Best Internet Providers in Raleigh, NC

Internet Services in Raleigh, North Carolina

Whether you’re streaming the latest Carolina Hurricanes game or listening to a recent performance from the NC Symphony, Raleigh has 17 internet service providers (ISPs) to meet all your browsing needs. As the capital of North Carolina, Raleigh is home to over half a million citizens who use the internet to power their colleges, communities, and companies, including Red Hat, IBM, and Cisco. With this many people and businesses, the internet scene in Raleigh is competitive, creating some of the cheapest and fastest internet deals around. Finding these internet bargains is easy if you follow our expert advice and guidance for buying internet in Raleigh.

Acquiring the Fastest Internet in Raleigh

High-speed internet is a must-have for the modern household. Nobody wants to fall victim to relentless buffering while watching videos or lag while gaming. However, the speed of your connection will depend on the type of internet you choose. Thankfully, Raleigh offers several different internet connection types to choose from, including DSL, cable, fiber, satellite, and cellular. Our experts organized the internet options in Raleigh by type, so you can pick the fastest type for your budget without being bogged down by technicalities.

Fastest Raleigh Internet Providers

Finding the Cheapest Internet Plans in Raleigh

Shopping for internet services can feel overwhelming — plain and simple. Especially when internet providers have prices and plans that seem to fluctuate with the weather and contracts with enough fine print to make your head spin. We aim to simplify the search process for you by breaking down internet providers in Raleigh to their core value. When it comes to internet service, we all want to get the most bang for our buck, right? So, we divided the cost of the cheapest internet plans in Raleigh by their download speeds to give you their price value per megabit, also known as internet value. With this approach, you can find out which provider offers the fastest internet plan in Raleigh for the best price.

Best Internet Value of Raleigh Providers

Taking Advantage of Internet Deals in Raleigh

Finding a fair price for internet services in Raleigh doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, it can be easy if you know the right tips and tricks associated with getting a great deal. Of course, it will take some extra time and research, but the best things in life, including internet, come to those who wait. Check out some of these tips from our experts to start securing affordable internet in Raleigh.

1. Pursue Promotional Prices

   When looking for internet in Raleigh, always compare providers to find their most up-to-date promotional prices. Promotional prices can be as much as $40 less than the regular rate, saving you a boatload of money. Some promotions can even last up to a year! Studies also show that summer is one of the best times for finding promotional prices for internet services due to people moving.

   Insider’s Tip: Spectrum is currently offering to buyout customer contracts up to $500 if you sign up for a qualifying Triple Play or limited Double Play promotion.

   Keep in mind that promotional rates will eventually come to an end. Mark the date on your calendar, and when the day comes, call your Raleigh provider and negotiate a new price before your bill increases. Some providers, such as Spectrum, limit these promotional packages to people who haven’t been a customer for 30 days. Still, if you stay on the line long enough, you can usually circumvent that stipulation.

2. Choose a Complementary Contract

   When selecting your internet service provider, choose a company offering a contract that aligns with your circumstances. If you’re a homeowner or a long-term renter, you should consider getting a one-year contract for the lowest rates. Some companies even offer deeper discounts for signing an extended two-year contract.

   On the contrary, if you’re a renter or unsure about your living situation moving forward, you should choose an internet provider that offers a month-to-month contract. While the initial rates may be higher, you won’t get stuck with a hefty cancellation fee if you need to move immediately.

3. Hunt for Provider Perks

   Internet provider perks are one of the best ways to get a great deal on internet services in Raleigh. Sometimes referred to as “hushed” perks because providers don’t always openly advertise them, provider perks are additional savings, features, and equipment that come with purchasing a particular internet plan. In Raleigh, for example, Spectrum and AT&T provide free Wi-Fi around the city to subscribers, and they each partner with McAfee to streamline antivirus protection to your personal computers and laptops.

   Money Saver Alert: If you sign up online with AT&T today for a plan with 25 Mbps download speed or higher, you can get a $50 AT&T Visa Reward Card.

   By looking closely at their websites or inquiring on the phone, you might find that some services offer incentives that the average person overlooks. Alas, we know you’re not average because you’ve read this far, so read on for some of our other favorite provider perks offered by well-known internet providers. Our experts put together this list of some of the other possible provider perks you may discover from well-known internet service providers: 

   Internet Provider Perks in Raleigh

   Provider Perks	Internet Providers in Raleigh
   No Data Caps	Spectrum, Google Fiber & Frontier
   No Contracts	Spectrum, Google Fiber & CenturyLink
   Free Internet Equipment	Google Fiber
   Internet App Integration Free Cloud Storage Free Email Creation Battery Backup Music Subscription	Disclaimer: Some provider perks vary by city, valid promotions, and choice of plan.

4. Bundle Services to Save Money

   Many internet providers not only sell internet services, but they also offer cable TV, phone, and even mobile services as well. If you already subscribe to cable, utilize a traditional phone line, or need new cell phone service, a bundle might be right up your alley. Known as a Double Play when bundling two services or a Triple Play when bundling three or more services, you can compact all your telephone and broadband needs into one convenient and comprehensive bill for some of the lowest prices available.

   Raleigh Provider Perk: Spectrum’s Triple Play Select plan in Raleigh bundles internet (up to 400 Mbps), cable (125+ channels w/ free HD), and voice (unlimited calling) for only $45 more than the bare-bones internet plan that only offers speeds up to 100 Mbps.

