North Carolina internet, from the Triangle to the Smokies
Fiber is available at 65.3% of the 4,435,340 homes and businesses the FCC counts in North Carolina, and wired broadband of at least 100/20 Mbps at 94.3%. 54.7% of locations have a choice of two or more wired providers at that speed; at 39.5% there is only one.1
FCC National Broadband Map, availability as of June 30, 2026 (data revised November 10, 2026), as reported by providers.
South region, South Atlantic division
Fiber was reported at 32.9%2 of North Carolina's homes and businesses in June 2022 and at 65.3%1 four years later, and in Cary and High Point it now reaches nearly every location. The gaps that remain cluster in the far southwestern mountains, at the other end of the Blue Ridge from counties that already had fiber almost everywhere in the first federal map.
Who reports home internet in North Carolina
62 companies report wired or fixed wireless home internet somewhere in North Carolina on the FCC's National Broadband Map, with data as of June 30, 2026 (revision of November 10, 2026). 53 of them do it over cable, fiber or copper. The map counts 4,435,3401 broadband serviceable locations in the state, each a house, an apartment building or a small business. A provider lists a location when it says it could connect it within ten business days for a standard installation, and anyone can challenge a listing on the map.
| Spectrum | Fiber Cable | 78.7% | 78.7% | 1 Gbps | 28.8% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T-Mobile | Fiber DSL Licensed wireless | 68.9% | 28.2% | 5 Gbps | 0.2% |
| Verizon | Licensed wireless | 63.1% | 22.7% | 1 Gbps | – |
| AT&T | Fiber DSL Licensed wireless | 56.0% | 24.7% | 5 Gbps | 0.5% |
| Brightspeed | Fiber DSL Fixed wireless | 27.1% | 11.6% | 8 Gbps | 0.9% |
| Google Fiber | Fiber Fixed wireless | 8.6% | 8.6% | 8 Gbps | – |
| Carolina West Wireless | Licensed wireless | 7.4% | 0.0% | 25 Mbps | – |
| Kinetic | Fiber Cable DSL | 6.0% | 4.2% | 2 Gbps | 0.4% |
| Optimum | Fiber Cable | 5.0% | 5.0% | 8 Gbps | 1.7% |
| Metronet | Fiber | 4.9% | 4.9% | 5 Gbps | 0.1% |
| Frontier | Fiber DSL | 3.3% | 1.9% | 7 Gbps | 0.2% |
Source: FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2026. Share of the area's broadband serviceable locations where the provider reports service as of June 30, 2026. "Only wired option" is the share of locations where it is the single wired provider at 100/20 Mbps. Provider-reported and challengeable; speeds are advertised maximums, not measured; no prices. Satellite providers (HughesNet, Starlink, Viasat) report service at nearly every location and are left out of the table.
Spectrum, mostly cable with some fiber, is the one wired network most of the state shares: it reports service at 78.7% of locations, all of it at 100/20 Mbps or more. T-Mobile and Verizon follow by reach, almost entirely with fixed wireless (5G home internet), but they offer 100/20 Mbps at only 28.2% and 22.7%1 of locations.
North Carolina weighs heavily in two providers' national footprints. No state has more Brightspeed locations: the company, which does not appear in the June 2022 data, now reports service at 27.1% of the state's locations. Fiber accounts for 11.5%; across most of the rest of its North Carolina area it reports copper DSL below 100/20 Mbps. Google Fiber reports 380,752 North Carolina locations, the most of any state after Texas. Its network is densest in the Triangle: it reports service at 86.2% of Cary's locations, 77.3% of Raleigh's and 66.4% of Durham's, against 20.2% in Charlotte. Smaller fiber builders include Metronet (4.9%), Focus Broadband (3.1%) and Ripple Fiber (2.5%1).
Fiber went from a third of locations to two thirds
In the first National Broadband Map, with data as of June 30, 2022, fiber was reported at 32.9% of North Carolina's locations. By June 30, 2026 it was 65.3%, a gain of 32.4 percentage points that ranks 16th highest among the states; the national share rose by 25.4 percentage points over the same period and now stands at 62.6%. The share rose another 3.3 percentage points in the six months after December 31, 2025. Copper moved the other way: DSL is reported at 42.3%1 of locations, down from 62.9%2.
Source: FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2022; FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of December 31, 2025; FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2026. Shares of broadband serviceable locations in each FCC release (latest revision of each); the small number is the change in percentage points since June 30, 2022. The FCC's count of locations is updated with each release, so shares are compared rather than counts.
Show the numbers
| Measure | June 30, 2022 | December 31, 2025 | June 30, 2026 | Change (points) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fiber available | 32.9% | 62.0% | 65.3% | 32.4 pts |
| DSL available | 62.9% | 45.9% | 42.3% | −20.6 pts |
| Two or more fiber networks | 4.6% | 15.7% | 17.4% | 12.9 pts |
| Two or more wired choices | 30.5% | 52.9% | 54.7% | 24.3 pts |
| Unserved | 6.6% | 2.5% | 1.9% | −4.8 pts |
The new fiber spread well beyond the big metros. In 34 of the state's 1004 counties the fiber share rose by 50 percentage points or more. The largest change was in Chowan County, on Albemarle Sound, where fiber now reaches 88.5% of locations (a change of +88.3 percentage points); in Dare County, on the Outer Banks, the share rose by 65.9 percentage points. Of the ten counties with the most locations, Cumberland, around Fayetteville, moved furthest: its fiber share rose by 56.5 percentage points to 76.7%1.
