CNET Recommended AT&T fiber As the best internet provider in Knoxville. Knoxville has no shortage of high-speed internet options, with six providers available, including five that offer gigabit speeds.
To identify the best internet providers in Knoxville, our team evaluated speed, price, customer service and overall value. We conduct on-site inspections of our local address to confirm availability, thoroughly review the provider terms and conditions, and contact the ISP directly if necessary to verify details.
Please note that the prices, speeds, and other information listed above may differ from those found in the provider card below in the information we found in the study. Based on our database of plan information provided directly by the ISP, these cards show the full price and speed of the provider. Meanwhile, the text is available for Knoxville-specific. The prices quoted in this text are from our research, including applicable discounts for setting up automatic payments per month – Standard Industry. Other discounts and promotions may also be used for things that are contracted or tied to a cell phone plan.
To learn more about how we review internet providers, visit our full methodology page.
Top Internet Providers in Knoxville
Knoxville residents have a lot of quality internet providers to choose from. According to FCC mapping data, the city’s 99.75% of its internet speeds can download at least 250Mbps and 25Mbps uploads, while 97% of its internet speeds can get 1,000/100Mbps speeds.
An overview of Knoxville Internet Providers
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment cost | Data cap | contract | CNET Comment Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T fiber Read the full review |
fiber | $65- $255 | 300-5,000Mbps | Nothing | Nothing | Nothing | 7.4 |
| Knoxville Utilities Commission | fiber | $65-$300 | 1,000-10,000Mbps | $15 (optional) | Nothing | Nothing | na |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review |
Fixed wireless | $50 ($35 for eligible mobile plans) | 72-245Mbps | Nothing | Nothing | Nothing | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G home internet Read the full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 with cellular plan) | 100-3000Mbps | Nothing | Nothing | Nothing | 7.2 |
| Wow Read the full review |
cable | $30-$95 | 300-1,200Mbps | Nothing | unlimited | Nothing | 7.2 |
| xfinity Read the full review |
cable | $35- $95 | 150-1,200Mbps | $15 (optional) | 1.25TB unlimited | Elective | 7 |
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Source: CNET Analysis of Provider Data
Other available Knoxville residential internet providers
- Knoxville Utilities Commission: KUB is a municipal broadband provider in Knoxville, offering three fiber-optic internet plans: 1,000Mbps upload and download speeds, $65 per month, 2,500Mbps, priced at $150, 10,000Mbps, priced at $300. If more people can use Kub fiber, that would be our top pick. Currently, only 13% of Knoxville residents can get it, but it says it will be available in every home in the city by 2028.
- Satellite Internet: You can get satellite internet at every address in Knoxville, but there are almost no situations. Hughesnet and Viasat are traditional satellite providers in the region, both of which have steep prices, data caps and slow speeds on the shting feet. Starlink is an updated option that provides you with better speed and latency, but with high monthly prices and upfront equipment costs.
- Verizon 5G home internet: Like the T-Mobile Home Internet, Verizon uses its 5G wireless network to provide home internet connectivity. It offers faster speeds than T-Mobile, but currently only about 18% of Knoxville residents can use it.
Pricing information for home internet services in Knoxville
Compared to other cities in the region, Knoxville offers many cheap internet plans. Both WOW and XFINITY have some of the cheapest starting prices you will find anywhere in the country, although you have to pay attention to the price increase for both providers. The Verizon and T-Mobile also start at a low price – especially if you add a qualified phone plan to the mix.
The Cheapest Internet Plan in Knoxville
| Provider | Starting price | Maximum download speed | Monthly equipment fee | contract/ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xfinity Internet Essentials Plus Read the full review |
$30 | 150Mbps | $15 (optional) | Nothing |
| Xfinity Connect Read the full review |
$35 ($45 after one year) | 150Mbps | $15 (optional) | Nothing |
| Wow Internet 300 Read the full review |
$30 ($40 after one year) | 300Mbps | Nothing | Nothing |
| Xfinity Connect More Read the full review |
$3 ($45 in a year) | 300Mbps | $15 (optional) | Nothing |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review |
$50 ($35 for eligible mobile plans) | 318Mbps | Nothing | Nothing |
| Verizon 5G home internet Read the full review |
$50 ($35 for qualified phone plan) | 300Mbps | Nothing | Nothing |
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Source: CNET Analysis of Provider Data
How fast is Knoxville broadband?
