What is the best internet provider in Baton Rouge, Louisiana?

Long-time Baton Rouge residents know shopping for internet in the area can be challenging. AT&T Fiber is the best internet provider in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, but the service is not available in all parts of the city. If you have access to AT&T fiber, it offers the fastest symmetrical speeds in Baton Rouge with speeds up to 5,000Mbps. You may also be able to get connected through local fiber company Rev if you prefer fiber internet and don't have access to AT&T fiber.

Otherwise, you may be weighing your options between Cox cable, AT&T’s slow DSL network or 5G fixed wireless. Cox has recently improved its speed offerings with the addition of a 2,000Mbps plan. Meanwhile, T-Mobile and Verizon offer internet discounts for mobile customers, so you could potentially save some money if you already have a cell phone plan with one of these companies. We'll help you sort out all your options. Here are our picks for the best internet providers in Baton Rouge.

Best internet providers in Red Stick

Fiber internet is desirable for many reasons. It comes with fast upload speeds to match the download speeds, and it tends to be the most reliable internet connection type. AT&T Fiber brings speedy connections to big chunks of Baton Rouge, so it vaults to the top of our list of recommended ISPs. There’s Cox cable or T-Mobile fixed wireless for places without fiber access. 

Note: The prices, speeds and features detailed in the article text may differ from those listed in the product detail cards, which represent providers’ national offerings. Your particular internet service options -- including prices and speeds -- depend on your address and may differ from those detailed here.

All available Baton Rouge residential internet providers

You’ve got AT&T Fiber for speed, T-Mobile Home Internet for fixed wireless and Cox cable for availability. So what’s left? Depending on your address, you may find AT&T’s slower DSL service or Rev’s fast fiber to be available to you. Here are your other options for getting online in Baton Rouge.

• AT&T Internet: AT&T has several internet offerings. There’s AT&T Fiber, our pick for the best internet in Baton Rouge, and then there’s AT&T Internet, the company’s legacy DSL network. The DSL option is available in many places where the fiber network doesn’t reach, but it typically tops out at 100Mbps, although some spots may only be able to get much slower speeds. The cost is $55 a month with no contract and data cap. Equipment is included. AT&T Fiber will always be preferable, but DSL can be useful if you don’t have a better option at your address. 
• Rev: Home-grown Rev, formerly known as Eatel, offers fiber service in limited areas of Baton Rouge. Notably, the Louisiana company services some apartment complexes, including Bayonne at Southshore and Rivermark, as well as the Lakes at Harveston development. Standard plans range from $62 a month for 100Mbps to $102 monthly for 1,000Mbps. Look for a 25% discount on some plans if you’re shopping from a covered apartment complex. All plans include equipment and have no data caps and no contract. 
• Verizon 5G Home Internet: Verizon doesn’t seem to have many slots open for its 5G fixed wireless service in Baton Rouge, but I did find some availability around University Lake. Verizon’s coverage map shows splotches of coverage for its latest 5G Ultra Wideband network but fairly wide coverage of its standard 5G network. While the company offers home internet speeds up to 1,000Mbps in some parts of the country, Baton Rouge residents will likely look at speeds from 85 to 300Mbps. Prices start at $50 a month with equipment included, no contract and no data cap. Bundle with an eligible phone plan to get your home internet for 50% off.  
• Satellite internet: With fiber, fixed wireless and cable covering Baton Rouge, it’s unlikely you’ll be eyeing satellite internet, but it’s worth mentioning. It can come to the rescue of rural residents with few options. Starlink, Viasat and HughesNet are the big players. Starlink’s on-the-go plan for RVers and digital nomads isn’t cheap, but it’ll keep you connected when traveling. 

Baton Rouge at a glance

Most Baton Rouge residents will be weighing internet from AT&T (preferably fiber, but possibly DSL) or Cox. Depending on where you live, you may not have much choice in providers. Fiber is nice, but cable will still get you connected. You can also check on the availability of fixed wireless, more likely from T-Mobile, although Verizon covers some spots in the city. Those fixed wireless services are easy to test drive, so don’t be afraid to give it a try, especially when your ISP options are limited.

Pricing details on Baton Rouge home internet service

Starting prices for internet in Baton Rouge sit right around $50 per month for most ISPs. Fiber options will cost you a little more, with AT&T starting at $55 and Rev kicking off at $62. If that’s okay with your budget, then fiber is a smart way to go for reliable speeds and fast uploads. On the high end, AT&T Fiber runs $245 per month for 5,000Mbps. That may be worth it if you have a true need for speed and put a lot of demand on your home internet.

Cheap internet options in the Baton Rouge metro area

Budget buyers have a few ways to save money on home internet in Baton Rouge. One way is to go fixed wireless with T-Mobile or Verizon and bundle your home internet with an eligible phone plan. That brings T-Mobile down to $30 per month while Verizon will knock 50% off your bill, taking it as low as $25 a month. Your best budget fiber option is with AT&T’s $55-a-month, 300Mbps plan. 

Fastest internet providers in Baton Rouge

AT&T reigns supreme in Baton Rouge when it comes to internet speeds. The company’s fiber service hits 5,000Mbps in some areas, but not every location will have access to that luxury speed level. As we saw before with Speedtest.net’s data, Baton Rouge doesn’t exactly have the fastest overall internet speeds in the US. Aim for fiber if it’s available and within your budget. Otherwise, you may be weighing your options between cable, DSL or fixed wireless. Among those choices, Cox’s Gigablast plan (maxing out at 1,000Mbps) is your best bet for high speeds.

Remote workers, hard-core gamers and big households can all benefit from multi-gigabit internet. In Baton Rouge, that means AT&T Fiber, which blows past the competition by offering 5,000Mbps and 2,000Mbps options in some areas. Here’s what you need to know about the best multi-gigabit home internet plans.

What’s the final word on internet providers in Baton Rouge?

AT&T Fiber doesn’t have a lot of competition in Baton Rouge. It offers straightforward pricing and a wide range of speeds, but the fastest 5,000Mbps speed tier isn’t available everywhere. Cox comes in as a cable alternative and offers wide coverage across the Baton Rouge metro area. The company’s plans aren’t the easiest to navigate, but there can be some good introductory deals that make it more palatable.  

Your happiness with fixed wireless service from T-Mobile or Verizon will depend a lot on the speeds you’re able to pull down at your specific location. It can be a simple alternative to cable and it’s one of the cheapest options if you’re also a phone customer and put a bundle together. 

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Baton Rouge

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’re considering every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. To evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP's service, we look at sources including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power. 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. 

To explore our process in more depth, visit our How We Test ISPs page.

Internet providers in Baton Rouge FAQs