Best Internet Providers in Caldwell County, NC
All 10 providers, ranked by coverage, speed and customer ratings
Find internet availability by address in Caldwell County, NC
Caldwell County has 10 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 Caldwell County.
Ranks compare Caldwell County with the 100 North Carolina counties.
The Best Internet in Caldwell County, NC at a Glance
Caldwell County Internet 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
Brightspeed
Connection
Customer Rating
Fiber
DSL
Providers with less than 1% coverage in this county are excluded from the list. To see if one of these providers is available at your home, please use the address search above.
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 Caldwell County ratings may vary and are shown below.
Who is the Best Internet Provider in Caldwell County, NC?
AT&T is the highest-rated internet provider in Caldwell County based on 320 North Carolina customer reviews, and T-Mobile Home Internet has the highest rating nationwide. The provider information above and the information immediately below can help you decide. Compare provider ratings and review counts above.
or call 1-877-610-1219
Which Providers are Available at my Home in Caldwell County?
Coverage changes block by block. Pick a provider and a technology to see where its service reaches: the darker the area, the larger the share of homes it covers. For your exact address, use the address search above.
Coverage map for each provider in Caldwell County
- Spectrum - cable coverage map
- AT&T - fiber coverage map
- EarthLink - fiber coverage map
- Ripple Fiber - fiber coverage map
- Brightspeed - fiber coverage map
- SkyLine Membership - fiber coverage map
- Verizon - fixed wireless coverage map
- Spectrum - fiber coverage map
- T-Mobile Home Internet - fixed wireless coverage map
- AT&T - dsl coverage map
- EarthLink - dsl coverage map
- Carolina West - fixed wireless coverage map
- AT&T - fixed wireless coverage map
- EarthLink - fixed wireless coverage map
- Brightspeed - dsl coverage map
- River Street - fixed wireless coverage map
How Caldwell County Compares to the Rest of North Carolina
Caldwell County's report card score is tied 44th of 100 and its connectivity index is tied 53rd of 100.
| Measure | Caldwell County | Rank among North Carolina counties | North Carolina | US | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISP Report Card inputs: what providers offer here | |||||
| Fiber availability | 58.1% | 83rd of 100 | 78.0% | 71.5% | Davie County (99.8%) |
| Average top speed | 1,765 Mbps | 50th of 100 | 3,577 Mbps | 3,486 Mbps | Greene County (8,030 Mbps) |
| Providers at a typical address | 8.1 | 8th of 100 | 7.3 | 7.1 | Buncombe County (9.2) |
| Connectivity index inputs: how much households need and use the internet | |||||
| People per household | 2.5 | Tied 26th of 100 | 2.5 | 2.7 | Union County (3.0) |
| Workers who work from home | 8% | Tied 63rd of 100 | 16% | 15% | Mecklenburg County and Wake County (29%) |
| Homes with a computer, tablet or phone | 90% | Tied 76th of 100 | 95% | 96% | Carteret County and Dare County and 3 more (98%) |
| Homes with internet | 87% | Tied 46th of 100 | 91% | 91% | Wake County (96%) |
| Homes on fiber, cable or DSL | 68% | Tied 56th of 100 | 77% | 76% | Wake County (86%) |
| More about the households here | |||||
| Homes with a desktop or laptop | 70% | Tied 62nd of 100 | 80% | 81% | Orange County and Wake County (90%) |
| Median household income | $61,996 | 58th of 100 | $83,207 | $93,246 | Union County ($119,553) |
| Residents in school (6th grade to college) | 13% | Tied 46th of 100 | 16% | 16% | Watauga County (36%) |
Fiber reaches 58.1% of homes in Caldwell County, against 78.0% across North Carolina. Households in Caldwell County are smaller than the US average (2.5 people against 2.7); 8% of workers work from home (US 15%); and the median household income is $61,996 (US $93,246).
Our demographic data is sourced from the latest 5-year release of the American Community Survey by the US Census Bureau.
How Caldwell County Compares to Its Neighbors
Caldwell County has 6 neighbors. Among them, Wilkes County has the most homes with fiber (91.0%) and Alexander County the fewest (36.5%); Caldwell County has 58.1%.
