What is the best internet provider in Rock Hill?

There aren't many local options for home internet in Rock Hill, South Carolina, so Comporium stands out as the best internet provider, mostly due to its availability. That said, Rock Hills residents shouldn't feel "stuck" with Comporium. Speeds, pricing and overall value are decent, especially if your address is eligible for the fiber-optic side of the service. There is also the convenience and pleasantness of dealing with a local company.

With little in the way of competition, Comporium offers both the cheapest internet and fastest speeds available in Rock Hill. Service starts at $40 a month for download speeds up to 100 megabits per second, and those eligible for fiber internet service can now get speeds up to 5,000Mbps.

If you’re eager for alternatives, fixed wireless internet from T-Mobile Home Internet or Verizon 5G Home Internet may be available. Each service is appealing in its own right, as you’ll find T-Mobile to have better availability, while Verizon has lower introductory pricing and faster maximum speeds.

Best internet in Rock Hill, South Carolina

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Other available internet providers in Rock Hill

• Spectrum: Coverage from Charlotte’s largest cable internet provider extends into Rock Hill, but not by much. Less than 0.5% of households are serviceable for Spectrum, according to the FCC. Spectrum’s cheapest plan offers a good bit more speed than Comporium’s cheapest option, and service includes unlimited data and no contracts, though renting a router will add $7 to your bill.
• Satellite internet: Unfortunately, satellite internet rounds out your potential home internet options in Rock Hill. Hughesnet is the least expensive satellite ISP, but you may get more speed (and data) from Viasat or Starlink. Either way, think of satellite internet as a last resort rather than a practical alternative to Comporium or fixed wireless service.

Cheap internet options in Rock Hill

Comporium has the lowest starting rate for internet in Rock Hill at $40 a month for speeds up to 100Mbps. You may be able to get a little more speed, however, for around the same cost with T-Mobile Home Internet or Verizon 5G Home Internet if you qualify for the mobile bundle discount from either provider.

Including the discount, T-Mobile Home Internet offers speeds of 72 to 245Mbps for $40 a month, while Verizon 5G Home Internet has a range of 50 to 300Mbps for $35 monthly. Though not necessarily cheaper than Comporium, the faster speed potential does make for a better cost per Mbps.

What's the cheapest internet plan in Rock Hill?

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Rock Hill

The best internet deals and the top promotions in Rock Hill depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers. 

Rock Hill internet providers, such as Comporium or T-Mobile Home Internet, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, however, including Verizon 5G Home Internet, run the same standard pricing year-round. 

For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.

How fast is Rock Hill broadband?

Gig download speeds, at or around 1,00Mbps, are available throughout Rock Hill thanks to Comporium. Verizon 5G Home Internet offers speeds up to 1,000Mbps, but that's the highest end of a range that starts at 85Mbps, so actual speeds are likely to be much slower.

In areas where fiber service is available, Comporium offers multi-gigabit internet plans with symmetrical speeds up to 2,000 or 5,000Mbps. Priced at $120 and $135 a month, respectively, these plans are excellent deals (for comparison, AT&T Fiber's 5-gig plan starts at $225 a month), though they may come with way more speed than you need.

Fastest internet plans in Rock Hill

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 person sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming. 
• 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two people to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming. 
• 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more people to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Rock Hill

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 publication.

Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:

1. Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
2. Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?
3. Are customers happy with their service?

While the answers to those questions are 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.

What's the final word in internet providers in Rock Hill?

Comporium is the most practical option for home internet in Rock Hill, but I wouldn't say residents should feel "stuck" with the provider. Speeds, pricing and service terms are comparable to national cable and fiber providers, and service comes with pleasant advantage of dealing with a locally owned and operated company.

If you're looking for alternatives to Comporium, fixed wireless internet from T-Mobile Home Internet or Verizon 5G Home Internet are your best bets. You'll get a faster speed potential with Verizon, but T-Mobile is much more likely to be available depending on where you live in Rock Hill. Finally, Spectrum may be an option (but don't count on it) and satellite internet is almost always an option, but not one you'll want to choose over Comporium or fixed wireless service.

Internet providers in Rock Hill, South Carolina, FAQs