AT&T Increases Home Internet Prices Again by $5

AT&T is raising monthly rates for its home internet plans by $5 — the second time in as many years that the company has imposed a price hike on its broadband customers, putting further pressure on household connectivity budgets.

The change affects those with AT&T Fiber and legacy AT&T Internet plans, according to a company support notice and customer communications that say operating costs are increasing. A handful of customers will be shielded, and there are only a few ways to mitigate the rise, but most subscribers can expect increases when their next statements arrive.

Who Is Affected and Who Is Exempt From AT&T’s $5 Increase

The increase applies to nearly all AT&T home internet tiers, which include the popular fiber speeds. But the company says new customers who have had service for less than a year and households that are signed up through its Access from AT&T program, which is targeted at low‑income people, would not be affected right away. The exemptions were reported by several outlets that covered the announcement, which was confirmed by a company spokesman.

AT&T is also referring customers to bill credits associated with payment preferences. The provider offers a bigger monthly discount for AutoPay with a bank account and a smaller credit for AutoPay with a debit card, plus additional savings for people who make payments using the AT&T Points Plus Card from Citi. Terms vary and the credits usually appear within the first few billing cycles. These incentives will not eliminate the increase for many households, but they can help them bridge the gap.

Why AT&T Says Prices Are Rising for Home Internet

AT&T, in a support brief, characterizes the shift as a reaction to escalating business costs and continuing investment in upgrades to the network. Fiber networks are capital‑intensive to build and maintain, and providers from all corners of the industry have pointed to higher labor, materials and financing costs as they expand. AT&T’s price rises for home internet, too, were spaced several years apart, belying a cadence of occasional course corrections in the company’s calculus between customer costs and revenue.

The shift also mirrors behavior across the industry. Rivals such as Comcast and Charter, for example, have hiked fees or rates in recent years, frequently blaming programming, infrastructure or overall operating costs. Consumer advocates point out that such hikes often come without much in the way of meaningful plan improvement, once again underscoring the importance of not only reading your service label but also paying attention to the fine print on introductory offers.

What the $5 Monthly Hike Looks Like on Your AT&T Bill

For the average customer, the change is simple: The base monthly charge increases by $5. A mid‑tier fiber plan that cost, say, $65 would now be $70; a gigabit plan that was $80 would rise to $85. Taxes, fees and regulatory costs are still separate and could be different in other locations. Virtually all AT&T consumer internet plans come with no annual commitment, meaning if you cancel or change your service, there’s no early termination penalty — so long as equipment returns and outstanding payments are resolved.

If you’re on a promotional rate, the bump of $5 usually is based on your current base rate and your promo credit will be applied against it as required until it expires. Once a promotion expires, the new standard rate — including this increase — is the new baseline.

How Can You Reduce the Impact of AT&T’s Price Increase?

Customers have a couple of levers to pull.

• Verify AutoPay is on, ensure paperless billing is enabled, and secure the largest monthly credit you can.
• Check your speed tier to confirm it matches your household’s needs; downgrading from a plan you rarely max out could offset the $5 bump without a noticeable impact.
• Explore loyalty options — customer retention teams can sometimes offer one‑time bill credits or short‑term promos when a competitor is available at your address.

AT&T also offers Internet Air, a fixed wireless home internet product that is broadcast over the company’s 5G and LTE networks. It’s available in different neighborhoods and its performance will depend on the quality of the signal, but households are finding it to be a workable backup or means of connection. Other competitive fixed‑wireless options are worth considering, and some of the largest wireless carriers, as well as cable providers’ entry‑level tiers, might also be worth a glance.

The Bigger Picture for Broadband Costs and Inflation

Soaring broadband bills are an issue that extends beyond AT&T: A survey by CNET and the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society found that almost 63% of US adults said their internet costs increased over the past year, with an average jump of nearly $200 a year — and approximately half continued to struggle with tenuous connections. Consumer price data, meanwhile, has underlined ongoing inflationary pressure in communications services at a time when those for hardware have been cooling.

Regulators are demanding clearer disclosures to assist shoppers in comparing the offerings. The Federal Communications Commission’s broadband nutrition labels also force providers to look up projected rates, fees and typical speeds in a standard format. Those labels help with adding up true monthly costs across providers, and identifying add‑ons that — spread out over time — can nudge a bill higher.

The Bottom Line for AT&T Subscribers Facing a $5 Increase

Many AT&T home internet customers will notice an additional $5 charge on their next invoice. Newer customers and households on the Access from AT&T program are exempt for now, and a few of those payment‑method discounts can make that sting less. And it’s a good time to audit your plan, verify credits and compare alternatives. In this market of routine hikes, vigilance is one of the few tools left in consumers’ hands.