12 Best Internet Providers in Buncombe County, NC
Find internet availability by address in Buncombe County, NC
Jump to: Best Internet Provider | Availability Maps | Customer Reviews | Buncombe County ISP Report Card | Business Internet in Buncombe County
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Buncombe County ISP Report Card | B+ |
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Download Speed for Most Households | 2,749 Mbps |
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Number of Internet Service Providers | 12 |
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Real Buncombe County Customer Ratings | 14 |
This page reflects the most recent FCC update from January 06, 2026, based on the Broadband Data Collection as of June 30, 2025.
This page reflects the most recent FCC update from January 06, 2026, based on the Broadband Data Collection as of June 30, 2025.
Buncombe County has 12 internet service providers, they are sorted by coverage, available speed, and customer rating from our unbiased internet provider report. Fiber, Cable, DSL, and Fixed Wireless internet are available in the county. Reviews are grouped by provider and the type of service they offer, covering all 4 available internet technologies in Buncombe County.
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Buncombe County has 12 internet service providers, they are sorted by coverage, available speed, and customer rating from our unbiased internet provider report. Fiber, Cable, DSL, and Fixed Wireless internet are available in the county. Reviews are grouped by provider and the type of service they offer, covering all 4 available internet technologies in Buncombe County.
Compare Providers Ranked by Coverage, Speed, and Customer Ratings
Spectrum
Connection
Customer Rating
Fiber
Cable
EarthLink
Connection
Customer Rating
Fiber
DSL
Fixed Wireless
AT&T
Connection
Customer Rating
Fiber
DSL
Fixed Wireless
Frontier
Connection
Customer Rating
DSL
Above are the top 4 providers in Buncombe County, NC for most people based on high speed internet coverage, speeds, and customer reviews. Click below to see all providers in your county.
Speed and technology may vary by address for all providers. Please note we may have a financial relationship with some of the providers above, which does not impact the customer ratings displayed. Customer ratings listed above are national ratings, local Buncombe County ratings may vary and are shown below.
Who is the Best Internet Provider in Buncombe County, NC?
T-Mobile Home Internet is the best internet provider in Buncombe County based on North Carolina customer satisfaction ratings and reviews. Based on our extensive and unbiased survey, T-Mobile Home Internet had the best reviews at the local, state, and national levels versus all available providers in Buncombe County, making it a solid recommendation among providers with reviews. T-Mobile Home Internet is an option for 93.64% of the county.
Click here to get T-Mobile Home Internet
or call 1-833-601-2935
The chart and table below show average customer ratings from customers in Buncombe County, North Carolina, and customers throughout the country.
Top Rated Internet Providers in Buncombe County
Local, State, and National Ratings for all Buncombe County Internet Providers
| ISP / Tech Type | Buncombe County Overall | North Carolina Overall | National Overall | For Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T-Mobile Home Internet |  (1) | (9) | (284) | View Plans | ||
| French Broad Fiber |  (2) | (2) | (2) | View Plans | ||
| AT&T | (2) | (49) | (924) | View Plans | ||
| Spectrum | (9) | (186) | (1738) | View Plans | ||
| Skyrunner Internet | (0) | (1) | (1) | View Plans | ||
| EarthLink | (0) | (1) | (12) | View Plans | ||
| Verizon | (0) | (7) | (723) | View Plans | ||
| Optimum | (0) | (11) | (246) | View Plans | ||
| Frontier | (0) |  (2) | (143) | View Plans | ||
| River Street | (0) |  (1) |  (2) | View Plans | ||
| US Cellular | (0) | (0) | (15) | View Plans | ||
| HughesNet | (0) | (0) | (18) | View Plans | ||
| Viasat | (0) | (0) | (11) | View Plans | ||
| Carolina West | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans |
Based on 269 reviews from North Carolina internet customers, T-Mobile Home Internet is the best internet service provider for Buncombe County residents. T-Mobile Home Internet was rated at an average of 3.67 out of 5 in our report for overall customer satisfaction. French Broad Electric Membership Corporation wins for second-place in North Carolina, with 4.50 out of 5 stars and 1.8% coverage in Buncombe County.
At a national level, based on 4119 national reviews for any of the providers listed above, French Broad Electric Membership Corporation is rated higher than any other provider, with a rating of 4.50 out of 5.
Which Providers are Available at my Home in Buncombe County?
a different provider.
Internet Availability Key
Speeds and coverage vary within the county, and sometimes even from block to block. The map shows speeds per provider and where each provider is available.
Who is the Fastest Internet Provider in Buncombe County?
