Top AT&T Competitors And Alternatives In 2025

The demand for faster internet is growing at a much faster rate than ever. According to a report by the Information Technology And Innovation Foundation, as of 2024, 98% of Americans have access to high-speed wired broadband internet. With the increase in internet demand. the number of internet service providers has also increased. AT&T has long stood as a colossus, offering a wide array of services ranging from mobile connectivity to high-speed internet.

However, AT&T is not the only giant in the industry, in fact, it comes in 3rd place in terms of the number of customers.  the industry is rife with AT&T competitors, and consumers are often on the lookout for alternatives that match their specific needs, whether it be for better pricing, superior coverage, or enhanced customer service.

This blog post aims to highlight the top five AT&T alternatives in 2025, We’ll explore the different plans and pricing, dissect availability details, and scrutinize customer satisfaction levels to give you a clear picture of the current market. So, without wasting any more time on introductions, let’s start.

AT&T Competitors: Our Expert Review of AT&T Alternatives For Internet

While AT&T has been a significant player in the ISP market, several competitors have stepped up their game, offering comparable, if not superior, services. Our expert review highlights top competitors of AT&T. Each of these providers brings unique strengths to the table, making them worthy alternatives to AT&T. So, let’s start dissection them one by one.

Spectrum Internet:

Spectrum, a brand of Charter Communications, has a rich history in the telecommunications industry. Founded in 1993, it has grown through acquisitions and mergers, becoming one of the largest cable operators in the United States. Charter Communications acquired Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks in 2016 for $56.7 billion, rebranding their services under the Spectrum name. This merger significantly expanded Spectrum’s reach and capabilities, making it a major player in the ISP market.

In terms of technology, Spectrum isn’t a direct competitor of AT&T as it does not provide pure fiber (FTTH) of DSL, rather it provides its service via fiber coaxial cables. Their standard internet plan starts at $24.99 per month for speeds up to 50 Mbps. For households requiring more bandwidth, Spectrum offers a mid-tier plan at $49.99 per month for speeds up to 300 Mbps and a high-tier plan at $89.99 per month for speeds up to 1 Gbps. These prices are promotional rates and may increase after the first 12 months.

One of Spectrum’s most appealing features is the absence of data caps. Customers can enjoy unlimited data usage without worrying about overage charges or throttling. Plus, there are no contracts either, so you don’t have to pay any early termination fee if you decide to cancel your subscription.

One of the downsides of Spectrum is that it charges a one-time installation fee of $65. Another problem with their service is that despite having low prices at the start, their monthly fee increases tremendously after the promo period of 12 months. In some cases, it is more than double. 

Spectrum Availablity Details:

In terms of availability, Spectrum is a giant. Despite being one of the largest ISPs in the market AT&T is no match for Spectrum. AT&T covers 21 states, on the other hand, Spectrum expands to almost double the area and provides its services in 41 states across the country. The states with the highest coverage include California, Texas, New York, and Florida, but the service is also prevalent in many other states, including Ohio, North Carolina, and Wisconsin.

Spectrum Customer Satisfaction Status:

According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), Spectrum’s scores have seen incremental improvements over the years but still face challenges. The company’s customer satisfaction score in 2023 was 64 out of 100, which is below the industry average but shows a slight improvement compared to previous years. Plus, this rating is for non-fiber services as the company does not deal in pure fiber optics.  On the contrary, AT&T scored the second highest score of all ISPs (72/100). 

So,  despite being cheap and a good contender Spectrum Internet can’t beat AT&T.

Verizon Internet:

Verizon Communications, Inc., established in 2000, is a telecommunications giant that emerged from the merger of Bell Atlantic and GTE. Just like Spectrum and AT&T, Verizon is one of the behemoths in the industry and serves 40.6% of the entire US population. Verizon provides both DSL and fiber optic internet service. The fiber plans are provided under the name Fios.

In total, the company offers 4 fiber internet plans starting with the basic 300 Mbps internet, which is available for just $24.99/mo. Yup, That’s half the price of Spectrum. The plans range up to the multi-gigabit category of 2 Gigs.  However, despite being fiber internet and having a large total coverage area, the plans do not provide symmetric download and upload speeds. For instance, the 1 Gig plan only has a download and upload speed of 940 and 880 Mbps respectively. Plus, the Fios fiber optic is only available in 9 states. Here’s a breakdown of all the fiber plans:

Like AT&T and Spectrum, this alternative also does not have any contracts or data caps. On the downside, unlike AT&T you will have to pay an installation fee of $99 on the lower plans of 300 and 500 Mbps. There is no equipment fee for all plans, on the contrary, you get free equipment and other perks like a fixed price for 3-4 years and gift cards of up to $400.  

