What is the most effective web supplier in Concord?
We didn’t have web after I grew up in Concord and Kannapolis. That’s not a “again in my day” assertion; residence web wasn’t a factor then, other than early iterations of AOL. By the time I moved to Charlotte and, ultimately, simply throughout the southern state border, AT&T and Time Warner Cable (later to turn into Spectrum) had emerged as the 2 massive gamers in the realm. Others, like Kinetic, my high choose for the most effective web supplier in Concord, adopted shortly after. Now, there are many choices for Concord residents to select from.
Kinetic stands out in Concord for its excessive availability of fiber-optic internet, fast speeds and favorable service phrases like unlimited data and no contract requirements. Not everybody in Concord can be serviceable for Kinetic, nevertheless, which is the place different high suppliers together with Spectrum, T-Mobile Home Internet and, extra lately, Google Fiber come into play.
Best web service suppliers in Concord
The finest web supplier on your Concord residence will rely upon what’s out there in your area and what you’re in search of. I lean in the direction of the high-speed, high-value fiber plans from Kinetic, however when you’re in search of a low-cost wi-fi various, T-Mobile could also be your only option. Spectrum can also be a stable alternative, notably if you wish to bundle web and TV service collectively. And nearly no supplier can examine to Google Fiber on the subject of gig service. You’ll discover extra particulars about every supplier, together with Concord availability, pricing and repair particulars, beneath.
Note: The costs, speeds and options detailed in the article textual content could differ from these listed in the product element playing cards, which symbolize suppliers’ nationwide choices. Your specific web service choices — together with costs and speeds — rely in your deal with and should differ from these detailed right here.
All web suppliers in Concord
The suppliers listed above aren’t the one ones you could come throughout in Concord, simply those I’d suggest most and take into account first if I have been again in my hometown. Here’s a have a look at all of your doable, sensible choices for web service in Concord, North Carolina.
Concord ISP fast comparability
| Provider | Monthly worth vary | Download velocity vary (Mbps) | Equipment value | CNET evaluation rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Fiber Read full review |
$55-$250 | 300-5,000 | None | 7.4 |
| Google Fiber Read full review |
$70-$150 | 1,000-5,000 | None | 7.5 |
| Kinetic (DSL) | $40 | 50-200 | $10 | 6.7 |
| Kinetic (fiber) | $40-$70 | 500-1,000 | $10 | 6.7 |
| Spectrum Read full review |
$30-$70 | 100-1,000 | $10 | 7.2 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
$50-$70 ($40-$50 with qualifying low cost) | 72-245 | None | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
$50-$70 ($35-$45 for qualifying Verizon cell prospects) | 50-1,000 | None | 7.2 |
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Source: CNET evaluation of supplier information
Best Concord ISP honorable mentions
These suppliers are additionally technically out there in Concord, however lack the supply or worth to be included with CNET’s picks of the most effective.
AT&T Fiber: Coverage from Charlotte and Mecklenburg County spills over into Concord, however not by a lot. Those simply north of Concord Mills are almost definitely to be eligible for service, however when you’re any additional north into Cabarrus County, look to Kinetic or probably Google Fiber for fiber web.
Kinetic (DSL): As talked about above, most Concord residents can get Kinetic web service, however not all can be eligible for fiber. Those who can’t get fiber should depend on Kinetic’s DSL community, which is definitely higher than most. Speeds of fiftyMbps to 200Mbps are doable relying on the place you reside, and the no-contract, limitless information service begins at simply $40 a month.
Verizon 5G Home Internet: Verizon is one other fashionable possibility for 5G residence web service, however its Concord protection isn’t pretty much as good as T-Mobile. If you may get service, anticipate max obtain speeds starting from 50 to 300Mbps beginning at $50 a month or 85 to 1,000 beginning at $70. Verizon wi-fi prospects can get reductions on residence web with qualifying cell plans.
Satellite internet: For rural areas — and I do know there are nonetheless some in Concord regardless of how a lot the realm has modified in the final decade — satellite tv for pc web stands out as the solely possibility for broadband. HughesNet, Starlink and Viasat provide service all through Concord and Cabarrus County, although pricing is excessive whereas speeds and information allowances are low (although Starlink could provide some aid to the velocity and information drawbacks). I’d suggest ensuring no different choices can be found earlier than resorting to satellite tv for pc web.
Internet pricing in Concord
The common beginning worth for web (excluding satellite tv for pc) in Concord is $51 a month. That’s not precisely cheap internet, however Google Fiber and AT&T Fiber convey the common up.
