After the 12-month mark, AT&T Internet plans increase by $15/month, whereas AT&T Fiber plans do not increase at all. If you also bundle DirecTV, the price will increase by another $10 after 12 months. But there is more, so keep reading.
Unfortunately, it can be tricky to find out what the price you will pay after the 12-month period will be. So we’ve been doing the research in order to bring those numbers to you.
You can always switch to a new plan at the 12-month point. But, it’s always good to have an idea of the future costs so that you can prepare for them.
Join as we reveal the AT&T Internet monthly prices after 12 months.
AT&T Internet & AT&T Fiber
Before we get started, it’s important to note the difference between AT&T Internet and AT&T Fiber. It can get a little confusing otherwise.
AT&T Internet has always been the name for AT&T’s regular DSL internet plans that anyone in the AT&T area can get.
But since they’ve started providing fiber broadband, they’ve decided to introduce a new piece of branding: AT&T Fiber. So now, we have two brands: AT&T Internet and AT&T Fiber. And you’re going to want to get the latter if you can!
Nowadays, there’s no such thing as AT&T DSL. The regular, non-fiber internet is actually powered by a hybrid of technologies that is supposedly faster than the traditional DSL experience [1].
Anyhow, with that in mind, let’s take a look at that pricing.
Current AT&T Internet Rates
In a bid to bring in new customers, AT&T (like many other US internet providers) offers a lower promotional rate to its Internet plans for 12 months. After this, the price may increase.
Depending on your location in the US, you may or may not be able to get AT&T Internet. They cover a number of locations across California and the East of the US (but not as far as New York).
Your location will also affect the plan you’re able to get. For example, if you’re lucky enough to be based in certain areas of the AT&T map, you could get AT&T Fiber which offers much better value for money.
AT&T Fiber is slowly making its way around the US, and one day, every AT&T customer will be able to get it.
But for now, for two-thirds of AT&T customers, AT&T Internet through regular old DSL is the only option. And the plans for up to the 12-month mark will look like this: [2]
| AT&T Internet Plan | Price Before 12 Months | Price After 12 Months | Price change |
| 10 Mbps | $55 | $70 | +$15 |
| 18 Mbps | $55 | $70 | +$15 |
| 25 Mbps | $55 | $70 | +$15 |
| 50 Mbps | $55 | $70 | +$15 |
| 75 Mbps | $55 | $70 | +$15 |
| 100 Mbps | $55 | £70 | +$15 |
There are also further AT&T Internet plans that don’t get advertised on their site. They’re only available for people who live in much slower internet areas, so if you see something other than the plans listed above, that will probably be the case.
You can find the plans that will be available to you (if any) by inputting your home address at the AT&T website.
Cost Changes at the 12 Month Mark Explained
Because all AT&T Internet plans come with a 12-month promotional price, there is a rise in monthly payments after you’ve been there for one year. Those price rises look a little like this:
| AT&T Internet Plan | Price After 12 Months | Price change |
| 10 Mbps | $70 | +$15 |
| 18 Mbps | $70 | +$15 |
| 25 Mbps | $70 | +$15 |
| 75 Mbps | $70 | +$15 |
| 100 Mbps | $70 | +$15 |
As you can see, each price rise is the same. That’s because AT&T will automatically put you on the fastest plan that’s available in your area.
The extra $15 is quite a jump up, and realistically, paying $70 per month for 10 Mbps of internet seems very expensive no matter where you’re located. So at this point, it’s probably worth doing some shopping around to see if you can get a better deal with AT&T or with another provider.
If you’re lucky enough to be in an area where AT&T Fiber is available, things are a little different. There’s no promotional pricing, just a straight fee. And in fact, the 300 Mbps speed is cheaper than all the Internet plans at the 12 month point.
