Best Internet Providers in Tar Heel, NC
All 8 providers, ranked by coverage, speed and customer ratings
Find internet availability by address in Tar Heel, NC
Tar Heel has 8 internet service providers, they are sorted by coverage, available speed, and customer rating from our unbiased internet provider report. Cable, Fiber, DSL, and Fixed Wireless 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 Tar Heel.
Ranks compare Tar Heel with the 15,682 US towns of 1,000 to 9,999 people, the tiers of our fastest-cities rankings.
The Best Internet in Tar Heel, NC at a Glance
Tar Heel Internet Providers, Ranked by Coverage, Speed and Customer Ratings
Spectrum
Connection
Customer Rating
Fiber
Cable
Brightspeed
Connection
Customer Rating
DSL
Fixed Wireless
Focus
Connection
Customer Rating
Fiber
Star Communications
Connection
Customer Rating
Fiber
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 Tar Heel ratings may vary and are shown below.
Who is the Best Internet Provider in Tar Heel, NC?
Focus Broadband is the highest-rated internet provider in Tar Heel based on 321 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.
Which Providers are Available at my Home in Tar Heel?
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 Tar Heel
- Spectrum - fiber coverage map
- Focus - fiber coverage map
- Star Communications - fiber coverage map
- Verizon - fixed wireless coverage map
- Spectrum - cable coverage map
- T-Mobile Home Internet - fixed wireless coverage map
- Brightspeed - dsl coverage map
- AT&T - fixed wireless coverage map
- EarthLink - fixed wireless coverage map
- Brightspeed - fixed wireless coverage map
How Tar Heel Compares to Places Its Size
Tar Heel's report card score is in the top 42% and its connectivity index is in the bottom 46%.
| Measure | Tar Heel | Rank among US towns of 1,000 to 9,999 people | Bladen County | North Carolina | US | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISP Report Card inputs: what providers offer here | ||||||
| Fiber availability | 97.5% | top 23% | 79.6% | 78.0% | 71.5% | 1,056 places at 100.0% |
| Average top speed | 1,000 Mbps | bottom 35% | 1,269 Mbps | 3,577 Mbps | 3,486 Mbps | Collegedale, TN and Lakesite, TN and 2 more (25,000 Mbps) |
| Providers at a typical address | 5.4 | bottom 48% | 5 | 7.3 | 7.1 | McLendon-Chisholm, TX (14.2) |
| Connectivity index inputs: how much households need and use the internet | ||||||
| People per household | 2.5 | top 45% | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.7 | St. George, GA (6.2) |
| Workers who work from home | 12% | top 34% | 10% | 16% | 15% | Indian Springs, NV (76%) |
| Homes with a computer, tablet or phone | 95% | top 38% | 91% | 95% | 96% | 515 places at 100% |
| Homes with internet | 87% | bottom 44% | 85% | 91% | 91% | 115 places at 100% |
| Homes on fiber, cable or DSL | 57% | bottom 29% | 65% | 77% | 76% | Bunkerville, NV and Fort Myer, VA and 3 more (100%) |
| More about the households here | ||||||
| Homes with a desktop or laptop | 71% | bottom 38% | 63% | 80% | 81% | 12 places at 100% |
| Median household income | $66,004 | bottom 35% | $51,618 | $83,207 | $93,246 | 16 places at $250,001 |
| Residents in school (6th grade to college) | 13% | top 43% | 12% | 16% | 16% | University Park, PA (95%) |
Fiber reaches 97.5% of homes in Tar Heel, against 79.6% across Bladen County and 78.0% across North Carolina. Households in Tar Heel are smaller than the US average (2.5 people against 2.7); 12% of workers work from home (US 15%); and the median household income is $66,004 (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 Tar Heel
Which Fiber Internet Providers are Available in Tar Heel?
Spectrum Fiber in Tar Heel, NC
Availability:
76.5%
Customer Rating:
(207)
Avg. Download Speed
1,000 Mbps
Spectrum offers Fiber service to 76.5% of Tar Heel homes. Across the city, Spectrum Fiber has speeds up to 1,000 Mbps
Focus Fiber in Tar Heel, NC
Availability:
53.5%
Customer Rating:
(5)
Avg. Download Speed
1,000 Mbps
Focus Broadband offers Fiber service to 53.5% of Tar Heel homes. Across the city, Focus Fiber is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 1,000 Mbps
Star Communications Fiber in Tar Heel, NC
Availability:
39.4%
Customer Rating:
(3)
Avg. Download Speed
1,000 Mbps
Star Communications offers Fiber service to 39.4% of Tar Heel homes. Across the city, Star Communications Fiber is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 1,000 Mbps
Which Fixed Wireless and LTE Internet Providers are Available in Tar Heel?