Knoxville offers shocking GIG speed options in the area, with 12 different plans hitting download speeds above 1,000Mbps. For comparison, Nashville has seven performance speed plans, Charlotte has five and Asheville has four. The Knoxville Utilities Board offers some of the fastest internet plans you can find around the country with a symmetrical speed of 10,000Mbps.
Knoxville’s fastest internet plan
| Provider | Maximum download speed | Maximum upload speed | Starting price | Data cap | contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville Utilities Commission Performance 10 | 10,000Mbps | 10,000Mbps | $300 | Nothing | Nothing |
| AT&T Internet 5000 Read the full review |
5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | $255 | Nothing | Nothing |
| Knoxville Utilities Commission Performance 2.5 | 2,500Mbps | 2,500Mbps | $150 | Nothing | Nothing |
| AT&T Internet 2000 Read the full review |
2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | $155 | Nothing | Nothing |
| Wow 1.2 performance Read the full review |
1,200Mbps | 50Mbps | $95 ($105 after one year) | Nothing | Nothing |
| Xfinity Gigabit Read the full review |
1,100Mbps | 170Mbps | $60 | 1.2TB | Two years |
| Knoxville Utilities Commission Performance | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | $65 | Nothing | Nothing |
| AT&T Internet 1000 Read the full review |
1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | $90 | Nothing | Nothing |
| Wow 1 performance Read the full review |
1,000Mbps | 50Mbps | $60 ($70 after one year) | 3TB | Nothing |
| Verizon 5G home internet Read the full review |
1,000Mbps | 50Mbps | $70 ($45, eligible Verizon 5G mobile plan) | Nothing | Nothing |
| Xfinity Gigabit Read the full review |
1,100Mbps | 170Mbps | $60 | 1.2TB | Two years |
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Source: CNET Analysis of Provider Data
How CNET chooses the best internet provider in Knoxville
There are numerous and regional Internet service providers. Unlike the latest smartphones, laptops, routers, or kitchen tools, it is impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. So what is our method? First, draw information, study pricing, availability and speed information based on our own historical ISP data, provider websites, and fcc.gov FCC’s FCC mapping information.
But that’s not over. We visit the FCC’s website to check our data and make sure that we are considering all ISPs that provide services in a certain area. We also enter our local address on the provider website to find specific options for residents. To evaluate customer satisfaction for ISP services, we examined resources including the U.S. Customer Satisfaction Index and JD Power. ISP plans and prices change frequently; all information provided is accurate as of release.
Once this local information is obtained, we ask three main questions:
- Can providers access reasonable and fast internet speeds?
- Do customers get decent value for the money they pay?
- Are customers satisfied with their service?
Although the answers to these questions are often layered and complex, the three we recommend are closest to the provider of “yes”.
To explore our process more deeply, visit our test ISP page.
What’s the last sentence of the Knoxville Internet provider?
I’ll be blunt: Knoxville is one of the best cities for internet customers I cover on CNET. It has the fastest program from AT&T Fiber and Knoxville Utilities Commission anywhere, but it also has the cheapest WOW and XFINITY. You still need to be aware of things like price increases and equipment costs, but that’s true for any city. No matter what you are looking for in an internet provider, you can find it in Knoxville.
Internet providers of FAQs in Knoxville
What are the best Internet service providers in Knoxville?
AT&T Fiber is the best internet provider in Knoxville. It has fast symmetric speeds, reasonable prices and customer satisfaction scores for any national Internet provider. Both WOW and XFINITY are good backup options, but their upload speed and price are slower after a year (after two years after most Xfinity plans are completed). The T-Mobile Home Internet is a reliable choice for one or two people’s homes, but it’s not just pushing it.
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Is it possible to use fiber internet in Knoxville?
Yes, Knoxville offers fiber internet. AT&T offers fiber internet in cities, no contract or data caps, and symmetric speeds up to 5,000Mbps. The Knoxville Utilities Commission also offers a fiber internet program with speeds up to 10,000Mbps, but is currently only available at 13% of Knoxville’s address.
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Who is the cheapest internet provider in Knoxville?
Wow is the cheapest internet provider in Knoxville, with a starting price of $30 per month for 300/20Mbps speeds. Xfinity also offers 150Mbps speeds for $35 per month. For both providers, the price rose in the second year (year 3).
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Which internet provider in Knoxville offers the fastest plan?
The Knoxville Utilities Board offers Knoxville’s fastest internet plan, with a symmetrical 10,000Mbps speed of $300 per month. AT&T fiber also offers a symmetrical 5,000Mbps speed for $255 per month.
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