Best Internet Providers in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
What is the best internet provider in Myrtle Beach?
CNET’s recommendation for the best internet service provider in Myrtle Beach goes to Horry Telephone Cooperative. As a local provider, HTC combines personalized customer care with the largest fiber internet coverage in the area. It also offers competitive pricing on high-speed plans that include unlimited data and no contracts, making it an excellent choice for Myrtle Beach residents.
For those seeking alternative options, other top providers in Myrtle Beach include Spectrum, Frontier Fiber and fixed wireless services like T-Mobile Home Internetand Verizon 5G Home Internet. While Frontier Fiber has limited availability, it delivers the fastest and most affordable internet plans in the area, with speeds up to 5,000Mbps. Introductory pricing starts at just $30 per month for a 500Mbps plan, making it an attractive option for eligible households.
Best internet in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier Read full review | DSL, fiber | $30-$95 | 200-5,000Mbps | None | None | Varies | 6.3 |
| Horry Telephone Cooperative | Cable | $50-$75 | 500-1,000Mbps | None | None | Yes | None |
| Spectrum Read full review | Cable | $50-$70 | 500-1,000Mbps | Free modem, $10 router rental (optional) | None | None | 7.2 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review | Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review | Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 for eligible Verizon Wireless customers) | 50-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What's the cheapest internet plan in Myrtle Beach?
| Plan | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier Fiber 200 Read full review | $30 ($40 after 12 months) | 200Mbps | None |
| Frontier Fiber 500 Read full review | $30 ($55 after 12 months) | 500Mbps | None |
| HTC Tier 1 | $50 ($70 after 12 months) | 500Mbps | None |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review | $50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 50-300Mbps | None |
| Spectrum Internet 500 Read full review | $50 ($80 after 12 months) | 500Mbps | $10 (optional) |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review | $50 | 72-245Mbps | None |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Myrtle Beach
The best internet deals and the top promotions in Myrtle Beach depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Myrtle Beach internet providers, such as Frontier Fiber, may offer lower introductory pricing or gift cards for a limited time. Many, including Spectrum and Horry Telephone Cooperative, run the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
Fastest internet plans in Myrtle Beach
| Plan | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier Fiber 5 Gig Read full review | $95 ($140 after 12 months) | 5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Frontier Fiber 2 Gig Read full review | $70 ($110 after 12 months) | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Frontier Fiber 1 Gig Read full review | $50 ($75 after 12 months) | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| HTC Tier 3 | $75 ($90 after 12 months) | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Spectrum Internet Gig Read full review | $70 ($100 after 12 months) | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | None | Cable |
| Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet Read full review | $70 ($45 with eligible mobile plans) | 85-1,000Mbps | 50-75Mbps | None | Fixed wireless |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What’s a good internet speed?
Most internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you're looking for an internet plan that can accommodate videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you'll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here's an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the FCC. Note that these are only guidelines and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.
For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need.
- 0 to 5Mbps allows you to tackle the basics: browsing the internet, sending and receiving email and streaming low-quality video.
- 5 to 40Mbps gives you higher-quality video streaming and videoconferencing.
- 40 to 100Mbps should give one user sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming.
- 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Myrtle Beach
Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. What’s our approach? We start by researching the pricing, availability and speed information drawing on our own historical ISP data, the provider sites and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.
It doesn’t end there: We go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of the time of publication.
Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:
- Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
- Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?
- Are customers happy with their service?
The answer to those questions is often layered and complex, but the providers who come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, although we also factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)
To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.
Internet providers in Myrtle Beach FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in Myrtle Beach?
Horry Telephone Cooperative is the Myrtle Beach area’s best internet service provider. HTC, the largest fiber-optic internet provider in Myrtle Beach, offers fast speeds and simple service terms along with the customer care and accessibility of a locally headquartered business.
Is fiber internet available in Myrtle Beach?
Around 47% of Myrtle Beach households are eligible for fiber internet, according to the FCC. Serviceability is greatest south of the airport, but neighborhoods around Broadway at the Beach and the Pine Lakes Golf Club also have decent fiber availability. HTC is the largest fiber internet provider in Myrtle Beach, but Frontier Fiber also has a small presence in the city.
Frontier Fiber’s availability is largely limited to North Myrtle Beach. Between Frontier Fiber and HTC, fiber internet is available to nearly 70% of North Myrtle Beach households, per the FCC.
Who is the cheapest internet provider in Myrtle Beach?
Frontier has the lowest starting rate for internet in Myrtle Beach at $25 per month for maximum download speeds of 500Mbps, around 5 cents per Mbps.
Frontier increases monthly pricing after 12 months, bringing this 500Mbps plan to $55 per month after the year commitment is over. Frontier's 200Mbps starts at $30 per month, which increases to $40 per month after one year. On the other hand, HTC's 500Mbps plan begins at $50 per month and increases to $70 per month, which is reasonable considering the broadband speeds and HTC's coverage of Myrtle Beach.
Overall, when choosing a cheap broadband price consider the yearly price increases, overall broadband speed, and the cost per Mbps to ensure you're getting the deal.
Which internet provider in Myrtle Beach offers the fastest plan?
Frontier Fiber offers the fastest internet plan in Myrtle Beach, up to 5,000Mbps, starting at $130 monthly but currently discounted to $95. Service is largely limited to North Myrtle Beach. Spectrum and HTC have the greatest gig speed availability in Myrtle Beach, offering speeds up to 1,000Mbps starting at $70 and $75 per month, respectively.
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