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#1 Recommended Plan
1. AT&T 
Speeds Up To5 GbpsLtd. avail/areas. Speeds vary, not g’td. Single devices wired speed maximum 4.7 Gbps.Connection: Fiber, IPBB, 5G InternetAvailability: 91.1%Why AT&T? AT&T Fiber's symmetrical gigabit speeds make it the ideal choice for busy households with streamers, gamers and remote workers. -
2. Spectrum 
Speeds Up To2 GbpsSpeeds up to 2G in Select Markets.Connection: CableAvailability: 92.9%Columbia speed tests confirm high speeds for Spectrum -
3. Viasat 
Speeds Up To150 MbpsNot all internet speeds available in all areas.Connection: SatelliteAvailability: 100% -
T-Mobile 
Speeds Up To2 GbpsNot available in all areas. Return each device undamaged or fee may apply. AutoPay discount requires bank account or debit card, otherwise $5 more/line/mo. May not be reflected on first bill. See Terms and Conditions (including arbitration provision) at https://fiber.t-mobile.com/legal/terms.Connection: FiberAvailability: 24.9% -
5. Mint Mobile 
Download Speeds:133 Mbps - 415 MbpsNot all internet speeds available in all areas.Connection: 5G InternetAvailability: 75.4%LIMITED TIME OFFERIntroducing 5G Home MINTernet powered by T-Mobile starting at $30/month -
6. Verizon 
Speeds Up To300 MbpsNot all internet speeds available in all areas.Connection: 5G InternetAvailability: 65.4% -
7. XNET WiFi 
Speeds Up To2 GbpsNot all internet speeds available in all areas.Connection: Fixed WirelessAvailability: 73.2% -
CarolinaConnect 
Speeds Up To1 GbpsNot all internet speeds available in all areas.Connection: FiberAvailability: 2.9% -
9. Starlink 
Speeds Up To350 MbpsNot all internet speeds available in all areas.Connection: SatelliteAvailability: 100% -
Harlan Community Television 
Speeds Up To5 GbpsNot all internet speeds available in all areas.Connection: FiberAvailability: 14.5% -
11. Hughesnet 
Speeds Up To100 MbpsNot all internet speeds available in all areas.Connection: SatelliteAvailability: 100%
Internet Providers in Columbia, SC
Refine your search for better results:
Popular Columbia Internet Deals
| Provider | Featured deal | |
|---|---|---|
| AT&T | Get up to a $300 Reward Card with purchase of AT&T Fiber! Redemption req’d. |
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| Spectrum | Get Spectrum Internet® with a free modem, free antivirus software and no data caps! |
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| Viasat | Get $30 off for your first 3 months! Price shown includes promotion; Get $30/mo. off for the first 3 months. For new customers only. You must mention this offer when ordering service to receive the discount. |
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| Verizon | Get a 43" Class QF QLED Samsung TV or Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE 5G on us! |
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| XNET WiFi | Get unlimited data and Wi-Fi that works anywhere with XNET WiFi! |
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Columbia Home Internet Providers
| Provider | Plans starting at | Speeds up to | Connections | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spectrum | $30/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan. | 2 Gbps Speeds up to 2G in Select Markets. | Cable |
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| Mint Mobile | $30/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan. | 133 Mbps - 415 Mbps Not all internet speeds available in all areas. | 5G Internet |
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| AT&T | $34/mo Price is per month, plus taxes. Price after discounts: 20% off w/elig wireless svc. and $10/mo w/elig Autopay & Paperless bill. Discounts start w/in 2 bills. | 5 Gbps Ltd. avail/areas. Speeds vary, not g’td. Single devices wired speed maximum 4.7 Gbps. | Fiber, IPBB, 5G Internet |
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| Verizon | $35/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan. | 300 Mbps Not all internet speeds available in all areas. | 5G Internet |
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| Hughesnet | $39.99/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan. | 100 Mbps Not all internet speeds available in all areas. | Satellite |
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| CarolinaConnect | $49.95/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan. | 1 Gbps Not all internet speeds available in all areas. | Fiber |
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| XNET WiFi | $65/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan. | 2 Gbps Not all internet speeds available in all areas. | Fixed Wireless |