Source: FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2026; Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file cb_2025_us_county_5m. Darker counties are higher. Point at a county for its value; the county table has every figure. FCC file revision of November 10, 2026. Shares are of broadband serviceable locations (homes and businesses), not people.
A second wire for a little over half the state
54.7% of locations can choose between two or more wired providers at 100/20 Mbps, up from 30.5%2 in June 2022 and close to the national 55.6%. Another 39.5% have exactly one. Most of that single-wire territory is Spectrum's: it is the only wired 100/20 provider at 28.8%1 of the state's locations.
Source: FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2026. Different wired providers (fiber, cable or DSL; FCC provider IDs) reporting 100 Mbps down and 20 Mbps up or more at the same location. Fixed wireless and satellite are not counted.
Show the numbers
| Area | None | One | Two | Three or more |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | 5.8% | 39.5% | 40.3% | 14.5% |
| Wake County | 1.9% | 13.4% | 36.4% | 48.3% |
| Mecklenburg County | 1.9% | 15.3% | 63.6% | 19.3% |
| Buncombe County | 4.7% | 53.9% | 41.4% | 0.1% |
| United States | 7.8% | 36.6% | 44.6% | 11.1% |
The large metro counties sit well above the state figure. In Wake County 84.8% of locations have two or more wired choices, and in Durham County 85.2%, the highest in the state. Buncombe County, around Asheville, is the exception among the big counties: fiber reaches 44.4% of its locations and a second wire 41.4%. Among the large cities, High Point (91.2%) and Cary (95.1%) have the highest fiber shares. Separate fiber networks overlap at 17.4% of locations statewide, the 11th highest1 share among the states.
Large cities with their own pages, among them Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro, Durham and Winston-Salem, are listed below with every North Carolina city and town of 25,000 or more. Of the state's ten largest cities, Winston-Salem has the lowest fiber share: fiber reaches 67.2% of its locations, and 30.0%1 have only one wired choice at 100/20 Mbps.
| Charlotte | 964,784 | 83.6% | 83.7% | 82.7% | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh | 506,306 | 91.5% | 91.6% | 90.8% | 6 |
| Greensboro | 308,667 | 81.8% | 81.8% | 80.5% | 4 |
| Durham | 305,561 | 89.5% | 89.5% | 87.1% | 6 |
| Winston-Salem | 257,271 | 67.2% | 67.2% | 67.4% | 6 |
| Fayetteville | 209,120 | 87.8% | 87.4% | 85.4% | 5 |
| Cary | 183,582 | 95.1% | 95.1% | 94.6% | 4 |
| Wilmington | 126,809 | 68.9% | 68.9% | 67.0% | 4 |
| High Point | 120,571 | 91.2% | 91.2% | 90.1% | 3 |
| Concord | 114,598 | 88.7% | 88.7% | 87.0% | 5 |
| Greenville | 96,443 | 82.3% | 82.2% | 77.6% | 2 |
| Asheville | 93,523 | 58.7% | 58.7% | 58.0% | 4 |
| Gastonia | 87,067 | 74.1% | 74.1% | 73.4% | 3 |
| Apex | 80,419 | 96.5% | 96.5% | 95.4% | 4 |
| Jacksonville | 72,732 | 86.0% | 85.1% | 82.2% | 3 |
| Huntersville | 68,535 | 91.6% | 91.6% | 90.3% | 5 |
| Chapel Hill | 63,565 | 90.1% | 90.1% | 89.3% | 6 |
| Kannapolis | 61,708 | 79.0% | 79.0% | 78.7% | 5 |
| Burlington | 61,496 | 81.6% | 81.5% | 80.6% | 5 |
| Wake Forest | 58,147 | 83.0% | 70.1% | 79.8% | 6 |
| Mooresville | 55,842 | 75.4% | 75.5% | 94.0% | 6 |
| Rocky Mount | 55,120 | 89.8% | 89.8% | 84.8% | 4 |
| Holly Springs | 50,288 | 97.6% | 96.8% | 94.6% | 6 |
| Wilson | 49,572 | 99.6% | 99.6% | 96.5% | 3 |
| Fuquay-Varina | 48,536 | 91.6% | 90.5% | 78.5% | 5 |
| Hickory | 45,975 | 69.8% | 69.8% | 62.7% | 5 |
| Indian Trail | 44,303 | 83.9% | 83.9% | 82.4% | 5 |
| Monroe | 42,644 | 60.5% | 60.5% | 58.8% | 6 |
| Garner | 41,562 | 91.7% | 91.7% | 89.8% | 3 |
| Salisbury | 36,879 | 82.4% | 82.4% | 80.8% | 4 |
| Leland | 35,731 | 87.7% | 89.0% | 81.4% | 3 |
| Cornelius | 35,094 | 89.0% | 89.0% | 95.0% | 5 |
| Goldsboro | 35,012 | 82.9% | 82.9% | 81.9% | 3 |
| New Bern | 34,724 | 88.6% | 85.7% | 86.0% | 2 |
| Sanford | 34,138 | 51.2% | 51.3% | 48.1% | 4 |
| Matthews | 32,769 | 83.5% | 83.5% | 81.4% | 5 |
| Clayton | 32,633 | 86.2% | 63.9% | 81.8% | 4 |
| Morrisville | 32,466 | 94.4% | 94.4% | 93.7% | 4 |
| Statesville | 32,181 | 74.6% | 74.6% | 74.2% | 5 |
| Mint Hill | 29,476 | 81.9% | 81.9% | 81.7% | 5 |
| Kernersville | 29,128 | 87.5% | 87.4% | 80.5% | 4 |
| Asheboro | 27,990 | 89.2% | 88.7% | 84.6% | 4 |
| Thomasville | 27,733 | 89.3% | 89.3% | 88.8% | 3 |
Source: FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2026; Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates; Census Bureau, 2020 Census Block Assignment Files. Shares of broadband serviceable locations inside city limits (2020 census blocks), as of June 30, 2026. Population: July 1, 2025 estimate. Gigabit: 1,000/100 Mbps.