Here’s a look at the prices for the AT&T Fiber plans. Remember, there’s no minimum term and no additional fees (other than that potential $99 setup fee). This will show you just how much better the value AT&T Fiber is over AT&T Internet.
| Internet Plan | Download Speed | Upload Speed | Promo Price | Final Price |
| Internet 100 | 100 Mbps | 100 Mbps | 45.00/mo. | $55.00/mo. |
| Internet 300 | 300 Mbps | 300 Mbps | $55.00/mo. | $55.00/mo. |
| Internet 500 | 500 Mbps | 500 Mbps | $65.00/mo. | $65.00/mo. |
| 1 Gig Internet | 1000 Mbps | 1000 Mbps | $80.00/mo. | $80.00/mo. |
| 2 Gig Internet | 2000 Mbps | 2000 Mbps | $110.00/mo. | $110.00/mo. |
| 5 Gig Internet | 5000 Mbps | 5000 Mbps | $180.00/mo. | $180.00/mo. |
What about 24 and 36 months?
That $15 price increase isn’t great, but the one bit of comfort that customers can receive here is that this is the final contract increase.
If you’re an AT&T Internet customer, you won’t have to worry about the price going up any further at the 24 or 36 month mark.
Hopefully, by that point, you’ll be able to upgrade to Fiber anyway.
Other Fees & Contract Terms
Every AT&T Internet contract (not fiber) is subject to a minimum term of 12 months. That could be worse – some providers require you to sign up for as long as 24 months for some of their plans. But it could be better. AT&T Fiber can be signed up for as little as one month, for example.
Some older AT&T Internet plans may also have required you to pay an equipment rental fee of $10 per month, but it appears that AT&T has recently changed this policy. Now, there does not appear to be any rental fee for your router etc. [3].
Another additional fee you’ll need to pay is the taxes for your area, so it’s worth finding out what they will be before you calculate your budget.
Some of the plans have data caps, so if you use more data than the cap you might also have to pay a $10 charge for every 5 GB you use, up to a max of $100 per month. Here’s a look at the data caps for the main AT&T Internet & Fiber plans:
| Internet plan | Data cap |
| 10 Mbps | 1 TB |
| 18 Mbps | 1 TB |
| 25 Mbps | 1 TB |
| 75 Mbps | 1 TB |
| 100 Mbps | None |
You might also have to pay a $99 setup fee if you’re new to AT&T. But it is possible to get around this if you order online and set the router up yourself. Plus, it’s not hard work – it should only take a few minutes.
The router, called Gateway, will just be posted out to you free of charge. But bear in mind that if you don’t return it at the end of the contract, you could be subject to a fine of up to $150.
What Else Do You Get For Your Money?
Other than the free router, there are a couple of cool perks that come with an AT&T Internet plan.
AT&T Hot Spot
All AT&T customers will be able to free public Wi-Fi in a lot of areas around the US thanks to AT&T Hot Spot. This is cloud wireless technology that can be accessed simply by logging into it with your AT&T account whether it’s available.
AT&T Gateway
The router you get with your AT&T Internet plan is called Gateway. The reason for the name is that it’s actually a modem/router combo which means you won’t need to buy an extra modem or any other piece of kit just to get online.
The only time you may wish to upgrade your hardware with AT&T Internet is if you need more range. If that’s the case, you might want to try a Wi-Fi extender. Check out our guide to the best Wi-Fi extenders, and you’ll certainly find something in there!
AT&T Internet Security Suite by McAfee
Keep your network protected at all times thanks to AT&T Internet Security Suite. This is a neat bundle of antivirus technologies that comes with your AT&T Internet plan for as long as you have it.
The Internet Security Suite is regularly updated by AT&T to provide protection from the latest threats so that you can minimize the risk of your network becoming compromised.
30 Days Free HBO Max
Another cool little perk that could be taken advantage of is the 30-day free trial you get of the fantastic TV and movie streaming service HBO Max. This will allow you to watch great shows like The Staircase, The Rehearsal, and Hacks to your heart’s content.