According to unbiased feedback from real internet customers in the county, they reported being happiest with speeds provided by AT&T. On the other hand, based on data provided by the internet providers to the FCC, AT&T and EarthLink should have faster speeds at a local level. While we typically put more weight on real-world customer ratings, we display both satisfaction and technical maximum information for customers to decide for themselves.
Data Reported to FCC by ISPs: Average Maximum Available in Buncombe County
| ISP / Tech Type | Max Advertised Speed | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | 5,000 Mbps | ||
| EarthLink | 5,000 Mbps | ||
| River Street Networks | 1,000 Mbps | ||
| French Broad Electric Membership Corporation | 1,000 Mbps | ||
| Skyrunner Internet | 1,000 Mbps | ||
| Spectrum | 1,000 Mbps | ||
| Optimum | 940 Mbps | ||
| Verizon | 300 Mbps | ||
| Frontier Communications | 115 Mbps | ||
| T-Mobile Home Internet | 100 Mbps | ||
| US Cellular | 100 Mbps | ||
| Viasat | 100 Mbps | ||
| Carolina West Wireless | 25 Mbps | ||
| HughesNet | 25 Mbps |
Customer Ratings for Internet Provider Speeds in Buncombe County
| ISP / Tech Type | Buncombe County Speed | North Carolina Speed | National Speed | For Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T-Mobile Home Internet | (1) | (9) | (284) | View Plans | ||
| French Broad Fiber | (2) | (2) | (2) | View Plans | ||
| AT&T | (2) | (49) | (924) | View Plans | ||
| Spectrum | (9) | (186) | (1738) | View Plans | ||
| Skyrunner Internet | (0) | (1) | (1) | View Plans | ||
| EarthLink | (0) | (1) | (12) | View Plans | ||
| Optimum | (0) | (11) | (246) | View Plans | ||
| Verizon | (0) | (7) | (723) | View Plans | ||
| River Street | (0) | (1) | (2) | View Plans | ||
| Frontier | (0) | (2) | (143) | View Plans | ||
| US Cellular | (0) | (0) | (15) | View Plans | ||
| HughesNet | (0) | (0) | (18) | View Plans | ||
| Viasat | (0) | (0) | (11) | View Plans | ||
| Carolina West | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans |
Based on data reported by Buncombe County ISPs to the FCC, the fastest speeds in the county are available through AT&T and EarthLink. These internet providers offer speeds up to 5,000 Mbps in Buncombe County. Therefore, the average customer can get up to 2,431 Mbps if they're willing to purchase the fastest subscription tier available at their homes.
Additionally, actual customers in the county rated their satisfaction with internet speed highest with AT&T. This indicates AT&T reliably delivers speeds expected by the customer based on the plan they are paying for.
Who is the Cheapest Internet Provider in Buncombe County?
North Carolina customers rate French Broad Electric Membership Corporation as the cheapest internet service provider in state. Data comes from customers in the state rating their satisfaction with pricing. This feedback is valuable because it considers price changes and whether the speeds paid for are worth it.
French Broad Electric Membership Corporation received a local rating of 5.00 out of 5, which is higher than the average across all internet providers in the country. T-Mobile Home Internet is rated in second place for affordability by the company’s Buncombe County customers with an average price rating of 4.00 out of 5.
The chart and graph below show how customers in Buncombe County, North Carolina, and the United States rated the affordability of their internet service.
Rated Affordability in Buncombe County
| ISP / Tech Type | Buncombe County Affordability | North Carolina Affordability | National Affordability | For Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| French Broad Fiber | (2) | (2) | (2) | View Plans | ||
| T-Mobile Home Internet | (1) | (9) | (284) | View Plans | ||
| AT&T | (2) | (49) | (924) | View Plans | ||
| Spectrum | (9) | (186) | (1738) | View Plans | ||
| Skyrunner Internet | (0) | (1) | (1) | View Plans | ||
| Frontier | (0) | (2) | (143) | View Plans | ||
| Verizon | (0) | (7) | (723) | View Plans | ||
| EarthLink | (0) | (1) | (12) | View Plans | ||
| Optimum | (0) | (11) | (246) | View Plans | ||
| River Street | (0) | (1) | (2) | View Plans | ||
| US Cellular | (0) | (0) | (15) | View Plans | ||
| HughesNet | (0) | (0) | (18) | View Plans | ||
| Viasat | (0) | (0) | (11) | View Plans | ||
| Carolina West | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans |
Buncombe County Internet Health Assessment
ISP Reports evaluates the technological infrastructure across the United States. This includes assessing a grade for ISP providers and infrastructure in the county and setting an index number for the digital connectivity of its residents. You can view the ISP Report Card and the Digital Connectivity Index for Buncombe County below, including the metrics used and how Buncombe County compares to the rest of North Carolina and nation.
