Metronet fiber plans:
- Unlimited data
- New customer promo pricing
- No equipment fees
- Price lock options for 1–3 years
“I would say their internet is reliable,” says Jane Collins, an AT&T customer in the Detroit metro area. “It’s been relatively trouble free. The pricing has been stable.”
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AT&T plans and prices
Provider | Plan | Price | Download speed | Type | Details |
| AT&T Fiber Internet 300 | $55/mo.* | Up to 300 Mbps | Fiber | View Plans | |
| AT&T Fiber Internet 500 | $65/mo.* | Up to 500 Mbps | Fiber | View Plans | |
| AT&T Internet Fiber 1 GIG | $80/mo.* | Up to 1,000 Mbps | Fiber | View Plans | |
| AT&T Internet Fiber 2 GIG | $145/mo.* | Up to 2000 Mbps | Fiber | View Plans | |
| AT&T Internet Fiber 5 GIG | $245/mo.* | Up to 5000 Mbps | Fiber | View Plans |
*
Above pricing is after $10/mo Autopay & Paperless bill discount with a debit card or bank account; if using a credit card, then price is $5/mo more.
Metronet plans and prices
Provider | Plan | Price | Download speed | Details |
| 150 Mbps | $34.95/mo. for 12 mos.† | Up to 150 Mbps | View plans | |
| 500Mbps | $44.95/mo. for 12 mos.† | 505.2Mbps | View plans | |
| 1Gbps | $49.95/mo. for 12 mos.† | 943.85Mbps | View plans | |
| 2Gb | $69.95/mo. for 12 mos.† | 2083.36Mbps | View plans | |
| 5Gb | $109.95/mo for 12 mos. | 5,000Mbps | View plans |
†
For 12 months. Offers subject to change. Standard rates apply upon expiration of any promotional periods. Non-promotional pricing subject to change. Advertised speed based on wired connection and compatible equipment.
AT&T sells five fiber plans that come with free equipment, a free self-installation option, no data limits, no annual contracts, and no typical price hikes. AT&T also offers to cover all cancellation costs from your current provider. No surprise that customers generally rave about their AT&T service and its speeds up to 5,000Mbps.
AT&T has a 5G wireless internet plan in some areas called Internet Air for $55 per month. It delivers download speeds of around 225Mbps with no contracts or data limits. To save even more money, check out AT&T Internet Air's current deals or read up on this guide on how to lower your AT&T internet bill.
Metronet is another powerhouse fiber internet provider, delivering symmetrical speeds up to 5,000Mbps to 19 states. While Metronet fiber plans start much cheaper than AT&T fiber plans, Metronet’s prices do increase $10 every 12 months for the first three years. Unlike AT&T and most internet providers, Metronet also includes a mandatory Tech Assurance fee for $13 per month.
AT&T vs. Metronet: Fees for modem and installation
AT&T Fiber add-ons and perks
Get your cancellation fee covered in full from your current internet provider when you switch to AT&T Fiber.
Get a monthly discount on your internet bill with an AT&T Fiber and wireless bundle.
Add ActiveArmor to your internet plan to protect yourself from identity theft.
Get a reward card ranging from $50 to $150 when you sign up for AT&T Fiber and eligible wireless.
Sign up for autopay and paperless billing to get this discount.
Metronet add-ons and perks
Get a cash gift card on the 1 Gig internet plan or higher after 2 paid months.
Router comes with all internet plans.
Enhance your Wi-Fi signal strength throughout your home with this package.
Provides extra safety, security, internet backup, blocking, and parental controls. Get it with the 2 Gig or 5 Gig internet plan for the first 6 months
Check “I’m a student” when starting an order on Metronet’s website, and provide your student ID number when you check out.
What makes this review legit?
Our fact-based research process centers on interviews with internet customers across the country, helping us understand how internet services hold up against diverse needs and challenges.
To put together this review, we looked at results from our speed test, pulled data from customer satisfaction surveys, and pored over the fine print to compare prices and speeds between the two providers. To flesh out our analysis, we also interviewed Metronet Internet and AT&T Internet customers to get their firsthand insights. We let their experiences guide our research and shape our conclusions. We also speak with ISP spokespeople and industry experts to get insights into connection types, speed capabilities, and other technical issues related to internet service.
The matchup: How we rate Metronet Internet vs. AT&T Internet
For all our internet reviews, we give a rating based on three main criteria—speed and reliability, dollar value, and customer experience—which we then average to make an overall score.
Here, we compare those ratings face to face. We then offer some analysis and context for important factors to keep in mind.
Want to know more? Read our full-length Metronet Internet and AT&T Internet review.
Speed and reliability
Metronet Internet: 4.0/5.0 | AT&T Internet: 4.0/5.0
Metronet Internet takes first place for its fast, symmetrical download and upload speeds, which range from 150Mbps up to 2Gbps. Its fiber connection is very reliable, and Metronet ranked second in our Fastest Internet Providers report, edged out only by Google Fiber. Even the slowest plans come with symmetrical speeds, making them good for tasks like Zoom calls, uploading videos, hosting a livestream, or playing VR games.
