Best Internet Providers in Franklin, Tennessee

What is the best internet provider in Franklin?

AT&T Fiber is Franklin, Tennessee's best internet service provider due largely to its local fiber availability, fast upload and download speeds, straightforward pricing and record of high customer satisfaction. The 100% fiber high-speed internet provider offers plans with symmetrical speeds ranging from 300 megabits per second to 5,000Mbps, the fastest in the area. All plans feature free equipment, unlimited data, no contracts and no set price increases.

Xfinity has a small fiber presence in Franklin, but availability is mostly limited to business properties. The vast majority of Franklin residents will have access to Xfinity’s cable internet network, which is still plenty capable, offering download speeds up to 2,000Mbps throughout much of the area. Xfinity also boasts the cheapest internet plan in Franklin, with service starting at just $20 a month for download speeds up to 150Mbps.

For alternatives to AT&T and Xfinity, look for fixed wireless service from Verizon 5G Home Internet or T-Mobile Home Internet. The latter has slightly better availability in Franklin, but Verizon 5G Home Internet has a lower starting price and faster max speeds. Both providers offer free equipment rental, unlimited data and a mobile bundle discount.

Best internet in Franklin, Tennessee

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Franklin

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

Franklin internet providers, such as T-Mobile Home Internet and Xfinity, may offer lower introductory pricing or other perks for a limited time. Many, however, including AT&T Fiber and Verizon 5G Home Internet, run the same standard pricing year-round. 

For a more extensive list of promos, 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, 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 online 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 Franklin, Tennessee

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. So 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.

But it doesn’t end there. We go to 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 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 answers to those questions are often layered and complex, the providers that come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend. When it comes to selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, though 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 also take into account real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports.

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

Franklin internet provider FAQs