| Metric
(hover for details)
|
Buncombe County | North Carolina | USA | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fiber Availability Percent The percentage of households in Buncombe County that have a Fiber internet connection available to their home. | 53.50% | 72.63% | 67.25% | ||
| Average Download SpeedThe maximum download speed most households can get on average. This is measured by availability in a block group and weighted by the population in that area. | 2,749 Mbps | 3,368 Mbps | 3,293 Mbps | ||
| Provider CountThe number of providers available for most people. This is a weighted average by block rather than a total for Buncombe County. | 9.4 | 7.0 | 6.8 |
| Average Household SizeA larger household size in a county indicates that there will be a greater need for bandwidth due to simultaneous usage, multiple devices, and network congestion. | 2.6 | 2.5 | 2.7 | ||
| Work From Home PercentA higher percent of the population working from home indicates bandwidth requirements being more widely needed rather than consolidated to commercial portions of the city. | 17% | 15% | 14% | ||
| Households with DevicesA higher percentage of households with computing devices in the home indicates a higher level of infrastructure needed to support those households. | 92% | 94% | 95% | ||
| Households with InternetA higher percentage of households with internet indicates a higher need for usage and connectivity in people’s daily lives. | 89% | 89% | 90% | ||
| Households with BroadbandA higher percentage of households with a broadband connection (defined as speeds above 25 Mbps) indicates heavier usage needs within these households. | 74% | 76% | 75% | ||
| Broadband Usage vs. AvailabilityThis measures what percentage of households who have a broadband connection to their home actually have an active subscription to that service. | 74% | 77% | 76% |
Our demographic data is sourced from the latest 5-year release of the American Community Survey by the US Census Bureau.
Buncombe County ISP Report Card & Digital Connectivity Index
The ISP Report Card in Buncombe County is B+, which is better than other counties. The local demand for broadband internet connectivity in Buncombe County is high with a score of 66 / 100 in our Digital Connectivity Index. This means that internet service providers operating in Buncombe County have done a good job meeting the needs of its residents.
The Buncombe County ISP Report Card evaluates the county on availability and speed metrics compared to other counties in the United States. ISP Infrastructure can vary greatly and on its own isn’t a perfect measure of what a county needs. Please see our ISP Report Card along with the Digital Connectivity Index above to evaluate how well the connectivity demand is met by the existing infrastructure.
89% of Buncombe County households have an internet connection despite having 98.93% availability. 74% of households have fiber, cable, or DSL, 5% have satellite, 0% are still on dial-up, and 2% of households have internet but don’t pay for a subscription because it’s subsidized by the Affordable Connectivity Program.
As you can see in the table above, while 74% of households have a broadband connection such as fiber, cable or DSL available to their home, 74% subscribe to it. A large amount of Buncombe County residents are taking advantage of the available internet infrastructure.
For more details, please visit our ISP Report Card and Digital Connectivity Index pages.
How do Neighboring Counties Compare to Buncombe County?
- ISP Report Card: B
- Digital Connectivity Index: 40 / 100
- ISP Report Card: C+
- Digital Connectivity Index: 34 / 100
- ISP Report Card: C
- Digital Connectivity Index: 26 / 100
- ISP Report Card: B-
- Digital Connectivity Index: 55 / 100
- ISP Report Card: B-
- Digital Connectivity Index: 70 / 100
- ISP Report Card: B
- Digital Connectivity Index: 76 / 100
- ISP Report Card: C+
- Digital Connectivity Index: 33 / 100
- ISP Report Card: B
- Digital Connectivity Index: 59 / 100
- ISP Report Card: B-
- Digital Connectivity Index: 35 / 100
How Much Speed does a Buncombe County Household Need?
Higher speed is typically preferred, but that comes at a higher price. The average size of a household in Buncombe County is 2.6, which is larger than the North Carolina average of 2.5 and smaller than the national average of 2.7. Buncombe County's average household income is $74,545 which is higher than the North Carolina average of $80,144 and about average for the national average of $90,606. Homes with more people living in them and with higher incomes tend to indicate more devices being used more often.
Buncombe County also has 13% of its population enrolled in school between the 6th grade and college level, this is lower than the North Carolina average of 16%. Additionally, 17% of residents work from home, which is higher than the 15% of residents in North Carolina who work from home. This and other factors you can see above show us that the community of Buncombe County has a high need for internet connectivity and speeds.