Gigabit downloads almost everywhere, gigabit uploads only on fiber
North Carolina's speed figures depend on which direction is measured. A provider advertises a download of at least 1 Gbps at 92.3% of locations, a figure that includes Spectrum's 1 Gbps cable tier. The FCC's gigabit benchmark of 1,000 Mbps down and 100 Mbps up is met at 65.3%, the same share as fiber and the 13th lowest among the states; nationally it is 72.3%1. The difference is mostly cable territory, where the gigabit download tier is not filed with a 100 Mbps upload.
Source: FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2026. FCC file revision of November 10, 2026. Shares are of broadband serviceable locations (homes and businesses), not people.
Show the numbers
| Area | Gigabit (1,000/100) |
|---|---|
| Tennessee | 87.5% |
| Georgia | 81.0% |
| South Carolina | 72.8% |
| United States | 72.3% |
| North Carolina | 65.3% |
| Virginia | 60.1% |
At the top of the range, providers now advertise 2 Gbps or more at 52.5% of locations, against 15.7%2 in 2022. At 2.7%1 of locations the fastest terrestrial offer is under 25 Mbps or there is none. These are maximum advertised speeds from provider filings, not measured performance.
Source: FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2026. Maximum advertised download speed (Mbps) of any wired or fixed wireless offer at the location, as reported by providers to the FCC; satellite excluded. Advertised, not measured.
Show the numbers
| Area | Under 25 Mbps or none | 25–99 | 100–249 | 250–499 | 500–939 | 940–1,999 | 2,000 or more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | 2.7% | 1.9% | 0.7% | 0.5% | 0.1% | 41.5% | 52.5% |
| United States | 2.4% | 1.6% | 1.8% | 1.4% | 0.9% | 31.0% | 61.0% |
Two mountain maps
The Blue Ridge holds both ends of North Carolina's county range. In the northwest, Ashe County has fiber at 99.5% of its 18,703 locations and an unserved share of 0.0%, and neighboring Alleghany County is at 88.7%. Neither changed much after 2022 (up +0.7 percentage points and +0.4 percentage points1): the fiber was already there in the first federal map.
Source: FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2026; Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file cb_2025_us_county_5m. Darker counties have larger gaps. Point at a county for its value; the county table has every figure. FCC file revision of November 10, 2026. Shares are of broadband serviceable locations (homes and businesses), not people.
The far southwest is different. Graham County has the highest unserved share in the state, 39.8%, and satellite is the only service reported at 26.9% of its locations. Swain County (33.0% unserved), Clay (26.0%) and Jackson (21.5%) follow. Second wires are rare there: in Graham County only 1.0% of locations have two wired choices, the lowest of any county. Not every low-fiber county lacks fast service. Alexander County, in the foothills northwest of Charlotte, has the lowest fiber share (22.5%), and Transylvania County, southwest of Asheville, is close behind (23.0%), but cable reaches 74.1% of Transylvania's locations and wired 100/20 Mbps is reported at 90.4%1.
| Graham County, North Carolina | 5,507 | 54.2% | 54.6% | 1.0% | 39.8% | 26.9% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swain County, North Carolina | 10,397 | 33.6% | 52.8% | 3.2% | 33.0% | 19.9% |
| Clay County, North Carolina | 8,106 | 50.8% | 64.0% | 19.1% | 26.0% | 16.5% |
| Jackson County, North Carolina | 25,809 | 42.1% | 66.4% | 7.1% | 21.5% | 12.0% |
| Macon County, North Carolina | 26,786 | 62.8% | 80.6% | 29.7% | 15.4% | 11.0% |
| Cherokee County, North Carolina | 19,876 | 42.2% | 59.8% | 7.4% | 15.1% | 11.8% |
| Ashe County, North Carolina | 18,703 | 99.5% | 99.6% | 25.6% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Alleghany County, North Carolina | 8,299 | 88.7% | 97.1% | 2.8% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Madison County, North Carolina | 12,805 | 95.4% | 96.4% | 27.9% | 1.5% | 0.7% |
| North Carolina | 4,435,340 | 65.3% | 94.3% | 54.7% | 1.9% | 0.8% |
Source: FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2026. FCC file revision of November 10, 2026. Shares are of broadband serviceable locations (homes and businesses), not people.
