Best Internet Providers in Highlands, NC
All 11 providers, ranked by coverage, speed and customer ratings
Find internet availability by address in Highlands, NC
Highlands has 11 internet service providers, they are sorted by coverage, available speed, and customer rating from our unbiased internet provider report. Fiber, Cable, Fixed Wireless, and DSL internet are available in the city. Reviews are grouped by provider and the type of service they offer, covering all 4 available internet technologies in Highlands.
Ranks compare Highlands with the 15,682 US towns of 1,000 to 9,999 people, the tiers of our fastest-cities rankings.
The Best Internet in Highlands, NC at a Glance
Highlands Internet Providers, Ranked by Coverage, Speed and Customer Ratings
Vyve Broadband
Connection
Customer Rating
Fiber
Cable
Frontier
Connection
Customer Rating
Fiber
DSL
Hotwire Communications
Connection
Customer Rating
Fiber
EarthLink
Connection
Customer Rating
Fixed Wireless
Providers with less than 1% coverage in this city 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 Highlands ratings may vary and are shown below.
Who is the Best Internet Provider in Highlands, NC?
AT&T is the highest-rated internet provider in Highlands based on 103 North Carolina customer reviews, and Verizon 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 Highlands?
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 Highlands
- Frontier - fiber coverage map
- Hotwire Communications - fiber coverage map
- Vyve Broadband - cable coverage map
- BalsamWest - fiber coverage map
- Verizon - fixed wireless coverage map
- Vyve Broadband - fiber coverage map
- Optimum - cable coverage map
- AT&T - fixed wireless coverage map
- EarthLink - fixed wireless coverage map
- Frontier - dsl coverage map
- Skyrunner Internet - fixed wireless coverage map
- T-Mobile Home Internet - fixed wireless coverage map
- SkyFi - fixed wireless coverage map
How Highlands Compares to Places Its Size
Highlands's report card score is in the top 37% and its connectivity index is in the bottom 25%.
| Measure | Highlands | Rank among US towns of 1,000 to 9,999 people | Macon County | North Carolina | US | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISP Report Card inputs: what providers offer here | ||||||
| Fiber availability | 78.5% | top 48% | 68.8% | 78.0% | 71.5% | 1,056 places at 100.0% |
| Average top speed | 5,201 Mbps | top 10% | 4,354 Mbps | 3,577 Mbps | 3,486 Mbps | Collegedale, TN and Lakesite, TN and 2 more (25,000 Mbps) |
| Providers at a typical address | 5.1 | bottom 41% | 5.7 | 7.3 | 7.1 | McLendon-Chisholm, TX (14.2) |
| Connectivity index inputs: how much households need and use the internet | ||||||
| People per household | 1.8 | bottom 1% | 2.1 | 2.5 | 2.7 | St. George, GA (6.2) |
| Workers who work from home | 15% | top 22% | 11% | 16% | 15% | Indian Springs, NV (76%) |
| Homes with a computer, tablet or phone | 86% | bottom 9% | 91% | 95% | 96% | 515 places at 100% |
| Homes with internet | 79% | bottom 13% | 84% | 91% | 91% | 115 places at 100% |
| Homes on fiber, cable or DSL | 65% | bottom 47% | 59% | 77% | 76% | Bunkerville, NV and Fort Myer, VA and 3 more (100%) |
| More about the households here | ||||||
| Homes with a desktop or laptop | 76% | top 46% | 71% | 80% | 81% | 12 places at 100% |
| Median household income | $76,808 | top 46% | $59,634 | $83,207 | $93,246 | 16 places at $250,001 |
| Residents in school (6th grade to college) | 5% | bottom 3% | 12% | 16% | 16% | University Park, PA (95%) |
Fiber reaches 78.5% of homes in Highlands, against 68.8% across Macon County and 78.0% across North Carolina. Households in Highlands are smaller than the US average (1.8 people against 2.7); 15% of workers work from home (US 15%); and the median household income is $76,808 (US $93,246).
