What is AT&T?
AT&T is the world’s largest telecoms company, selling cellular and landline phone services and internet, over DSL and fiber networks. For simplicity’s sake, it sells just two internet plans: one DSL and one fiber, the latter only available in large cities. Its DSL plans come with speeds “up to 100Mbps” for a flat price, but the speed you actually get will depend on the network in your area. The fiber plans deliver speeds of 940Mbps to all subscribed customers.
AT&T’s plans are competitive and its bundling options with DirectTV are mouth-watering, but speeds on its DSL network might be slow in your area.
Connection Types: What kind of connection can I get with AT&T?
AT&T sells internet over two different networks:
- DSL: the second-largest DSL network in the US, reaching more than 120 million customers in 22 states, primarily in the Midwest, South, and California. You’ll see just one speed tier—“up to 100Mbp”—advertised, but the speed you actually receive will depend on where you live. Luckily, the price is flat, at $50/month, no matter how many Mbps you get. DSL packages all come with a 1TB/month data cap, but you’ll struggle to exceed it.
- Fiber: AT&T’s fiber network delivers “gigabit” speeds of 940Mbps, with unlimited data. It costs the same as AT&T’s DSL package, $50/month, making it an incredible steal, cheaper than gigabit packages from competitors. However, you’ll have to be among the 25 million living in AT&T fiber footprint, which primarily coves large metropolitan areas in the states its DSL network serves.
Fees: How much does AT&T internet cost?
AT&T charges a flat fee of $50/month for its internet services. However, the speeds you get and whether they’re delivered over DSL or fiber depend on where you live.
If you accept a router from AT&T, you’ll pay a $10/month rental fee for it, one of the cheaper rental fees we’ve seen. However, you’ll save money by buying a third-party router.
To get up and running with AT&T, you have to pay $99 for a professional installation of the service or $35 for a DIY kit.
You’ll also need to commit to a 12-month contract. Leaving that contract early incurs a $15 charge for every month remaining in your term contract.
What speeds can I get with AT&T?
On the surface, AT&T offers just two speeds: up to 100Mbps with its DSL plan and 940Mps on its fiber network. In reality, the DSL speed you receive depends on your area. In some areas, it’s as slow as 25Mbps—and for the same $50 customers in other states are paying for 100Mbps and some in other cities are paying for 940Mbps.
But no matter where you live, you can trust AT&T will deliver on those promised speeds. According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), speeds on AT&T networks are, on average, 108.9% of those advertised.
Availability: Can I get AT&T internet in my state?
AT&T’s DSL network is live in 22 states, primarily in the Midwestern and Southern states which are often underserved by other providers. Its fiber network reaches around 25 million people, largely in major cities of the states served by its DSL network.
To see if AT&T is available in your state, use our interactive map to see a full list of providers operating in your area. To see what connection type and speeds are available to your specific home through AT&T, move on to our comparison engine. Plug in your ZIP code and we’ll return a bespoke list of the internet plans available to your address, including those from AT&T.
Extras and TV packages
You can bundle your A&T internet plans with either DirecTV satellite television or AT&T’s own TV platform. Doing so will automatically remove the 1TB/month data cap DSL plans come with, allowing you to surf the internet and stream to your heart’s content. And packaging your internet and TV together with AT&T will typically save you around $20/month compared to buying them separately. If you’re old school, you can also throw in landline calling into a triple-play bundle.
AT&T's own TV plans come with between 65 and 125 channels, while you can get up to 235 or even 330 with DirecTV.
Who should get AT&T internet?
AT&T is a good internet option for most people, particularly for those living in the South and Midwest who might be ignored by other internet providers. If you’re lucky enough to live in one of AT&T fiber cities, you should jump on the chance to sign up: the gigabit fiber plans are high-performance and, at $50/month, around half the price competitors charge for similar services.
But residents of other cities might be annoyed they’re paying the same $50/month bill for slower speeds. This is particularly true of areas where AT&T’s DSL speed tops out at just 25Mbps. To see if AT&T is a viable option for you, use our comparison engine to see exactly which speeds are available in your local area.