Best Internet Providers in Birmingham, AL

The best internet providers in Birmingham are AT&T Fiber and Spectrum Internet. Of the two, AT&T Fiber is the best provider because of its fiber-optic network, which makes it faster and more reliable than area competitors. AT&T Fiber can reach symmetrical upload and download speeds up to 5 Gbps. AT&T also ranked highest for customer service in the North Central and West regions in the J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Residential Internet Service Provider Satisfaction Study. Customers who sign up for an AT&T Fiber plan get equipment like the WiFi gateway and All-Fi Hub with no additional equipment fees. AT&T Fiber plans also have the benefit of no annual contracts, data caps or price hikes.

In areas that lack access to AT&T Fiber, consider Spectrum Internet’s cable network, which is more accessible than AT&T Fiber. Although you won’t have the stability and symmetrical speeds of fiber, Spectrum offers affordable plans from $50 per month (for the first 12 months) that provide immense value for customers. Spectrum also offers internet, TV and phone packages. With Spectrum, you can expect a price increase after 12 months, as well as installation charges and a small monthly equipment fee. On the other hand, Spectrum has no data caps and cancellation fees on any of its plans.

AT&T - Fastest Provider
Spectrum - Cheapest Provider
Viasat - Widely Available
Viasat - Great for Rural Areas
T-Mobile - Offers 5G Home Internet
AT&T - Great Value

Fastest Internet Providers in Birmingham, AL

AT&T is the fastest provider in Birmingham, with speeds up to 5 Gbps.

The fastest internet providers in Birmingham are AT&T Fiber and Spectrum Internet. AT&T Fiber customers in Birmingham can expect gigabit-level speeds. Since it uses a fiber network, AT&T Fiber can offer symmetrical speeds (meaning upload speeds are as fast as download speeds) and more reliable performance during peak hours.

The next fastest option in Birmingham comes from Spectrum Internet. The provider’s cable network can produce speeds up to 1 Gbps (wireless speeds may vary), which is more than enough for any type of user. Spectrum Internet can’t offer symmetrical speeds but can offer more accessibility to those who don’t live within AT&T Fiber’s coverage areas.

What’s a Good Internet Speed?

Internet Speed	Appropriate For	Providers in your Area offering this Speed	Availability in your Area
100 Mbps	Streaming Video chat Online gaming Larger households	Viasat T-Mobile EarthLink Hughesnet XNET WiFi Starlink	100%
1000 Mbps (1 Gbps)	Heavy streaming (4K video multiple devices etc.) Video chat Lag-free gaming Large households	AT&T Spectrum	93.2%

Learn more about internet speeds:

Internet Availability in Birmingham, Alabama

You’ve got two providers to choose from for your home internet in Birmingham, Alabama. AT&T Fiber covers 51.6% of the Magic City, while Spectrum, a cable internet provider, offers even more availability in 93.2% of Birmingham. Choosing which option is better for you will depend on your neighborhood.

You’ll most likely have access to AT&T Fiber if you live in suburban areas like Mountain Park and Forest Park. Coverage in the city center is sparse but most reliable around the Automotive Historic District. Homes near the Sports Hall of Fame or UAB are unlikely to get coverage.

AT&T’s Internet Protocol Broadband (IPBB) service, however, offers widespread availability to 91.1% of Birmingham. It won’t offer the same speed as its fiber service, but it covers the vast majority of Birmingham, from the airport all the way down to Sand Ridge. It also covers areas that AT&T fiber doesn’t, like Elyton.

If AT&T isn’t an option, Spectrum is almost universally available in Birmingham, with a rare exception being around the university area. You’ll have coverage from top to bottom of 1st Avenue North, all throughout the suburbs, and the vast majority of the city center. Spectrum is the winner for availability in Birmingham, especially compared with AT&T Fiber’s spotty coverage, which is the only other option in the city that compares in speed.

Provider Connection Types in Birmingham, AL

Connection Type	About this Connection Type	Availability in Birmingham, AL
Satellite	Available even in very rural areas Typically has high latency (lag)	100%
DSL	Typically about 100 Mbps Slower than Cable or Fiber	63.949999999999996%
Cable	Typically 250 Mbps - 1 Gbps Widely available A good choice for most users	93.89999999999999%
Fiber	Typically 1 Gbps or faster Upload speeds match download speeds	47.27%