Hi there! Welcome to Fayetteville! I know you just moved to the area and one of the first things on your list is getting connected with fast, reliable home internet service.
As an experienced technology analyst and long-time resident, I‘ve got you covered on everything you need to know about your internet provider options here in town. In this guide, I‘ll give you the insider scoop on the different types of connections available, a deep dive into the major local providers, tips for choosing the best plan to meet your needs and budget, plus the history and outlook for our internet infrastructure. Time to get you up and running!
Why Internet Access Matters
Before we dig into the nitty gritty details, it‘s important to step back and recognize why having affordable, high-speed internet at home matters so much these days. From work to school, entertainment to healthcare, staying connected online impacts nearly every aspect of our lives.
Here in Fayetteville, only 69% of households currently have a broadband internet subscription according to latest FCC data. That leaves nearly a third of residents unable to fully participate in our increasingly digital economy and access critical services.
So whether you‘re Zooming into that remote job, streaming Netflix in 4K, or just browsing dank memes on Reddit – having reliable home internet access makes modern life possible. Thankfully there are a growing number of options for getting connected!
A Brief History of Internet in Fayetteville
To understand the current provider landscape, it helps to know how we got here. Fayetteville was fairly early to gain internet access back in the mid 1990s as cable and telecom companies were first upgrading to broadband networks.
Here‘s a quick timeline of major internet milestones in our city:
- 1996 – Time Warner Cable (now Spectrum) launches first cable internet service at blazing speeds up to 1 Mbps down!
- 2001 – DSL internet arrives over phone lines from providers like BellSouth (now AT&T) – 3 Mbps down
- 2009 – Upgrades to DOCSIS 3.0 boosts cable speeds up to 50 Mbps down
- 2016 – Fiber networks support gigabit speeds up to 1 Gbps down but limited availability
- 2021 – 83% of households able to access minimum speeds of 100 Mbps down
So while early days were marked by pokey connections barely enough to load simple web pages, today most Fayettevillians have access to speedy service able to stream 4K video simultaneously across multiple devices!
Our internet infrastructure has come a long way thanks to vigorous competition and continued investments. For example, over $60 million was pumped into improving local networks just last year according to FCC reports.
Types of Internet Connections
Understanding the different ways internet arrives in our homes is helpful for Knowing what options are available in different areas of Fayetteville.
Here‘s a breakdown of the major types of internet connections:
| Connection | Speeds (Down/Up) | Data Limits | Avg. Cost | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cable | 50 – 1000 Mbps | None | $50 – $90 | 83% Coverage |
| DSL | 5 – 100 Mbps | None | $40 – $60 | 62% Coverage |
| Fiber | 300 Mbps – 1 Gbps | None | $55 – $100 | 12% Coverage |
| Fixed Wireless | 10 – 100 Mbps | Data Caps | $50 – $150 | Limited Rural Areas |
| Satellite | 12 – 100 Mbps | Data Caps | $50 – $150 | Available Everywhere |
Cable is currently the most widely available option thanks to major upgrades allowing for fast speeds leveraging coaxial line networks originally built out for cable TV.
DSL uses older telephone wireline infrastructure but continues to play an important role in rural areas not yet reached by cable and fiber thanks to providers like CenturyLink.
Fiber delivers blazing fast speeds through new fiber optic cable networks seen as the gold standard of connectivity. However the expense of deploying fiber means availability is still limited primarily to denser urban corridors and neighborhoods.
For areas unreached by wired broadband, fixed wireless and satellite fill connectivity gaps leveraging cellular signals or space beams – but with compromised speed capacity and strict data limits.
Now let‘s explore the major companies providing these various types of internet connections across Fayetteville.
Major Internet Providers in Fayetteville
Fayetteville is served by a mix of large national internet service providers like Spectrum, regional cable companies like Suddenlink, and local wireless internet service providers (WISPs). Here‘s the scoop on who offers what and where:
Spectrum
Without a doubt, Spectrum is THE leading internet provider in town. After acquiring Time Warner Cable back in 2016, Charter Communications (who owns the Spectrum brand) became the dominant cable TV and internet service provider across most of Fayetteville and surrounding Cumberland county.
With over 80% household coverage, chances are high Spectrum services your neighborhood if you live within city limits or suburban outskirts.