Verizon Fixed Wireless in Tar Heel, NC
Availability:
91.4%
Customer Rating:
(362)
Avg. Download Speed
195 Mbps
Verizon offers Fixed Wireless service to 91.4% of Tar Heel homes. Across the city, Verizon Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 195 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.
T-Mobile Home Internet Fixed Wireless in Tar Heel, NC
Availability:
84.5%
Customer Rating:
(342)
Avg. Download Speed
55 Mbps
T-Mobile Home Internet offers Fixed Wireless service to 84.5% of Tar Heel homes. Across the city, T-Mobile Home Internet Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 55 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 9.8 Mbps throughout the city.
EarthLink Fixed Wireless in Tar Heel, NC
Availability:
46.7%
Customer Rating:
(4)
Avg. Download Speed
31 Mbps
EarthLink offers Fixed Wireless service to 46.7% of Tar Heel homes. Across the city, EarthLink Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 31 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 4.5 Mbps throughout the city.
AT&T Fixed Wireless in Tar Heel, NC
Availability:
46.7%
Customer Rating:
(205)
Avg. Download Speed
31 Mbps
AT&T offers Fixed Wireless service to 46.7% of Tar Heel homes. Across the city, AT&T Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 31 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 4.5 Mbps throughout the city.
Brightspeed Fixed Wireless in Tar Heel, NC
Availability:
8.4%
Customer Rating:
(0)
Avg. Download Speed
10 Mbps
Brightspeed offers Fixed Wireless service to 8.4% of Tar Heel homes. Across the city, Brightspeed Fixed Wireless has speeds up to 10 Mbps
Which Cable Internet Providers are Available in Tar Heel?
Spectrum Cable in Tar Heel, NC
Availability:
8.4%
Customer Rating:
(1739)
Avg. Download Speed
1,000 Mbps
Spectrum offers Cable service to 8.4% of Tar Heel homes. Across the city, Spectrum Cable has speeds up to 1,000 Mbps
Which DSL Internet Providers are Available in Tar Heel?
Brightspeed DSL in Tar Heel, NC
Availability:
75.4%
Customer Rating:
(43)
Avg. Download Speed
49 Mbps
Brightspeed offers DSL service to 75.4% of Tar Heel homes. Across the city, Brightspeed DSL has speeds up to 49 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 4.8 Mbps throughout the city. Brightspeed DSL is rated higher than other types of internet service available in Tar Heel from Brightspeed in terms of customer satisfaction.
Internet in Tar Heel by Neighborhood and ZIP Code
Tar Heel has 1 ZIP code with its own page. Each row links to that place’s page.
Neighborhoods in Tar Heel
| Neighborhood | People | Homes with fiber | Average top speed | Providers at a typical address | Report card | Connectivity |
|---|
ZIP codes in Tar Heel
| ZIP code | People | Homes with fiber | Average top speed | Providers at a typical address | Report card | Connectivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28392 | 1,382 | 98.9% | 1,000 Mbps | 5.7 | B- | 47/100 |
How Tar Heel Compares to Nearby Places
The 10 places nearest to Tar Heel that have their own pages are all within 15 miles. Among them, Tolarsville has the most homes with fiber (98.6%) and Lumberton the fewest (64.1%); Tar Heel has 97.5%.
| Place | People | Homes with fiber | Average top speed | Providers at a typical address | Report card | Connectivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tar Heel (this page) | 1,423 | 97.5% | 1,000 Mbps | 5.4 | B- | 45/100 |
| Lumberton | 42,366 | 64.1% | 1,939 Mbps | 6.1 | B- | 42/100 |
| St. Pauls | 8,926 | 85.9% | 1,497 Mbps | 5.6 | B- | 46/100 |
| Elizabethtown | 7,356 | 87.5% | 1,514 Mbps | 6.1 | B- | 41/100 |
| Bladenboro | 6,577 | 74.8% | 1,248 Mbps | 5.4 | C+ | 47/100 |
| White Oak | 2,142 | 97.1% | 974 Mbps | 3 | C | 38/100 |
| Tolarsville | 1,419 | 98.6% | 986 Mbps | 6.7 | B | 50/100 |
| Dublin | 831 | 61.9% | 989 Mbps | 3.8 | C- | 41/100 |
| Butters | 819 | 79.7% | 3,496 Mbps | 5.8 | B- | 27/100 |
| Richardson | 605 | 94.2% | 1,193 Mbps | 7.2 | B | 38/100 |
| Abbottsburg | 474 | 81.0% | 883 Mbps | 5.5 | C | 58/100 |
Who is the Fastest Internet Provider in Tar Heel?
