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7 Best Internet Providers in Wards, NC

Find internet availability by address in Wards, NC

Jump to: Best Internet Provider | Availability Maps | Customer Reviews | Wards ISP Report Card | Business Internet in Wards

Wards ISP Report at a Glance
ISP grade Wards ISP Report Card B
Average speed Download Speed for Most Households 3,203 Mbps
ISP count Number of Internet Service Providers 7
Customer review count Real Wards Customer Ratings 1

This page reflects the most recent FCC update from January 06, 2026, based on the Broadband Data Collection as of June 30, 2025.

Data update information

This page reflects the most recent FCC update from January 06, 2026, based on the Broadband Data Collection as of June 30, 2025.

Wards has 7 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 city. Reviews are grouped by provider and the type of service they offer, covering all 4 available internet technologies in Wards.

Wards overview

Wards has 7 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 city. Reviews are grouped by provider and the type of service they offer, covering all 4 available internet technologies in Wards.

Compare Providers Ranked by Coverage, Speed, and Customer Ratings

Brightspeed

Brightspeed logo

Availability:

98.2%

Customer Rating:

3.3 of 5 stars

(70)

View Plans

1-833-601-2935 Price: $49.00 - $109.00 / mo.

Connection

Availability

Avg. Download Speed InfoThe highest download speed available in Wards.

Max Download Speed InfoCalculated from the maximum speeds available to most Wards residents, weighted by user distribution.

Customer Rating

DSL

98.2%

49 Mbps

100 Mbps

DSL: 2.5 of 5 stars

(33)

Focus

Focus logo

Availability:

92.7%

Customer Rating:

4.0 of 5 stars

(5)

View Plans

Price: Starting at $49.95 / mo.

Connection

Availability

Avg. Download Speed InfoThe highest download speed available in Wards.

Max Download Speed InfoCalculated from the maximum speeds available to most Wards residents, weighted by user distribution.

Customer Rating

Fiber

92.7%

3,406 Mbps

5,000 Mbps

Fiber: 4.0 of 5 stars

(5)

Spectrum

Spectrum logo

Availability:

65.1%

Customer Rating:

3.3 of 5 stars

(1,936)

View Plans

1-877-411-1381 Price: $30.00 - $120.00 / mo.

Connection

Availability

Avg. Download Speed InfoThe highest download speed available in Wards.

Max Download Speed InfoCalculated from the maximum speeds available to most Wards residents, weighted by user distribution.

Customer Rating

Fiber

15.0%

1,000 Mbps

1,000 Mbps

Fiber: 3.5 of 5 stars

(203)

Cable

55.8%

1,000 Mbps

1,000 Mbps

Cable: 3.2 of 5 stars

(1,618)

EarthLink

EarthLink logo

Availability:

25.2%

Customer Rating:

3.8 of 5 stars

(13)

View Plans

1-877-418-2092 Price: Starting at $54.95 / mo.

Connection

Availability

Avg. Download Speed InfoThe highest download speed available in Wards.

Max Download Speed InfoCalculated from the maximum speeds available to most Wards residents, weighted by user distribution.

Customer Rating

Fixed Wireless

25.2%

25 Mbps

25 Mbps

Wireless: 0.0 of 5 stars

(0)

Above are the top 4 providers in Wards, NC for most people based on high speed internet coverage, speeds, and customer reviews. Click below to see all providers in your city.


US Cellular

US Cellular logo

Availability:

90.0%

Customer Rating:

3.4 of 5 stars

(18)

View Plans

Price: $49.99 - $69.99 / mo.

Connection

Availability

Avg. Download Speed InfoThe highest download speed available in Wards.

Max Download Speed InfoCalculated from the maximum speeds available to most Wards residents, weighted by user distribution.

Customer Rating

Fixed Wireless

90.0%

18 Mbps

25 Mbps

Wireless: 3.7 of 5 stars

(14)

T-Mobile Home Internet

T-Mobile Home Internet logo

Availability:

73.7%

Customer Rating:

4.0 of 5 stars

(341)

View Plans

1-833-601-2935 Price: $55.00 - $105.00 / mo.

