What is the best internet provider in Columbus?
AT&T offers speedy fiber plans for a reasonable price, making AT&T Fiber the best internet service provider in Columbus. However, Spectrum, T-Mobile and Verizon are also solid picks for home broadband, depending on which ISP is available at your location.
AT&T Fiber offers the fastest speeds across the board: 5 gigabits for $250 and 2 gigabits for $150. For the lowest prices, check out Breezeline Base, which costs $20 per month for speeds up to 100Mbps. T-Mobile and Verizon also offer some of the cheapest plans in Columbus as both providers offer discounts to eligible mobile customers.
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 details.
Despite our efforts to find the most recent and accurate information, our process has 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 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 come from our research and include applicable discounts for setting up automatic payments each month — a standard industry offering. Discounts and promotions might also be available for signing a term contract or bundling multiple services.
To learn more about how we review internet providers, visit our full methodology page.
Best internet in Columbus, Ohio
300 – 5,000 Mbps
$55 – $250 per month
Our take – AT&T is widely available throughout Columbus and is notably reliable for its fiber service upload and download speeds. You’ll find fiber and DSL options in the Columbus area.
300 – 5,000 Mbps
$55 – $250 per month
100 – 1,000 Mbps
$30- $90 per month
Our take – Spectrum offers a wide variety of plans at budget-friendly prices. It’s also widely available throughout the Columbus area.
100 – 1,000 Mbps
$30- $90 per month
Fixed wireless
72 – 245 Mbps
$50 per month
Our take – T-Mobile is rapidly expanding its coverage and landed in Columbus in early 2022. Though it’s not available everywhere and offers only one plan, it is reasonably priced. Potential customers can check eligibility on T-Mobile’s website.
Fixed wireless
72 – 245 Mbps
$50 per month
Columbus internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Fiber | Fiber | $55-$250 | 300-5,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| AT&T Home Internet | DSL | $55 | 10-100Mbps | None | 1.5TB | None | 7.4 |
| Breezeline | Cable | $20-$60 | 100-1,000Mbps | $15 (optional) | None | None | N/A |
| Brightspeed | Cable/Fiber | $59-$79 | 200-940Mbps | $15 (optional) | None | None | N/A |
| Spectrum | Cable | $50-$90 | 300-1,000Mbps | Free modem; $5 router (optional) | None | None | 7.2 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet | Fixed wireless | $50 ($30 for eligible Go5G Plus and Magenta Max mobile customers) | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet | Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 with qualifying Verizon 5G mobile plans) | 50-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Other available internet providers in Columbus
- Breezeline: Breezeline’s cable internet is available in about 70% of Columbus, and plans range from $20 per month for 100Mbps to $60 per month for 1,000Mbps.
- Brightspeed: Brightspeed took over CenturyLink’s network in Columbus. The DSL and fiber service is available in about half of the Columbus area. Speeds start at 200Mbps for $59 a month and go up to 940Mbps for $79.
- Verizon 5G Home Internet: Verizon offers 5G internet service throughout central Columbus. Plans start at $50 a month for 50 to 300Mbps and go up to $70 monthly for 300 to 1,000Mbps. Plus, Verizon mobile customers could pay as little as $35 monthly for internet with autopay and select mobile plans.
Cheap internet options in Columbus
The cheapest plan you’ll likely find in Columbus is Breezeline’s Base tier for $20 monthly. However, this is not available in all areas of the city. The best deal would be either T-Mobile Home Internet or Verizon 5G Home Internet at $50 a month. Why? Eligible mobile customers under T-Mobile and Verizon can receive a $15-$20 per month discount, dropping the monthly total to only $30-$35.
Most providers we’ve mentioned also participate in the FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program, which gives eligible low-income households a $30 monthly discount (or up to $75 for households on tribal lands) for high-speed internet. You can use the ACP toward any internet plan — not just the cheapest ones — from participating providers.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in Columbus?
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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 a given time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Columbus internet providers, such as Spectrum, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, however, including AT&T, Breezeline, Brightspeed, T-Mobile and Verizon, run the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
How fast is Columbus broadband?
Speeds range from a very modest 3Mbps to 5,000Mbps in Columbus — though not everyone will have access to these numbers. Many plans sit in the 100 to 300Mbps range, while some faster speeds can be found.
AT&T offers the fastest internet plans in Columbus. It boasts fiber options that include multi-gigabit plans, including 2,000Mbps and 5,000Mbps.
Fastest internet plans in Columbus
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What’s a good internet speed?
Most internet connection plans can 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 user sufficient bandwidth for telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming.
- 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users 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 internet service provider in a given city. So what’s our approach? For starters, we tap into a proprietary pricing, availability and speed database that draws from our own historical ISP data, partner data 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 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.
What’s the final word on internet providers in Columbus?
AT&T’s fiber plans are the best bet in Columbus, but they’re not available to all residences. However, there are plenty of other reliable, affordable and fast plans. Whether you need satellite or cable, fiber or DSL, there are several options, with some starting at just $20 a month.
Internet providers in Columbus FAQs
Is fiber internet available in Columbus?
Fiber internet is available through AT&T, Breezeline and Brightspeed. Though none of these fiber networks are widely available, you’ll find access to fiber in about 20% of the Columbus area.
Who is the cheapest internet provider in Columbus?
Breezeline offers a $20 monthly plan that’s the cheapest in Columbus. However, customers may be able to save the most money through Verizon or T-Mobile if they’re already mobile customers. Both ISPs offer deals to eligible mobile customers who sign up for internet service. You can check whether you’re eligible under Verizon or T-Mobile by inputting your address.
Is AT&T or Spectrum better?
If you have access to AT&T’s Fiber, it offers much faster speeds and value than Spectrum’s cable plans. However, if you’re leaning on AT&T’s DSL plans, Spectrum is a faster, more reliable bet. Find more details in CNET’s full comparison of AT&T vs. Spectrum.
Which internet provider in Columbus offers the fastest plan?
AT&T Fiber offers a 5-gigabit plan for $250 a month. You’ll also find AT&T 2000 and AT&T 1000 plans that are plenty fast for most. Those plans cost $150 a month and $80 a month, respectively.
