Best Internet Providers in Macon County, NC
All 12 providers, ranked by coverage, speed and customer ratings
Find internet availability by address in Macon County, NC
Macon 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 Macon County.
Ranks compare Macon County with the 100 North Carolina counties.
The Best Internet in Macon County, NC at a Glance
Macon County Internet Providers, Ranked by Coverage, Speed and Customer Ratings
Optimum
Connection
Customer Rating
Cable
Frontier
Connection
Customer Rating
Fiber
DSL
Vyve Broadband
Connection
Customer Rating
Fiber
Cable
BalsamWest
Connection
Customer Rating
Fiber
Fixed Wireless
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 Macon County ratings may vary and are shown below.
Who is the Best Internet Provider in Macon County, NC?
AT&T is the highest-rated internet provider in Macon County based on 109 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 Macon 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 Macon County
- Frontier - fiber coverage map
- Optimum - cable coverage map
- Hotwire Communications - fiber coverage map
- Vyve Broadband - fiber coverage map
- Verizon - fixed wireless coverage map
- BalsamWest - fiber coverage map
- Vyve Broadband - cable coverage map
- T-Mobile Home Internet - fixed wireless coverage map
- Frontier - dsl coverage map
- Skyrunner Internet - fixed wireless coverage map
- AT&T - fixed wireless coverage map
- EarthLink - fixed wireless coverage map
- BalsamWest - fixed wireless coverage map
- Windstream - dsl coverage map
- SkyFi - fixed wireless coverage map
How Macon County Compares to the Rest of North Carolina
Macon County's report card score is tied 49th of 100 and its connectivity index is tied 86th of 100.
| Measure | Macon County | Rank among North Carolina counties | North Carolina | US | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISP Report Card inputs: what providers offer here | |||||
| Fiber availability | 68.8% | 71st of 100 | 78.0% | 71.5% | Davie County (99.8%) |
| Average top speed | 4,354 Mbps | 10th of 100 | 3,577 Mbps | 3,486 Mbps | Greene County (8,030 Mbps) |
| Providers at a typical address | 5.7 | Tied 68th of 100 | 7.3 | 7.1 | Buncombe County (9.2) |
| Connectivity index inputs: how much households need and use the internet | |||||
| People per household | 2.1 | Tied 97th of 100 | 2.5 | 2.7 | Union County (3.0) |
| Workers who work from home | 11% | Tied 32nd of 100 | 16% | 15% | Mecklenburg County and Wake County (29%) |
| Homes with a computer, tablet or phone | 91% | Tied 61st of 100 | 95% | 96% | Carteret County and Dare County and 3 more (98%) |
| Homes with internet | 84% | Tied 70th of 100 | 91% | 91% | Wake County (96%) |
| Homes on fiber, cable or DSL | 59% | Tied 85th of 100 | 77% | 76% | Wake County (86%) |
| More about the households here | |||||
| Homes with a desktop or laptop | 71% | Tied 56th of 100 | 80% | 81% | Orange County and Wake County (90%) |
| Median household income | $59,634 | 65th of 100 | $83,207 | $93,246 | Union County ($119,553) |
| Residents in school (6th grade to college) | 12% | Tied 65th of 100 | 16% | 16% | Watauga County (36%) |
Fiber reaches 68.8% of homes in Macon County, against 78.0% across North Carolina. Households in Macon County are smaller than the US average (2.1 people against 2.7); 11% of workers work from home (US 15%); and the median household income is $59,634 (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 Macon County Compares to Its Neighbors
Macon County has 7 neighbors, 2 of them in South Carolina and Georgia. Among them, Clay County has the most homes with fiber (87.3%) and Jackson County the fewest (48.1%); Macon County has 68.8%.
Map of Macon County and its neighbors by ISP Report Card grade
Hover over or tap a county for its numbers, and click through to its page.