Connection

Availability

Avg. Download Speed InfoThe highest download speed available in Wards.

Max Download Speed InfoCalculated from the maximum speeds available to most Wards residents, weighted by user distribution.

Customer Rating

Fixed Wireless

73.7%

68 Mbps

100 Mbps

Wireless: 3.9 of 5 stars

(204)

AT&T

AT&T logo

Availability:

25.2%

Customer Rating:

3.7 of 5 stars

(1,051)

View Plans

1-877-610-1219 Price: $65.00 - $90.00 / mo.

Connection

Availability

Avg. Download Speed InfoThe highest download speed available in Wards.

Max Download Speed InfoCalculated from the maximum speeds available to most Wards residents, weighted by user distribution.

Customer Rating

Fixed Wireless

25.2%

25 Mbps

25 Mbps

Wireless: 3.6 of 5 stars

(164)

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.

Satellite providers, which generally offer 100% coverage across the United States, are available for Wards residents as well. Some of the top satellite options include Dish Network, DirecTV, HughesNet, Viasat, and Starlink. These providers offer varied services and pricing, giving residents flexibility in choosing the best option for their location and needs.

Dish

Dish logo

Availability:

100%

Customer Rating:

3.6923 of 5 stars

(13)

View Plans

1-866-252-1910 Price: {{isp_price_range}}


DirecTV

DirecTV logo

Availability:

100%

Customer Rating:

4.3333 of 5 stars

(9)

View Plans

1-844-294-9501 Price: {{isp_price_range}}


Viasat

Viasat logo

Availability:

100%

Customer Rating:

1.7273 of 5 stars

(11)

View Plans

1-833-875-1370 Price: {{isp_price_range}}


HughesNet

HughesNet logo

Availability:

100%

Customer Rating:

2.4286 of 5 stars

(21)

View Plans

1-833-684-9249 Price: {{isp_price_range}}


Starlink

Starlink logo

Availability:

100%

Customer Rating:

3.9836 of 5 stars

(61)

View Plans

Price: {{isp_price_range}}

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 Wards ratings may vary and are shown below.

Who is the Best Internet Provider in Wards, NC?

Focus Broadband is the highest-rated internet provider in Wards based on 264 North Carolina customer reviews, and Focus Broadband 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. The chart and table below show average customer ratings from customers in Wards, North Carolina, and customers throughout the country.

Top Rated Internet Providers in Wards


Spectrum3.403.28
Focus4.004.11
EarthLink4.003.60
AT&T3.673.66
  • City Rating
  • State Rating
  • National Rating

Local, State, and National Ratings for all Wards Internet Providers

ISP / Tech TypeWards OverallNorth Carolina OverallNational OverallFor Service
Spectrum (1) (186) (1738)View Plans
EarthLink (0) (1) (12)View Plans
Focus (0) (5) (5)View Plans
AT&T (0) (49) (924)View Plans
T-Mobile Home Internet (0) (9) (284)View Plans
Brightspeed (0) (14) (64)View Plans
US Cellular (0) (0) (15)View Plans
HughesNet (0) (0) (18)View Plans
Viasat (0) (0) (11)View Plans

Based on 264 reviews from North Carolina internet customers, Focus Broadband is the best internet service provider for Wards residents. Focus Broadband was rated at an average of 4.00 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 25.2% coverage in Wards.

At a national level, based on 3071 national reviews for any of the providers listed above, Focus Broadband is rated higher than any other provider, with a rating of 4.11 out of 5.

Which Providers are Available at my Home in Wards?

The map shows speeds per provider and where each provider is available. Click the drop-down menu to choose
a different provider.

Wards, NC map of internet availability

Internet Availability Key

0%
10%
50%
100%

 

Speeds and coverage vary within the city, 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 Wards?