5. Select a Service for Your Circumstance

   One of the most important things you can do when selecting an internet service is to match the plan to your lifestyle. Do you watch 4K videos online often, or are you okay with 1080p resolution for your television? Do you upload pictures and videos frequently, or do you spend your time browsing Reddit and Facebook? Are you a gamer, or is the only game on your computer Solitaire? Contemplating these questions can help you define what type and amount of speed you need for your internet.

   • Satellite — Best for those residing in rural areas
   • DSL — Best for web browsing, online shopping, and SD streaming
   • Cable — Best for HD streaming, occasional gaming, and multiple devices
   • Fiber — Best for 4K streaming, no-lag gaming, and large families

Guarding Yourself from Hidden Fees in Raleigh

One of the greatest enemies lurking in the shadows for internet buyers in Raleigh is hidden fees. Usually threaded into the fine print of your contract, internet providers tend to incorporate a variety of these unexpected costs to catch you by surprise. Maybe you were busy with work or distracted by family, and you missed a payment, resulting in a late fee. Perhaps you forgot to return your modem after switching services, and your previous provider dings you with an equipment replacement fee. In the blink of an eye, you could be on the hook for hundreds of dollars in hidden fees you didn’t even know existed. So, we put together this collection of common fees, so you can be en garde when it’s time to purchase your plan.

Internet Fees in Raleigh

Data Overage Fees

Some internet providers institute a data cap on their plans to prevent users from going over a certain number of gigabytes (GB) per month. While this limit may sound scary at first, most people don’t even come close to this threshold. However, it is important to monitor your household’s internet usage to avoid data overage fees. Many providers with these limits provide you with tools and utilities to keep a close eye on your data consumption per month.

AT&T in Raleigh has a 1 terabyte (TB) limit, also known as 1,024 gigabytes, for their plans with download speeds between 768 Kbps and 300 Mbps. For perspective, you would have to download over 200 HD movies or 1,000 MP3 songs in one month to even approach this limit. Their DSL option is much more extreme, with a small allotment of only 150 gigabytes per month. If you do have a family of tech-savvy smartphone wielders, you could consider a 1 Gbps fiber plan from AT&T, as it allows users to access unlimited home internet without the fear of a data overage fee.

Early Termination Fees

Especially if you are considering switching internet providers, you should be aware of any early termination fees (ETFs) for your current company. While Raleigh’s Spectrum service through Charter Communications is a no-contract option, you can expect to pay an ETF of either $200 for a 24-month contract or $300 for a 36-month contract upon cancellation with CenturyLink. AT&T’s ETF is a little less burdensome, costing only $180 max, and fortunately, they prorate their ETFs based on the number of months completed out of the contract. One of the best ways to avoid ETFs entirely is to choose a month-to-month internet plan, but you will have to pay more out of pocket each month.

Internet Equipment Fees

You already pay for internet service, so you expect that the equipment comes with it, right? Well, not necessarily. Some providers do not include equipment in the cost, and instead, you have to pay either for the equipment upfront or lease it for the duration of your service or contract. In Raleigh, Spectrum and AT&T require customers to lease their internet modem for up to $10 per month, which can stack up quickly.

Moreover, if you don’t return the modem after cancellation on time, you could be stuck with a $150 non-return equipment fee from AT&T or a $78 fee from Spectrum. One way to avoid these equipment charges in Raleigh is to purchase a modem from your internet provider’s compatible equipment list and install it yourself. Be forewarned! If anything goes wrong with the modem, most providers will refuse to troubleshoot the issue at all.

Setup and Installation Fees

You’ve done your research, picked your internet provider, and set aside the correct amount in your monthly budget, but you’re not done yet, as installation and setup could cost a bit extra. Google Fiber in Raleigh charges a construction fee of $300 for initiating service to your address. You can avoid this fee by signing on for a one-year contract. But if you skip out on the contract before the end of the year, you will still be responsible for a prorated amount related to this fee.

Similarly, AT&T and Spectrum both have installation fees associated with their services. For Raleigh citizens, Spectrum only charges $49.99 for installation, while AT&T requires $99 to come out to your house and connect your service. One method for avoiding this fee is to select a self-installation option if you have preexisting wiring to your address. Although, if you run into any complications during this process with AT&T that requires them to send out a technician, they will still tag you for $99 for the visit.

Do It Yourself: Self-Installing Your High-Speed Internet in Raleigh

At InMyArea.com, our experts continually strive to provide you with the resources and tools you need to save money on your internet. One of the easiest ways to do so is to self-install your internet service. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist, or even a normal scientist for that matter, to do a self-installation. So, we put together an easy-to-use guide to show you how to self-install your internet for each connection type.

Exploring Raleigh’s Internet Neighborhoods

As a tech hub for the East Coast, Raleigh continuously attracts an ever-growing, diverse population of families and businesses looking to put down roots. This combination of culture is even more apparent when looking at the numerous neighborhoods scattered across the city’s landscape. As the people and the neighborhoods are unique, so are Raleigh’s internet providers. If you’re looking at a particular neighborhood in Raleigh, you need to know what internet companies cover your cul-de-sac. To help you on your journey, our team analyzed the internet availability maps for Raleigh to provide you with the internet coverage details for some of Raleigh’s most well-known neighborhoods.

Raleigh Neighborhood Internet Availability