11 Best Internet Providers in West Columbia, SC

Compare Providers Ranked by Coverage, Speed, and Customer Ratings

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

All Providers

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 West Columbia ratings may vary and are shown below.

1. Internet Providers
   

 » 

2. South Carolina
   

 » 

3. West Columbia, SC Internet Service Providers
   

Who is the Best Internet Provider in West Columbia, SC?

EarthLink is the best internet provider in West Columbia based on South Carolina customer satisfaction ratings and reviews. Based on our extensive and unbiased survey, EarthLink had the best reviews at the local, state, and national levels versus all available providers in West Columbia, making it a solid recommendation among providers with reviews. EarthLink is an option for 94.77% of the city.

The chart and table below show average customer ratings from customers in West Columbia, South Carolina, and customers throughout the country.

Top Rated Internet Providers in West Columbia

Local, State, and National Ratings for all West Columbia Internet Providers

Based on 121 reviews from South Carolina internet customers, EarthLink is the best internet service provider for West Columbia residents. EarthLink was rated at an average of 5.00 out of 5 in our report for overall customer satisfaction. Spectrum wins for second-place in South Carolina, with 4.00 out of 5 stars and 99.5% coverage in West Columbia.

At a national level, based on 3856 national reviews for any of the providers listed above, CarolinaConnect is rated higher than any other provider, with a rating of 4.85 out of 5.

Who is the Fastest Internet Provider in West Columbia?

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, CarolinaConnect 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 West Columbia

	ISP / Tech Type	Max Advertised Speed
	CarolinaConnect	8,000 Mbps
	COMPORIUM	5,000 Mbps
	Lumos Networks	5,000 Mbps
	AT&T	5,000 Mbps
	EarthLink	5,000 Mbps
	Ripple Fiber	2,000 Mbps
	Windstream	2,000 Mbps
	TriCoLink	1,000 Mbps
	Spectrum	1,000 Mbps
	Verizon	300 Mbps
	T-Mobile Home Internet	100 Mbps
	Viasat	100 Mbps
	HughesNet	25 Mbps

Customer Ratings for Internet Provider Speeds in West Columbia

Based on data reported by West Columbia ISPs to the FCC, the fastest speeds in the city are available through CarolinaConnect. The company offers speeds up to 8,000 Mbps in West Columbia. Therefore, the average customer can get up to 8,000 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 West Columbia?

South Carolina customers rate EarthLink 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.

EarthLink received a local rating of 4.00 out of 5, which is lower than the average across all internet providers in the country. Spectrum is rated in second place for affordability by the company’s West Columbia customers with an average price rating of 3.50 out of 5.

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

Rated Affordability in West Columbia

West Columbia 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 West Columbia below, including the metrics used and how West Columbia compares to the rest of South Carolina and nation.

West Columbia ISP Report Card: B+

	Metric (hover for details)	West Columbia	South Carolina	USA
	Fiber Availability Percent The percentage of households in West Columbia that have a Fiber internet connection available to their home.	75.70%	70.02%	67.25%
	Average Download SpeedThe maximum download speed most households can get on average. This is measured by availability in a block group and weighted by the population in that area.	4,722 Mbps	3,075 Mbps	3,293 Mbps
	Provider CountThe number of providers available for most people. This is a weighted average by block rather than a total for West Columbia.	7.6	6.3	6.8

 

West Columbia Digital Connectivity Index: 52 / 100

	Metric (hover for details)	West Columbia	South Carolina	USA
	Average Household SizeA larger household size in a city indicates that there will be a greater need for bandwidth due to simultaneous usage, multiple devices, and network congestion.	2.3	2.5	2.7
	Work From Home PercentA higher percent of the population working from home indicates bandwidth requirements being more widely needed rather than consolidated to commercial portions of the city.	8%	11%	14%
	Households with DevicesA higher percentage of households with computing devices in the home indicates a higher level of infrastructure needed to support those households.	94%	94%	95%
	Households with InternetA higher percentage of households with internet indicates a higher need for usage and connectivity in people’s daily lives.	90%	88%	90%
	Households with BroadbandA higher percentage of households with a broadband connection (defined as speeds above 25 Mbps) indicates heavier usage needs within these households.	72%	71%	75%
	Broadband Usage vs. AvailabilityThis measures what percentage of households who have a broadband connection to their home actually have an active subscription to that service.	73%	73%	76%

West Columbia ISP Report Card & Digital Connectivity Index

The ISP Report Card in West Columbia is B+, which is better than other cities. The local demand for broadband internet connectivity in West Columbia is high with a score of 52 / 100 in our Digital Connectivity Index. This means that internet service providers operating in West Columbia have done a average job meeting the needs of its residents.

The West Columbia 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.

90% of West Columbia households have an internet connection despite having 99.90% availability. 72% of households have fiber, cable, or DSL, 7% have satellite, 0% are still on dial-up, and 2% 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 72% of households have a broadband connection such as fiber, cable or DSL available to their home, 73% subscribe to it. A large amount of West Columbia 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 West Columbia?

How Much Speed does a West Columbia Household Need?

Higher speed is typically preferred, but that comes at a higher price. The average size of a household in West Columbia is 2.3, which is smaller than the South Carolina average of 2.5 and smaller than the national average of 2.7. West Columbia's average household income is $67,276 which is about average for the South Carolina average of $74,922 and about average for the national average of $90,606. Homes with fewer people living in them and with lower incomes tend to indicate fewer devices being used less often.

West Columbia also has 15% of its population enrolled in school between the 6th grade and college level, this is lower than the South Carolina average of 15%. Additionally, 8% of residents work from home, which is lower than the 11% of residents in South Carolina who work from home. This and other factors you can see above show us that the community of West Columbia has an average need for internet connectivity and speeds.

Compared to the rest of the country, West Columbia households are about average when it comes to technological engagement. 94% of households have some sort of computing device, 77% have desktops or laptops in the home, and 91% have smartphones. To see what speeds you are currently getting, please visit our internet speed test tool.

Which Fiber Internet Providers are Available in West Columbia?

Which Cable Internet Providers are Available in West Columbia?

Which DSL Internet Providers are Available in West Columbia?

Which Fixed Wireless and LTE Internet Providers are Available in West Columbia?

Which ISP Should You Choose in West Columbia?

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 West Columbia is EarthLink.
• The fastest internet provider should be CarolinaConnect. 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 West Columbia is EarthLink.
• HughesNet, Viasat, and Spectrum has the broadest coverage in West Columbia, 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 West Columbia compare to other cities with a similar population?

To see how West Columbia 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 West Columbia's B+ ISP Report Card and 52 / 100 Digital Connectivity Index.