What About My DirecTV Subscription?
Did you, like many other AT&T customers, subscribe to DirecTV (formerly known as U-verse) as a bundle with your Internet? Then you’re probably going to be wondering about the price of that as well.
The good news is that there is actually less of a price increase at the 12 month mark than there is with just Internet. The price simply goes up by $10 per month at this point as opposed to $15.
The only issue is, however, that all of these bundle deals are 24 month contracts [4]. That means you will have to pay the more expensive rate for the second 12 months of the contract unless you pay any early contract termination fee of $20, which is more than the price increase.
How To Get the Best Deal With AT&T
If you haven’t considered DirecTV before but are interested in a television package, you could save some money by opting for a bundle here. DirecTV alone costs quite a bit more than it would if you were to pay for it separately alongside the Internet plan.
Another bundle you can choose to get some cash back with is the combination of AT&T Internet and AT&T Wireless. AT&T Wireless is AT&T’s cell phone provider brand, and the company offers a few deals to its customers in a bid to get them to take up both.
For example, if you are an Internet customer already and are thinking about taking up Wireless, you can get $250 in bill credits to your Wireless account for making the switch [5].
However, the deal that works the other way around only applies to customers taking up Fiber, which seems a little unfair! This deal sees current Wireless customers get a $300 reward card when they sign up for a Fiber plan.
AT&T Internet 12 Month Price FAQ
We understand how difficult it can be to navigate some of those internet plans, hence our guide today. But there are still a few questions that need answering, so here are the answers.
Am I allowed to cancel my contract and start again at the reduced rate?
The length of an AT&T Internet contract is 12 months. So at the time the price increases, you do have the option to bail out and go elsewhere.
At the end of the contract, it is possible to start again with a reduced fee. So if you stay with AT&T, you can just go on with a low price for a year, then consider either moving to another provider or starting a new plan.
If you don’t do anything at the end of the contract, you’ll just continue to pay the higher price of $70 on a rolling basis, month in, month out. Of course, the flexibility is good here, but ultimately it’s probably not worth continuing to pay the higher price.
When is fiber going to be available in my area?
Soon, hopefully! AT&T is on its way to rolling out its Fiber plans to as much of the US as it can, but unfortunately, it’s not a very quick process.
AT&T needs to concern itself with getting permissions from local governments to put the infrastructure in place and then actually building it. This is a big logistical challenge, but we believe that the whole of the US will be connected to fiber in time.
Should I just move to a new provider?
One of our key recommendations is to look for the best deal every time you get the chance to make the change if you’re currently on a DSL plan. There’s no real benefit to staying loyal with any one provider other than avoiding setup fees.
If you’re only being offered a slow plan by AT&T, you’ll probably be better off trying to find something faster with another provider in your area.
There are lots of awesome sites that will show you all the best internet deals for your ZIP code, so check those out at the end of the 12 month AT&T Internet contract. You never know how much money you could save or how much more speed you could get!
This is not the case so much with Fiber, as you can change your contract whenever you like here. Plus, Fiber represents much better value for money with AT&T so there’s less of a need to go shopping around.
Wrapping Up on the 12 Month Price Increase with AT&T Internet
Realistically, AT&T Internet isn’t representing the best value for money in the US right now. It hasn’t been getting the best scores from the critics because it’s pretty expensive and can be really slow.
A lot of other providers are offering faster speeds and lower prices in the same areas where AT&T Internet is operating. So, for the most part, it’s probably a good idea to sign up for one of these instead.
The main reason for this is that AT&T is putting all its eggs in the fiber basket. It believes it can be the best fiber provider in the US. And in some ways, it already is. But as we said, you’ll need to wait until it’s available in your location first.
That is unless you want to move to California, Florida, or one of the other states where AT&T Fiber is available already… There’s certainly a lot more choice for providers and chances to get a better deal in parts of these locations.
If you want to learn more about AT&T Internet plans, check out this page.
