EarthLink and AT&T are the nation’s top internet service providers (ISPs). Both offer a variety of internet connections to deliver up to 5,000 Mbps of internet speeds for a starting price of around $55 per month. But while AT&T’s service is non-contractual and limited to 23 states, EarthLink internet plans are available throughout the contiguous USA and require an annual contract.
If you live in a state where the services of AT&T and EarthLink coincide, and you are unsure which one to choose, we have got you covered. In this comprehensive blog post, we go over their speeds, costs, benefits, and additional fees to identify which provider is the best in our opinion.
EarthLink
EarthLink is the largest internet service provider in the country, delivering high-speed internet connections in 96% of the USA through partnerships with renowned network providers like AT&T, Verizon, Xfinity, Spectrum, Google, and more.
Instead of investing in its own internet infrastructure, EarthLink uses other ISPs’ networks and repackages internet and related services to deliver superior performance at affordable rates.
The company has close to 5 million subscribers and utilizes fiber-optic, DSL, and fixed wireless connections to offer speeds of up to 5 Gigs.
Earthlink’s widely available DSL internet service starts at $54.95 per month, with speeds starting at 12 Mbps.
Pros
- No data caps on fiber plans
- Wider availability
- Fiber offers speeds of up to 5 Gbps
Cons
- Expensive plans
- Data caps on some plans
AT&T
The American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T Inc.) is another well-known telecommunications company in the USA. It offers 3 types of internet connections – AT&T Fiber, AT&T IPBB, and AT&T Internet Air, to nearly 100 million residential and business consumers.
AT&T’s internet service starts at $55 per month and delivers speeds up to 5 Gbps. Customers do not have to worry about hefty add-on fees because the equipment charges are included in the monthly payment, and all plans are non-contractual.
You get unlimited data on most AT&T plans. However, slow-speed plans might have data caps.
Pros
- Budget-friendly plans
- Fiber internet is widely available
- Unlimited data on most plans
- No contracts
Cons
- IPBB plans are slow
- 1.5 TB data cap on some IPBB plans
Internet Service Comparison – EarthLink vs AT&T
| Features | Earthlink | AT&T |
|---|---|---|
| Type of Internet | Fiber, DSL, Fixed Wireless | Fiber, IPBB, Fixed Wireless |
| Price Range | $54.95 – $189.95/mo | $55.00 – $245.00/mo.* |
| Speed Range | 12 – 5,000 Mbps | 10 – 5,000 Mbps |
| Availability | 48 states | 23 states |
| Contracts | Yes | No |
| Data Caps | Applied on some plans | 1.5 TB on some IPBB plans |
| Installation Fee | $79.95 | $99.00 |
| Bundles | Not Available | Available |
| Perks | Up to $200 on gift cards | Up to $150 on reward cards |
| Customer Service Rating (ACSI) | N/M | 69/100 |
| Equipment Fee | $14.95/mo. | Included |
Plans & Pricing Details – EarthLink vs AT&T Internet
If we compare the plans of Earthlink and AT&T, Earthlink offers a greater variety of internet options, while AT&T offers more cost-effective slow-to-medium speed plans.
EarthLink provides 14 internet plans on its fiber, DSL, and fixed wireless networks. The standalone internet service starts at $54.95 per month, and the speed goes up to 5,000 Mbps on fiber-exclusive connections.
Similarly, AT&T deploys fiber, hybrid fiber-copper (internet protocol broadband – IPBB), and fixed wireless connections to deliver up to 5,000 Mbps of speeds at rates as low as $55 per month.
EarthLink Internet Plans
| Plans | Starting Price | Max Speed | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiber 100 | $59.95/mo.* | 100 Mbps | Fiber-optic |
| Fiber 300 | $69.95/mo.* | 300 Mbps | Fiber-optic |
| Fiber 500 | $79.95/mo.* | 500 Mbps | Fiber-optic |
| Fiber 1,000 | $89.95/mo.* | 1,000 Mbps | Fiber-optic |
| Fiber 2,000 | $129.95/mo.* | 2,000 Mbps | Fiber-optic |
| Fiber 5,000 | $189.95/mo.* | 5,000 Mbps | Fiber-optic |
| DSL 12 | $54.95/mo.* | 12 Mbps | DSL |
| DSL 24 | $59.95/mo.* | 24 Mbps | DSL |
| DSL 45 | $64.95/mo.* | 45 Mbps | DSL |
| DSL 75 | $69.95/mo.* | 75 Mbps | DSL |
| 100 GB Wireless | $59.95/mo.* | 100 Mbps | Fixed Wireless |
| 150 GB Wireless | $84.95/mo.* | 100 Mbps | Fixed Wireless |
| 200 GB Wireless | $109.95/mo.* | 100 Mbps | Fixed Wireless |
| 300 GB Wireless | $159.95/mo.* | 100 Mbps | Fixed Wireless |
AT&T Internet Plans
| Plans | Starting Price | Max Speed | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internet Air | $60.00/mo. | Up to 225 Mbps | Fixed Wireless(5G/ LTE) |
| Internet 25* | $60.00/mo.** | Up to 25 Mbps | IPBB |
| Internet 50* | $60.00/mo.** | Up to 50 Mbps | IPBB |
| Internet 75* | $60.00/mo.** | Up to 75 Mbps | IPBB |
| Internet 100 | $60.00/mo.** | Up to 100 Mbps | IPBB |
| Fiber 300 | $55.00/mo. | Up to 300 Mbps | Fiber |
| Fiber 500 | $65.00/mo. | Up to 500 Mbps | Fiber |
| Fiber 1 Gig | $80.00/mo. | Up to 1,000 Mbps | Fiber |
| Fiber 2 Gig | $145.00/mo. | Up to 2,000 Mbps | Fiber |
| Fiber 5 Gig | $245.00/mo. | Up to 5,000 Mbps | Fiber |
**Price is subject to change after 12 months.
All prices are after a $10 AutoPay & paperless billing discount.
