Perhaps you’re moving into a new home or apartment and are in need of an internet provider? Maybe you’ve narrowed your choices down to AT&T internet and Comcast Xfinity? If so, you’ve come to the right place.
Both of these internet services have their bright spots, but both have their downsides as well. As national services, they are available in quite a few areas. There’s a decent chance that both are available in your geographical area.
But what’s the difference between AT&T internet and Comcast Xfinity, and which one is right or you? Let’s get into it.
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Which Option Offers More Speed?
Let’s start off by discussing the respective speeds of these internet services. While both offer quite a few packages, they tend to span different speed ranges.
Overall, Xfinity wipes the floor with AT&T in terms of speeds. Xfinity is available in speeds ranging from 10 Mbps to 150 Mbps while AT&T internet is available in speeds ranging from 5 Mbps to 75 Mbps. As you can see, Xfinity has speeds which essentially double the speeds of AT&T.
And not only do the advertised speeds of Xfinity exceed AT&T’s, the performance speeds themselves do as well.
Let’s take a look at how these two internets fare against each other in specific cities.
In Atlanta, Xfinity averages speeds of around 118 Mbps while AT&T averages speeds of around 95 Mbps. That’s the best case scenario.
To see the biggest speed differential, all you have to do is look at the average speeds in places like Chicago. In Chicago, Xfinity averages speeds of around 117 Mbps while AT&T averages speeds of around 39 Mbps. Clearly, Xfinity is much faster than AT&T.
The reason for the intense differences in speed is the way in which both services provide their internet. While Xfinity delivers internet directly to you via a cable, AT&T delivers it to you mostly via DSL. Cable internet is usually around 3 times faster than DSL.
It should, however, be noted that AT&T supplies fiber internet in select areas. This could greatly increase your internet speed overall.
How Do Their Prices Compare?
In a general sense, the prices of AT&T internet and Comcast Xfinity are around the same. However, there is some fluctuation from plan to plan which might affect which one you choose.
If you’re looking for the slowest plan available, Xfinity has got AT&T beat. Its slowest plan offers 10 Mbps for around 30 dollars a month. AT&T’s slowest plan, on the other, offers around 5 Mbps for around 40 dollars a month. In essence, it’s no contest.
If you’re considering a mid-level speed – say, 25 Mbps – you can get it from both providers for the same price of around 40 dollars. Of course, in most cases, Xfinity will provide faster speeds even for the same advertised speed.
Looking for the highest speeds possible at the best price possible? Xfinity wins with ease. Xfinity not only offers 75 Mbps at a lower price than does AT&T, it offers 150 Mbps at the same price that AT&T offers 75 Mbps. Again, no contest.
So, while they’re generally the same price, Xfinity offers more value overall. There’s no reason to go with AT&T if you’ve got Xfinity in your area.
Coverage Areas Comparison
Now, let’s talk about the coverage areas of both AT&T internet and Comcast Xfinity. While both types of internet are national service providers, neither provides service in every single US state. In fact, they cover fairly unique and unpredictable areas.
Overall, Comcast Xfinity is provided in more states than AT&T internet. Whereas AT&T is provided largely in the midwest and southern portions of the United States, Comcast is provided all over the country, appearing in 40 stats overall.
It should be noted, however, that in all states, there are some areas which will not be covered by these providers. These areas are typically remote areas where new technology has not yet had a chance to be installed.
States which are covered by Comcast Xfinity, but which aren’t covered by AT&T include Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Minnesota, West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and the entire northeast (excluding Rhode Island).
States which are covered by AT&T, but which aren’t covered by Comcast Xfinity include just one state: Nevada. Again, it should be noted that AT&T internet will not be available in every part of the state.
The overall point is that Comcast Xfinity is available in a lot more areas than AT&T internet. The only areas of the country which don’t have access to Xfinity are the remote areas in the middle northwestern region.
How Do Their Internet Plans Compare?
Now, let’s move onto the specific plans provided by AT&T internet and Comcast Xfinity. Each type of internet offers several plans, with each plan having its own benefits and downsides.
When it comes to internet alone, the Xfinity plans absolutely obliterate the AT&T internet plans. They’re available for about the same price, but offer much faster performance speeds.
AT&T plans can, however, have some value, particularly if they’re bundle plans. The company is partnered with DirecTV, and can provide internet, phone, and television for a very respectable price.
You can receive reasonably-priced bundle packages from Comcast Xfinity as well, but if you’re seeking out all three components, AT&T would be the better option.
In summary, if you’re looking for extraordinarily fast internet speeds alone, you should go with Comcast Xfinity. If you’re, on the other hand, looking for respectable TV, internet, and landline phone options, you should opt for a bundle plan with AT&T.