According to unbiased feedback from real internet customers in the city, they reported being happiest with speeds provided by EarthLink. On the other hand, based on data provided by the internet providers to the FCC, Focus Broadband 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 Wards

Max Advertised Speed in Wards, NC


ISP / Tech TypeMax Advertised Speed
Focus Broadband5,000 Mbps
Spectrum1,000 Mbps
T-Mobile Home Internet100 Mbps
Brightspeed100 Mbps
Viasat100 Mbps
AT&T25 Mbps
EarthLink25 Mbps
US Cellular25 Mbps
HughesNet25 Mbps

Customer Ratings for Internet Provider Speeds in Wards


Spectrum3.683.61
EarthLink4.002.74
AT&T3.843.75
Focus3.803.94
  • City Rating
  • State Rating
  • National Rating

ISP / Tech TypeWards SpeedNorth Carolina SpeedNational SpeedFor Service
Spectrum (1) (186) (1738)View Plans
EarthLink (0) (1) (12)View Plans
AT&T (0) (49) (924)View Plans
Focus (0) (5) (5)View Plans
T-Mobile Home Internet (0) (9) (284)View Plans
Brightspeed (0) (14) (64)View Plans
US Cellular (0) (0) (15)View Plans
HughesNet (0) (0) (18)View Plans
Viasat (0) (0) (11)View Plans

Based on data reported by Wards ISPs to the FCC, the fastest speeds in the city are available through Focus Broadband. The company offers speeds up to 5,000 Mbps in Wards. Therefore, the average customer can get up to 3,406 Mbps if they're willing to purchase the fastest subscription tier available at their homes.

Additionally, actual customers in the city rated their satisfaction with internet speed highest with EarthLink. This indicates EarthLink reliably delivers speeds expected by the customer based on the plan they are paying for.

Who is the Cheapest Internet Provider in Wards?

North Carolina customers rate T-Mobile Home Internet 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.

T-Mobile Home Internet received a local rating of 4.11 out of 5, which is about average for the average across all internet providers in the country. Focus Broadband is rated in second place for affordability by the company’s Wards customers with an average price rating of 3.80 out of 5.

The chart and graph below show how customers in Wards, North Carolina, and the United States rated the affordability of their internet service.

Rated Affordability in Wards


Spectrum3.102.91
T-Mobile Home Internet4.114.11
Focus3.803.81
Brightspeed3.643.52
  • City Rating
  • State Rating
  • National Rating

ISP / Tech TypeWards AffordabilityNorth Carolina AffordabilityNational AffordabilityFor Service
Spectrum (1) (186) (1738)View Plans
T-Mobile Home Internet (0) (9) (284)View Plans
Focus (0) (5) (5)View Plans
Brightspeed (0) (14) (64)View Plans
AT&T (0) (49) (924)View Plans
EarthLink (0) (1) (12)View Plans
US Cellular (0) (0) (15)View Plans
HughesNet (0) (0) (18)View Plans
Viasat (0) (0) (11)View Plans

Wards 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 city 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 Wards below, including the metrics used and how Wards compares to the rest of North Carolina and nation.

Wards ISP Report Card: B
Metric

(hover for details)
Wards North Carolina USA
94.33% 72.63% 67.25%
3,203 Mbps 3,368 Mbps 3,293 Mbps
4.8 7.0 6.8

 

Wards Digital Connectivity Index: 36 / 100
Metric

(hover for details)
Wards North Carolina USA
2.7 2.5 2.7
2% 15% 14%
91% 94% 95%
83% 89% 90%
54% 76% 75%
54% 77% 76%

Our demographic data is sourced from the latest 5-year release of the American Community Survey by the US Census Bureau.

Wards ISP Report Card & Digital Connectivity Index

The ISP Report Card in Wards is B, which is worse than other cities. The local demand for broadband internet connectivity in Wards is high with a score of 36 / 100 in our Digital Connectivity Index. This means that internet service providers operating in Wards have done a poor job meeting the needs of its residents.

The Wards ISP Report Card evaluates the city on availability and speed metrics compared to other cities in the United States. ISP Infrastructure can vary greatly and on its own isn’t a perfect measure of what a city 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.