Map of Caldwell County and its neighbors by ISP Report Card grade
Hover over or tap a county for its numbers, and click through to its page.
Caldwell County and its neighbors
| County | People | Homes with fiber | Average top speed | Providers at a typical address | Report card | Connectivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caldwell County (this page) | 80,652 | 58.1% | 1,765 Mbps | 8.1 | B- | 45/100 |
| Catawba County | 160,610 | 43.2% | 2,124 Mbps | 7.8 | B- | 55/100 |
| Burke County | 87,570 | 48.4% | 2,311 Mbps | 8.6 | B | 41/100 |
| Wilkes County | 65,969 | 91.0% | 1,550 Mbps | 5.9 | B- | 57/100 |
| Watauga County | 54,086 | 67.7% | 1,749 Mbps | 7.8 | B | 63/100 |
| Alexander County | 36,444 | 36.5% | 1,261 Mbps | 6.3 | C+ | 39/100 |
| Avery County | 17,806 | 53.2% | 1,151 Mbps | 5.2 | C | 37/100 |
Internet in Caldwell County by City and ZIP Code
Fiber reaches from 37.1% of homes in Gamewell to 90.9% in Rutherford College; by ZIP code, from 58.7% in 28645 (Lenoir) to 59.0% in 28638 (Hudson). Each row links to that place’s page.
Cities and towns in Caldwell County
| City or town | People | Homes with fiber | Average top speed | Providers at a typical address | Report card | Connectivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lenoir | 34,430 | 61.1% | 2,018 Mbps | 8.8 | B | 39/100 |
| Granite Falls | 16,767 | 58.2% | 1,587 Mbps | 7.1 | B- | 56/100 |
| Hudson | 9,218 | 49.1% | 1,491 Mbps | 8.5 | B- | 48/100 |
| Sawmills | 5,535 | 79.4% | 1,809 Mbps | 7.6 | B | 48/100 |
| Gamewell | 4,992 | 37.1% | 1,815 Mbps | 8.2 | B- | 45/100 |
| Cajahs Mountain | 3,542 | 59.1% | 1,401 Mbps | 8.6 | B- | 44/100 |
| Rutherford College | 1,410 | 90.9% | 4,776 Mbps | 8.6 | A- | 46/100 |
| Yadkin Valley | 989 | 94.8% | 1,944 Mbps | 8.1 | B+ | 25/100 |
| Cedar Rock | 916 | 48.7% | 1,181 Mbps | 8.3 | B- | 59/100 |
| Collettsville | 717 | 88.7% | 976 Mbps | 2.9 | C- | 18/100 |
| Finley | 369 | 98.1% | 2,244 Mbps | 5.7 | B | 42/100 |
| Upton | 236 | 76.7% | 1,074 Mbps | 3.8 | C | 18/100 |
| Kings Creek | 173 | 95.4% | 1,909 Mbps | 3 | C+ | 14/100 |
ZIP codes in Caldwell County
| ZIP code | People | Homes with fiber | Average top speed | Providers at a typical address | Report card | Connectivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28645 (Lenoir) | 46,151 | 58.7% | 1,916 Mbps | 8.6 | B | 39/100 |
| 28630 (Granite Falls) | 19,827 | 58.8% | 1,587 Mbps | 7.1 | B- | 54/100 |
| 28638 (Hudson) | 12,046 | 59.0% | 1,603 Mbps | 8.3 | B- | 49/100 |
| 28611 (Collettsville) | 676 | 86.7% | 1,000 Mbps | 2.3 | C- | 16/100 |
Who is the Fastest Internet Provider in Caldwell County?
According to unbiased feedback from real internet customers, 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, Spectrum 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 Caldwell County
| AT&T | 5,000 |
|---|---|
| EarthLink | 5,000 |
| Brightspeed | 2,000 |
| Ripple Fiber | 2,000 |
| SkyLine Membership | 2,000 |
| Spectrum | 1,000 |
| River Street Networks | 1,000 |
| Verizon | 300 |
| Viasat | 100 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet | 100 |
| HughesNet | 25 |
| Carolina West Wireless | 25 |
How fast is your internet?
