AT&T VS Spectrum: Which Has the Best Internet Plans for Businesses?

You and your employees need the most suitable, flexible and fast speed internet to get all your errands completed on time. Whether you are an online business or a physical one, the internet is of utmost importance. AT&T and Spectrum are two ISPs that have the best internet plans for businesses. However, you have to make the tough decision of choosing one. We are here to help you with that decision! 

AT&T Internet Plans for Businesses

With an experience of over 30 years in the telecommunication industry, AT&T is one of the most trusted and renowned providers you will find in the US. It has now expanded its operations into various fields, including TV services, cable internet, fiber optic internet, phone, and much more. Its excellent speeds and phenomenal customer service are other reasons why it is so well-reputed. It is available in 21 states and offers maximum internet speeds of up to 1 gigabit. 

Here are some of its basic DSL and fiber optic internet plans:

• Internet Basic 5 (DSL Plan) — $45 per month
• Internet 10-100 (DSL Plan) — $45 per month
• Internet 300 (Fiber Optic) — $35 per month
• Internet 500 (Fiber Optic) — $45 per month
• Internet 1,000 (Fiber Optic) — $60 per month

Let’s see what offers it has for businesses: 

• Internet 25 + Phone

Of course, your business is going to need some way of staying connected to the rest of the team, clients, and to the web in general. The best way to do that is to have a stable phone connection at your place of work. However, rather than paying separately for a phone connection and an internet plan from another provider, just go for the bunch of Internet and phone bundles that AT&T has to offer. These are ideal for small to medium-sized businesses, considering the price ranges and internet speeds included. 

Internet 25 + phone bundle is one of the basic packages you can subscribe to. It has internet speeds of up to 25 Mbps, along with an AT&T phone. You can expect the same speeds as promised by this ISP, so it’s a great plus point! The package starts at $70/month.

• Internet 50 + Phone + Tech support

Starting at $115/mo., you can expect 24/7 tech support along with 50 Mbps of download speeds and phone connectivity in this bundle. Overall, you will save $20/monthly if you take up this package. 

• Internet 100 + Phone

If you think you can handle the technical part yourself, then skip the tech support and save yourself some extra bucks with the Internet 100 + phone bundle. It has greater download speeds and costs about $80/monthly. 

• Internet 100

Internet 100 is a simple internet package with a download speed of 100 Mbps. It is ideal for small businesses and for those with either lesser users or smaller internet usage. With 100 Mbps of internet, you can conduct video conferences in HD, and smooth video streaming for work or even leisure purposes as well. The package includes Wi-Fi hardware to provide internet for all employees and even customers. The package costs $60/mo. 

• Internet 500

If you are looking for higher download speeds or have a huge number of devices that need internet connectivity, then the internet 500 package by AT&T is the perfect fit. 500 Mbps internet speed will accommodate streaming, video conferencing, and basic usage on multiple devices simultaneously. You can use cloud storage and upload at this speed easily. 

• AT&T’s 5G plans for businesses

Even though 5G is still in its testing mode, AT&T has already started making its efforts towards expanding 5G availability. 5G rollout is slow, so availability by area is very different from the usual DSL or fiber optic internet. Before you opt for any of AT&T’s 5G business internet plans, make sure to check availability in your area. The 5G business plans are listed below.

1. AT&T Business Unlimited Elite

• $40/mo. per line when you get 6 lines
• Max 10 lines
• Unlimited talk and text in Canada and Mexico
• Extra mobile security features
• 100 GB of mobile hotspot data
• HD streaming, video conferencing and much more

1. AT&T Business Unlimited performance

• $35/mo. per line when you get 6 lines
• 10 lines
• Access to 5G+
• 30 GB of mobile hotspot data

1. AT&T Business Starter

• $30/mo. Per line when you get 6 lines
• 10 lines
• Unlimited talk and text
• No mobile hotspot data
• Basic mobile security

For businesses that have multiple locations, AT&T High-Speed internet Enterprise is the best option. The category includes packages of up to 1-gigabit speeds and also offers excellent pricing and other features. It also includes fiber-based services, so you can avail the fastest internet available in most areas. Plus, all hardware issues are taken care of, and static IP for security purposes is also provided to protect your valuable business data. All locations of the business will receive a bill for their usage each, but under one contract only. 

Spectrum Internet Plans for Businesses

Providing cable internet, TV, and phone services to its consumers for 21 years, Spectrum has surely made a huge name in the market with its low monthly prices and exceptional internet speeds. While Spectrum has not yet expanded its horizons in 5G, it still has made a huge success for low-budget plans and flexible, no-contract services. Its basic cable internet plans are:

• Spectrum Internet 200- 49.99 per month
• Spectrum Internet Ultra – $94.99 per month
• Spectrum Internet Gig – $249.99 per month

 Let’s take a look at what internet plans Spectrum has to offer to businesses:

• 200 Business  Internet + Voice

When competing against AT&T’s bundling options, Spectrum might not be the best. However, if you want to keep yourself away from contracts and have easier leases for internet hardware, then Spectrum is the way to go. Starting from its first business bundle, we have the 200 Mbps Business Internet + Voice options. The plan will include 200 Mbps of internet speed, with features like free desktop security and personalized domain names. You also get free long-distance calling, so it is the perfect bundle for businesses that deal with a lot of overseas clients and customers. The package will cost you $69.98/mo. without any tying up contracts. 

