What is the best internet provider in Columbus?
There are a variety of internet service providers available in Columbus, Georgia, so the best one for your home will come down to what’s available in your area. Many Columbus residents will be serviceable for WideOpenWest, or WOW, CNET’s pick for the best internet provider in Columbus.
WOW offers a decent selection of high-speed plans — more than cable competitors Mediacom and Spectrum — and has the cheapest internet of any major ISP in the area. Service costs just $20 a month for speeds up to 100 megabits per second.
As far as cable internet goes, WOW also has the fastest internet plan with max download speeds of 1,200Mbps. The Columbus area’s main fiber provider, AT&T Fiber offers the fastest speeds, however, with speed tiers up to 2,000 and 5,000Mbps.
If you’re looking for an alternative to the big cable or fiber providers, start with T-Mobile Home Internet. The fixed wireless provider is available throughout much of Columbus, and service starts at just $50 monthly with no added equipment fees, data caps or contracts. Verizon 5G Home Internet offers similar pricing and service terms, but availability is more limited in Columbus.
CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Columbus across several categories. Our evaluation includes referencing a proprietary database built over years of reviewing internet services. We validate that against provider information by spot-checking local addresses for service availability. We also do a close read of providers’ terms and conditions and, when needed, will call ISPs to verify the details.
Despite our efforts to find the most recent and accurate information, our process has some limitations you should know about. Pricing and speed data are variable: certain addresses may qualify for different service tiers, and monthly costs may vary, even within a city. The best way to identify your particular options is to plug your address into a provider’s website.
Also, the prices, speed and other information listed above and in the provider cards below may differ from what we found in our research. The cards display the full range of a provider’s pricing and speed across the US, according to our database of plan information provided directly by ISPs. At the same time, the text is specific to what’s available in Columbus. The prices referenced within this article’s text come from our research and include applicable discounts for setting up automatic payments each month — a standard industry offering. Other discounts and promotions might also be available for things like signing a term contract or bundling with multiple services.
To learn more about how we review internet providers, visit our full methodology page.
Best internet in Columbus, Georgia
100 – 1,200 Mbps
$20 – $95 per month
Our take – WOW has the best coverage of any non-satellite internet provider in Columbus, Georgia, so there’s a good chance service is available wherever you live or are moving to in the area. Each of the provider’s competitively priced plans comes with no contract while some also include free equipment rental for one year.
100 – 1,200 Mbps
$20 – $95 per month
300 – 5,000 Mbps
$55 – $250 per month
Our take – There’s a lot to like about AT&T Fiber, from the fast, symmetrical speeds and favorable service terms to the record of high customer satisfaction. However, availability is limited in the heart of Columbus, as many households will only have access to AT&T’s slower copper-based service.
300 – 5,000 Mbps
$55 – $250 per month
Fixed wireless
72 – 245 Mbps
$50 per month
Our take – Even in a city like Columbus with multiple ISPs, T-Mobile Home Internet adds much-needed competition to the mix. There’s only one plan — $50 a month for speeds ranging from 72 to 245Mbps — but it comes with free equipment, unlimited data and no contract requirements. Qualifying mobile customers can get $20 off the monthly cost of home internet.
Fixed wireless
72 – 245 Mbps
$50 per month
Columbus, Georgia internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | DSL, fiber | $55 DSL, $55-$250 fiber | 10-100Mbps DSL, 300-5,000Mbps fiber | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| Mediacom | Cable | $35-$70 | 100-1,000Mbps | $14 | 350-3,000GB | None | 6.4 |
| Spectrum | Cable | $50-$90 | 300-1,000Mbps | Free modem, $5 router rental (optional) | None | None | 7.2 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet | Fixed wireless | $50 ($30 with eligible mobile plans) | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet | Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 for eligible Verizon Wireless customers) | 50-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
| WideOpenWest | Cable | $20-$95 | 100-1,200Mbps | $10 (optional) | Varies, 1.5TB to unlimited | None | 7.2 |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in Columbus?