The northeast has smaller pockets: 15.6% of Hyde County's locations are unserved, 14.7% in Camden and 13.0% in Bertie. Statewide, 33,081 locations (0.8%) have only satellite, and at 36,6831 more, 100/20 Mbps comes only by fixed wireless.
| Alamance County | 69,055 | 64.4% | 95.2% | 60.2% | 1.0% | Spectrum | 76.3% ±1.3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander County | 18,062 | 22.5% | 88.5% | 7.7% | 1.1% | Spectrum | 65.2% ±3.4 |
| Alleghany County | 8,299 | 88.7% | 97.1% | 2.8% | 0.1% | Skyline Telephone Membership Corp. | 71.2% ±3.6 |
| Anson County | 11,448 | 66.2% | 85.5% | 30.8% | 5.8% | Spectrum | 66.5% ±3.7 |
| Ashe County | 18,703 | 99.5% | 99.6% | 25.6% | 0.0% | Skyline Telephone Membership Corp. | 78.4% ±2.2 |
| Avery County | 13,673 | 54.0% | 91.6% | 33.1% | 1.7% | Spectrum | 63.3% ±3.5 |
| Beaufort County | 26,669 | 67.2% | 86.7% | 35.7% | 5.7% | Brightspeed | 74.1% ±2.8 |
| Bertie County | 10,553 | 66.2% | 82.3% | 44.9% | 13.0% | Brightspeed | 53.3% ±3.6 |
| Bladen County | 19,544 | 73.4% | 92.7% | 30.3% | 2.8% | Star Communications | 65.1% ±3.6 |
| Brunswick County | 106,119 | 66.4% | 99.5% | 44.0% | 0.1% | FOCUS BROADBAND | 82.7% ±1.3 |
| Buncombe County | 112,699 | 44.4% | 95.3% | 41.4% | 1.0% | Spectrum | 75.9% ±1.2 |
| Burke County | 40,269 | 33.5% | 92.9% | 28.0% | 1.6% | Spectrum | 67.7% ±2.1 |
| Cabarrus County | 87,163 | 76.1% | 97.3% | 73.8% | 0.5% | Spectrum | 79.3% ±1.5 |
| Caldwell County | 37,525 | 43.8% | 92.7% | 34.4% | 1.0% | Spectrum | 66.5% ±2.3 |
| Camden County | 4,822 | 38.1% | 76.9% | 25.8% | 14.7% | Brightspeed | 72.9% ±6.1 |
| Carteret County | 46,910 | 39.6% | 97.3% | 36.9% | 0.4% | Spectrum | 81.3% ±0.9 |
| Caswell County | 12,561 | 69.1% | 90.3% | 9.4% | 4.7% | Spectrum | 59.9% ±3.3 |
| Catawba County | 70,114 | 32.9% | 94.4% | 28.6% | 1.2% | Spectrum | 74.8% ±1.5 |
| Chatham County | 37,730 | 79.6% | 91.3% | 50.4% | 3.8% | Spectrum | 71.8% ±2.1 |
| Cherokee County | 19,876 | 42.2% | 59.8% | 7.4% | 15.1% | Peachtree Broadband Fiber | 62.8% ±3.2 |
| Chowan County | 7,818 | 88.5% | 99.4% | 60.6% | 0.3% | Brightspeed | 66.6% ±4.3 |
| Clay County | 8,106 | 50.8% | 64.0% | 19.1% | 26.0% | Blue Ridge Mountain Electric Membership Corporation | 63.0% ±4.8 |
| Cleveland County | 45,254 | 31.2% | 93.0% | 23.2% | 1.1% | Spectrum | 67.5% ±1.8 |
| Columbus County | 28,195 | 81.1% | 96.0% | 40.0% | 1.5% | Brightspeed | 63.0% ±2.1 |
| Craven County | 45,986 | 75.9% | 95.3% | 66.4% | 1.6% | Brightspeed | 73.0% ±1.4 |
| Cumberland County | 120,888 | 76.7% | 97.4% | 73.5% | 0.8% | Spectrum | 80.1% ±0.8 |
| Currituck County | 18,922 | 63.8% | 89.5% | 57.3% | 1.8% | Brightspeed | 79.8% ±2.6 |
| Dare County | 33,556 | 69.7% | 96.0% | 63.0% | 0.5% | Spectrum | 84.6% ±2.3 |
| Davidson County | 77,590 | 45.4% | 97.3% | 68.6% | 0.5% | Spectrum | 76.0% ±1.7 |
| Davie County | 20,358 | 98.9% | 99.7% | 83.0% | 0.1% | Zirrus | 79.1% ±2.2 |
| Duplin County | 27,163 | 55.2% | 84.9% | 24.6% | 6.7% | Spectrum | 59.2% ±2.9 |
| Durham County | 104,356 | 89.3% | 97.4% | 85.2% | 0.1% | Spectrum | 83.3% ±1.0 |
