What is the best internet provider in Myrtle Beach?
In a city where tourism is key, the local businesses often deliver the best experiences. The same could be said for home internet service in Myrtle Beach, where local provider Horry Telephone Cooperative is CNET’s choice for the best internet service provider in the area. Along with local customer care, HTC has the largest fiber internet coverage in the area and competitive pricing on high-speed plans that include unlimited data and no contracts.
Spectrum, Frontier Fiber and fixed wireless internet providers T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet are also top choices for broadband in Myrtle Beach. Spectrum boasts the greatest availability and the cheapest internet, with service starting at $30 per month for download speeds up to 100 megabits per second. Though availability is limited, Frontier Fiber offers the fastest internet in the area with multigigabit speeds of 2,000 and 5,000Mbps.
CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Myrtle Beach across several categories. Our evaluation includes referencing a proprietary database built over years of reviewing internet services. We validate that against provider information by spot-checking local addresses for service availability. We also do a close read of providers’ terms and conditions and, when needed, will call ISPs to verify the details.
Despite our efforts to find the most recent and accurate information, our process has some limitations you should know about. Pricing and speed data are variable: certain addresses may qualify for different service tiers, and monthly costs may vary, even within a city. The best way to identify your particular options is to plug your address into a provider’s website.
Also, the prices, speed and other information listed above and in the provider cards below may differ from what we found in our research. The cards display the full range of a provider’s pricing and speed across the US, according to our database of plan information provided directly by ISPs. At the same time, the text is specific to what’s available in Myrtle Beach. The prices referenced within this article’s text come from our research and include applicable discounts for setting up automatic payments each month — a standard industry offering. Other discounts and promotions might also be available for things like signing a term contract or bundling with multiple services.
To learn more about how we review internet providers, visit our full methodology page.
Best internet in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Our take – Fiber-optic internet is generally the best choice for speed, reliability and overall value. Local provider HTC is the largest fiber internet provider in Myrtle Beach. In addition to fast, reliable speeds, HTC plans come with unlimited data and equipment rental at no extra cost.
100 – 1,000 Mbps
$30- $90 per month
Our take – Spectrum has the lowest introductory rate of any major Myrtle Beach ISP at $30 monthly for download speeds up to 100Mbps. If you prefer faster speeds, 500Mbps and 1,000Mbps plans are available throughout the Myrtle Beach area. There are no data caps or contracts, but renting a router will add $5 to your bill.
100 – 1,000 Mbps
$30- $90 per month
500 – 5,000 Mbps
$50 – $155 per month
Our take – Frontier Fiber mostly serves the North Myrtle Beach area, but select parts of Myrtle Beach may also be serviceable. If your address is eligible for service, you’ll have the choice of 2,000 and 5,000Mbps plans — the fastest in the area. Speeds of 500 or 1,000Mbps are also available. Additionally, Frontier offers DSL internet in Myrtle Beach, but you’ll likely want to pass on it in favor of faster, cheaper options.
500 – 5,000 Mbps
$50 – $155 per month
Fixed wireless
72 – 245 Mbps
$50 per month
Our take – T-Mobile Home Internet speeds aren’t extraordinary (72 to 245Mbps down), but the hassle-free service is worth checking out for the low, stable pricing. Service includes unlimited data, free equipment, no contracts and a price lock with no rate changes for as long as you remain a customer. Qualifying Magenta Max customers can get $20 off the home internet rate.
Fixed wireless
72 – 245 Mbps
$50 per month
Myrtle Beach internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier | DSL, fiber | $50-$155 | Varies DSL, 500-5,000Mbps fiber | None | None | None | 6.3 |
| Horry Telephone Cooperative | Cable | $50-$75 | 500-940Mbps | None | None | None | None |
| Spectrum | Cable | $30-$90 | 100-1,000Mbps | Free modem, $5 router rental (optional) | None | None | 7.2 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet | Fixed wireless | $50 ($30 with eligible mobile plans) | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet | Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 for eligible Verizon Wireless customers) | 50-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in Myrtle Beach?
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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 | $155 | 5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Frontier Fiber 2 Gig | $100 | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Frontier Fiber 1 Gig | $60 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| HTC Tier 3 | $75 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Spectrum Internet Gig | $90 | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | None | Cable |
| Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet | $70 ($45 with eligible mobile plans) | 85-1,000Mbps | 50-75Mbps | None | Fixed wireless |
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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, 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. So 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.
But 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?
While the answer to those questions is often layered and complex, 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, though 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.
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, symmetrical 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 40% 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?
Spectrum has the lowest starting rate for internet in Myrtle Beach at $30 per month for max download speeds of 100Mbps.
That said, T-Mobile Home Internet is also available at $30 per month (for qualifying Magenta Max customers) and comes with a faster speed potential of 72 to 245Mbps. There is no equipment fee, and customers can lock in the price for as long as they have the plan. On the other hand, Spectrum charges $5 to rent a router and will raise the monthly rate after the first 12 months of service.
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 $155 monthly. Service is largely limited to North Myrtle Beach, however. Spectrum and HTC have the greatest gig speed availability in Myrtle Beach, offering speeds up to 1,000Mbps starting at $90 and $75 per month, respectively.
Source: CNET