Test your connection here and see it next to the speeds providers advertise in Caldwell County. It takes about 20 seconds and, on a fast line, can move a few hundred MB of data.
Customer Ratings for Caldwell County Internet Providers
Based on 320 reviews from North Carolina internet customers, AT&T is the best internet service provider for Caldwell County residents. AT&T was rated at an average of 3.73 out of 5 in our report for overall customer satisfaction. EarthLink wins for second-place in North Carolina, with 4.00 out of 5 stars and 85.7% coverage in Caldwell County.
At a national level, based on 4258 national reviews for any of the providers listed above, T-Mobile Home Internet is rated higher than any other provider, with a rating of 4.02 out of 5.
Local, State, and National Ratings for all Caldwell County Internet Providers
The table below shows average customer ratings from customers in Caldwell County, North Carolina, and customers throughout the country.
| ISP / Tech Type | Caldwell County Overall | North Carolina Overall | National Overall | For Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T |  (0) | (59) | (1051) | View Plans | ||
| T-Mobile Home Internet | (0) | (13) | (342) | View Plans | ||
| SkyLine Membership | (0) | (3) | (3) | View Plans | ||
| EarthLink | (0) | (1) | (15) | View Plans | ||
| Verizon | (0) | (9) | (816) | View Plans | ||
| Ripple Fiber | (0) | (3) | (4) | View Plans | ||
| River Street | (0) |  (1) |  (2) | View Plans | ||
| Spectrum | (1) | (214) | (1949) | View Plans | ||
| Brightspeed | (0) | (17) | (76) | View Plans | ||
| HughesNet | (0) | (0) | (25) | View Plans | ||
| Viasat | (0) | (0) |  (12) | View Plans | ||
| Carolina West | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans |
Customer Ratings for Internet Provider Speeds in Caldwell County
Based on data reported by Caldwell County ISPs to the FCC, the fastest speeds in the county are available through Spectrum. The company offers speeds up to 1,000 Mbps in Caldwell County. Therefore, the average customer can get up to 1,000 Mbps if they’re willing to purchase the fastest subscription tier available at their homes.
However, actual customers 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.
| ISP / Tech Type | Caldwell County Speed | North Carolina Speed | National Speed | For Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | (0) | (59) | (1051) | View Plans | ||
| Ripple Fiber | (0) |  (3) | (4) | View Plans | ||
| T-Mobile Home Internet | (0) | (13) | (342) | View Plans | ||
| Spectrum | (1) | (214) | (1949) | View Plans | ||
| EarthLink | (0) | (1) | (15) | View Plans | ||
| SkyLine Membership | (0) | (3) | (3) | View Plans | ||
| Verizon | (0) | (9) | (816) | View Plans | ||
| River Street | (0) | (1) | (2) | View Plans | ||
| Brightspeed | (0) | (17) | (76) | View Plans | ||
| HughesNet | (0) | (0) | (25) | View Plans | ||
| Viasat | (0) | (0) | (12) | View Plans | ||
| Carolina West | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans |
Who is the Cheapest Internet Provider in Caldwell County?
Of the providers in Caldwell County, customers rate T-Mobile Home Internet the best for price. Data comes from customers rating their satisfaction with pricing: in Caldwell County where enough of them have reviewed a provider, otherwise across North Carolina or the country. This feedback is valuable because it considers price changes and whether the speeds paid for are worth it.
T-Mobile Home Internet is rated 4.23 out of 5 for price, which is higher than the average across all internet providers in the country. AT&T is rated second for affordability, with an average price rating of 3.46 out of 5.
The table below shows how customers in Caldwell County, North Carolina, and the United States rated the affordability of their internet service.