Our demographic data is sourced from the latest 5-year release of the American Community Survey by the US Census Bureau.
Fiber, 5G, Cable and DSL Internet in Highlands
Which Fiber Internet Providers are Available in Highlands?
Frontier Fiber in Highlands, NC
Availability:
64.3%
Customer Rating:
(119)
Avg. Download Speed
6,993 Mbps
Frontier Communications offers Fiber service to 64.3% of Highlands homes. Across the city, Frontier Fiber has speeds up to 6,993 Mbps, with speeds from 5,000 Mpbs up to 7,000 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds are symmetrical, meaning they are exactly the same as download speeds for Frontier Fiber. Frontier Fiber is rated about the same as other types of internet service available in Highlands from Frontier in terms of customer satisfaction.
Hotwire Communications Fiber in Highlands, NC
Availability:
63.7%
Customer Rating:
(11)
Avg. Download Speed
2,596 Mbps
Hotwire Communications offers Fiber service to 63.7% of Highlands homes. Across the city, Hotwire Communications Fiber is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 2,596 Mbps, with speeds from 2,500 Mpbs up to 8,000 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds are symmetrical, meaning they are exactly the same as download speeds for Hotwire Communications Fiber.
BalsamWest Fiber in Highlands, NC
Availability:
11.5%
Customer Rating:
(1)
Avg. Download Speed
1,000 Mbps
BalsamWest offers Fiber service to 11.5% of Highlands homes. Across the city, BalsamWest Fiber is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 1,000 Mbps
Vyve Broadband Fiber in Highlands, NC
Availability:
6.9%
Customer Rating:
(3)
Avg. Download Speed
1,000 Mbps
Vyve Broadband offers Fiber service to 6.9% of Highlands homes. Across the city, Vyve Broadband Fiber has speeds up to 1,000 Mbps
Which Fixed Wireless and LTE Internet Providers are Available in Highlands?
EarthLink Fixed Wireless in Highlands, NC
Availability:
58.9%
Customer Rating:
(4)
Avg. Download Speed
25 Mbps
EarthLink offers Fixed Wireless service to 58.9% of Highlands homes. Across the city, EarthLink Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 25 Mbps
AT&T Fixed Wireless in Highlands, NC
Availability:
58.9%
Customer Rating:
(205)
Avg. Download Speed
25 Mbps
AT&T offers Fixed Wireless service to 58.9% of Highlands homes. Across the city, AT&T Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 25 Mbps
Verizon Fixed Wireless in Highlands, NC
Availability:
51.3%
Customer Rating:
(362)
Avg. Download Speed
208 Mbps
Verizon offers Fixed Wireless service to 51.3% of Highlands homes. Across the city, Verizon Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 208 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 15 Mbps throughout the city.
Skyrunner Internet Fixed Wireless in Highlands, NC
Availability:
21.3%
Customer Rating:
(1)
Avg. Download Speed
25 Mbps
Skyrunner Internet offers Fixed Wireless service to 21.3% of Highlands homes. Across the city, Skyrunner Internet Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 25 Mbps
T-Mobile Home Internet Fixed Wireless in Highlands, NC
Availability:
6.6%
Customer Rating:
(342)
Avg. Download Speed
25 Mbps
T-Mobile Home Internet offers Fixed Wireless service to 6.6% of Highlands homes. Across the city, T-Mobile Home Internet Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 25 Mbps
SkyFi Fixed Wireless in Highlands, NC
Availability:
1.9%
Customer Rating:
(0)
Avg. Download Speed
10 Mbps
SkyFi offers Fixed Wireless service to 1.9% of Highlands homes. Across the city, SkyFi Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 10 Mbps
Which Cable Internet Providers are Available in Highlands?