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, Focus Broadband, Spectrum, and Star 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 Tar Heel
| Spectrum | 1,000 |
|---|---|
| Focus Broadband | 1,000 |
| Star Communications | 1,000 |
| Verizon | 300 |
| Viasat | 100 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet | 100 |
| Brightspeed | 100 |
| AT&T | 100 |
| EarthLink | 100 |
| HughesNet | 25 |
How fast is your internet?
Test your connection here and see it next to the speeds providers advertise in Tar Heel. It takes about 20 seconds and, on a fast line, can move a few hundred MB of data.
Customer Ratings for Tar Heel Internet Providers
Based on 321 reviews from North Carolina internet customers, Focus Broadband is the best internet service provider for Tar Heel residents. Focus Broadband was rated at an average of 4.00 out of 5 in our report for overall customer satisfaction. AT&T wins for second-place in North Carolina, with 3.73 out of 5 stars and 46.7% coverage in Tar Heel.
At a national level, based on 4257 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 Tar Heel Internet Providers
The table below shows average customer ratings from customers in Tar Heel, North Carolina, and customers throughout the country.
| ISP / Tech Type | Tar Heel Overall | North Carolina Overall | National Overall | For Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focus | (0) | (5) | (5) | View Plans | ||
| AT&T | (0) | (59) | (1051) | View Plans | ||
| T-Mobile Home Internet | (0) | (13) | (342) | View Plans | ||
| EarthLink | (0) | (1) | (15) | View Plans | ||
| Verizon | (0) | (9) | (816) | View Plans | ||
| Star Communications | (0) | (3) | (3) | View Plans | ||
| Spectrum | (0) | (214) | (1949) | View Plans | ||
| Brightspeed | (0) |  (17) | (76) | View Plans | ||
| HughesNet | (0) | (0) | (25) | View Plans | ||
| Viasat | (0) | (0) |  (12) | View Plans |
Customer Ratings for Internet Provider Speeds in Tar Heel
Based on data reported by Tar Heel ISPs to the FCC, the fastest speeds in the city are available through Focus Broadband, Spectrum, and Star Communications. These internet providers offer speeds up to 1,000 Mbps in Tar Heel. 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 | Tar Heel Speed | North Carolina Speed | National Speed | For Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | (0) | (59) | (1051) | View Plans | ||
| Focus | (0) | (5) | (5) | View Plans | ||
| T-Mobile Home Internet | (0) | (13) | (342) | View Plans | ||
| Spectrum | (0) | (214) | (1949) | View Plans | ||
| EarthLink | (0) | (1) | (15) | View Plans | ||
| Verizon | (0) | (9) | (816) | View Plans | ||
| Star Communications | (0) | (3) | (3) | View Plans | ||
| Brightspeed | (0) | (17) | (76) | View Plans | ||
| HughesNet | (0) | (0) | (25) | View Plans | ||
| Viasat | (0) | (0) | (12) | View Plans |
Who is the Cheapest Internet Provider in Tar Heel?
Of the providers in Tar Heel, customers rate T-Mobile Home Internet the best for price. Data comes from customers rating their satisfaction with pricing: in Tar Heel 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. Focus Broadband is rated second for affordability, with an average price rating of 3.80 out of 5.
The table below shows how customers in Tar Heel, North Carolina, and the United States rated the affordability of their internet service.
Rated Affordability in Tar Heel
| ISP / Tech Type | Tar Heel Affordability | North Carolina Affordability | National Affordability | For Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T-Mobile Home Internet | (0) | (13) | (342) | View Plans | ||
| Focus | (0) | (5) | (5) | View Plans | ||
| Verizon | (0) | (9) | (816) | View Plans | ||
| EarthLink | (0) | (1) | (15) | View Plans | ||
| Star Communications | (0) | (3) | (3) | View Plans | ||
| AT&T | (0) | (59) | (1051) | View Plans | ||
| Brightspeed | (0) | (17) | (76) | View Plans | ||
| Spectrum | (0) | (214) | (1949) | View Plans | ||
| HughesNet | (0) | (0) | (25) | View Plans | ||
| Viasat | (0) | (0) | (12) | 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 Tar Heel?
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 Tar Heel is Focus.
- The fastest internet provider should be Focus Broadband, Spectrum, and Star 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 Tar Heel is T-Mobile Home Internet.
- Viasat, Verizon, and HughesNet has the broadest coverage in Tar Heel, available to 91.4% 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.