What About Installation?
While installation is just a one time thing which shouldn’t have a huge effect on which internet you choose, it’s still something you should consider. It can, after all, carry with it some additional and unwanted costs.
Whereas the installation itself will cost a bit regardless of which internet you opt for, installation costs over time are typically less for Xfinity. This is because Xfinity allows you to make use of your own modems and routers regardless of where you’re located.
This is only partly true for AT&T internet. Because AT&T provides internet via fiber and DSL, their installation costs tend to vary.
If you’ve got AT&T fiber internet, you’ll be required to pay five to ten dollars a month to lease out a router/modem. If you’ve got AT&T DSL internet, you’ll be allowed to make use of your own router and modem.
In the end, both internets possess similar installation characteristics. There are just a few variables to be vigilant of.
Who is AT&T Internet Best For?
Overall, AT&T internet is best for those who are seeking internet, phone, and television services. If you’re looking for just internet by itself, you’re not going to find a great deal with AT&T. Of course, if it’s all you’ve got in your area, it’s not a terrible option either. AT&T also offers packages tailored for online gamers. This is an important consideration for me and quite a few of my friends.
The great thing about AT&T is that they’re partnered with DirecTV, allowing you to get tons of television channels for a very reasonable price. But that’s about all they’re great for.
They do offer some exceedingly low-priced internet-only plans if you’re looking for the slowest speeds possible. But if you want to do any streaming at all, these plans will not suffice.
Pros
- Excellent bundle packages
- Very inexpensive low-speed packages
- Decent coverage area
Cons
- Speeds pale in comparison to Xfinity
- Not available in as many areas as Xfinity
Who is Comcast Xfinity Best For?
Comcast Xfinity is the better option for those who are seeking out lightning-fast internet speeds. When compared to AT&T’s internet, Xfinity provides around double the speeds for about the same price. It’s not even a fair comparison, to be honest.
And not only does it provide terrific internet service alone, but Comcast provides fantastic bundle packages as well. You can get very respectable television, phone, and internet packages for very reasonable prices. While these packages aren’t quite on par with AT&T’s, they’re not too far behind either.
If you’re an avid user of Netflix, Hulu, or any other streaming service, Comcast Xfinity is the option for you. Its streaming prowess far out-distances AT&T’s.
Pros
- Lightning fast speeds at all levels
- Reasonably priced packages
- Huge coverage area
Cons
- Bundle packages aren’t quite on par with AT&T’s
So, Which is Better Overall?
If you want to go with absolute best internet option between AT&T internet and Comcast Xfinity, you’ve got to go with Comcast Xfinity. While AT&T is passable, Xfinity is about as good as any internet currently on the market.
Whether you’re looking for low internet speeds, medium internet speeds, or blazing fast internet speeds, you can get them with Xfinity, and for a decent price to boot.
Don’t overthink it. If these are your two options, and you’re only looking for internet, you’ve got to go with Comcast Xfinity.
How fast is xfinity internet in Wilmington Illinois?
Ok I agree with all stated, BUT you left out a couple of things. 1 Coustomer service at Comcast is horrible horrible horrible. ATT beats them hands down.
2 While you qoute prices from Comcast like they are the same all across the board that is not the case, Comcast plays “let’s make a deal” with their pricing, I dare anyone to find Comcast’s prices listed anywhere. You may be paying less or more than your neighbor next door.
I ditched Comcast for the above two reasons and will not go back. Just got tired of their games
Comcast is definitely not better, sure statistically they speeds are better. However, they only focus on profits and are quite outdated with outages happening quite often. Also, their customer service is not helpful at all as they just try to frustrate the customer so they just give up. Also it’s overall a ripoff as I pay for the extreme internet which should provide up to 250 mbps download speed, however, i was ranging around 6 mbps and of course customer service didn’t give a crap. So I am now ditching comcast for At&t.
Xfinity does not have a direct connection. It is a shared connection so you are not getting consistent internet speeds. Nowhere in here does it say that. I just saw AT&T speeds of 1 gig symmetrical in Detroit today, 10/29/19. And AT&T does in fact use a direct connection and not a shared one like comcast.
When I had bundled TV service with Internet, the TV service was, ny far, faster transition back and forth between stations. Yet, when I got fed up with having 500 junk, repititive stations and asked fir access just to locals in the Chicago bubjrs, I go the runaround so left ATT for Comcast. ATT doesn’t seem to offer streaming of local channels. Both play shell games, to be fair.
Sorry for cell phone and tri-focal glasses misspellings.
Xfinity users are sharing a common cable on a bus topology. As more users in an area ge on the speed drops rapidly. Also, AT&T offers speeds up to 300Mbps , that is upstream and downstream, no sharing with other users.