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| Viasat | $69.99/mo Price shown includes promotion; Get $30/mo. off for first 3 months. For new customers only. You must mention this offer when ordering service to receive the discount. | 150 Mbps Not all internet speeds available in all areas. | Satellite |
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| T-Mobile | $75/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan. | 2 Gbps Not available in all areas. Return each device undamaged or fee may apply. AutoPay discount requires bank account or debit card, otherwise $5 more/line/mo. May not be reflected on first bill. See Terms and Conditions (including arbitration provision) at https://fiber.t-mobile.com/legal/terms. | Fiber |
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| Harlan Community Television | $78/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan. | 5 Gbps Not all internet speeds available in all areas. | Fiber |
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| Starlink | $80/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan. | 350 Mbps Not all internet speeds available in all areas. | Satellite |
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Best Internet Providers in Columbia, SC
If you're shopping for internet in Columbia, South Carolina, your clear-cut best choice for internet is AT&T Fiber. Not to be confused with AT&T Internet (which is AT&T's brand name for IPBB internet — it's basically DSL), AT&T Fiber is AT&T's top-flight internet offering. It uses a fiber-optic network to offer lightning-fast speeds up to 5 Gbps. We like AT&T Fiber because it has exceptional feedback from customers who leave reviews with us, and you can pair it with AT&T's wireless service, which is one of the best in the nation.
If AT&T Fiber isn't available in your area of Columbia, your second choice should be Spectrum, the dominant cable internet provider in the region. Spectrum gets mixed but overall decent marks from its customers based on our review data and its score of 68 on the American Customer Satisfaction Index. Spectrum's top available speed up to 2 Gbps (wireless speeds may vary) is fast enough to easily handle a typical household's internet traffic. Spectrum offers internet-only plans starting at $30 per month for 12 months. It also offers sizable savings with its package offerings, which start at $30 per month for 12 months and include other services, like home phone, mobile phone or cable TV.
We recommend sticking with fiber or cable internet, but there are other connection types available in Columbia. AT&T Internet uses a DSL connection type, among others, to create its "IPBB" network. Verizon 5G Home Internet and its 5G home competitors use cell towers to reach customers wirelessly. Satellite internet services like Starlink are wireless, too.
Of all the wireless internet providers, Verizon 5G Home Internet stands out as it offers download speeds up to 300 Mbps. That's enough for the everyday internet customer, whether they're streaming their favorite TV show or playing games online. Not only do you have plans starting at an affordable $35 per month but you also don't have to worry about a complicated installation process. It's plug-and-play, and you just have to make sure your gateway device has a clear view of the cell tower in your area.
| Provider | Why they're great | Who they're great for | |
|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | Fastest provider | For customers with lots of devices and competitive gamers, AT&T Fiber provides the extreme speeds needed to handle heavy daily internet use. |
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| Spectrum | Cheapest provider | Spectrum is ideal for budget-conscious shoppers looking for entry-level plans that offer reliable everyday connectivity at an affordable rate. |
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| T-Mobile | Reliable network | T-Mobile Fiber is ideal for customers needing a rock-solid connection immune to the weather interference that can affect other local services. |
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| Verizon | Excellent bundle savings | Current Verizon wireless customers can slash their bills and maximize their savings by combining their mobile plan with Verizon 5G Home Internet. |
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| XNET WiFi | Easy installation | XNET WiFi is perfect for customers who want instant internet without the wait, featuring a simple plug-and-play setup that takes under five minutes. |
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Columbia Cheapest Internet Plans
Value-seeking customers in Columbia will find the lowest rates from Spectrum. With plans from $30 per month, its service edges out our top overall pick, AT&T Fiber, which starts at $34 per month. Need another option? Verizon 5G Home Internet offers excellent value at just $35 per month.