83% of Wards households have an internet connection despite having 100.00% availability. 54% of households have fiber, cable, or DSL, 1% have satellite, 0% are still on dial-up, and 1% 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 54% of households have a broadband connection such as fiber, cable or DSL available to their home, 54% subscribe to it. A low number of Wards 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 Cities Compare to Wards?

Chadbourn, NC

  • ISP Report Card: B-
  • Digital Connectivity Index: 25 / 100
Williamson Crossroads, NC

  • ISP Report Card: B-
  • Digital Connectivity Index: 33 / 100
Grist, NC

  • ISP Report Card: D+
  • Digital Connectivity Index: 23 / 100
Emerson, NC

  • ISP Report Card: B-
  • Digital Connectivity Index: 61 / 100
Clarendon, NC

  • ISP Report Card: B
  • Digital Connectivity Index: 34 / 100
Cerro Gordo, NC

  • ISP Report Card: B-
  • Digital Connectivity Index: 16 / 100
Brunswick, NC

  • ISP Report Card: B
  • Digital Connectivity Index: 48 / 100
Cherry Grove, NC

  • ISP Report Card: B
  • Digital Connectivity Index: 20 / 100
Whiteville, NC

  • ISP Report Card: B-
  • Digital Connectivity Index: 37 / 100

How Much Speed does a Wards Household Need?

Higher speed is typically preferred, but that comes at a higher price. The average size of a household in Wards is 2.7, which is larger than the North Carolina average of 2.5 and larger than the national average of 2.7. Wards's average household income is $46,980 which is much lower than the North Carolina average of $80,144 and much lower than the national average of $90,606. Homes with more people living in them and with lower incomes tend to indicate a fairly average device usage pattern.

Wards also has 21% of its population enrolled in school between the 6th grade and college level, this is higher than the North Carolina average of 16%. Additionally, 2% of residents work from home, which is lower 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 Wards has a low need for internet connectivity and speeds.

Compared to the rest of the country, Wards households are more technology-disengaged. 91% of households have some sort of computing device, 52% have desktops or laptops in the home, and 87% have smartphones. To see what speeds you are currently getting, please visit our internet speed test tool.

Which Fiber Internet Providers are Available in Wards?

Focus Fiber in Wards, NC

Focus logo

Availability:

92.7%

Customer Rating:

4.0 of 5 stars

(5)

Avg. Download Speed

3,406 Mbps

Focus Broadband offers Fiber service to 92.7% of Wards homes. Across the city, Focus Fiber is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 3,406 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 Focus Fiber. Focus Fiber is rated the same as other types of internet service available in Wards from Focus in terms of customer satisfaction.

Spectrum Fiber in Wards, NC

Spectrum logo

Availability:

15.0%

Customer Rating:

3.5 of 5 stars

(203)

Avg. Download Speed

1,000 Mbps

Spectrum offers Fiber service to 15.0% of Wards homes. Across the city, Spectrum Fiber has speeds up to 1,000 Mbps, with speeds from 1,000 Mpbs up to 1,000 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 35 and as high as 500, with an average of 324 Mbps throughout the city. Spectrum Fiber is rated about the same as other types of internet service available in Wards from Spectrum in terms of customer satisfaction.

Which Cable Internet Providers are Available in Wards?

Spectrum Cable in Wards, NC

Spectrum logo

Availability:

55.8%

Customer Rating:

3.2 of 5 stars

(1,618)

Avg. Download Speed

1,000 Mbps

Spectrum offers Cable service to 55.8% of Wards homes. Across the city, Spectrum Cable has speeds up to 1,000 Mbps, with speeds from 1,000 Mpbs up to 1,000 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 35 and as high as 35, with an average of 35 Mbps throughout the city. Spectrum Cable is rated lower than other types of internet service available in Wards from Spectrum in terms of customer satisfaction.

Which DSL Internet Providers are Available in Wards?

