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AT&T vs Spectrum in Birmingham
Birmingham shoppers trade Spectrum’s broader high-speed cable availability and lower starting price against AT&T’s faster fiber uploads where available.
Spectrum is the better overall pick in Birmingham because its cable service reaches about 89% of the city, offers up to 1,000/35 Mbps where available, and starts at $30/mo. AT&T wins on maximum speed and overall reach, with fiber up to 5,000/5,000 Mbps where available and service reaching about 92% of the city, but fiber reaches only about 46%. Spectrum wins on price, while AT&T wins on speed and upload performance. Choose Spectrum for broad, affordable availability; choose AT&T where fiber is available for demanding work, gaming, and uploads.
At a glance
AT&T vs. Spectrum, side by side.
| Provider | Type | Top speed | City coverage | Starting price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T |
Fiber | 5 Gig 5 Gig upload |
92% | $35/mo | Top fiber speeds |
| Spectrum |
Cable | 1 Gig 35 Mbps upload |
89% | $30/mo | Budget-friendly |
Coverage map
Two different questions, two views. Top speed shows who offers the faster plan where you can actually get it. Coverage shows who reaches more of each ZIP. Or pick a single provider to see just its footprint.
Neighborhood breakdown
The head-to-head can shift by Birmingham block because service availability varies from address to address. AT&T’s overall service reaches about 92% of the city, while its 5,000/5,000 Mbps fiber reaches about 46%; Spectrum’s 1,000/35 Mbps cable reaches about 89%, so check your exact address.
| ZIP | Neighborhoods | Coverage | Top speed | Rank score | Winner | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | Spectrum | AT&T | Spectrum | AT&T | Spectrum | |||
| 35215 | Center Point, Huffman, Roebuck | 79% | 94% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 76 | 50 | AT&T |
| 35234 | Norwood, Druid Hills, Collegeville | 25% | 89% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 24 | 47 | Spectrum |
| 35211 | Green Springs, Oxmoor, Powderly | 36% | 96% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 34 | 51 | Spectrum |
| 35204 | Druid Hills, Smithfield, College Hills | 25% | 93% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 24 | 49 | Spectrum |
| 35208 | Ensley, Fairview, West End | 71% | 97% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 68 | 52 | AT&T |
| 35214 | Forestdale, Sandusky, Pleasant Grove | 20% | 92% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 19 | 49 | Spectrum |
| 35217 | Tarrant, Inglenook, Robinwood | 31% | 87% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 30 | 46 | Spectrum |
| 35228 | Midfield, Brighton, Lipscomb | 56% | 97% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 54 | 51 | AT&T |
| 35218 | Fairfield, Central Park, Pratt City | 46% | 87% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 44 | 46 | Spectrum |
| 35242 | Meadow Brook, Greystone, Inverness, Highland Lakes | 68% | 85% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 66 | 45 | AT&T |
| 35206 | East Lake, Woodlawn, Roebuck | 45% | 96% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 43 | 51 | Spectrum |
| 35209 | Homewood, Edgewood, West Homewood | 63% | 83% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 61 | 44 | AT&T |
| 35212 | Woodlawn, Avondale, Gate City | 27% | 93% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 26 | 49 | Spectrum |
| 35244 | Hoover, Riverchase, Ross Bridge | 76% | 87% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 72 | 46 | AT&T |
| 35216 | Vestavia Hills, Hoover, Shades Mountain | 69% | 91% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 67 | 48 | AT&T |
| 35210 | Irondale, Crestwood, Eastwood | 60% | 87% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 58 | 46 | AT&T |
| 35243 | Cahaba Heights, Mountain Brook, Brook Highland | 86% | 95% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 82 | 50 | AT&T |
| 35235 | Center Point, Huffman, Roebuck | 52% | 88% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 50 | 47 | AT&T |
| 35222 | Avondale, Forest Park, Cliff Road Historic District | 59% | 76% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 57 | 40 | AT&T |
| 35207 | Norwood, North Birmingham, Collegeville | 25% | 83% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 24 | 44 | Spectrum |
