These plans range from 10 Mbps to 100 Mbps (based on location), enough for a smaller household to regularly stream Netflix and browse social media. In addition to solid speeds, AT&T ranks higher in customer satisfaction than any other major cable company. To gain a better understanding of these offerings, we spent over three weeks analyzing five popular plans, and comparing them across four top internet providers. What we found is a service that offers plenty of perks and money-saving bundling options. If it’s available in your area, AT&T Internet is a sure bet for good speeds at fair rates.
AT&T Internet Plans and Prices
Wide array of DSL speeds, each requiring a contract. Data effective 06/14/2020
- Package availability depends on location, prices may vary
AT&T Speeds and Data Caps
There are two possible one-time charges, one for self-install and one for professional install. If you choose the self-install, you’ll need to set up the equipment yourself. The activation fee for this is $35. If you choose the professional installation, you won’t have to lift a finger, but the installation fee is $99. It’s worth noting that the FCC only measured AT&T’s speeds up to 45 Mbps, meaning it’s “ultra-fast” fiber speed was not taken into consideration. Given that fiber connections are much more reliable than DSL, we expect these findings to only improve over the coming years. Whatever AT&T plan you have available, you can count on receiving the speed you’re paying for. Unfortunately, AT&T’s availability is fairly limited, with only 21 states having access to their service. The good news? If you’re lucky enough to have it, the chances of having a fiber connection are much higher compared to other broadband providers like CenturyLink and Frontier. And even if you don’t have fiber available, AT&T Internet should be more than sufficient for moderate use. Setting up your internet service with AT&T requires AT&T’s Wi-Fi Gateway, a modem/router combination device from AT&T that is used to connect your devices to the internet. While some plans may include this gateway at no extra cost, most require you to pay an additional $10/month. And since AT&T doesn’t allow you to use your own equipment, the only way around this monthly charge is by purchasing the gateway upfront (up to $100). Although this hefty upfront cost may hurt your wallet initially, you’ll end up saving hundreds down the road. AT&T will walk you through the specific equipment needs of your home, and professionals can install the system. The company also offers a self-installation option with a detailed guide and ample resources.
Contracts and fees
Transparent fees and 12-month minimum commitment, with costs typically increasing after that period. AT&T requires a 12-month contract on all of its internet plans, with a prorated early termination fee of $180 if you decide to cancel before the year is up. While every plan is different, most will go up in cost after the 12-month promotional period is over. Fortunately, AT&T is one of the more transparent providers and clearly states what that second year price will be in the offer details before you’re locked in. There are a few fees when you first sign up too – $35 self-installation fee and $99 professional installation. However, if you sign up with a qualifying bundle, the installation fee may be waived.
Notable fees
Equipment lease fee: Up to $10/mo.$99 professional installation$35 activation (self-installation)*
*Sometimes waived for certain packages or online orders. Purchasing an individual DIRECTV package starts at 155+ channels for $50 per month. DIRECTV is a satellite service, which means it’s available nationwide. It also offers some of the best options for sports fans. AT&T TV packages independently start at 65+ channels for $50 per month. With AT&T TV , availability will depend on your location, and so will the exact bundle offers. However, given that the cheapest AT&T TV plan starts at $50, we recommend looking into other TV streaming services — like YoutubeTV — that offer more channels at a similar cost. In J.D. Power’s most recent Internet Satisfaction Study, AT&T earned a perfect score in Customer Service, far exceeding top providers like CenturyLink, Xfinity, and Spectrum. Furthermore, AT&T earned perfect scores across the board in Communications and Promotions, as well as Billing and Payment. This is no easy feat considering no other provider earned a perfect score in any of these three factors. Where AT&T falls short in contracts and second year pricing, it makes up in how it treats and responds to its customers over this time period. The report links AT&T Internet’s customer satisfaction to the expansion of its fiber service, but the company’s sales reps might also have a positive impact on its score. The reps we spoke with were kind, helpful, and patient with our questions. They also never pressured us to buy or to stay on the phone.
