Broadband and internet comparison in DFW: Who has the best service?

Internet in DFW varies wildly by address. Here's the honest comparison.

Major providers:

AT&T Fiber:

• Speeds: 300 Mbps to 5 Gbps
• Price: $55-180/month
• Availability: expanding in DFW but not everywhere. Check address.
• Verdict: If you can get fiber, GET FIBER. Best option.
• Source: att.com/internet

Spectrum (Charter):

• Speeds: 300 Mbps to 1 Gbps
• Price: $50-110/month (promo rates, goes up after year 1)
• Availability: wide DFW coverage
• Verdict: Solid backup if fiber isn't available. No data caps.
• Source: spectrum.com

Frontier Fiber (formerly Verizon Fios areas):

• Speeds: 500 Mbps to 5 Gbps
• Price: $50-155/month
• Availability: parts of DFW (former Verizon territory)
• Verdict: Great where available. Competitive with AT&T Fiber.
• Source: frontier.com

T-Mobile Home Internet (5G):

• Speeds: 33-245 Mbps (highly variable)
• Price: $50/month flat
• Availability: most DFW areas with T-Mobile 5G
• Verdict: Good budget option but speeds fluctuate. No contract.
• Source: t-mobile.com/home-internet

Speed test averages (DFW, Speedtest.net data): | Provider | Avg Download | Avg Upload | |----------|-------------|------------| | AT&T Fiber | 350 Mbps | 310 Mbps | | Spectrum | 215 Mbps | 12 Mbps | | Frontier Fiber | 420 Mbps | 380 Mbps | | T-Mobile 5G | 120 Mbps | 25 Mbps |

Pro tips:

• Always check att.com/internet first. If fiber is available at your address, that's the answer.
• Spectrum promo rates are $30-50/month cheaper than regular rates. Call to negotiate after year 1.
• T-Mobile Home Internet has no data caps. Good for streaming. Bad for competitive gaming (latency).
• Your own router > rented router. $100 investment saves $10/month in rental fees.

Sources:

• Speedtest.net — DFW data
• Provider websites for pricing and availability
• BroadbandNow.com — DFW ISP comparison

What are you paying for internet?