Best Internet Providers in Valdosta, Georgia

What is the best internet provider in Valdosta?

Availability is somewhat limited compared to other local ISPs, but if your address is serviceable for AT&T Fiber, it will be your best home internet option in Valdosta, Georgia. The 100% fiber-optic provider presents the best plan variety in the area, offering symmetrical speeds of 300 megabits per second to 5,000Mbps, the fastest speeds in Valdosta. AT&T also offers a copper-based, DSL-type internet service in Valdosta, but you’ll likely want to pass on its slow speeds in favor of other local options.

Mediacom is the best alternative to AT&T for internet in Valdosta. The cable provider has the best broadband coverage in the area and is known for its cheap internet rates. Mediacom’s 100Mbps plan is the cheapest in Valdosta, starting at just $35 a month, but beware that Mediacom plans come with a data cap and an unavoidable $14 monthly modem rental fee. 

A select few Valdosta residents may have the choice of Sparklight as well, but most will have to rely on wireless internet for options outside of AT&T and Mediacom. T-Mobile Home Internet is the best fixed wireless ISP in Valdosta, though Verizon 5G Home Internet is worth a look as well, if available. Finally, Beamspeed is another fixed wireless ISP in Valdosta, but the service is still in beta testing, and speeds fall well below what’s considered broadband, according to the provider’s website.

Best internet in Valdosta, Georgia

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Valdosta

The best internet deals and the top promotions in Valdosta depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers. 

Valdosta internet providers, such as Mediacom, may offer lower introductory pricing for a limited time. Many, including AT&T Fiber and T-Mobile Home Internet, run the same standard pricing year-round. 

For a more extensive list of deals, check out our guide on the best internet deals.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

What’s a good internet speed?

Most internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you’re looking for an internet plan that can accommodate videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you’ll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here’s an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the Federal Communications Commission. Note that these are only guidelines and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.

For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need.

• 0 to 5Mbps allows you to tackle the basics: browsing the internet, sending and receiving email and streaming low-quality video.
• 5 to 40Mbps gives you higher-quality video streaming and videoconferencing.
• 40 to 100Mbps should give one user sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming. 
• 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and gaming. 
• 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Valdosta, Georgia

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. What’s our approach? We start by researching the pricing, availability and speed information drawing on our own historical ISP data, the provider sites and mapping information from FCC.gov.

It doesn’t end there: We use the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of the time of publication.

Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:

1. Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
2. Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?
3. Are customers happy with their service?

While the answer to those questions is often layered and complex, the providers who come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, although we also factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports.

To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.

Valdosta internet provider FAQs