Macon County and its neighbors
| County | People | Homes with fiber | Average top speed | Providers at a typical address | Report card | Connectivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macon County (this page) | 37,014 | 68.8% | 4,354 Mbps | 5.7 | B- | 31/100 |
| Oconee County, SC | 78,607 | 78.2% | 5,918 Mbps | 6.7 | B | 37/100 |
| Jackson County | 43,109 | 48.1% | 1,238 Mbps | 6 | C+ | 26/100 |
| Cherokee County | 28,774 | 68.9% | 846 Mbps | 5.3 | C | 40/100 |
| Rabun County, GA | 16,883 | 59.8% | 1,504 Mbps | 5 | C | 52/100 |
| Swain County | 14,117 | 48.4% | 748 Mbps | 5.4 | C- | 20/100 |
| Clay County | 11,089 | 87.3% | 936 Mbps | 5.7 | C+ | 32/100 |
| Graham County | 8,030 | 73.3% | 824 Mbps | 5.1 | C | 25/100 |
Internet in Macon County by City and ZIP Code
Fiber reaches from 49.6% of homes in Otto to 78.5% in Highlands; by ZIP code, from 42.1% in 28763 (Otto) to 79.3% in 28741 (Highlands). Each row links to that place’s page.
Cities and towns in Macon County
| City or town | People | Homes with fiber | Average top speed | Providers at a typical address | Report card | Connectivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin | 26,741 | 71.3% | 4,308 Mbps | 5.7 | B- | 33/100 |
| Highlands | 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 |
| Scaly Mountain | 865 | 59.2% | 4,376 Mbps | 4 | C+ | 28/100 |
| Ellijay | 608 | 99.7% | 7,000 Mbps | 9 | A | 31/100 |
| Topton | 464 | 19.8% | 285 Mbps | 1.6 | D- | 41/100 |
| Stiles | 276 | 100.0% | 7,000 Mbps | 4 | B+ | 30/100 |
| Aquone | 258 | 0.0% | 173 Mbps | 2.3 | F | 34/100 |
| Sugarfork | 229 | 0.0% | 668 Mbps | 3.2 | D- | 38/100 |
| Kyle | 111 | 0.0% | 21 Mbps | 1.7 | F | 30/100 |
| Briertown | 48 | 0.0% | 10 Mbps | 1 | F | 20/100 |
ZIP codes in Macon County
| ZIP code | People | Homes with fiber | Average top speed | Providers at a typical address | Report card | Connectivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28734 (Franklin) | 29,264 | 71.9% | 4,422 Mbps | 5.9 | B- | 33/100 |
| 28741 (Highlands) | 3,884 | 79.3% | 5,272 Mbps | 5.4 | B | 34/100 |
| 28763 (Otto) | 2,871 | 42.1% | 3,388 Mbps | 5.6 | C+ | 30/100 |
| 28781 (Topton) | 845 | 10.9% | 221 Mbps | 1.8 | D- | 41/100 |
| 28775 (Scaly Mountain) | 493 | 58.4% | 4,684 Mbps | 1.9 | C | 32/100 |
Who is the Fastest Internet Provider in Macon 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, 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 Macon County
| Optimum | 8,000 |
|---|---|
| Hotwire Communications | 8,000 |
| Frontier Communications | 7,000 |
| BalsamWest | 1,000 |
| Vyve Broadband | 1,000 |
| Verizon | 300 |
| Windstream | 200 |
| Viasat | 100 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet | 100 |
| HughesNet | 25 |
| Skyrunner Internet | 25 |
| AT&T | 25 |
| EarthLink | 25 |
| SkyFi | 25 |
How fast is your internet?
Test your connection here and see it next to the speeds providers advertise in Macon County. It takes about 20 seconds and, on a fast line, can move a few hundred MB of data.
Customer Ratings for Macon County Internet Providers
Based on 109 reviews from North Carolina internet customers, AT&T is the best internet service provider for Macon 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 31.3% coverage in Macon County.