| Plan | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| WOW Internet 100 | $20 | 100Mbps | $10 (optional) |
| Mediacom Prime Internet 100 | $25 | 100Mbps | $14 modem rental |
| Spectrum Internet | $50 | 300Mbps | Free modem, $5 router rental (optional) |
| T-Mobile Home Internet | $50 ($30 with eligible mobile plans) | 72-245Mbps | None |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet | $50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 50-300Mbps | None |
| AT&T Fiber 300 | $55 | 300Mbps | None |
Show more (2 items)
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Columbus
The best internet deals and top promotions in Columbus depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Columbus internet providers, such as WideOpenWest and AT&T Fiber, may offer lower introductory pricing or free gift cards for a limited time. Many, however, including Mediacom, T-Mobile Home Internet and Spectrum, run the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
Fastest internet plans in Columbus
| Plan | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Internet 5000 | $250 | 5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| AT&T Internet 2000 | $150 | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| WOW Internet 1.2 Gig | $95 | 1,200Mbps | 50Mbps | None | Cable |
| AT&T Internet 1000 | $80 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| WOW Internet 1 Gig | $50 | 1,000Mbps | 50Mbps | None | Cable |
| Mediacom 1 Gig | $55 | 1,000Mbps | 50Mbps | 3,000GB | Cable |
| Spectrum Internet Gig | $90 | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | None | Cable |
| Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet | $70 ($45 with eligible mobile plans) | 85-1,000Mbps | 50-75Mbps | None | Fixed wireless |
Show more (4 items)
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What’s a good internet speed?
Most internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you’re looking for an internet plan that can accommodate videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you’ll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here’s an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the FCC. Note that these are only guidelines — and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.
For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need.
- 0 to 5Mbps allows you to tackle the basics — browsing the internet, sending and receiving email, streaming low-quality video.
- 5 to 40Mbps gives you higher-quality video streaming and videoconferencing.
- 40 to 100Mbps should give one person sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two people to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming.
- 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more people to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Columbus
Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. So what’s our approach? We start by researching the pricing, availability and speed information drawing on our own historical ISP data, the provider sites and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.
But it doesn’t end there. We go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of the time of publication.
Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:
- Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
- Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?
- Are customers happy with their service?
While the answer to those questions is often layered and complex, the providers who come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, though we also factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports.
To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.
Internet providers in Columbus FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in Columbus, Georgia?
WideOpenWest, or WOW, is the best internet service provider in Columbus, Georgia, due to its broad high-speed coverage, low pricing and fast download speeds. The contract-free service includes free equipment rental for one year with select plans, while the 1.2-gig plan comes with ongoing free equipment rental and unlimited data.
Is fiber internet available in Columbus?
Fiber internet is available to a little more than a quarter of Columbus households, according to the FCC. Serviceability is greatest in the Castlewood, Northstar and Hillside Terrace communities, though fiber coverage can be found in random pockets throughout Columbus.
AT&T Fiber is the largest fiber internet provider in Columbus, though Public Service Communications also has a small fiber presence in the area. Beamspeed has recently emerged as a fiber provider in the Columbus area as well, but service appears to be in beta as of this writing.
Who is the cheapest internet provider in Columbus?
WideOpenWest has the lowest starting price of any major internet service provider in Columbus at $20 monthly for download speeds up to 100Mbps. The provider’s faster plans are also priced on par with or lower than the local competition, as well. WOW’s 500Mbps plan, for example, starts at $40 a month, $25 lower than AT&T Fiber for the same download speed potential, and $30 lower than Spectrum’s 500Mbps plan.
Which internet provider in Columbus offers the fastest plan?
AT&T Fiber offers the fastest internet plan in Columbus, Georgia, with speeds up to 5,000Mbps starting at $250 monthly. The plan features symmetrical upload and download speeds, one of the biggest benefits of using a 100% fiber-optic connection.
AT&T Fiber also has the second fastest plan in Columbus — 2,000Mbps starting at $150 a month — while download speeds from cable providers WOW, Mediacom and Spectrum top out at around 1,000 to 1,200Mbps.
Tyler Fields is your internet guru, delving into the latest trends, developments, and issues shaping the online world. With a focus on internet culture, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies, Tyler keeps readers informed about the dynamic landscape of the internet and its impact on our digital lives.
