Best Internet Providers in Cary, North Carolina - CNET

What is the best internet provider in Cary?

AT&T Fiber is the best internet service provider in Cary. While not the fastest or the cheapest ISP in Cary, AT&T Fiber offers a selection of plans suitable for nearly any home, each of which include equipment rental and unlimited data at no extra cost. AT&T Fiber earned the top spot for customer satisfaction in 2023 from the American Customer Satisfaction Index.

Google Fiber is another top contender for high-speed internet in Cary, offering speeds from 1,000 megabits per second to 8,000Mbps, the fastest in the area. The provider is also a leader in customer satisfaction as J.D. Power recently ranked Google Fiber first in the South region. Not everyone needs gigabit internet, however, and cheaper yet still speedy plans are available from other Cary internet providers.

Spectrum offers the cheapest internet plan in Cary, starting at $40 per month for download speeds up to 300Mbps. Verizon 5G Home Internet offers similar max speeds for $50 monthly, though eligible Verizon mobile customers can get $15 off the cost of home internet. T-Mobile Home Internet also offers fixed wireless internet in Cary, but max speeds are lower and pricing is higher than Verizon.

Best internet in Cary, North Carolina

Cary, North Carolina internet providers compared

AT&T Fiber Read full review	Fiber	$55-$225	300-5,000Mbps	None	None	None	7.4
Google Fiber Read full review	Fiber	$70-$150	1,000-8,000Mbps	None	None	None	7.5
Spectrum Read full review	Cable	$30-$60	100-1,000Mbps	$7 (optional)	None	None	7.2
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review	Fixed wireless	$60 ($40 with eligible mobile plans)	72-245Mbps	None	None	None	7.4

Show more (1 item)

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Show more (1 item)

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Cary

The best internet deals and the top promotions in Cary depend on what discounts are available during that time period. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers. 

Cary internet providers, such as Spectrum, may offer lower introductory pricing or other incentives for a limited time. Many, however, including AT&T Fiber, Google Fiber and Verizon 5G Home Internet, run the same standard pricing year-round. 

For a more extensive list of deals, check out our guide on the best internet deals.

Fastest internet plans in Cary

Google Fiber 8 Gig Read full review	$150	8,000Mbps	8,000Mbps	None	Fiber
AT&T Internet 5000 Read full review	$225	5,000Mbps	5,000Mbps	None	Fiber
Google Fiber 5 Gig Read full review	$125	5,000Mbps	5,000Mbps	None	Fiber
AT&T Internet 2000 Read full review	$125	2,000Mbps	2,000Mbps	None	Fiber

Show more (5 items)

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

What’s a good internet speed?

Most internet connection plans can now 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 to satisfy the demands of modern 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 Cary, North Carolina

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. So what’s our approach? We start by researching the pricing, availability and speed information drawing on our own historical ISP data, the provider sites 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 the time 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 answers to those questions are often layered and complex, the providers that come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend. When it comes to 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 also take into account 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.

Internet providers in Cary, North Carolina, FAQs