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AT&T vs Spectrum in Austin
Austin shoppers trade AT&T’s faster fiber uploads for Spectrum’s broader top-tier availability and lower promotional starting price.
Spectrum is the better overall pick in Austin because it reaches more homes with its top cable tier, starts at $30/mo, and offers strong download and upload performance where available. AT&T wins on raw speed, upload capacity, and its 95/100 speed score; Spectrum wins on citywide access and starting price. Choose AT&T if fiber reaches your address and you game, work from home, or move large files. Choose Spectrum for broader access, a lower promotional starting rate, and straightforward everyday internet.
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 | Solid fiber option |
| Spectrum |
Cable | 1 Gig 1 Gig upload |
92% | $30/mo | Widest availability |
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 ZIP code and neighborhood because coverage varies block to block, even though both providers reach about 92% of Austin overall. Spectrum’s 1,000/1,000 Mbps cable tier reaches about 91% of the city, while AT&T’s 5,000/5,000 Mbps fiber tier reaches about 32%, so check the exact address.
| ZIP | Neighborhoods | Coverage | Top speed | Rank score | Winner | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | Spectrum | AT&T | Spectrum | AT&T | Spectrum | |||
| 78745 | South Austin, Cherry Creek, Sunset Valley (adjacent), Garrison Park | 17% | 98% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 16 | 78 | Spectrum |
| 78738 | Bee Cave, Lakeway (edge), Falconhead, Rough Hollow | 41% | 82% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 39 | 65 | Spectrum |
| 78759 | Great Hills, Balcones Woods, Milwood, Jester Estates | 20% | 96% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 19 | 77 | Spectrum |
| 78748 | Shady Hollow, South Austin, Tanglewood, Cherry Creek | 37% | 98% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 35 | 78 | Spectrum |
| 78744 | Franklin Park, McKinney, Southeast Austin, Onion Creek (area) | 33% | 82% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 31 | 66 | Spectrum |
| 78724 | Colony Park, Johnston Terrace, Northeast Austin | 23% | 85% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 22 | 68 | Spectrum |
| 78737 | Dripping Springs (edge), Belterra, Circle C (west), Highpointe | 31% | 96% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 29 | 77 | Spectrum |
| 78702 | East Austin, Holly, East Cesar Chavez, Chestnut | 87% | 92% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 83 | 74 | AT&T |
| 78753 | North Lamar, Georgian Acres, Heritage Hills, Walnut Creek | 40% | 93% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 38 | 75 | Spectrum |
| 78704 | South Congress (SoCo), Zilker, Bouldin Creek, Travis Heights | 85% | 96% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 81 | 77 | AT&T |
| 78703 | Tarrytown, Clarksville, Old West Austin, Pemberton Heights | 86% | 93% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 81 | 75 | AT&T |
| 78746 | West Lake Hills, Rollingwood, Westlake, Lost Creek | 32% | 93% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 31 | 74 | Spectrum |
| 78701 | Downtown Austin, Rainey Street District, Sixth Street, Warehouse District | 46% | 70% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 43 | 56 | Spectrum |
| 78747 | Onion Creek, McKinney, Southeast Austin, Bradshaw Crossing | 56% | 92% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 54 | 74 | Spectrum |
| 78754 | Harris Branch, Pioneer Crossing, Windsor Park (north) | 47% | 84% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 45 | 67 | Spectrum |
| 78717 | Avery Ranch, Brushy Creek, Anderson Mill | 54% | 96% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 52 | 77 | Spectrum |
| 78723 | Mueller, Windsor Park, University Hills, Pecan Springs | 85% | 94% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 81 | 75 | AT&T |
| 78734 | Lakeway, Lakewood, The Hills, Hudson Bend | 40% | 96% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 38 | 77 | Spectrum |
| 78735 | Barton Creek, Oak Hill, Travis Country, Lost Creek (edge) | 23% | 93% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 22 | 74 | Spectrum |
| 78750 | Anderson Mill, Balcones Village, Spicewood at Balcones Canyonlands | 8% | 97% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 7 | 77 | Spectrum |
| 78758 | North Burnet, Gracy Woods, The Domain, Wooten | 26% | 92% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 25 | 74 | Spectrum |
| 78727 | North Austin, Scofield Farms, Milwood, Gracywoods | 16% | 95% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 15 | 76 | Spectrum |
| 78741 | Riverside, Montopolis, Pleasant Valley, East Riverside | 60% | 94% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 57 | 75 | Spectrum |
| 78739 | Circle C Ranch, Meridian, Shady Hollow (edge) | 30% | 98% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 29 | 78 | Spectrum |