Leveraging upgraded DOCSIS 3.1 cable networks, Spectrum offers blazing fast download speeds up to 1 Gbps – the fastest across the entire region:
- Internet plan offers 400 Mbps for $74.99/month
- Ultra plan jumps to 500 Mbps for $94.99
- Top-tier Gig plan hits 940 Mbps for $114.99
One key advantage of Spectrum is no data caps, allowing unlimited streaming and downloads without worry. Overall their cable infrastructure delivers greatest reliability and speeds to support modern data-hungry smart homes.
AT&T
While rapidly expanding availability of next-gen fiber optics networks, AT&T also relies on aging DSL infrastructure across much of Fayetteville resulting in slower speeds:
- Internet Basic plan offers just 10 Mbps for $55/month over DSL
- Fiber delivers up to 1 Gbps for $60-90/month
Fiber optic connections use newer fiber lines strung alongside existing telecom infrastructure to transmit data via pulses of light rather than electricity over copper wires. This allows for nearly limitless bandwidth capacity and blink-quick speed.
Check out AT&T availability here – while 58% of Fayetteville households fall within their coverage footprint, fiber remains limited primarily to denser urban neighborhoods for now.
EarthLink
You might be surprised to hear good ol‘ EarthLink still exists! By focusing on upgrades leveraging existing DSL infrastructure, they can offer budget-friendly internet access to limited parts of Fayetteville:
- Plans from $45/month
- Speeds up to 100 Mbps down
- Strict data caps apply
While speeds often can‘t match cable and fiber, some DSL networks have managed incremental improvements allowing for basic video streaming and light usage. But you‘ll need to keep a close watch on data usage with caps as low as 50GB/month.
HughesNet
When it comes to rural and remote regions beyond reach of cable or phone line infrastructure, satellite internet like HughesNet is often the only available option:
- $60 per month
- Speeds up to 25 Mbps down
- But high latency and data caps
Leveraging orbiting satellites and ground-based receiving equipment, HughesNet delivers internet access to even the most remote country homesteads. However performance lags far behind terrestrial options for those needing reliable connectivity.
Xfinity (Comcast)
While not yet serving Fayetteville, Comcast already offers blazing fast cable internet and TV service to communities like Raleigh, Greensboro and Asheville as a leading competitor to Spectrum. Locals are hopeful their expansion plans may soon reach our area too, bringing another alternative and promotional deals that competition can create.
Local WISPs
A growing number of Wireless Internet Service Providers are cropping up to offer fixed wireless connectivity by leveraging point-to-point radio equipment connecting to traditional cellular infrastructure:
- Often small local operators
- Leverage 4G/5G cellular networks
- Offer plans from $49/month
- But speeds & data capped
While performance can‘t match top-tier cable and fiber, new technologies like LTE, 5G and mesh networking hold promise for boosting access across rural areas neglected by big telecoms.
For example, NorthState and RiverStreet Networks are two local WISPs expanding wireless coverage across northwest N.C. and could someday service remote parts of Cumberland County.
Tips for Choosing the Right Internet Provider
Okay, still with me? Now for the fun part – helping you pick the right provider and plan for YOUR needs!
With house shopping I know you‘ve already got enough on your plate. So I‘ll boil it down to the key deciding factors:
1. Check availability at your address
First you‘ll want to verify exactly what providers and speed options are available for connectivity to your new home. Even neighbors on same street may have different infrastructures passing by.
Plug your address into sites like BroadbandNow and InternetProviders to scope out availability.
2. Establish your budget
Next decide how much you‘re able/willing to spend monthly. Costs can vary wildly from $40 on low end for basic DSL to $150+ for top-tier unlimited data cable plans. Prioritize needs vs wants.
3. Determine speed needs
Consider bandwidth needs – how many users/devices simultaneously? Streaming lots of video? Telecommuting? Gaming? 25 Mbps already ample for budget basics. Power users will want 400+ Mbps.
4. Watch for deals + freebies
Look for new sign-up promos and equipment bundles that provide perks like gift cards, streaming subscriptions, mesh WiFi upgrades and more to sweeten switch from old provider.
Based on the above criteria, I would likely recommend Spectrum‘s 200 or 400 Mbps cable internet plans for $74-94 per month assuming solid availability at your new address.
The reliability, unlimited data allowance and ability to squeeze every ounce of speed out of the cable connection makes their services stand out above competitors for most moderate-to-heavy use households – especially in our streaming-obsessed world today!
Let me know if you have any other questions coming up about getting connected! Welcome again and looking forward to seeing you virtually online soon 🙂