At a national level, based on 2816 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 Macon County Internet Providers
The table below shows average customer ratings from customers in Macon County, North Carolina, and customers throughout the country.
| ISP / Tech Type | Macon County Overall | North Carolina Overall | National Overall | For Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optimum |  (1) | (12) | (279) | View Plans | ||
| AT&T |  (0) | (59) | (1051) | View Plans | ||
| EarthLink | (0) | (1) | (15) | View Plans | ||
| Frontier | (0) | (3) | (177) | View Plans | ||
| Hotwire Communications | (0) | (3) | (15) | View Plans | ||
| Skyrunner Internet | (0) | (1) | (1) | View Plans | ||
| T-Mobile Home Internet | (0) | (13) | (342) | View Plans | ||
| Verizon | (0) | (9) | (816) | View Plans | ||
| Windstream | (0) |  (6) | (99) | View Plans | ||
| BalsamWest | (1) | (2) | (2) | 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 Macon County
Based on data reported by Macon County ISPs to the FCC, the fastest speeds in the county are available through Frontier Communications. The company offers speeds up to 7,000 Mbps in Macon County. Therefore, the average customer can get up to 4,615 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 | Macon County Speed | North Carolina Speed | National Speed | For Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | (0) | (59) | (1051) | View Plans | ||
| EarthLink | (0) | (1) | (15) | View Plans | ||
| Frontier | (0) | (3) | (177) | View Plans | ||
| Hotwire Communications | (0) | (3) | (15) | View Plans | ||
| Skyrunner Internet | (0) | (1) | (1) | View Plans | ||
| T-Mobile Home Internet | (0) | (13) | (342) | View Plans | ||
| Verizon | (0) | (9) | (816) | View Plans | ||
| Windstream | (0) | (6) | (99) | View Plans | ||
| Optimum | (1) | (12) | (279) | View Plans | ||
| BalsamWest | (1) | (2) | (2) | 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 Macon County?
Of the providers in Macon County, customers rate AT&T the best for price. Data comes from customers rating their satisfaction with pricing: in Macon 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.
AT&T is rated 3.46 out of 5 for price, which is lower than the average across all internet providers in the country. EarthLink is rated second for affordability, with an average price rating of 3.00 out of 5.
The table below shows how customers in Macon County, North Carolina, and the United States rated the affordability of their internet service.
Rated Affordability in Macon County
| ISP / Tech Type | Macon County Affordability | North Carolina Affordability | National Affordability | For Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | (0) | (59) | (1051) | View Plans | ||
| EarthLink | (0) | (1) | (15) | View Plans | ||
| Frontier | (0) | (3) | (177) | View Plans | ||
| Hotwire Communications | (0) | (3) | (15) | View Plans | ||
| Skyrunner Internet | (0) | (1) | (1) | View Plans | ||
| T-Mobile Home Internet | (0) | (13) | (342) | View Plans | ||
| Verizon | (0) | (9) | (816) | View Plans | ||
| Windstream | (0) | (6) | (99) | View Plans | ||
| Optimum | (1) | (12) | (279) | View Plans | ||
| BalsamWest | (1) | (2) | (2) | 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 |
Fiber, 5G, Cable and DSL Internet in Macon County
Which Fiber Internet Providers are Available in Macon County?
Frontier Fiber in Macon County, NC
Availability:
54.7%
Customer Rating:
(119)
Avg. Download Speed
7,000 Mbps
Frontier Communications offers Fiber service to 54.7% of Macon County homes. Across the county, Frontier Fiber has speeds up to 7,000 Mbps
Vyve Broadband Fiber in Macon County, NC
Availability:
21.2%
Customer Rating:
(3)
Avg. Download Speed
1,000 Mbps
Vyve Broadband offers Fiber service to 21.2% of Macon County homes. Across the county, Vyve Broadband Fiber has speeds up to 1,000 Mbps
BalsamWest Fiber in Macon County, NC
Availability:
12.0%
Customer Rating:
(1)
Avg. Download Speed
1,000 Mbps
BalsamWest offers Fiber service to 12.0% of Macon County homes. Across the county, BalsamWest Fiber has speeds up to 1,000 Mbps
Hotwire Communications Fiber in Macon County, NC
Availability:
10.0%
Customer Rating:
(11)
Avg. Download Speed
2,630 Mbps
Hotwire Communications offers Fiber service to 10.0% of Macon County homes. Across the county, Hotwire Communications Fiber is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 2,630 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.