| Edgecombe County | 23,540 | 72.1% | 86.3% | 52.3% | 3.9% | Brightspeed | 62.9% ±2.9 |
| Forsyth County | 139,095 | 65.9% | 97.7% | 65.4% | 0.2% | Spectrum | 77.1% ±1.0 |
| Franklin County | 35,434 | 51.9% | 89.8% | 33.8% | 3.7% | Spectrum | 68.9% ±2.1 |
| Gaston County | 95,666 | 54.8% | 96.0% | 53.8% | 0.5% | Spectrum | 75.8% ±1.1 |
| Gates County | 5,524 | 86.5% | 92.1% | 61.5% | 3.9% | Fybe | 64.4% ±4.8 |
| Graham County | 5,507 | 54.2% | 54.6% | 1.0% | 39.8% | Zito Media | 53.6% ±5.6 |
| Granville County | 26,085 | 35.2% | 85.4% | 15.7% | 7.6% | Spectrum | 69.1% ±2.5 |
| Greene County | 8,988 | 84.6% | 84.8% | 43.0% | 3.8% | Brightspeed | 48.1% ±3.2 |
| Guilford County | 183,104 | 73.7% | 96.8% | 71.9% | 0.3% | Spectrum | 77.5% ±0.8 |
| Halifax County | 26,105 | 69.7% | 85.9% | 47.3% | 6.0% | Brightspeed | 61.4% ±2.5 |
| Harnett County | 60,248 | 49.6% | 90.6% | 36.9% | 2.1% | Spectrum | 69.5% ±1.5 |
| Haywood County | 35,706 | 28.0% | 91.7% | 17.7% | 3.3% | Spectrum | 63.8% ±2.5 |
| Henderson County | 54,947 | 40.1% | 89.4% | 30.5% | 4.2% | Optimum | 74.5% ±1.5 |
| Hertford County | 10,569 | 71.2% | 90.4% | 58.1% | 4.8% | Spectrum | 59.9% ±3.2 |
| Hoke County | 23,671 | 80.5% | 94.5% | 70.9% | 1.4% | Spectrum | 76.9% ±1.7 |
| Hyde County | 3,824 | 63.8% | 63.8% | 15.0% | 15.6% | Brightspeed | 45.3% ±6.1 |
| Iredell County | 85,255 | 66.2% | 97.4% | 64.2% | 0.5% | Spectrum | 78.8% ±1.0 |
| Jackson County | 25,809 | 42.1% | 66.4% | 7.1% | 21.5% | Frontier | 51.1% ±3.6 |
| Johnston County | 100,357 | 61.7% | 92.1% | 52.5% | 2.0% | Spectrum | 74.3% ±1.7 |
| Jones County | 5,398 | 75.2% | 91.0% | 18.0% | 4.4% | Spectrum | 63.0% ±4.3 |
| Lee County | 26,418 | 38.4% | 94.1% | 27.0% | 2.2% | Spectrum | 69.4% ±2.8 |
| Lenoir County | 26,648 | 89.5% | 96.0% | 71.5% | 1.7% | Brightspeed | 55.5% ±2.9 |
| Lincoln County | 41,625 | 30.7% | 92.4% | 27.6% | 1.2% | Spectrum | 79.3% ±1.7 |
| Macon County | 26,786 | 62.8% | 80.6% | 29.7% | 15.4% | Frontier | 59.5% ±3.0 |
| Madison County | 12,805 | 95.4% | 96.4% | 27.9% | 1.5% | French Broad Electric Membership Corporation | 68.0% ±3.9 |
| Martin County | 12,161 | 57.7% | 82.5% | 31.4% | 8.3% | Brightspeed | 56.5% ±4.5 |
| McDowell County | 22,286 | 29.0% | 85.5% | 8.2% | 5.8% | Spectrum | 58.7% ±2.7 |
| Mecklenburg County | 343,110 | 83.8% | 98.1% | 82.9% | 0.0% | Spectrum | 83.6% ±0.5 |
| Mitchell County | 9,238 | 85.1% | 95.6% | 64.0% | 2.2% | Zito Media | 65.2% ±3.9 |
| Montgomery County | 16,920 | 77.4% | 90.0% | 27.2% | 5.1% | Brightspeed | 59.8% ±4.0 |
| Moore County | 50,049 | 68.9% | 92.5% | 48.7% | 2.2% | Spectrum | 77.9% ±1.6 |
| Nash County | 43,773 | 69.0% | 87.7% | 53.6% | 4.3% | Brightspeed | 61.5% ±1.9 |
| New Hanover County | 91,798 | 68.2% | 97.9% | 66.6% | 0.1% | Spectrum | 82.1% ±1.2 |
| Northampton County | 12,135 | 60.5% | 91.1% | 40.1% | 5.0% | Brightspeed | 57.2% ±3.3 |
| Onslow County | 79,289 | 48.3% | 97.7% | 44.9% | 0.5% | Spectrum | 80.2% ±1.4 |
| Orange County | 47,407 | 80.8% | 96.3% | 70.0% | 1.3% | Spectrum | 82.3% ±1.3 |
| Pamlico County | 8,514 | 30.5% | 85.6% | 16.5% | 6.9% | Spectrum | 72.4% ±2.9 |
