Anything you do via your home internet service uses data. Some activities are more demanding of your connection than others, but everything from streaming TV to uploading an image to social media and even viewing this webpage contributes to your total data consumption. That’s no big deal if you have an internet plan that includes unlimited data. On the other hand, if you have a data cap, going over the limit could lead to added fees and throttled speeds, so you’ll want to monitor your use throughout the month to avoid any penalties. Instead of worrying over your data consumption, I would recommend choosing for an ISP that offers unlimited data, like the ones listed below.
- Locating local internet providers
- Speeds, pricing and special offers from Astound are a bit all over the place from one market to the next, but unlimited data is one perk available in all service areas.
- AT&T is our pick for the best fiber internet provider overall thanks to its high availability, competitive pricing, fast speeds and unlimited data.
Along with unlimited data, Astound stands out for its low introductory pricing, with plans at as little as $20 per month for speeds up to 300Mbps. Pricing is good for two years in most locations, but beware of a steep increase once the price guarantee expires.
AT&T is our pick for the best fiber internet provider overall thanks to its high availability, competitive pricing, fast speeds and unlimited data. All AT&T Fiber plans come with no data cap, which means you can stream, game and browse social media without fear of incurring overage fees. Not all AT&T internet plans are free of data caps, however. AT&T Internet, a copper-based service, and AT&T Fixed Wireless plans come with a data cap and potentially hefty fees for going over. AT&T Internet service comes with a 1.5TB per month cap while fixed wireless caps your monthly data at 350GB.
Lumen Technologies brands CenturyLink and Quantum Fiber are vastly different internet services. CenturyLink offers DSL internet service with max speeds of 100Mbps at $50 monthly while Quantum Fiber offers a fiber-optic internet starting at $50 a month for 500Mbps download and upload speeds. One attribute the two services have in common, however, is unlimited data. Regardless of which provider is available in your area, your internet plan will come without a data cap to fret over.
Unlike AT&T, Frontier offers unlimited data with both its DSL and fiber-optic internet services. Equipment costs are also included in the monthly cost and no contracts are required, making Frontier one of the more straightforward providers when it comes to pricing. Unlimited data adds to the value of any internet plan, but some Frontier plans are a better value than others. Frontier’s DSL service starts at $65 per month but max speeds vary widely by location.