Which Fixed Wireless and LTE Internet Providers are Available in Macon County?
Verizon Fixed Wireless in Macon County, NC
Availability:
68.9%
Customer Rating:
(362)
Avg. Download Speed
219 Mbps
Verizon offers Fixed Wireless service to 68.9% of Macon County homes. Across the county, Verizon Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 219 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 Macon County, NC
Availability:
68.0%
Customer Rating:
(342)
Avg. Download Speed
39 Mbps
T-Mobile Home Internet offers Fixed Wireless service to 68.0% of Macon 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 39 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 6.2 Mbps throughout the county.
Skyrunner Internet Fixed Wireless in Macon County, NC
Availability:
65.6%
Customer Rating:
(1)
Avg. Download Speed
25 Mbps
Skyrunner Internet offers Fixed Wireless service to 65.6% of Macon County homes. Across the county, Skyrunner Internet Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 25 Mbps
BalsamWest Fixed Wireless in Macon County, NC
Availability:
32.2%
Customer Rating:
(1)
Avg. Download Speed
19 Mbps
BalsamWest offers Fixed Wireless service to 32.2% of Macon County homes. Across the county, BalsamWest Fixed Wireless has 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 5.0, with an average of 3.5 Mbps throughout the county.
EarthLink Fixed Wireless in Macon County, NC
Availability:
31.3%
Customer Rating:
(4)
Avg. Download Speed
25 Mbps
EarthLink offers Fixed Wireless service to 31.3% of Macon County homes. Across the county, EarthLink Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 25 Mbps
AT&T Fixed Wireless in Macon County, NC
Availability:
31.3%
Customer Rating:
(205)
Avg. Download Speed
25 Mbps
AT&T offers Fixed Wireless service to 31.3% of Macon County homes. Across the county, AT&T Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 25 Mbps
SkyFi Fixed Wireless in Macon County, NC
Availability:
10.7%
Customer Rating:
(0)
Avg. Download Speed
14 Mbps
SkyFi offers Fixed Wireless service to 10.7% of Macon County homes. Across the county, SkyFi Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 14 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 5.0, with an average of 2.1 Mbps throughout the county.
Which Cable Internet Providers are Available in Macon County?
Optimum Cable in Macon County, NC
Availability:
71.2%
Customer Rating:
(223)
Avg. Download Speed
940 Mbps
Optimum offers Cable service to 71.2% of Macon County homes. Across the county, Optimum Cable is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 940 Mbps
Vyve Broadband Cable in Macon County, NC
Availability:
7.2%
Customer Rating:
(16)
Avg. Download Speed
1,000 Mbps
Vyve Broadband offers Cable service to 7.2% of Macon County homes. Across the county, Vyve Broadband Cable has speeds up to 1,000 Mbps
Which DSL Internet Providers are Available in Macon County?
Frontier DSL in Macon County, NC
Availability:
59.5%
Customer Rating:
(58)
Avg. Download Speed
34 Mbps
Frontier Communications offers DSL service to 59.5% of Macon County homes. Across the county, Frontier DSL has speeds up to 34 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 2.2 Mbps throughout the county. Frontier DSL is rated higher than other types of internet service available in Macon County from Frontier in terms of customer satisfaction.
Windstream DSL in Macon County, NC
Availability:
1.6%
Customer Rating:
(52)
Avg. Download Speed
190 Mbps
Windstream offers DSL service to 1.6% of Macon County homes. Across the county, Windstream DSL is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 190 Mbps, with speeds from 10 Mpbs up to 200 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 20 Mbps throughout the county.
Customer Reviews for Internet Service Providers in North Carolina
Customer Reviews
A Franklin, NC Customer
BalsamWest Fixed Wireless
April 14, 2024 A Franklin, NC Customer
Optimum Cable
June 08, 2023 A Franklin, NC Customer
Straight Talk Cellular
May 10, 2023 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
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Which ISP Should You Choose in Macon 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 Macon County 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 Macon County is AT&T.
- Viasat, HughesNet, and Frontier Communications has the broadest coverage in Macon County, available to 83.1% 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.