| Pasquotank County | 17,595 | 59.8% | 95.5% | 55.4% | 1.6% | Spectrum | 78.7% ±2.8 |
| Pender County | 34,677 | 44.6% | 97.2% | 20.7% | 0.6% | Spectrum | 70.4% ±2.5 |
| Perquimans County | 7,606 | 71.8% | 98.3% | 30.2% | 1.0% | Brightspeed | 62.4% ±4.2 |
| Person County | 20,744 | 43.8% | 86.2% | 23.3% | 6.6% | Brightspeed | 69.1% ±2.9 |
| Pitt County | 66,076 | 72.6% | 93.8% | 64.0% | 1.5% | Brightspeed | 68.4% ±1.7 |
| Polk County | 11,049 | 75.0% | 83.6% | 30.0% | 9.3% | Spectrum | 64.5% ±2.6 |
| Randolph County | 64,534 | 79.8% | 95.8% | 58.5% | 1.4% | Spectrum | 71.5% ±1.8 |
| Richmond County | 21,316 | 27.5% | 92.7% | 21.0% | 1.9% | Spectrum | 67.2% ±3.2 |
| Robeson County | 54,629 | 66.5% | 94.1% | 43.7% | 0.9% | Spectrum | 59.0% ±1.4 |
| Rockingham County | 46,226 | 41.4% | 95.6% | 28.6% | 1.1% | Spectrum | 70.1% ±1.8 |
| Rowan County | 64,488 | 58.4% | 95.4% | 53.6% | 1.2% | Spectrum | 75.4% ±1.6 |
| Rutherford County | 34,524 | 56.9% | 85.8% | 31.4% | 3.6% | AT&T | 56.1% ±2.4 |
| Sampson County | 31,272 | 89.1% | 94.1% | 25.6% | 2.0% | Star Communications | 63.7% ±2.4 |
| Scotland County | 15,200 | 22.9% | 92.0% | 15.2% | 1.5% | Spectrum | 66.3% ±2.4 |
| Stanly County | 31,229 | 39.7% | 87.0% | 34.8% | 5.1% | Spectrum | 72.0% ±2.3 |
| Stokes County | 22,789 | 29.6% | 85.9% | 17.2% | 7.6% | Spectrum | 70.2% ±2.5 |
| Surry County | 33,785 | 82.8% | 97.6% | 61.4% | 0.1% | Spectrum | 71.2% ±1.9 |
| Swain County | 10,397 | 33.6% | 52.8% | 3.2% | 33.0% | Zito Media | 47.1% ±5.5 |
| Transylvania County | 19,189 | 23.0% | 90.4% | 7.6% | 7.4% | Comporium | 71.5% ±3.0 |
| Tyrrell County | 2,271 | 85.6% | 89.8% | 49.5% | 7.4% | Brightspeed | 54.5% ±8.1 |
| Union County | 94,779 | 64.7% | 95.4% | 59.6% | 1.0% | Spectrum | 82.2% ±1.2 |
| Vance County | 20,267 | 49.7% | 87.9% | 39.4% | 4.0% | Spectrum | 66.6% ±3.7 |
| Wake County | 375,727 | 87.5% | 98.1% | 84.8% | 0.1% | Spectrum | 86.2% ±0.5 |
| Warren County | 13,357 | 67.4% | 88.4% | 21.1% | 5.4% | Spectrum | 55.8% ±3.6 |
| Washington County | 6,596 | 59.9% | 87.8% | 39.9% | 9.1% | Brightspeed | 52.0% ±6.5 |
| Watauga County | 27,235 | 59.1% | 97.4% | 38.5% | 0.4% | Spectrum | 78.1% ±2.6 |
| Wayne County | 53,201 | 47.7% | 93.0% | 43.0% | 1.5% | Spectrum | 74.0% ±1.5 |
| Wilkes County | 33,750 | 72.8% | 92.2% | 46.3% | 0.8% | Spectrum | 79.3% ±2.2 |
| Wilson County | 34,870 | 84.2% | 96.9% | 76.8% | 0.8% | Spectrum | 71.8% ±1.8 |
| Yadkin County | 18,790 | 96.0% | 99.7% | 68.1% | 0.0% | Zirrus | 74.1% ±2.5 |
| Yancey County | 11,392 | 92.7% | 98.5% | 79.6% | 1.0% | Zito Media | 66.7% ±4.2 |
| North Carolina | 4,435,340 | 65.3% | 94.3% | 54.7% | 1.9% | 76.2% |
Source: FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2026; Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year detailed tables. Shares of broadband serviceable locations as of June 30, 2026 (FCC). 2+ wired choices: two or more wired providers at 100/20 Mbps. Unserved: BEAD definition. Largest wired provider: reports fiber, cable or DSL at the most locations. Wired subscription: households with a cable, fiber or DSL subscription, American Community Survey 2020–2024 (± 90% margin of error).