Vyve Broadband Cable in Highlands, NC
Availability:
72.2%
Customer Rating:
(16)
Avg. Download Speed
1,000 Mbps
Vyve Broadband offers Cable service to 72.2% of Highlands homes. Across the city, Vyve Broadband Cable has speeds up to 1,000 Mbps
Optimum Cable in Highlands, NC
Availability:
6.9%
Customer Rating:
(223)
Avg. Download Speed
940 Mbps
Optimum offers Cable service to 6.9% of Highlands homes. Across the city, 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 Highlands?
Frontier DSL in Highlands, NC
Availability:
53.9%
Customer Rating:
(58)
Avg. Download Speed
23 Mbps
Frontier Communications offers DSL service to 53.9% of Highlands homes. Across the city, Frontier DSL has speeds up to 23 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 1.7 Mbps throughout the city. Frontier DSL is rated higher than other types of internet service available in Highlands from Frontier in terms of customer satisfaction.
Internet in Highlands by Neighborhood and ZIP Code
Highlands has 1 ZIP code with its own page. Each row links to that place’s page.
Neighborhoods in Highlands
| Neighborhood | People | Homes with fiber | Average top speed | Providers at a typical address | Report card | Connectivity |
|---|
ZIP codes in Highlands
| ZIP code | People | Homes with fiber | Average top speed | Providers at a typical address | Report card | Connectivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28741 | 3,884 | 79.3% | 5,272 Mbps | 5.4 | B | 34/100 |
How Highlands Compares to Nearby Places
The 10 places nearest to Highlands that have their own pages are all within 12 miles, 3 of them in Georgia. Among them, Sapphire has the most homes with fiber (76.0%) and Dillard, GA the fewest (7.8%); Highlands has 78.5%.
| Place | People | Homes with fiber | Average top speed | Providers at a typical address | Report card | Connectivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highlands (this page) | 3,367 | 78.5% | 5,201 Mbps | 5.1 | B- | 35/100 |
| Otto | 3,283 | 49.6% | 3,852 Mbps | 6.1 | B- | 30/100 |
| Cashiers | 1,945 | 75.9% | 1,591 Mbps | 6.7 | B- | 45/100 |
| Sapphire | 1,525 | 76.0% | 4,744 Mbps | 5.5 | B- | 58/100 |
| Dillard, GA | 1,029 | 7.8% | 845 Mbps | 4.3 | D+ | 54/100 |
| Glenville | 963 | 19.2% | 375 Mbps | 4.3 | D | 28/100 |
| Scaly Mountain | 865 | 59.2% | 4,376 Mbps | 4 | C+ | 28/100 |
| Ellijay | 608 | 99.7% | 7,000 Mbps | 9 | A | 31/100 |
| Sky Valley, GA | 482 | 0.0% | 475 Mbps | 3.6 | D- | 73/100 |
| Sugarfork | 229 | 0.0% | 668 Mbps | 3.2 | D- | 38/100 |
| Satolah, GA | 66 | 0.0% | 166 Mbps | 1 | F | 70/100 |
Who is the Fastest Internet Provider in Highlands?
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, Frontier Communications 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 Highlands
| Hotwire Communications | 8,000 |
|---|---|
| Frontier Communications | 7,000 |
| Vyve Broadband | 1,000 |
| BalsamWest | 1,000 |
| Optimum | 940 |
| Verizon | 300 |
| Viasat | 100 |
| HughesNet | 25 |
| AT&T | 25 |
| EarthLink | 25 |
| Skyrunner Internet | 25 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet | 25 |
| SkyFi | 10 |
How fast is your internet?
Test your connection here and see it next to the speeds providers advertise in Highlands. It takes about 20 seconds and, on a fast line, can move a few hundred MB of data.
Customer Ratings for Highlands Internet Providers
Based on 103 reviews from North Carolina internet customers, AT&T is the best internet service provider for Highlands 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 58.9% coverage in Highlands.
At a national level, based on 2717 national reviews for any of the providers listed above, Verizon is rated higher than any other provider, with a rating of 3.76 out of 5.