Compared to the rest of the country, Buncombe County households are about average when it comes to technological engagement. 92% of households have some sort of computing device, 81% have desktops or laptops in the home, and 90% have smartphones. To see what speeds you are currently getting, please visit our internet speed test tool.
Which Fiber Internet Providers are Available in Buncombe County?
EarthLink Fiber in Buncombe County, NC
Availability:
47.0%
Customer Rating:
(5)
Avg. Download Speed
4,701 Mbps
EarthLink offers Fiber service to 47.0% of Buncombe County homes. Across the county, EarthLink Fiber has speeds up to 4,701 Mbps, with speeds from 1,000 Mpbs up to 5,000 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds are symmetrical, meaning they are exactly the same as download speeds for EarthLink Fiber. EarthLink Fiber is rated about the same as other types of internet service available in Buncombe County from EarthLink in terms of customer satisfaction.
AT&T Fiber in Buncombe County, NC
Availability:
47.0%
Customer Rating:
(544)
Avg. Download Speed
4,701 Mbps
AT&T offers Fiber service to 47.0% of Buncombe County homes. Across the county, AT&T Fiber has speeds up to 4,701 Mbps, with speeds from 1,000 Mpbs up to 5,000 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds are symmetrical, meaning they are exactly the same as download speeds for AT&T Fiber. AT&T Fiber is rated higher than other types of internet service available in Buncombe County from AT&T in terms of customer satisfaction.
Spectrum Fiber in Buncombe County, NC
Availability:
4.5%
Customer Rating:
(203)
Avg. Download Speed
1,000 Mbps
Spectrum offers Fiber service to 4.5% of Buncombe County homes. Across the county, Spectrum Fiber has speeds up to 1,000 Mbps
Skyrunner Internet Fiber in Buncombe County, NC
Availability:
2.9%
Customer Rating:
(0)
Avg. Download Speed
1,000 Mbps
Skyrunner Internet offers Fiber service to 2.9% of Buncombe County homes. Across the county, Skyrunner Internet Fiber has speeds up to 1,000 Mbps
French Broad Fiber in Buncombe County, NC
Availability:
1.7%
Customer Rating:
(3)
Avg. Download Speed
1,000 Mbps
French Broad Electric Membership Corporation offers Fiber service to 1.7% of Buncombe County homes. Across the county, French Broad Fiber is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 1,000 Mbps
Which Cable Internet Providers are Available in Buncombe County?
Spectrum Cable in Buncombe County, NC
Availability:
96.8%
Customer Rating:
(1,618)
Avg. Download Speed
1,000 Mbps
Spectrum offers Cable service to 96.8% of Buncombe County homes. Across the county, Spectrum Cable has speeds up to 1,000 Mbps
Optimum Cable in Buncombe County, NC
Availability:
1.8%
Customer Rating:
(203)
Avg. Download Speed
940 Mbps
Optimum offers Cable service to 1.8% of Buncombe County homes. Across the county, Optimum Cable is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 940 Mbps
Which DSL Internet Providers are Available in Buncombe County?
EarthLink DSL in Buncombe County, NC
Availability:
78.6%
Customer Rating:
(4)
Avg. Download Speed
61 Mbps
EarthLink offers DSL service to 78.6% of Buncombe County homes. Across the county, EarthLink DSL has speeds up to 61 Mbps, with speeds from 10 Mpbs up to 100 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 1.0 and as high as 20, with an average of 12 Mbps throughout the county. EarthLink DSL is rated the same as other types of internet service available in Buncombe County from EarthLink in terms of customer satisfaction.
AT&T DSL in Buncombe County, NC
Availability:
78.6%
Customer Rating:
(304)
Avg. Download Speed
61 Mbps
AT&T offers DSL service to 78.6% of Buncombe County homes. Across the county, AT&T DSL has speeds up to 61 Mbps, with speeds from 10 Mpbs up to 100 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 1.0 and as high as 20, with an average of 12 Mbps throughout the county. AT&T DSL is rated about the same as other types of internet service available in Buncombe County from AT&T in terms of customer satisfaction.
Frontier DSL in Buncombe County, NC
Availability:
5.4%
Customer Rating:
(46)
Avg. Download Speed
20 Mbps
Frontier Communications offers DSL service to 5.4% of Buncombe County homes. Across the county, Frontier DSL is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 20 Mbps, with speeds from 10 Mpbs up to 115 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 1.0 and as high as 7.0, with an average of 1.4 Mbps throughout the county.