Subscriptions, cost and phone-only homes
Availability and use are measured differently: the FCC counts locations, the Census Bureau surveys households. In the 2025 American Community Survey, 94.0% of North Carolina households had a broadband subscription of some kind (margin of error ±0.2 percentage points), against 85.3%9 in 2019. 78.3% subscribed to cable, fiber or DSL, and 11.8% relied only on a cellular data plan, a share that ranks tied for 8th lowest8 among the states.
Source: FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2026; Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 1-year detailed tables. Availability is a share of locations as of June 30, 2026 (FCC); subscriptions are a share of households from the American Community Survey, 2025 (whiskers: 90% margin of error). Different units and dates: read the gap as a sign, not an exact number.
Show the numbers
| Measure | Share | MOE |
|---|---|---|
| Wired 100/20 Mbps available (FCC, share of locations) | 94.3% | |
| Households subscribing to cable, fiber or DSL (Census) | 78.3% | ±0.4 |
| Households relying only on a cellular data plan | 11.8% | ±0.4 |
| Households with no internet subscription | 5.9% | ±0.2 |
Income still separates households: 82.8% of those earning under $20,000 had a broadband subscription, against 97.7%8 of those earning $75,000 or more. In NTIA's 2023 Internet Use Survey, 16.9% of North Carolina households without home internet named cost as the main reason, while 52.3%10 said they did not need or want it. Lifeline, the federal discount for low-income households, is still available; USAC estimates that 8.2% of eligible North Carolina households were enrolled in June 2026, the 9th lowest11 rate among the states.
BEAD: a fifth of the money assigned, a third of the locations to satellite
Only four states received more Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) money than North Carolina's $1.53 billion12, yet its approved Final Proposal is one of the cheaper ones per location. It assigns $318.7 million of it to 93,437 locations, or $3,411 per location, the 9th lowest among the states with a plan; providers committed $312.0 million of their own. $1.21 billion13 of the allocation, about four fifths, is left over, and how that remainder may be used was not settled as of November 2026.
Other federal programs came first. North Carolina received $273.6 million14 from the Treasury's Capital Projects Fund, and providers have reported 79,42915 locations deployed under the FCC's Rural Digital Opportunity Fund.
| Program | Amount | As of |
|---|---|---|
| BEAD allocation (NTIA, announced June 26, 2023) | $1,532,999,481 | |
| BEAD Final Proposal: locations to be connected | 93,437 | |
| BEAD Final Proposal: deployment cost | $318,737,670 | |
| BEAD cost per location | $3,411 | |
| BEAD allocation not assigned to deployment | $1,214,261,811 | |
| Treasury Capital Projects Fund allocation | $273,583,159 | |
| RDOF: locations built with support (cumulative) | 79,429 | |
| USDA ReConnect grants reported to USAspending | $27,078,410 | |
| Lifeline subscribers claimed | 6,947 | |
| Lifeline participation rate | 8.2% | |
| Households in the Affordable Connectivity Program, February 2024 | 901,394 |
Source: NTIA BroadbandUSA, BEAD Award Recipients pages; NTIA BroadbandUSA, BEAD Final Proposal Overview one-page PDFs; Department of the Treasury, Capital Projects Fund Awards Made to States, Territories, and Freely Associated States, to date; USAC, CAF Disbursements and Locations Data; Department of the Treasury, spending_by_award API for Assistance Listings 10.752; Universal Service Administrative Co., Lifeline Disbursements; USAC, Lifeline participation rate; USAC, ACP Enrollments by County as of February 8, 2024. BEAD figures are as printed in NTIA's Final Proposal overview, subject to final review; "not assigned to deployment" is the allocation minus the deployment cost (NTIA calls it savings; how it may be used is not settled). The ACP stopped taking applications on February 8, 2024 and ended on June 1, 2024.
Fiber is planned for 59,224 of the plan's locations (63.4%). Low-Earth-orbit satellite took 32,292 (34.6%), the 9th highest satellite share of any state plan, and fixed wireless 1.4%13. The state's Division of Broadband and Digital Opportunity publishes the subgrantee selections.
Source: NTIA BroadbandUSA, BEAD Final Proposal Overview one-page PDFs. Locations in the state's approved BEAD Final Proposal by technology of the selected projects, as printed in NTIA's Final Proposal overview; subject to NTIA and NIST final review and award.
Show the numbers
| Technology | Share of BEAD locations |
|---|---|
| Fiber | 63.4% |
| Cable | 0.6% |
| Fixed wireless | 1.4% |
| Low-Earth-orbit satellite | 34.6% |
Questions and answers
What internet providers serve North Carolina?
Leaving out satellite, the widest networks by reported reach are Spectrum (78.7% of locations, fiber and cable), T-Mobile (68.9%, mostly 5G home internet), Verizon (63.1%, licensed fixed wireless) and AT&T (56.0%). The largest fiber footprints belong to AT&T (22.9% of locations), Brightspeed (11.5%) and Google Fiber (8.6%). In all, 621 companies report wired or fixed wireless service somewhere in the state.