Rated Affordability in Caldwell County
| ISP / Tech Type | Caldwell County Affordability | North Carolina Affordability | National Affordability | For Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T-Mobile Home Internet | (0) | (13) | (342) | View Plans | ||
| Ripple Fiber | (0) | (3) | (4) | View Plans | ||
| Verizon | (0) | (9) | (816) | View Plans | ||
| EarthLink | (0) | (1) | (15) | View Plans | ||
| SkyLine Membership | (0) | (3) | (3) | View Plans | ||
| AT&T | (0) | (59) | (1051) | View Plans | ||
| River Street | (0) | (1) | (2) | View Plans | ||
| Brightspeed | (0) | (17) | (76) | View Plans | ||
| Spectrum | (1) | (214) | (1949) | View Plans | ||
| HughesNet | (0) | (0) | (25) | View Plans | ||
| Viasat | (0) | (0) | (12) | View Plans | ||
| Carolina West | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans |
Fiber, 5G, Cable and DSL Internet in Caldwell County
Which Fiber Internet Providers are Available in Caldwell County?
EarthLink Fiber in Caldwell County, NC
Availability:
19.2%
Customer Rating:
(6)
Avg. Download Speed
3,280 Mbps
EarthLink offers Fiber service to 19.2% of Caldwell County homes. Across the county, EarthLink Fiber has speeds up to 3,280 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 Caldwell County from EarthLink in terms of customer satisfaction.
AT&T Fiber in Caldwell County, NC
Availability:
19.2%
Customer Rating:
(542)
Avg. Download Speed
3,280 Mbps
AT&T offers Fiber service to 19.2% of Caldwell County homes. Across the county, AT&T Fiber has speeds up to 3,280 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 lower than other types of internet service available in Caldwell County from AT&T in terms of customer satisfaction.
Ripple Fiber in Caldwell County, NC
Availability:
16.7%
Customer Rating:
(4)
Avg. Download Speed
2,000 Mbps
Ripple Fiber offers Fiber service to 16.7% of Caldwell County homes. Across the county, Ripple Fiber is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 2,000 Mbps
Spectrum Fiber in Caldwell County, NC
Availability:
13.3%
Customer Rating:
(207)
Avg. Download Speed
1,000 Mbps
Spectrum offers Fiber service to 13.3% of Caldwell County homes. Across the county, Spectrum Fiber has speeds up to 1,000 Mbps
Brightspeed Fiber in Caldwell County, NC
Availability:
12.3%
Customer Rating:
(31)
Avg. Download Speed
1,998 Mbps
Brightspeed offers Fiber service to 12.3% of Caldwell County homes. Across the county, Brightspeed Fiber has speeds up to 1,998 Mbps, with speeds from 1,000 Mpbs up to 2,000 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds are symmetrical, meaning they are exactly the same as download speeds for Brightspeed Fiber. Brightspeed Fiber is rated lower than other types of internet service available in Caldwell County from Brightspeed in terms of customer satisfaction.
SkyLine Membership Fiber in Caldwell County, NC
Availability:
11.2%
Customer Rating:
(3)
Avg. Download Speed
2,000 Mbps
SkyLine Membership offers Fiber service to 11.2% of Caldwell County homes. Across the county, SkyLine Membership Fiber is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 2,000 Mbps
Which Fixed Wireless and LTE Internet Providers are Available in Caldwell County?
Carolina West Fixed Wireless in Caldwell County, NC
Availability:
98.0%
Customer Rating:
(0)
Avg. Download Speed
25 Mbps
Carolina West Wireless offers Fixed Wireless service to 98.0% of Caldwell 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 Caldwell County, NC
Availability:
91.4%
Customer Rating:
(362)
Avg. Download Speed
217 Mbps
Verizon offers Fixed Wireless service to 91.4% of Caldwell County homes. Across the county, Verizon Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 217 Mbps, with speeds from 25 Mpbs up to 300 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 6.0 and as high as 20, with an average of 16 Mbps throughout the county.
T-Mobile Home Internet Fixed Wireless in Caldwell County, NC
Availability:
90.9%
Customer Rating:
(342)
Avg. Download Speed
69 Mbps
T-Mobile Home Internet offers Fixed Wireless service to 90.9% of Caldwell 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 69 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 13 Mbps throughout the county.