| Provider | Plan name | Price | Speeds up to | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spectrum | Spectrum Internet® Advantage | $30/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan. | 100 Mbps Speeds up to 2G in Select Markets. |
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| Mint Mobile | 3-month w/ Mint Phone Plan | $30/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan. | 415 Mbps Not all internet speeds available in all areas. |
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| AT&T | Internet 100 | $34/mo Price is per month, plus taxes. Price after discounts: 20% off w/elig wireless svc. and $10/mo w/elig Autopay & Paperless bill. Discounts start w/in 2 bills. | 100 Mbps Ltd. avail/areas. Speeds vary, not g’td. Single devices wired speed maximum 4.7 Gbps. |
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| Verizon | Verizon Home Internet Lite | $35/mo Prices may vary depending on the plan. | 25 Mbps Not all internet speeds available in all areas. |
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| Viasat | Viasat Essentials | $39.99/mo Price shown includes promotion; Get $30/mo. off for first 3 months. For new customers only. You must mention this offer when ordering service to receive the discount. | 50 Mbps Not all internet speeds available in all areas. |
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Fastest Internet Providers in Columbia, SC
Columbia's fastest internet provider is AT&T Fiber. Offering maximum speeds up to 5 Gbps, AT&T Fiber surpasses all other competitors in Columbia by a long shot. In fact, AT&T Fiber offers three different gigabit and mult-gig plans to accommodate even the hungriest of internet households. Pair those offerings with the fact that the multi-gig plans come with AT&T All-Fi for extended Wi-Fi coverage, and you have the ultimate fiber internet combination.
For most customers, gigabit internet (meaning a speed of 1 Gbps) will be plenty of bandwidth, even if you have a large household and plan to use multiple internet-connected devices at once to do intense things like stream live TV. Multi-gig speeds are likely to be overkill for most families, though that could change as technology continues to advance and higher-quality (and therefore more bandwidth-intensive) streaming formats are popularized.
You can get that gigabit speed from a cable provider, too. Spectrum's speeds reaching up to 2 Gbps (wireless speeds may vary) are still a suitable fit for intense internet activities. Just realize that cable internet connections come with a major downside: upload speeds. Spectrum's upload speeds only reach up to 35 Mbps, meaning you may face buffering and lag when you run out of upload speed to go around. While it's not that common, it could still be a concern if you have a large household.
That said, fiber speeds mean more because fiber internet offers symmetrical speeds. Take AT&T Fiber, for instance. AT&T Fiber offers symmetrical speeds up to 5 Gbps, so you get the most out of your connection. With cable, DSL and other connection types, upload speeds are always significantly slower than download speeds.
| Provider | Speeds up to | Connection type | |
|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | 5 Gbps Ltd. avail/areas. Speeds vary, not g’td. Single devices wired speed maximum 4.7 Gbps. | Fiber |
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| Harlan Community Television | 5 Gbps Not all internet speeds available in all areas. | Fiber |
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| Spectrum | 2 Gbps Speeds up to 2G in Select Markets. | Cable |
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| T-Mobile | 2 Gbps Not available in all areas. Return each device undamaged or fee may apply. AutoPay discount requires bank account or debit card, otherwise $5 more/line/mo. May not be reflected on first bill. See Terms and Conditions (including arbitration provision) at https://fiber.t-mobile.com/legal/terms. | Fiber |
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| XNET WiFi | 2 Gbps Not all internet speeds available in all areas. | Fixed Wireless |
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Compare Top Providers in Your Area
- AT&T Internet vs. Spectrum
- AT&T Internet vs. T-Mobile 5G Home Internet
- AT&T Internet vs. Verizon 5G Home Internet
- Hughesnet vs. Viasat Internet
- Hughesnet vs. T-Mobile 5G Home Internet
- Hughesnet vs. Verizon 5G Home Internet
- Spectrum vs. T-Mobile 5G Home Internet
- Spectrum vs. Verizon 5G Home Internet
- Starlink vs. Viasat Internet
- T-Mobile 5G Home Internet vs. Verizon 5G Home Internet
- Viasat Internet vs. T-Mobile 5G Home Internet
- Viasat Internet vs. Verizon 5G Home Internet
Check Your Current Speed
What's a Good Internet Speed?
| Internet speed | Appropriate for | Providers in your area offering this speed | Availability in your area |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 Mbps |
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100% |
| 1000 Mbps (1 Gbps) |
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92.9% |
Internet Availability in Columbia, SC
Deciding which internet provider to choose in Columbia basically comes down to one question: Can you get AT&T Fiber or not? If AT&T Fiber is available to you, we recommend you choose it. AT&T Fiber has the best speeds, it's super reliable, and customers love it. If AT&T Fiber isn't available in your area, you'll have to choose between Columbia's cable provider, Spectrum, and AT&T's DSL-like IPBB product, AT&T Internet.