River Street DSL in Buncombe County, NC
Availability:
1.2%
Customer Rating:
(0)
Avg. Download Speed
10 Mbps
River Street Networks offers DSL service to 1.2% of Buncombe County homes. Across the county, River Street DSL is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 10 Mbps
Which Fixed Wireless and LTE Internet Providers are Available in Buncombe County?
Skyrunner Internet Fixed Wireless in Buncombe County, NC
Availability:
97.1%
Customer Rating:
(0)
Avg. Download Speed
169 Mbps
Skyrunner Internet offers Fixed Wireless service to 97.1% of Buncombe County homes. Across the county, Skyrunner Internet Fixed Wireless has speeds up to 169 Mbps, with speeds from 25 Mpbs up to 500 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 10 and as high as 250, with an average of 83 Mbps throughout the county.
US Cellular Fixed Wireless in Buncombe County, NC
Availability:
97.0%
Customer Rating:
(0)
Avg. Download Speed
21 Mbps
US Cellular offers Fixed Wireless service to 97.0% of Buncombe County homes. Across the county, US Cellular Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 21 Mbps, with speeds from 10 Mpbs up to 100 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 1.0 and as high as 20, with an average of 2.6 Mbps throughout the county.
T-Mobile Home Internet Fixed Wireless in Buncombe County, NC
Availability:
93.6%
Customer Rating:
(0)
Avg. Download Speed
65 Mbps
T-Mobile Home Internet offers Fixed Wireless service to 93.6% of Buncombe County homes. Across the county, T-Mobile Home Internet Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 65 Mbps, with speeds from 25 Mpbs up to 100 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 3.0 and as high as 20, with an average of 12 Mbps throughout the county.
EarthLink Fixed Wireless in Buncombe County, NC
Availability:
74.5%
Customer Rating:
(0)
Avg. Download Speed
34 Mbps
EarthLink offers Fixed Wireless service to 74.5% of Buncombe County homes. Across the county, EarthLink Fixed Wireless has speeds up to 34 Mbps, with speeds from 25 Mpbs up to 100 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 3.0 and as high as 20, with an average of 5.0 Mbps throughout the county.
AT&T Fixed Wireless in Buncombe County, NC
Availability:
74.5%
Customer Rating:
(0)
Avg. Download Speed
34 Mbps
AT&T offers Fixed Wireless service to 74.5% of Buncombe County homes. Across the county, AT&T Fixed Wireless has speeds up to 34 Mbps, with speeds from 25 Mpbs up to 100 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 3.0 and as high as 20, with an average of 5.0 Mbps throughout the county.
Carolina West Fixed Wireless in Buncombe County, NC
Availability:
68.1%
Customer Rating:
(0)
Avg. Download Speed
25 Mbps
Carolina West Wireless offers Fixed Wireless service to 68.1% of Buncombe County homes. Across the county, Carolina West Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 25 Mbps
Verizon Fixed Wireless in Buncombe County, NC
Availability:
61.7%
Customer Rating:
(0)
Avg. Download Speed
300 Mbps
Verizon offers Fixed Wireless service to 61.7% of Buncombe County homes. Across the county, Verizon Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 300 Mbps
Which ISP Should You Choose in Buncombe County?
The right ISP for you depends upon your needs, but in general we can make the following suggestions:
- The best all-around internet service provider in Buncombe County is T-Mobile Home Internet.
- The fastest internet provider should be AT&T and EarthLink. Considering speed for the money and reliability in speeds, AT&T may be a better choice based on real-world local customer feedback.
- The most affordable internet provider in Buncombe County is French Broad Fiber.
- Spectrum, HughesNet, and Viasat has the broadest coverage in Buncombe County, and is most likely to cover your home. To find out exactly what's available at your home, please use our address search tool.
How does Buncombe County compare to other cities with a similar population?
To see how Buncombe County stacks up on the national level, it's useful to look at some other cities with similarly sized populations. Below you can see a list of these cities and how they compare to Buncombe County's B+ ISP Report Card and 66 / 100 Digital Connectivity Index.
- ISP Report Card: C
- Digital Connectivity Index: 60 / 100
- ISP Report Card: B
- Digital Connectivity Index: 61 / 100
- ISP Report Card: B+
- Digital Connectivity Index: 81 / 100
- ISP Report Card: B-
- Digital Connectivity Index: 73 / 100
- ISP Report Card: B+
- Digital Connectivity Index: 76 / 100
- ISP Report Card: B
- Digital Connectivity Index: 77 / 100
- ISP Report Card: C
- Digital Connectivity Index: 71 / 100
- ISP Report Card: B-
- Digital Connectivity Index: 81 / 100
- ISP Report Card: B-
- Digital Connectivity Index: 70 / 100