AT&T vs. Mediacom

*Speed varies by service area.

††Plus, activation, installation and monthly modem rental fees.

Mediacom’s biggest attraction is its rock-bottom prices on its basic internet plan (at least at first) combined with its huge data allowances on its more expensive plans. Its wide selection of plans allows you avoid wasting money on unnecessary features by choosing the precise speed that you need—at least to begin with.

As with AT&T, the devil’s in the details. Many of the plans go up in cost after the first year, and some continue to increase after that. Its 1Gig plan, which is a bit pricey to begin with, can be almost double the monthly cost after a few years.

Fortunately, unlike AT&T, Mediacom doesn’t lock you into an annual contract, which means that you can bail at any time. Its cable network is also a lot more reliable than DSL, which is another big advantage.

While a 6,000 GB data cap is probably one of the highest you’re ever going to see, it’s worth remembering that many providers offer unlimited data plans at much lower prices.

AT&T offers unlimited data in bundled plans, but unlimited data can also be purchased separately for those who only want to sign up for internet service. This can be a substantial price increase, especially if you’re using one of AT&T’s lower-cost plans, but it still comes out to much less than you would be paying for Mediacom’s top-tier plans.

AT&T vs. Mediacom: Who has the fastest internet speed?

Internet speeds

AT&T wins the speed race with 5 G Internet, a fiber-optic plan that gives you 5,000 Mbps download speeds. No other major internet provider in the country can get you speeds that fast—it’s truly a record breaker. But it’s also an expensive plan, and most internet users will be just fine with 1,000 Mbps speeds or less.

Both AT&T and Mediacom offer plans with 1,000 Mbps (1 Gbps) download speeds. AT&T’s is the same price but more reliable, with the added benefit that it gives you gigabit upload speeds—something you won’t get from a cable provider like Mediacom.

Although Mediacom’s cable internet can sometimes match the speed of a fiber network, cable connections share bandwidth with your neighbors, which means that you won’t always get the gigabit speeds you pay for.

Cable is, however, much faster and more reliable than DSL, so in areas where AT&T is offering only DSL connections, Mediacom reigns supreme in terms of dependable speeds.

Internet types

AT&T offers both fiber and DSL plans. Fiber is the best internet connection available because it’s both fast and reliable. It also offers symmetrical upload speeds, which means that if you stream video or upload large files, those uploads will benefit from the same gigabit speeds that your downloads do.

The only real downside is that fiber networks are still available only in a very limited number of places.

DSL hits a max speed of only 100 Mbps, and depending on the distance between your house and the provider, it could be much less than that. Nowadays, phone lines are often laid with DSL in mind, which can improve speeds, but DSL is still one of the slower options for broadband internet.

Mediacom offers only one type of internet: cable. Its cable speeds can vary between 100 Mbps to 1,000 Mbps, with its top speeds rivaling those of fiber networks. The downside of cable networks is that they can get bogged down at peak usage times, so if you and your neighbors are all hoping to enjoy some HD videos after work, you could be disappointed.

Despite these drawbacks, cable is still much faster and more reliable than DSL, often making it the best choice in areas without fiber coverage.

AT&T vs. Mediacom fees and contracts

Nobody likes surprises when they’re paying their bills, and both of these providers have a lot of hidden fees tucked away in their fine print. Here’s a roadmap to help you navigate through these unexpected costs.