Brightspeed DSL in Wards, NC

Brightspeed logo

Availability:

98.2%

Customer Rating:

2.5 of 5 stars

(33)

Avg. Download Speed

49 Mbps

Brightspeed offers DSL service to 98.2% of Wards homes. Across the city, Brightspeed DSL is the only type of service available from the company, with 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 lower than other types of internet service available in Wards from Brightspeed in terms of customer satisfaction.

Which Fixed Wireless and LTE Internet Providers are Available in Wards?

US Cellular Fixed Wireless in Wards, NC

US Cellular logo

Availability:

90.0%

Customer Rating:

 of 5 stars

(0)

Avg. Download Speed

18 Mbps

US Cellular offers Fixed Wireless service to 90.0% of Wards homes. Across the city, US Cellular Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 18 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 2.0 Mbps throughout the city. US Cellular Fixed Wireless is rated other types of internet service available in Wards from US Cellular in terms of customer satisfaction.

T-Mobile Home Internet Fixed Wireless in Wards, NC

T-Mobile Home Internet logo

Availability:

73.7%

Customer Rating:

 of 5 stars

(0)

Avg. Download Speed

68 Mbps

T-Mobile Home Internet offers Fixed Wireless service to 73.7% of Wards homes. Across the city, T-Mobile Home Internet Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 68 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 city. T-Mobile Home Internet Fixed Wireless is rated other types of internet service available in Wards from T-Mobile Home Internet in terms of customer satisfaction.

EarthLink Fixed Wireless in Wards, NC

EarthLink logo

Availability:

25.2%

Customer Rating:

 of 5 stars

(0)

Avg. Download Speed

25 Mbps

EarthLink offers Fixed Wireless service to 25.2% of Wards homes. Across the city, EarthLink Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 25 Mbps, with speeds from 25 Mpbs up to 25 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 3.0 and as high as 3.0, with an average of 3.0 Mbps throughout the city. EarthLink Fixed Wireless is rated other types of internet service available in Wards from EarthLink in terms of customer satisfaction.

AT&T Fixed Wireless in Wards, NC

AT&T logo

Availability:

25.2%

Customer Rating:

 of 5 stars

(0)

Avg. Download Speed

25 Mbps

AT&T offers Fixed Wireless service to 25.2% of Wards homes. Across the city, AT&T Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 25 Mbps, with speeds from 25 Mpbs up to 25 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 3.0 and as high as 3.0, with an average of 3.0 Mbps throughout the city. AT&T Fixed Wireless is rated other types of internet service available in Wards from AT&T in terms of customer satisfaction.

Which ISP Should You Choose in Wards?

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 Wards is Focus.
  • The fastest internet provider should be Focus Broadband. Considering speed for the money and reliability in speeds, EarthLink may be a better choice based on real-world local customer feedback.
  • The most affordable internet provider in Wards is T-Mobile Home Internet.
  • Viasat, HughesNet, and Brightspeed has the broadest coverage in Wards, 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 Wards compare to other cities with a similar population?

To see how Wards 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 Wards's B ISP Report Card and 36 / 100 Digital Connectivity Index.

Lewistown, MD

  • ISP Report Card: B
  • Digital Connectivity Index: 61 / 100
Louise, GA

  • ISP Report Card: C
  • Digital Connectivity Index: 72 / 100
Lorane, OR

  • ISP Report Card: C
  • Digital Connectivity Index: 41 / 100
Wilcox, NE

  • ISP Report Card: C-
  • Digital Connectivity Index: 62 / 100
Long Bridge, LA

  • ISP Report Card: B
  • Digital Connectivity Index: 36 / 100
Lone Star, SC

  • ISP Report Card: B
  • Digital Connectivity Index: 29 / 100
Lone Pine, PA

  • ISP Report Card: B-
  • Digital Connectivity Index: 36 / 100
Log Lick, KY

  • ISP Report Card: B+
  • Digital Connectivity Index: 27 / 100
Little Hope, PA

  • ISP Report Card: B-
  • Digital Connectivity Index: 37 / 100

Customer Reviews

Customer Reviews for Internet Service Providers in North Carolina

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