On this page you’ll find all the information you need to find internet service in the state of Georgia. Below we cover who the internet state providers in Georgia are, where you can get 3G/4G mobile coverage, what internet access the top 5 colleges in the state provide their students (and how to access it) and where to go to find free wi-fi hotspots.
Find the Best Internet Service Provider in Your Area of Georgia
Local Residential Internet Service Providers
Below you’ll find 3 internet service providers that are local to Georgia. These 3 ISPs focus primarily on providing service to residential areas.
- Georgia Public Web: Georgia Public Web’s Internet service has been designed to provide carriers the highest levels of performance and reliability. GPW’s Internet service is multi-homed to multiple upstream Internet Service Providers, insuring businesses the availability of an ISP even if one or more are out of service. They don’t have pricing and packages stated on their website. But you can call them at 770-661-2000 for more details.
- Cable TV of East Alabama: CTVEA offers high speed internet plans for your area. They have download speeds of up to 1.5 Mbps, 3.0 Mbps, and 6.0 Mbps. Prices are not stated on their site. You need to call them for a price quote at 334.298.7000.
- TDS Telecom: TDS Telecom’s high speed internet plan pricing depends on your area. An example is in White Oak, TDS offers their Lite plan for $9.95/month for 6 months at 1 Mbps download speed. Their Express plan costs $14.95/month for 1 year has 2–5 Mbps download speed. Their Turbo plan costs $19.95/month for 1 year with 8–15 Mbps download speed. Lastly, their Extreme plan costs $34.95 /month for 1 year with 18–25 Mbps download speed. Visit their site for availability and pricing. Better yet, contact them at 866-571-6662 for details.
Local Business Internet Service Providers
These 3 internet providers are also local to Georgia, but their primary focus is on providing access to businesses.
- Northland Communications: Northland Communications broadband business internet has a downstream speed of up to 12 to 24 Mbpd with upstream of up to 2 to 4 Mbps. To contact them, dial (478) 237-6434.
- NULink: NULink boasts of lightning fast speeds that move your e-mail and “mission critical” files quickly. NuLink’s advanced fiber optic network ensures reliable connectivity. Their High-Speed Data service is preferred by businesses that can’t afford to lose their Internet connection for even one minute. To get a price quotation, contact them at 770-683-6988.
- Cbeyond Communications: Cbeyond Communications service can support multiple users with just a single connection which allows you to grow your business and add employees without worrying about outgrowing your technology. Rates are not stated on the website as you need to contact them for more info. Call 866.424.2710 to get a price quotation.
Georgia Internet Connections and Coverage
In this section we show you what you can expect in terms of speed. We’ll look at Georgia as a whole, then look at the top 5 fastest cities and providers.
In regards to the state, Georgia’s average internet speed is 14.14 Mbps. This is slightly higher than the national average of 12.55 Mbps.
The 5 cities with fastest internet speed in Georgia are:
- La Fayette – 27.72 Mbps
- Dublin – 27.27 Mbps
- Waynesboro – 27.08 Mbps
- Fort Benning – 25.40 Mbps
- Cedartown – 23.49 Mbps
The 5 fastest internet service providers in Georgia are:
- Colo at 55, LLC -108.98 bps
- EPB Telecom – 31.20 Mbps
- Charter Communications – 24.56 Mbps
- DirecPath, LLC – 21.31 Mbps
- Comcast – 20.37 Mbps
Keep in mind that this data will fluctuate, so for the most up to date stats you’ll want to check out the Georgia page at NetIndex.com.
Mobile 3G Internet Coverage for Georgia
Below you’ll find a little bit of information as to where you can find 3G mobile access using one of the following 3 data providers. Keep in mind that coverage changes all the time, so you’ll definitely want to double check the ISP’s coverage map before buying a plan to ensure there will be coverage where you need it most.
Clear: Clear has mobile coverage in major cities of Georgia such as Atlanta, , Ellenwood, Marietta, Augusta, and Sandy Springs.
AT&T: AT&T’s mobile coverage is strong on the upper half of Georgia. The lower half doesn’t have good 3G signals, mostly because of natural forms such as rivers, lakes, mountains, forests, and coastal plains.
Verizon: Verizon has strong signals in the state except on the area in the south towards Florida where the St. Mary’s River is located.
Top 5 Colleges in Georgia & Their Internet Access
If you’re going to be attending one of the top colleges in Georgia state, you’ll want to read the information below. We cover the connections that are provided to you, as well as how to get connected to them.
Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Tech broadcasts three different wireless networks. See the descriptions below to see which one best applies to you:
GTwpa (recommended): GTwpa is the preferred wireless connection for Georgia Tech students and faculty
GTwireless: Georgia Tech’s secondary wireless connection for students and faculty. In order to connect to GTwireless, you will need the network’s WEP security key, which can be found on the LAWN SSID and WEP Key webpage, and you will need to input your GT username and password into your web browser each time you log onto the internet.
GTvisitor: Visitors to Georgia Tech and those that do not have a Georgia Tech username should connect to GTvisitor. Visitors are required to pay a small fee in order to use this network. For more information, see the LAWN GTvisitor page.
Emory University
EmoryUnplugged is the preferred wireless service for the Emory community. This service provides unlimited speed and encrypted traffic for users with an Emory Network ID (ENID) from multiple locations across campus, with no limits on what the user can access.
EmoryGuest, is the wireless network for visitors which is provided for official guests of Emory University who have not been granted a Network ID and password for access to the Internet.
University of Georgia
PAWS is the wireless gateway to the Internet and University of Georgia networking resources. It provides students, faculty, and staff unfettered access from much of the campus and downtown Athens. To access PAWS, you will need a valid University of Georgia MyID and password (the same as your UGAMail login and password). Each time that you connect your wireless computer to the PAWS network, you will have to use a web browser to log in before allowed access.
Georgia State University
Georgia State University’s wireless internet is available to students, faculty and staff. Whoever wants to access the network needs to have a valid login and password first. Students who wish to connect to the network will only have to connect with CatChat2x, which is the system that the university is using.
Georgia Southern University
The Network Services team has been implementing a new wireless technology that will standardize the university’s wireless infrastructure. This technology allows us to provide you with a higher, more reliable quality of service. Students and faculty who want to access the wireless internet should connect to the gsucampus SSID. They will be required to enter their username and password to connect.
Free Internet Access Spots in Georgia
Krystal Restaurants like Krystal have free wi-fi service in Georgia. Other places include coffeehouses, fast food shops, hotels, and resorts. Here are some free internet spots in this state:
- Sky Car Wash in Alpharetta
- Jittery Joe’s in Five Points in Athens
- Fire Of Brazil in Atlanta
- Scenic Train Depot in Blue Ridge
- Twin Oaks RV Park and Campground in Elko
Please keep in mind that this is far from a complete list of free wi-fi hotspots in Georgia. This is merely a shortlist to give you an idea of where you can go or where to start looking.