| 35205 | Five Points South, Highland Park, Southside | 19% | 86% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 18 | 46 | Spectrum |
| 35224 | Pleasant Grove, Sandusky, Forestdale | 49% | 94% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 47 | 50 | Spectrum |
| 35226 | Hoover, Bluff Park, Shades Mountain, Riverchase | 80% | 94% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 77 | 50 | AT&T |
| 35213 | Mountain Brook, Crestline, Mountain Brook Village | 87% | 95% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 84 | 50 | AT&T |
| 35223 | Mountain Brook, Crestline, Mountain Brook Village | 84% | 94% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 81 | 50 | AT&T |
| 35203 | Downtown Birmingham, Uptown, Fountain Heights | 20% | 55% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 20 | 29 | Spectrum |
| 35233 | Downtown Birmingham, Southside, UAB, Five Points South | 29% | 52% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 28 | 28 | Spectrum |
| 35221 | Powderly, West End, Oak Grove | 29% | 97% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 28 | 52 | Spectrum |
| 35259 | Birmingham (PO Boxes) | 60% | 77% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 57 | 41 | AT&T |
| 35294 | UAB Campus, Southside, Five Points South | 24% | 47% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 23 | 25 | Spectrum |
| 35231 | Birmingham (PO Boxes) | 58% | 91% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 55 | 48 | AT&T |
| 35219 | Homewood, Lakeview | 100% | 99% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 96 | 53 | AT&T |
| 35261 | East Birmingham (PO Boxes) | 14% | 86% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 14 | 46 | Spectrum |
| 35232 | Birmingham (PO Boxes) | 10% | 91% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 9 | 48 | Spectrum |
| 35266 | Birmingham (PO Boxes) | 75% | 88% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 72 | 47 | AT&T |
| 35202 | Downtown Birmingham, Central Business District | 32% | 62% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 30 | 33 | Spectrum |
| 35201 | Downtown Birmingham, City Center | 32% | 62% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 30 | 33 | Spectrum |
| 35260 | Birmingham (PO Boxes) | 96% | 99% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 92 | 52 | AT&T |
| 35253 | Mountain Brook (PO Boxes) | 75% | 79% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 72 | 42 | AT&T |
| 35255 | Southside (PO Boxes) | 14% | 94% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 13 | 50 | Spectrum |
| 35238 | Birmingham (PO Boxes) | 82% | 86% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 79 | 46 | AT&T |
Rank score (0–100) is each provider’s Speed Score, discounted for weak upload, times the share of that ZIP it reaches — the same rule that orders providers on the Birmingham city page, so it moves as availability changes street to street.
Which is better for…
The right pick comes down to what you actually do online.
Get connected
Pick your provider and check availability at your address.
- 5 Gig down · 5 Gig up Fiber
- 1 Gig down · 1 Gig up Fiber
- 100 Mbps down · 20 Mbps up Copper
See what’s actually available at your address
Coverage changes from one street to the next. Check your exact address in seconds.
Check my addressFrequently asked questions
Is AT&T or Spectrum available at my Birmingham address?
AT&T reaches about 92% of Birmingham overall, while Spectrum reaches about 89%; AT&T’s 5,000/5,000 Mbps fiber is available to about 46% of the city. Because coverage varies block to block, check both providers at your exact address before ordering.
Which is cheaper, AT&T or Spectrum, and what will I actually pay?
Spectrum starts at $30/mo, while AT&T starts at $35/mo. These are promotional starting rates, so confirm the post-promo rate, equipment fees, and any contract before signing; then choose based on the full terms at your address.
Which is faster for gaming, work from home, or 4K streaming?
AT&T is faster where its fiber is available, offering up to 5,000/5,000 Mbps across about 46% of Birmingham, compared with Spectrum’s 1,000/35 Mbps reaching about 89%. Check whether AT&T fiber reaches your address, especially if upload-heavy work or gaming matters.