EarthLink Fixed Wireless in Caldwell County, NC
Availability:
77.5%
Customer Rating:
(4)
Avg. Download Speed
30 Mbps
EarthLink offers Fixed Wireless service to 77.5% of Caldwell County homes. Across the county, EarthLink Fixed Wireless has speeds up to 30 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 4.2 Mbps throughout the county.
AT&T Fixed Wireless in Caldwell County, NC
Availability:
77.5%
Customer Rating:
(205)
Avg. Download Speed
30 Mbps
AT&T offers Fixed Wireless service to 77.5% of Caldwell County homes. Across the county, AT&T Fixed Wireless has speeds up to 30 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 4.2 Mbps throughout the county.
River Street Fixed Wireless in Caldwell County, NC
Availability:
29.5%
Customer Rating:
(1)
Avg. Download Speed
19 Mbps
River Street Networks offers Fixed Wireless service to 29.5% of Caldwell County homes. Across the county, River Street Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 19 Mbps, with speeds from 10 Mpbs up to 25 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 1.0 and as high as 3.0, with an average of 2.2 Mbps throughout the county.
Which Cable Internet Providers are Available in Caldwell County?
Spectrum Cable in Caldwell County, NC
Availability:
96.7%
Customer Rating:
(1739)
Avg. Download Speed
1,000 Mbps
Spectrum offers Cable service to 96.7% of Caldwell County homes. Across the county, Spectrum Cable has speeds up to 1,000 Mbps
Which DSL Internet Providers are Available in Caldwell County?
EarthLink DSL in Caldwell County, NC
Availability:
65.6%
Customer Rating:
(5)
Avg. Download Speed
56 Mbps
EarthLink offers DSL service to 65.6% of Caldwell County homes. Across the county, EarthLink DSL has speeds up to 56 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 11 Mbps throughout the county. EarthLink DSL is rated higher than other types of internet service available in Caldwell County from EarthLink in terms of customer satisfaction.
AT&T DSL in Caldwell County, NC
Availability:
65.6%
Customer Rating:
(304)
Avg. Download Speed
56 Mbps
AT&T offers DSL service to 65.6% of Caldwell County homes. Across the county, AT&T DSL has speeds up to 56 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 11 Mbps throughout the county. AT&T DSL is rated about the same as other types of internet service available in Caldwell County from AT&T in terms of customer satisfaction.
Brightspeed DSL in Caldwell County, NC
Availability:
26.8%
Customer Rating:
(43)
Avg. Download Speed
44 Mbps
Brightspeed offers DSL service to 26.8% of Caldwell County homes. Across the county, Brightspeed DSL has speeds up to 44 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 10, with an average of 4.4 Mbps throughout the county. Brightspeed DSL is rated higher than other types of internet service available in Caldwell County from Brightspeed in terms of customer satisfaction.
Customer Reviews for Internet Service Providers in North Carolina
Customer Reviews
ISPReports User
Spectrum Cable
November 05, 2026 Service during the day has gotten a little better. However, Spectrum does a lot of maintenance late at night and therefore the TV and Internet go out. Not happy with that since I stay up late.
ISPReports User
Ripple Fiber
November 01, 2026 Constant outages with customer service associates that barely know anything about the product
M.L.
AT&T Fiber
October 26, 2026 Price keeps going up, for the same service. Terrible internet service: 6 outages in the past month (Sept-Oct 2026) Very unreliable. If you have a problem: Customer Service is an AI bot.
ISPReports User
Spectrum
October 26, 2026 Declining since an optic company came into our housing area in zip 28110. We are displeased and considering alternatives.
ISPReports User
Brightspeed
October 23, 2026 You can not pay me enough to recommend Brightspeed. I can not believe that there are any legitimate reviews over a 2.
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Which ISP Should You Choose in Caldwell 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 Caldwell County is AT&T.
- The fastest internet provider should be Spectrum. 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 Caldwell County is T-Mobile Home Internet.
- Viasat, Spectrum, and HughesNet has the broadest coverage in Caldwell County, available to 99.0% of homes, and is most likely to cover your home. To find out exactly what’s available at your home, please use our address search tool.