So where is AT&T Fiber available? In short, it's available mostly in the residential neighborhoods outside of Columbia's downtown area. You shouldn't expect to find AT&T Fiber in Arsenal Hill or in the districts nearest to the University of South Carolina. As we move into areas like Wales Garden (to the south of the University) and Elmwood Park (to the north of Arsenal Hill), you'll start to see blocks where AT&T offers its fiber internet service. Availability improves as you continue further out, into neighborhoods like Rosewood on the southern side of town and neighborhoods like Eau Claire on the northern side.
Neighborhoods east of the city center don't do quite as well. Unfortunately, if you live near the Main Street District or in Waverly or Five Points, you aren't as likely to be able to sign up for AT&T Fiber. In areas like this, consider Spectrum's high-speed plans and bundles.
| Connection type | Provider with most coverage | Columbia availability | Starting price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Satellite | Hughesnet | 100% | $39.99/mo |
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| Cable | Spectrum | 92.9% | $30/mo |
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| DSL | AT&T Internet | 91% | $60/mo |
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| 5G Internet | AT&T Internet Air | 78.7% | $65/mo |
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| Fixed Wireless | XNET WiFi | 73.2% | $65/mo |
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| Fiber | AT&T Fiber | 41.7% | $34/mo |
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Columbia Internet Stats
| Average internet monthly cost | Available speed ranges | Available price range | Available connection types |
|---|---|---|---|
| $79 | 12 Mbps - 5 Gbps | $30/mo - $235/mo | 5G Internet, Cable, DSL, Fiber, Fixed Wireless, Satellite |
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Fastest Speed
AT&T FiberFiber
Internet 5000$235/mo*Price is per month, plus taxes. Elig. wireless svc. req'd. and after AutoPay & Paperless bill discount. Ltd. avail/areas. See offer details
Save 20% with Eligible AT&T Wireless Plan | $300 Visa Reward Card-
Download Speeds up to 5 Gbps
Show Details -
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Best Value
AT&T FiberFiber
Internet 1000$70/mo*Price is per month, plus taxes. Elig. wireless svc. req'd. and after AutoPay & Paperless bill discount. Ltd. avail/areas. See offer details
Save 20% with Eligible AT&T Wireless Plan | $100 Visa Reward Card-
Download Speeds up to 1 Gbps
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Great for multiplayer gaming and remote work
Show Details -
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Lowest Price
SpectrumCable
Spectrum Internet® Advantage$30/mo*Taxes & fees extra and subj. to change. See disclaimer for details. Restrictions apply. See offer details
One-year price guarantee-
Download Speeds up to 100 Mbps
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Reliable Internet at a budget-friendly price
Show Details -
Internet Coverage Map and Store Locations for Columbia, South Carolina
Frequently Asked Questions About Internet in Columbia, SC
Methodology
Our provider rankings rely on a rigorous, data-driven framework evaluating over 100 million rows of FCC data to bring transparency to local internet options. We track 8,000+ active plans from 2,000+ providers to cut through marketing jargon. We weigh technical factors against real-world experiences to match you with the best connections actually available at your address:
- Tested Technology:
- Realistic Coverage:
- Transparent Pricing:
- Verified Speeds:
- User-Driven Personalization:
We utilize a fiber-first ranking system, prioritizing high-performance, structurally sound technologies (like fiber and cable) over slower legacy connections.
We filter out "ghost ISPs" with near-zero availability and actively flag providers that only cover a fraction of neighborhoods, ensuring you don't waste time on unavailable options.
We track base rates and downgrade providers that rely on hidden fees or sudden price hikes, exposing the true long-term cost beyond initial marketing promotions.
We look beyond deceptive "up to" marketing claims to evaluate the actual download and upload speeds delivered, prioritizing the balanced, symmetrical performance necessary for seamless video calls and heavy streaming.
We don't just look at the tech; we look at what people actually prefer. By analyzing millions of local connections, user reviews on downtime, and validated J.D. Power scores, we tailor our rankings to highlight the providers proven to satisfy users in your area.
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Data valid as of 03/14/2026