AT&T vs. Verizon Internet Providers Compared

Industry-leading fiber internet speeds and strong reliability from AT&T

AT&T Fiber can support all your data-intensive internet activities, now and in the future. AT&T continues to lead the industry with multi-gigabit (5000 Mbps) internet speeds available in select areas and more speed on the way. When you add no contracts, no equipment fees, no data caps, and a reputation for reliable customer service, AT&T is a superior choice for all-fiber internet. In areas where only AT&T copper service is available, customers should also check other options and compare speeds and pricing.

AT&T Fiber internet is affordably priced given its high quality and dependability

AT&T offers reasonable fiber pricing with first-tier fiber internet plans currently starting around $55/month. AT&T won’t always offer you the lowest price for fiber in your area. But AT&T will offer you the low end of industry standard prices. For those prices, you’ll often get higher internet speeds from AT&T than from the competition. You will get good value for the internet speed you’re buying. AT&T Fiber’s advantage is that their fiber connections give you equal download and upload speeds. So, even if AT&T Fiber and a cable provider offer you the same price for a speed they both call “300 Mbps,” you will not be getting the same speeds from fiber and cable providers. All cable internet may have high download speeds, but has much slower upload speeds (usually around 10-20 Mbps). AT&T Fiber will give you the same upload speed as your download speed for your monthly price. Having upload speed equal to your download speed can make a big difference for real-time activities such as video streaming and gaming. Fiber also offers low latency, which you’ll see in a ping test. So overall, you are getting more for your money with a fiber internet plan, even when fiber and cable plans advertise the same prices and download speeds. There’s one drawback to AT&T’s pricing. AT&T’s copper-wired service (DSL/ IPBB) is priced at around the same as its first-tier fiber plan. This price is higher by Mbps given that copper service is much slower and less reliable than fiber. We hope AT&T will consider lowering the price of its copper service to give better value to DSL/IPBB customers.

Verizon Fios offers great prices for cutting-edge, all-fiber internet with no hidden fees

Verizon Fios offers three all-fiber internet plans in most of its service areas. The first-tier begins at $34.99/month for up to 300 Mbps. Those fiber speeds are symmetrical, which means that upload and download speeds are equal. No other internet technology offers equal speeds. So you will get a lot more speed for your money with fiber than with any other type of internet connection. Verizon Fios gives you stable prices from the beginning, not introductory prices that will jump up much higher after a year. Here at CompareInternet.com, we give our best ratings to providers whose prices are not only low, but also clear and consistent for customers. Verizon Fios ranks at the top of the industry for its simplicity of pricing. Another major plus of Verizon Fios is that their plans don’t impose data caps. Even with a large household of internet users streaming in HD or gaming, you won’t have to worry about your data usage. Finally, Verizon will give you the option to bundle your cell phone service and your TV. You can get very low combined deals by bundling that can save you a lot of money compared to typical cell phone plan pricing. Many customers do choose to bundle because Verizon phone service is known for its high-quality signals.

Decades of growth give AT&T reliable infrastructure and sophisticated operations

As the third-largest ISP in the United States, AT&T has massive corporate size and history on its side. AT&T’s home internet serves over 100 metro areas in 22 states, with over 19 million fiber internet passings [1] [2]. AT&T provides strong infrastructure and tech support. With 99% reliability for your internet connection, AT&T Fiber service is less likely to be disrupted by outages or slowdowns than many other internet providers [3]. AT&T’s reliability rating is higher than some other ISPs because AT&T customers do not have to work with internet data caps. Many internet service providers have soft data caps. When you hit your data allowance for the month, your ISP will throttle your internet. Your internet speed will slow down to the point that only the simplest email tasks will be possible. You won’t be able to do complex web browsing, streaming, or your other usual internet tasks. In other words, your internet will become unreliable when you hit the limits of your data caps. AT&T and other providers with no data caps give you peace of mind because you won’t suddenly lose most of your internet functionality in the third week of the month. Unlimited data is a major bonus for your internet connection’s reliability.

