Does AT&T have the best WIFI?
Trying to access WiFi when the signal is poor and the speeds are sluggish is among the most annoying things one can do. Usually, just one provider is used in most households for internet service connection Regarding WiFi dependability and speed, not all ISPs are the same, however. This raises the issue: among all internet companies, does AT&T give the finest WiFi?
AT&T is the second-largest wireless communications network provider in the United States of America and one of the leading ISPs with over 14 million customers. They provide different wired and wireless Internet connection packages. Compared to other major providers such as Comcast Xfinity, Verizon Fios, and T-Mobile 5G home internet, how does their WiFi service measure up in terms of speed, coverage, and reliability? We sought to understand these three aspects and broke them down as follows below.
WiFi Speed
Among the fastest services available, AT&T's "Internet 1000" offers rates of up to 5 Gbps in certain locations. Limitations such as network congestion, distance between your location and the nearest hub, and user count might stop you from achieving such speeds, however. AT&T's home internet download speed ranges from 24 Mbps to 100 Mbps depending on the selected package. That contrasts with other top suppliers as follows: That contrasts with other top suppliers as follows:
Verizon Fios: Aims to deliver speeds of up to 940 Mbps. One can achieve an average of 200-400 Mbps in terms of speed.
Comcast Xfinity: Throughput speeds up to 1.2 Gbps. Average speeds ranging from 100-300 Mbps.
T-Mobile 5G home internet: Speeds range from $80-$115 Mbps on average.
Thus, on paper, AT&T’s top speeds are faster than Verizon’s Fios and equal to Comcast’s 1 Gig plan. Nonetheless, average speeds have been reduced to an almost similar range across all the major providers. But if ultra-fast download speeds of up to 5 Gbps are offered in your locality through AT&T Fiber, it is indeed a plus. However, where DSL lines are slow only then the speeds will be on par or may even be slower than cable internet from Xfinity and other companies.
Reliability
RPMs give but half the picture. Having a very high-speed connection is not a good thing when the network is prone to complications or even shutting down when one is in the process of uploading an important file or even conducting an online meeting or class through a video call. It is, however, important to note that generally, AT&T fiber internet does have relatively high reliability scores and has more service breaks than DSL. Still, they endure more outages and problems compared to some cable providers as per the contemporary reports.
Verizon Fios: A reliability of 99% uptime in 2021.
Comcast Xfinity: 1-2 service disruptions per year with the disruption time not exceeding 2 hours.
AT&T Internet: In 2021, an average customer had 3 outages that lasted over a total of 7 hours.
T-Mobile Home Internet: Currently, it does not have reliability ratings yet but some early concerns have been highlighted.
According to those figures, Verizon is a bit better than AT&T Internet in terms of network stability and availability. They can happen across different providers, though it is worth mentioning that fiber optic usually takes less time to recover than DSL. Therefore, the AT&T fiber should be performing better than even their very own DSL services. However, cable internet like Xfinity may still have relatively better consistencies in general across some regions.
WiFi Coverage
A lightning-fast connection that is incredibly stable does not mean much if some areas of the house cannot even pick up a signal. Coverage can be an issue with any service provider especially with the use of WiFi. Wireless signals can be affected negatively by large homes, multiple floors, thick walls, and interference from appliances. However, there are some differences in standard equipment and advanced options amongst providers: However, there are some differences in standard equipment and advanced options among providers:
Verizon Fios: Uses router with average range. Extenders available.
Comcast Xfinity: Offers modem/ router combo with moderate range capability. Mesh WiFi upgrades are available.
AT&T: In terms of range, the gateway router has a range slightly above the average. There are extenders available or contact your provider for the AT&T WiFi mesh network.
T-Mobile: An advantage of the 5G gateway is that its coverage will be similar to cable providers. Mesh WiFi upgrade recommended.
In terms of typical homes of less than 3,000 square feet, standard equipment probably will not vary greatly in terms of WiFi signal between the major providers. However, I will say that AT&T does offer an advantage if you are going to be covering more areas if you opt for the managed mesh network for whole home coverage for an additional monthly fee. But for apartments and small homes, the range should be comparable across the different providers.
The Bottom Line
So, what is the final decision? Is AT&T's home internet and Wi-Fi superior to other offers by Verizon, Comcast, or T-Mobile? Alas, there isn’t a single perfect ‘one-size-fits-all’ ISP for all users out there. It all depends on what groundwork has already been laid in your locality.
As a rule, if AT&T fiber optic connections are available at your address you will experience the greatest speed and stability. But in markets where older ADSL technology is limited, cable internet can be faster than AT&T today in terms of average download speeds, latency, and outages.
While more fiber homes and 5G fixed wireless rural expansion are in the pipeline for AT&T, their national speed and reliability scores are expected to increase significantly. That’s the good news if you’re lucky enough to have AT&T fiber services in reach, of course. However, as fiber and 5G home internet rollout is expected to go on in the next few years, cable internet suppliers such as Xfinity still offer very strong WiFi and internet speed for most homes.
Upgrade to faster, more reliable AT&T Fiber Internet today! Call us at +1 844-905-5002 and get connected with speeds that keep you ahead.