Verizon Coverage Map:

Verizon Fios primarily serves the Northeastern United States, offering high-speed fiber-optic internet across 9 states. The Fios network is particularly robust in urban and suburban areas, ensuring that many households and businesses in these regions have access to reliable, high-speed internet. Key states where Verizon Fios is available include:

• New York: Extensive coverage in New York City, Long Island, and surrounding areas.
• New Jersey: Comprehensive service in cities like Newark, Jersey City, and Paterson.
• Pennsylvania: Availability in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and other major cities.
• Virginia: Coverage in areas such as Richmond, Alexandria, and Virginia Beach.
• Maryland: Serving Baltimore and the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.
• Massachusetts: Available in Boston and other significant regions.
• Rhode Island
• Washington D.C.
• District of Columbia
• Delaware

Verizon Customer Satisfaction Statis:

 Verizon consistently ranks high in customer satisfaction surveys. The the 2023, American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), the company scored 75 out of 100 in 2023, one of the highest ratings among ISPs. Similarly, in the J.D. Power study, Verizon beat AT&T with a score of 760/1000 in the East region, while in other regions AT&T & reigns supreme. 

EarthLink:

EarthLink, founded in 1994, has a storied past in the internet industry. Initially, it gained prominence as one of the earliest dial-up internet providers, offering access to the World Wide Web during the internet’s nascent stages. Over time, EarthLink adapted to changing technologies and expanded its services to include broadband and fiber-optic connections.

EarthLink has 6 fiber internet plans, the most basic is the 100 Mbps internet while the plans can range as high as 5000 Mbps. This makes EarthLink one of the fastest internet providers in the country. The 100 Mbps plan is priced at $59.95/mo, while the 5 Gig internet is provided at $189.99 per month. Yes, the prices are very high!

In terms of additional fees, EarthLink is probably the weakest contender in our review. While there are no data caps, the company binds its customers with contracts. Plus, you will also have to pay an installation fee of $79.95, an equipment fee of $15, and an early termination fee of $200 in case you decide to terminate the contract early.

That makes EarthLink the weakest competitor. 

Availability of EarthLink Internet:

Availability and coverage area is the biggest flex of the company. It beats even Spectrum in the Coverage area and serves 48 states across the country. Although fiber is limited to some states, most areas are supplied with high-speed DSL internet. 

Customer Ratings For EarthLink:

Despite being one of the largest ISPs, there isn’t much data available for their customer satisfaction ratings. Both ACSI and J.D. Power haven’t included EarthLink in their study. However, on websites like BroadbandNow and CNET, the company has received a good rating of 4.09/5 for thousands of reviews. 

Frontier Internet:

Frontier Communications, a Fortune 500 company, has been connecting people since 1935. Originally known as Citizens Utilities Company and later as Citizens Communications Company, Frontier has undergone significant transformations1. After focusing solely on telecommunications from 1999, Frontier expanded its services through acquisitions, including assets from Verizon and AT&T.

The main stronghold of Frontier is its fiber optic internet. As of 2025, the company offers 4 plans starting with the basic 500 Mbps internet. The highest speed tier is 5 Gig and has a price tag of $129.99/mo. That is almost $50 less than EarthLink and AT&T. Here’s a breakdown of all Frontier plans:

Frontier Internet comes with unlimited, so you can surf the internet as much as you want. However, the same is not true for contracts. In most cases, you will have to sign a 12-month contract, and if you cancel the subscription during these 12 months you will have to pay an early termination fee of $100. 

Frontier Coverage Map:

Frontier boasts an expansive fiber-optic infrastructure that stretches across a minimum of 30 states in the United States. Demonstrating the breadth of their network, Frontier took the strategic decision in April 2020 to relinquish control of their transmission lines in the Pacific Northwest region (comprising Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana) to Ziply Fiber. This move was aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and management effectiveness. Despite this transfer, Frontier remains committed to providing fiber internet services in the remaining 25 states, which are detailed in the table provided. As of 2025, their 1 Gig and multi-gigabit plans are available in more than 10 million passings. 

Status of Customer Satisfaction Rating:

As we assess Frontier’s customer satisfaction in 2025, we observe a company that has earnestly addressed its previous challenges and is actively working towards improvement. Historically, Frontier encountered criticism regarding its customer service, particularly during transitional phases following the acquisition of new networks. Customers frequently reported issues such as service disruptions, billing discrepancies, and difficulties in reaching responsive customer support. However, significant improvements are evident now.

In both 2019 and 2020, Frontier held the lowest rankings with scores of only 55 out of 100 in the American Customer Satisfaction Index. Nevertheless, there has been notable progress. By 2021, their score had risen to 57, surpassing Suddenlink. Last year, it further improved to 61, indicating a surpassing of other competitors such as CenturyLink and Mediacom.

Best AT&T Alternative For Price

Finally, our AT&T competitors review is almost at an end. But which is the cheapest AT&T alternative? According to our experts at GetInternetDeal, Verizon is the cheapest alternative to AT&T. Not just the cheapest it is also one the most reliable and widespread telecom companies in the USA. 

We recommend the Verizon Fios 1 Gig plan as the best internet package. This is because it provides the perfect balance of bandwidth and affordability. This makes it perfect for both residential and business use. 

Best Overall AT&T Competitor:

The best AT&T competitor is definitely Frontier. The company’s wide coverage area in 30 states and cheap rates with good customer ratings make it the strongest competitor of AT&T. So if you want to switch from AT&T to any other ISP, then Frontier is your best bet. 

Conclusion

AT&T is a major player in the telecommunications industry, but it’s not the only option. With a variety of competitors offering competitive rates, feature-rich plans, and innovative technologies, there’s a good chance you can find a service provider that better suits your needs.