How many North Carolina homes have fiber?
As of June 30, 2026, at least one provider reports fiber to the premises at 2,895,797 of the state's 4,435,340 broadband serviceable locations (65.3%). At 17.4%1 of locations two or more separate fiber networks report service. Whether a particular address has fiber is a question for the FCC's National Broadband Map, which lists every provider at each location.
How many people in North Carolina lack broadband?
The FCC map answers for locations, not people; the highest unserved shares are in the far southwestern mountains, led by Graham and Swain counties. As of June 30, 2026, 83,136 North Carolina locations (1.9%) were unserved under the BEAD definition, without reliable service of 25/3 Mbps, and 64,6761 more were underserved, without 100/20 Mbps. In the Census Bureau's 2025 survey, 5.9% of households had no internet subscription of any kind (margin of error ±0.2 percentage points8).
How much BEAD money does North Carolina get?
North Carolina's allocation is $1.53 billion, the 5th highest12 among the states, yet its approved plan spends only $318.7 million, on 93,437 locations, leaving $1.21 billion13 unassigned.
What is the cheapest internet in North Carolina?
Prices are not part of the FCC filings, and no official North Carolina source compares them; each plan's price and fees are on the provider's broadband facts label. The Affordable Connectivity Program covered 901,39418 North Carolina households in February 2024 before it ended on June 1, 2024. Lifeline's $9.25 monthly discount remains, but only an estimated 8.2% of eligible households here use it, the 9th lowest11 rate among the states.
Checking one address in North Carolina
The figures on this page describe the whole area. Which providers report service at a single home or apartment is shown only on the FCC's own map: search the address at broadbandmap.fcc.gov. If a provider is listed there but cannot actually connect you within ten business days, or the location is missing or misplaced, the map has a button to file a challenge; providers must respond, and corrections flow into later releases. Prices and plans are not part of the FCC data: each provider must show them on its broadband facts label at the point of sale.
More on internet in and around North Carolina
Large cities with their own page: Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro, Durham, Winston-Salem, Fayetteville, Cary, Wilmington, High Point and Concord.
Neighboring states: Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Put North Carolina side by side with any state or large city in the comparison tool.
| Ranking | Value | Rank (1 = highest) |
|---|---|---|
| Fiber internet availability by state | 65.3% | 28th of 51 |
| Internet speed by state: where gigabit service is offered | 65.3% | 39th of 51 |
| Broadband coverage by state | 94.3% | 18th of 51 |
| Internet provider competition by state | 54.7% | 27th of 51 |
| Unserved and underserved broadband locations by state | 1.9% | 32nd of 51 |
| Where fiber has grown since 2022 | 32.4% | 16th of 51 |
| 5G home internet and licensed fixed wireless by state | 85.6% | 33rd of 51 |
| Households with an internet subscription by state | 94.0% | tied 19th of 51 |
| BEAD broadband funding by state | 3,411.0% | 42nd of 50 |
Sources
- FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2026; Availability as of June 30, 2026; released November 10, 2026. broadbandmap.fcc.gov
- FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2022; Availability as of June 30, 2022; released May 10, 2024. broadbandmap.fcc.gov
- FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of December 31, 2025; Availability as of December 31, 2025; released November 3, 2026. broadbandmap.fcc.gov
- Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file cb_2025_us_county_5m. www2.census.gov
- Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates; July 1, 2025; released May 14, 2026. www.census.gov
- Census Bureau, 2020 Census Block Assignment Files; released December 11, 2020. www2.census.gov
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year detailed tables; 2020-2024; released January 29, 2026. api.census.gov
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 1-year detailed tables; 2025 (calendar-year sample); released October 29, 2026. api.census.gov
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019 1-year detailed tables; 2019. api.census.gov
- NTIA Data Explorer "Analyze Table"; November 2023 (also all prior waves 1994-2021). www.ntia.gov
- USAC, Lifeline participation rate; released August 17, 2026. www.usac.org
- NTIA BroadbandUSA, BEAD Award Recipients pages; Allocations announced 2023-06-26; released June 26, 2023. broadbandusa.ntia.gov
- NTIA BroadbandUSA, BEAD Final Proposal Overview one-page PDFs. broadbandusa.ntia.gov
- Department of the Treasury, Capital Projects Fund Awards Made to States, Territories, and Freely Associated States, to date; Allocations under ARPA sec. 604 (awards announced 2022-06 to 2023). home.treasury.gov
- USAC, CAF Disbursements and Locations Data. opendata.usac.org
- Department of the Treasury, spending_by_award API for Assistance Listings 10.752; Awards with action dates FY2008 to 2026-09-30. api.usaspending.gov
- Universal Service Administrative Co., Lifeline Disbursements; Support months 2018-01 to 2026-09. opendata.usac.org
- USAC, ACP Enrollments by County as of February 8, 2024; Enrolled households as of 2024-02-08 (Data Month January 2024 file). www.usac.org
Margins of error (±) are at the 90% confidence level. A difference is called significant only when it passes the Census Bureau's test at that level. How every figure is built: methodology. Found an error? Write to [email protected]; corrections are listed on the updates page.