Local, State, and National Ratings for all Highlands Internet Providers
The table below shows average customer ratings from customers in Highlands, North Carolina, and customers throughout the country.
| ISP / Tech Type | Highlands Overall | North Carolina Overall | National Overall | For Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skyrunner Internet | (0) | (1) | (1) | View Plans | ||
| AT&T | (0) | (59) | (1051) | View Plans | ||
| T-Mobile Home Internet | (0) | (13) | (342) | View Plans | ||
| Hotwire Communications | (0) | (3) | (15) | View Plans | ||
| EarthLink | (0) | (1) | (15) | View Plans | ||
| Verizon | (0) | (9) | (816) | View Plans | ||
| BalsamWest | (0) | (2) | (2) | View Plans | ||
| Optimum | (0) | (12) | (279) | View Plans | ||
| Frontier | (0) | (3) | (177) | View Plans | ||
| Vyve Broadband | (0) | (0) | (19) | View Plans | ||
| HughesNet | (0) | (0) | (25) | View Plans | ||
| Viasat | (0) | (0) |  (12) | View Plans | ||
| SkyFi | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans |
Customer Ratings for Internet Provider Speeds in Highlands
Based on data reported by Highlands ISPs to the FCC, the fastest speeds in the city are available through Frontier Communications. The company offers speeds up to 7,000 Mbps in Highlands. Therefore, the average customer can get up to 5,983 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 | Highlands Speed | North Carolina Speed | National Speed | For Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | (0) | (59) | (1051) | View Plans | ||
| Hotwire Communications | (0) |  (3) | (15) | View Plans | ||
| Skyrunner Internet | (0) | (1) | (1) | View Plans | ||
| Optimum | (0) | (12) | (279) | View Plans | ||
| T-Mobile Home Internet | (0) | (13) | (342) | View Plans | ||
| EarthLink | (0) | (1) | (15) | View Plans | ||
| BalsamWest | (0) | (2) | (2) | View Plans | ||
| Verizon | (0) | (9) | (816) | View Plans | ||
| Frontier | (0) | (3) | (177) | View Plans | ||
| Vyve Broadband | (0) | (0) | (19) | View Plans | ||
| HughesNet | (0) | (0) | (25) | View Plans | ||
| Viasat | (0) | (0) | (12) | View Plans | ||
| SkyFi | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans |
Who is the Cheapest Internet Provider in Highlands?
Of the providers in Highlands, customers rate Frontier Communications the best for price. Data comes from customers rating their satisfaction with pricing: in Highlands 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.
Frontier Communications is rated 4.00 out of 5 for price, which is higher than the average across all internet providers in the country. Hotwire Communications is rated second for affordability, with an average price rating of 4.00 out of 5.
The table below shows how customers in Highlands, North Carolina, and the United States rated the affordability of their internet service.
Rated Affordability in Highlands
| ISP / Tech Type | Highlands Affordability | North Carolina Affordability | National Affordability | For Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T-Mobile Home Internet | (0) | (13) | (342) | View Plans | ||
| Skyrunner Internet | (0) | (1) | (1) | View Plans | ||
| Frontier | (0) | (3) | (177) | View Plans | ||
| Hotwire Communications | (0) | (3) | (15) | View Plans | ||
| Verizon | (0) | (9) | (816) | View Plans | ||
| EarthLink | (0) | (1) | (15) | View Plans | ||
| BalsamWest | (0) | (2) | (2) | View Plans | ||
| AT&T | (0) | (59) | (1051) | View Plans | ||
| Optimum | (0) | (12) | (279) | View Plans | ||
| Vyve Broadband | (0) | (0) | (19) | View Plans | ||
| HughesNet | (0) | (0) | (25) | View Plans | ||
| Viasat | (0) | (0) | (12) | View Plans | ||
| SkyFi | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans |
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 Highlands?
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 Highlands is AT&T.
- The fastest internet provider should be Frontier Communications. 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 Highlands is Frontier.
- Viasat, HughesNet, and Frontier Communications has the broadest coverage in Highlands, available to 75.1% 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.