• 200 Mbps Internet + Voice + TV essential

It’s always a fun idea to keep your employees and work team entertained and give them the option to lay off for a bit. Having a TV essential bundle by Spectrum on board will be the way to go. The Internet, voice, and TV package includes 200 Mbps of internet speed, 60+ HD channels, and many other non-HD ones, all at $89.97/mo. This plan also comes with the free long-distance calling. Overall, you get great cost savings from this bundle. 

• 600 Internet + Voice

Not satisfied with only 200 Mbps of internet speed? 600 internet + voice package has much greater speed than 200, along with all the extra features benefits you will want for your business. Costing for about 114.98/mo. the bundle has 35+ advanced phone options for you and your employees to enjoy. 

• Spectrum Internet Ultra

The Ultra package by Spectrum includes an internet speed of up to 600 Mbps, with a max upload speed of 35 Mbps. The plan will be best for businesses that have over 15 employees, a maximum of 20. It can accommodate heavy data file transferring and cloud backups, SaaS features, and HD video conferencing. 

• Spectrum internet Gig

For larger businesses with more employees, Spectrum’s Gigabit internet is a perfect choice. It costs about $249.99/mo., but is suitable for all heavy usage such as 20 or more employees, web hosting, cloud backups, and much more. 

Both Spectrum Internet Ultra and Internet Gig come with free tech services, which are discussed later. 

Pros and Cons of AT&T Internet

Pros 

• Relatively good rural availability

Even though AT&T is only really available in 21 states, compared to Spectrum’s wider coverage, it still has good rural availability. So, no matter where you are running your business from, you can get cheap internet plans. 

• Better data caps

AT&T has generous data caps, of up to 1TB, so you will barely ever exceed the data cap to that extent. Plus, you can also get the unlimited data cap plan at $90/mo.

• Lots of bundle options

Since AT&T has so many services to offer, bundling up is very easy. It is also very customizable, so you can only choose to pay for services that you really want to use. Some internet and TV bundles even have unlimited data caps. 

• Customer service

In terms of customer support, AT&T is the clear winner when put up against Spectrum. Support is available 24/7, and it is very responsive. Over the years, AT&T has received some outstanding customer support ratings and reviews. 

• Cheaper fiber optic internet

The biggest advantage of AT&T internet services is its fiber optic option. You should opt for Spectrum if you want DSL and cable internet with better prices and speeds. However, for fiber optic, you can save a lot of money and get excellent speeds if you opt for AT&T. 

Cons

• Fiber availability is limited

Since it’s relatively recent, fiber optic rollout isn’t the greatest and hence availability can be a huge issue. While DSL might be more easily available in rural areas, it is not so true for fiber optic. 

• 940 mbps max speed

Compared to Spectrum’s full 1000 Mbps download speed, AT&T delivers only 940 Mbps.

• DSL prices are not competitive

Again, AT&T is far better for fiber optic internet than it is for DSL. For DSL, Spectrum tends to have better prices, the flexibility of contracts, and better coverage too. 

• Data surcharges

Even though there are generous data caps, the charges for surpassing the cap are a lot. 

• Contracts

Lastly, AT&T will require you to get tied up with a contract. This is a disadvantage for small businesses who are likely to relocate sometime soon, or for those who are only just testing out different ISPs for their business. 

Pros and Cons of Spectrum Internet

Pros 

• 30-day money back guarantee

One of the most difficult parts is when you have to switch from one ISP to another. Spectrum makes this so much easier by just simply buying out your package of up to $500 and makes the switch very easy. Plus, you get a 30-day money-back guarantee when you first subscribe to its plans. 

• Internet security

Spectrum has its own security system called the Internet Security Solution that you will get with your business internet plans. The security system will protect your business systems from malware, adware, viruses and such threats to your sensitive data. 

• Greater availability

Compared to AT&T’s coverage in 21 states, Spectrum is available in over 40 states. 

• Free cloud backups, web hosting, custom email addresses

One of the most useful advantages to businesses opting for Spectrum internet is free tech services. These include a free cloud backup of 100 GB space, along with custom domain names and email domains. You can even get free Wi-Fi set up for individual employees, however, that costs you about $7. Cap-free data, emails, cloud backup, internet security, web hosting, and Wi-Fi for employees are some very important but free tech services you will get. 

• Free modem up to 300 Mbps plans

This is good news for small businesses. You can get a free modem with plans lower than 300 Mbps. Keep in mind that the modems are still the ISP’s property. 

• No contract

Lastly, the biggest advantage Spectrum has over AT&T is its contract-free plans.

Cons

• Limited fiber optic internet

AT&T is surely ahead of its time, with its 5G technology and fiber optic internet in most areas. Compared to this, Spectrum does not have these services. 

• Poor customer service

There are many reviews and ratings that show dissatisfaction with Spectrum’s customer support. 

Verdict!

Spectrum bundles are not as great as AT&T’s, and the fact that there is very limited coverage for Fiber optic and absolutely nothing for 5G, might be a little bit of a deal-breaker for some businesses. However, DSL speeds are 3x times faster with Spectrum, and 5G still has a long way to go with only limited devices being 5G-compatible. Considering prices, speeds, and contract-free feasibility, Spectrum sounds like the better choice for businesses. You can check out more of AT&T and Spectrum internet, TV, and phone plans at buytvinternetphone for more insights.