Between the three largest Concord ISPs — Kinetic, T-Mobile and Spectrum — the common beginning worth is round $43 a month assuming no cell reductions from T-Mobile or Spectrum. That’s decrease than the common beginning value for web in Charlotte, and choose plans from Spectrum could also be priced decrease in Concord than Charlotte because of the native competitors from Kinetic.
Cheapest web plans in Concord
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Source: CNET evaluation of supplier information
Internet speeds in Concord
Concord had a median obtain velocity of 328Mbps in the newest speed test data from Ookla. (Ookla is owned by the identical mum or dad firm as CNET, Ziff Davis.) That’s greater than the state common (231Mbps) and the nationwide common (246Mbps). Google Fiber confirmed the quickest velocity vary, 250 to 371Mbps, nevertheless it’s essential to notice the supplier’s lowest velocity tier is 1,000Mbps.
Fastest web plans in Concord
| Plan | Max obtain velocity (Mbps) | Max add speeds (Mbps) | Starting month-to-month worth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Fiber 8 Gig Read full review |
8,000 | 8,000 | $150 |
| Google Fiber 5 Gig Read full review |
5,000 | 5,000 | $125 |
| AT&T Fiber 5000 Read full review |
5,000 | 5,000 | $250 |
| Google Fiber 2 Gig Read full review |
2,000 | 2,000 | $100 |
| Kinetic 1 Gig | 1,000 | 1,000 | $70 |
| Google Fiber 1 Gig Read full review |
1,000 | 1,000 | $70 |
| Spectrum Gig Read full review |
1,000 | 35 | $70 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Plus Read full review |
1,000 | 10-75 | $70 |
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Source: CNET evaluation of supplier information
Recap of Concord web suppliers
For essentially the most half, residence web choices in Concord are pretty much as good as anyplace. I take into account Kinetic by Windstream to be the most effective supplier in the realm because of its broad fiber protection and aggressive pricing, however the most effective Concord ISP on your residence will rely in your particular wants and deal with. Google Fiber, Spectrum and T-Mobile are additionally first rate selections in their very own proper, so it’s essential to discover and examine all of your web choices earlier than deciding which is finest for you.
How CNET selected the most effective web suppliers in Concord
Internet service suppliers are quite a few and regional. Unlike the most recent smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally check each ISP in a given metropolis. So what’s our strategy? We begin by researching the pricing, availability and velocity data drawing on our personal historic ISP information, the supplier websites and mapping data from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.
But it doesn’t finish there. We go to the FCC’s web site to verify our information and guarantee we’re contemplating each ISP that gives service in an space. We additionally enter native addresses on supplier web sites to search out particular choices for residents. To consider how blissful prospects are with an ISP’s service, we have a look at sources together with the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power. ISP plans and costs are topic to frequent adjustments; all data offered is correct as of the time of publication.
Once we now have this localized data, we ask three foremost questions:
- Does the supplier provide entry to moderately quick web speeds?
- Do prospects get first rate worth for what they’re paying?
- Are prospects proud of their service?
While the reply to these questions is commonly layered and complicated, the suppliers who come closest to “sure” on all three are those we suggest.
To discover our course of in extra depth, go to our how we test ISPs web page.
Concord web suppliers FAQs
Is web in Concord any good?
Median obtain speeds in Concord are greater than the state and nationwide averages, in line with current Ookla velocity check information. Additionally, beginning costs for residence web are decrease than in many surrounding areas, together with Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.
Kinetic and Spectrum are arguably the most effective choices for low-cost, high-speed web in Concord as each provide max obtain speeds of 500Mbps beginning at $40 a month.
Does Concord have fiber web?
Yes. Fiber web is out there to roughly 74% of Concord residences. Kinetic by Windstream is the most important fiber supplier in Concord, although Google Fiber has a rising fiber presence in the realm as effectively.
Is AT&T web out there in Concord?
Yes, however solely to lower than 5% of properties, in line with the FCC. AT&T Fiber protection from neighboring Mecklenburg County extends barely into Cabarrus County simply north of Concord Mills, however is in any other case unavailable in Concord.
Is Kinetic or Spectrum higher?
The higher supplier will come right down to the out there connection sort. Kinetic’s fiber web service would be the higher worth, although the associated fee could also be barely greater relying on the plan you select and when you lease your router. On the opposite hand, Spectrum delivers sooner max speeds and larger worth in comparison with Kinetic’s DSL service. For a extra in-depth comparability, see my breakdown of Spectrum versus Kinetic.