| 78757 | Crestview, Allandale, Wooten, Brentwood | 75% | 94% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 71 | 76 | Spectrum |
| 78752 | St. Johns, Highland, Coronado Hills | 63% | 88% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 60 | 70 | Spectrum |
| 78705 | West Campus, North Campus, University of Texas, Hyde Park (south) | 75% | 94% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 71 | 75 | Spectrum |
| 78736 | Oak Hill, Scenic Brook, Thomas Springs | 25% | 98% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 24 | 78 | Spectrum |
| 78751 | Hyde Park, North Loop, Hancock | 86% | 94% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 82 | 75 | AT&T |
| 78731 | Northwest Hills, Allandale, Rosedale, Bull Creek | 51% | 95% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 48 | 76 | Spectrum |
| 78749 | Circle C Ranch, Maple Run, Legend Oaks, Village at Western Oaks | 12% | 98% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 11 | 78 | Spectrum |
| 78728 | Wells Branch, North Austin, Pflugerville (adjacent) | 42% | 86% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 40 | 68 | Spectrum |
| 78719 | Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Del Valle (area) | 5% | 83% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 4 | 66 | Spectrum |
| 78756 | Brentwood, Crestview, Rosedale | 81% | 93% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 77 | 74 | AT&T |
| 78729 | Milwood, Jollyville, Anderson Mill, Northwest Austin | 23% | 95% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 22 | 76 | Spectrum |
| 78726 | Canyon Creek, Four Points, Anderson Mill West | 27% | 91% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 26 | 72 | Spectrum |
| 78722 | Cherrywood, French Place, Mueller (south edge) | 92% | 97% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 88 | 77 | AT&T |
| 78733 | Bee Cave (edge), Cuernavaca, Lake Hills, Rob Roy | 39% | 98% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 37 | 78 | Spectrum |
| 78721 | East Austin, MLK-183, Springdale | 86% | 93% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 82 | 74 | AT&T |
| 78725 | Hornsby Bend, Del Valle (area), East Austin | 53% | 80% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 51 | 64 | Spectrum |
| 78732 | Steiner Ranch, River Place, Comanche Trail | 20% | 94% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 19 | 75 | Spectrum |
| 78730 | River Place, Long Canyon, Steiner Ranch (edge), Northwest Hills | 6% | 93% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 5 | 74 | Spectrum |
| 78762 | Austin (PO Box/administrative) | 81% | 90% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 77 | 72 | AT&T |
| 78768 | Downtown Austin (PO Box/administrative) | 24% | 58% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 23 | 47 | Spectrum |
| 78767 | Downtown Austin (PO Box/administrative) | 24% | 58% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 23 | 47 | Spectrum |
| 78765 | Austin (PO Box/administrative) | 86% | 95% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 82 | 76 | AT&T |
| 78716 | West Lake Hills area (administrative) | 76% | 98% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 72 | 78 | Spectrum |
| 78763 | Austin (PO Box/administrative) | 97% | 99% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 92 | 79 | AT&T |
| 78715 | South Austin (administrative) | 6% | 100% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 6 | 80 | Spectrum |
| 78766 | Austin (PO Box/administrative) | 96% | 96% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 91 | 77 | AT&T |
| 78711 | Downtown Austin (administrative) | 63% | 69% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 60 | 55 | AT&T |
| 78714 | North Austin (administrative) | 43% | 78% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 40 | 62 | Spectrum |
| 78742 | Montopolis, Austin-Bergstrom (area), Del Valle (edge) | 46% | 90% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 44 | 72 | Spectrum |
| 78755 | Northwest Austin, Balcones Park area | 18% | 92% | 5 Gig | 1 Gig | 17 | 74 | Spectrum |
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 Austin 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 Austin address?
Both AT&T and Spectrum reach about 92% of Austin overall, but availability varies block to block. Check your exact address to confirm which technology and tier you can order.
Which is cheaper, AT&T or Spectrum, and what will I actually pay?
Spectrum starts at $30/mo, compared with AT&T at $35/mo; both are promotional starting rates. Confirm the post-promo rate, equipment fees, and any contract before signing up.
Which is faster in Austin, AT&T or Spectrum, and is it enough for gaming or 4K?
AT&T’s 5,000/5,000 Mbps fiber tier reaches about 32% of Austin, while Spectrum’s 1,000/1,000 Mbps cable tier reaches about 91%; either is enough for demanding home use where available. Check your address and choose AT&T for greater raw capacity or Spectrum for broader access.
More Austin comparisons
How Austin’s other qualifying providers stack up head-to-head.