Additional Costs – EarthLink vs AT&T Internet
| Extra Cost | Earthlink Internet | AT&T |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment Fee | $14.95/mo. (router rental) | FREE |
| Installation Fee | $79.95 (one-time) | $99.00 |
| Early Termination Fee | Up to $200.00* | N/A |
Data Caps & Overage Fees
Earthlink and AT&T provide unlimited data with their fiber plans. Nevertheless, some plans have data restrictions.
AT&T does not apply data caps on speeds equal to or faster than 100 Mbps. However, the ‘AT&T Internet 75’ plan and lower come with a 1.5 TB data cap, and upon exceeding the monthly data limit, customers are charged $10 for every 50 GB of additional data.
Similarly, there are no data restrictions on EarthLink’s fiber and DSL internet plans. However, depending on your plan, fixed wireless has 100 GB to 300 GB of data caps.
Installation Options – AT&T vs EarthLink Internet
EarthLink and AT&T let you install your internet and save money. Many internet service providers (ISPs) demand high prices for professional internet service installation.
AT&T offers both professional and self-installation. You can avoid the standard professional installation fee of $99 if you self-install the service. However, you must still pay a one-time $35 activation charge.
On the other hand, EarthLink promotes its wireless internet service on the basis of its easy DIY setup. However, its DSL and fiber services require expert installation, and customers are charged $79.95 for the visit.
Perks – AT&T vs EarthLink Internet
AT&T offers more perks than EarthLink.
AT&T provides ActiveArmor with its internet service, which protects your devices from cyber threats, even on WiFi. In comparison, the EarthLink virus and spam protection suite, EarthLink Secure, is only free for the first 30 days. Its standard subscription fee ranges between $7.95 and $24.95 per month.
Another perk of AT&T is its Contract Buyout policy. New residential customers who switch from their current provider to AT&T Fiber get up to $500 in early termination fee coverage. However, this is a limited-time offer and is subject to change. Customers can also save money up to 20% when they bundle their AT&T Internet with an unlimited wireless plan.
Compared to that, EarthLink provides a gift card (worth $200) if you switch to EarthLink Fiber Internet and keep the service active for 3 months.
Better Option for Gaming – EarthLink or AT&T?
When it comes to online gaming, a millisecond can be the difference between winning and losing. AT&T and EarthLink offer widely available wired and wireless connections. However, serious gamers should always opt for fiber internet.
Latency rates and speeds play a significant role in a seamless gaming experience. The recommended latency rate is 20-40 ms or lower. Luckily, AT&T offers fiber plans with ultra-low latency of between 7-13 ms.
Since EarthLink purchases bandwidths from top-ranking fiber internet providers like AT&T, Verizon, Frontier, and CenturyLink, you are most likely to experience similar latency rates on EarthLink Fiber plans.
Wider Coverage Area – EarthLink or AT&T?
EarthLink’s availability is widespread throughout the country. EarthLink has a footprint in almost 48 states, making up nearly 100% of the contiguous USA. However, the connection type, plans, and prices may differ depending on your location within the footprint.
AT&T’s availability is less than EarthLink’s, but its fiber coverage is better than EarthLink’s. AT&T has over 1.1 million global route miles of fiber, and more than 8 million businesses are receiving internet through fiber optics.
Following are the states where the coverages of both providers overlap.
| Overlapping States for EarthLink and AT&T Coverages | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Georgia | Louisiana | North Carolina | ||||||||
| Arizona | Illinois | Michigan | Ohio | ||||||||
| Arkansas | Indiana | Mississippi | Oklahoma | ||||||||
| California | Kansas | Missouri | Pennsylvania | ||||||||
| Florida | Kentucky | Nevada | South Carolina | ||||||||
| Tennessee | Texas | Wisconsin | |||||||||
Better Customer Service – EarthLink or AT&T?
There is no comparison between AT&T and EarthLink’s customer service. AT&T always stays on the top with its exceptional customer service. Whereas, EarthLink has never made it to the indices or charts that are seen as reliable barometers for customer satisfaction.
In the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), AT&T has received above-average scores in the ‘fiber’ and ‘non-fiber internet providers’ categories. Whereas, EarthLink is nowhere to be seen. The same was true for the J.D. Power survey.
Hence, we turned to the Better Business Bureau to asses EarthLink Internet’s customer service. They have rated EarthLink’s customer service A+ based on 280 customer reviews.
From the mixed reviews, we can see that some EarthLink customers had a great experience with the service provider while some call their customer service “pathetic”. Hence, we can assume that EarthLink’s customer service is inconsistent and depends on your luck.
| Better Business Bureau | |
|---|---|
| EarthLink | AT&T Broadband Internet |
| A+ (accredited) | A- (not accredited) |
EarthLink vs AT&T Internet – Winner: AT&T
EarthLink and AT&T are neck and neck in terms of prices, speeds, and perks. Both providers offer different types of internet connections and various plans catering to the needs of different users.
AT&T is the clear winner in this battle between the two service providers. Although AT&T has limited coverage around the country, its fiber internet footprint is wider than EarthLink’s and the service is more readily accessible.
In the states where the services of AT&T and EarthLink overlap each other, it is better to opt for AT&T because of their no-contract policy, affordable plans, included equipment, and top-notch customer service. AT&T also offers better perks like its Contract Buyout offer and bundle discounts.
Although EarthLink is a nationwide, multi-gig internet service provider, its entire broadband model is reliant on AT&T. Therefore, AT&T remains our top choice.