Verizon Fios performance is best-of-the-best with all-fiber speeds, but make sure you’re getting Fios

It’s really hard to beat all-fiber internet. If you’re getting a Verizon Fios plan, you’re going to have enough bandwidth for practically everything you need to do in your home. Fiber speeds are so fast that numerous people could be streaming or gaming at once in your home, and your connection would not slow down or glitch. Bandwidth is just not an issue for most households once you get internet speeds up past 200 Mbps. You will avoid ISP throttling and any of the other speed issues that happen with slower internet technologies. There’s just one issue to be aware of. Only 50% of Verizon’s wired network is Verizon Fios [3]. The rest is Verizon Internet, which is DSL-based. As you probably know, there is a vast difference between the speeds you get with all-fiber internet vs. DSL internet. Verizon also offers fixed wireless internet plans under LTE and 5G. And while all these plans can still give you high-speed internet, none of them will give you the premium performance of Verizon Fios. So when you’re signing up for Verizon Fios, make sure you look for the Fios all-fiber brand name. If only Verizon DSL or fixed wireless is available in your area, those can also be good options depending on what else is around. But you’ll want to check out your complete list of internet choices by entering your zip code here on our website.

AT&T offers no equipment fees, optional self-installation, extra cybersecurity features

As long as you have AT&T internet service, you will also get to use an internet gateway at no charge [4]. (This gateway is a modem/router combo known as AT&T Smart Wi-Fi.) Your plan may also include a free Wi-Fi extender depending on your terms. If you order AT&T Fiber, technicians will install an ONT (optical network terminal) and a fiber jack or ethernet jack. Professional installation from AT&T will cost you $99 for either copper internet or fiber installation. If you are planning to order copper-based internet (DSL/IPBB) and there is already a dual-port phone jack in your home, AT&T can mail you a self-installation kit at no charge. You can even self-install fiber internet if you are comfortable with a wall installation and following technical instructions. AT&T customers have access to the AT&T ActiveArmor internet security app. The app will block fraud calls and guard risky Wi-Fi connections. For a small extra monthly charge, ActiveArmor offers advanced functions such as Identity Monitoring and Reverse Number Lookup. AT&T also offers a Smart Home Manager app to manage your Wi-Fi and all smart home devices and check for outages.

Verizon Fios includes a free router with your monthly plan fee

Fios offers what we consider the best possible equipment option: no extra equipment fee. Your router is included with the basic charge for your plan [4]. You get a simpler, more predictable price because your equipment is included in your monthly fee. The other benefit of getting a router directly from your ISP is that their tech support will be better able to help you if you ever need troubleshooting. Verizon charges a $99 installation fee, but the fee may be waived with some promotions. You can also self-install Verizon Fios if there is already a Fios Optical Network Terminal in your home from previous Fios service.

AT&T Customer Service provides 24/7 tech support and ranks #1

AT&T has a robust customer support framework, including community forums, live chat, and phone assistance. Tech support is available 24/7, which can be a lifesaver if you work or study from home. Billing and account support are available from 7 AM to 9 PM CT Monday through Friday, and 8 AM to 9 PM Saturday. Those Saturday hours are especially valuable if you work Monday to Friday and can’t squeeze in personal business during the week. In 2023, AT&T ranked#1 for Customer Satisfaction in Residential Internet Service (North Central and West regions) with J.D. Power and Associates [5]. AT&T also ranked #2 in the South region.

Verizon Fios ranks first in customer satisfaction

In the Eastern region of the United States, Verizon tops the J.D. Power customer satisfaction survey for residential internet providers. Not only that, but Verizon has ranked first in that survey for nine years, far outscoring the competition [2]. This is especially impressive because that ranking includes Verizon’s DSL service as well as Fios. Usually, DSL providers rank much lower in customer satisfaction. Yet even with a network that includes DSL, Verizon is clearly doing customer service very well. Verizon has all the usual perks of customer service from a large internet provider: phone help, tech support, and a mobile app called My Fios to manage all aspects of your account. If you are lucky enough to be in the coverage area for Verizon Fios, you are going to be very happy with your hyperspeed internet connection, its low price, and with strong customer support from Verizon.