AT&T Internet doesn’t figure among the top five fastest providers in terms of speed, but it still does well for itself, with speed test results showing higher upload speeds than download speeds—an impressive feat for a provider. AT&T also ranks well for reliability, scoring top marks in HighSpeedInternet.com’s 2023 customer satisfaction survey with few outages reported and customers getting higher speeds than expected.
Dollar value
Metronet Internet: 3.5/5.0 | AT&T Internet: 3.8/5.0
Metronet has cheaper lower-tier plans that let you get 150Mbps for as little as $35, but it loses ground against AT&T in the long run. After the 12 months of promotional pricing expire, you can expect a $10 price increase every year for the next one to three years. On top of that, there’s a mandatory monthly $13 Tech Assurance fee, though it does come with 24/7 technical support and covers repairs to wiring or equipment. Students will also pay more compared with student plans from other providers.
Overall, AT&T Internet offers slightly better value. While starting prices are on the higher end among providers, you can get 300Mbps speeds for $55 a month without any data caps, cancellation fees, or automatic price hikes. New and existing AT&T customers can also take advantage of discounts to reduce their bill. And unlike Metronet, AT&T customers say they haven’t experienced rate hikes.
Customer experience
Metronet Internet: 4.0/5.0 | AT&T Internet: 4.0/5.0
While Metronet does well, AT&T ranks as the top fiber provider in the American Consumer Satisfaction survey and second place as a non-Fiber provider. HighSpeedInternet.com also ranks it as having the second best customer service. One AT&T customer in Ohio described their customer service experience as “fantastic,” though others have mentioned there’s a lot of scripted lines in the automated phone system before you can connect to a real human, which can take some time.
Metronet customers are generally positive about their customer service experience, with Metronet ranking above average in HighSpeedInternet.com’s customer satisfaction survey. Customers report that customer service is responsive during working hours, providing support via text, phone, and the website chat, which includes a bot that guides you through the troubleshooting steps before connecting you to a technician. The one hiccup may be professional installation, which can take a few days or even a few weeks to complete, and requires someone 18 or older to be present on the main installation day.
Overall quality: Which internet provider should you pick?
Metronet Internet: 3.8/5.0 | AT&T Internet: 3.9/5.0
While Metronet Internet has strong selling points, especially for those in its Midwestern service area, AT&T Internet scores higher in dollar value, allowing it to edge out Metronet. The fiber service offers great symmetrical speeds, reliable connectivity, and great customer service support, with few customers reporting outages.
Metronet is still a good option due to its fast and reliable speeds, solid customer service support, and reasonable prices at the lower speed tiers. If your data needs aren’t significant, the 150Mbps plans may be sufficient for your household. Unfortunately, Metronet comes with many additional fees, along with guaranteed price hikes after the promotional rate expires. It’s also not the best option for students.
Metronet Internet vs. AT&T Internet: What do customers think?
Metronet customers praise fast internet and reliable service despite growing pains
The majority of Metronet customers like the reliable service and reasonable pricing. Customers report that they’re able to stream on multiple devices, work from home, and upload without significant issues. One existing customer studying at Purdue University says they don’t feel the need to explore other options because they’re satisfied with Metronet’s service.
Installation is also generally quite smooth. Kristy Borba, in Bryan, Texas, says Metronet did a good job with the fiber burying process and did it without making a big mess. As a previous Optimum customer, she was unhappy with their frequent price changes and slow upload speeds but loves her Metronet service.
However, Metronet's recently constructed and still expanding fiber network has some growing pains. One customer reports that a fiber line was left unburied and cut repeatedly by landscapers, and it took several days for a repair to process. Despite these occasional issues, customers are often willing to stick with Metronet due to the fast, reliable internet. One customer Reviews.org spoke with said they’re fine with the future price hikes, since the service still works out to be cheaper than their previous Mediacom plan.
“The speed is fast. We have one TV, three phones, and two computers going right now.” —Kristy Borba
Customers enthuse about AT&T’s reliable service, stable pricing, and fantastic customer service
AT&T customers love their service. When Reviews.org spoke with customers, three out of four had nothing bad to say, which is unusually favorable when negative reviews are common for other providers. Jane Collins, a Detroit metro area resident, tried three AT&T services, and she thinks the internet is the best of the bunch in terms of reliability, being trouble-free, and having stable pricing.
Another customer, Danny Flanagan in Ohio, raves about AT&T internet, even saying the customer service is “fantastic” and that he’s planning on moving to the mobile side as well. Another customer, Lauren Hannula, was forced to sign up for Spectrum when she moved, but immediately signed back up for AT&T Fiber when she was back in a service area.
Of course, not all customers are as sunny. One in Oak Park, Illinois, says that while it’s a good deal, it’s similar to other ISPs they’ve used. He also expressed frustration with the Wi-Fi extender but said he hasn’t experienced major outages or other problems and that AT&T is still better than the alternatives in town.
“I would say their internet is reliable. It’s been relatively trouble free. The pricing has been stable.” —Jane Collins
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