In McDowell County there is 1 residential DSL provider covering 65.60% of the county. The average home can get speeds up to 37 Mbps. Note that we may have a financial relationship with some of the providers below. This does not influence rankings, and helps us provide high-quality detailed information for free.
This page contains all DSL internet providers in McDowell County, NC.
To see availability maps for all providers including fiber, cable, DSL, and more in McDowell County, NC please click below.
McDowell County, NC Availability Maps
DSL Internet Service Provider in McDowell County
Data updated 11/14/2025, based on FCC data from 12/31/2024. This is the most current data available as of .
To avoid wasting your time, providers with less than 1% coverage in McDowell County are not shown.
McDowell County Satellite TV & Internet Providers
DISH Satellite TV
DIRECTV Satellite TV
Not sure whether to choose Dish or DIRECTV? For most people most of the time we recommend DISH. But click here to learn more.
Viasat Satellite Internet
Where in McDowell County is DSL internet available?
DSL Internet Availability Key
DSL is available in 65.60% of McDowell County. Areas in green have DSL internet service, where areas in yellow or red may not. The most widely available provider is Frontier. Call one of the companies with service in McDowell County above to see who has service at your home.
How fast is DSL internet in McDowell County?
The map below shows maximum DSL internet speeds by area in McDowell County.
DSL Internet Speed Key
The average McDowell County home can get up to 37 Mbps on their DSL internet plan. The fastest DSL download speed in the county is 115 Mbps, which 10.83% of residents can get. Some homes and apartments do not have access to these speeds. On the slower end, for example, 44.91% of homes can only purchase plans up to 10 Mbps. See the internet provider details below for info about their speed and coverage in McDowell County.
DSL internet speeds tend to be faster in the south parts of McDowell County, and slower in the northeast areas of the county.
Is DSL the fastest internet I can get in McDowell County?
The fastest internet for you may vary based on where in McDowell County you live. In general, cable competes most often with DSL in the county.
- Fiber is the fastest internet type for 36.58% of McDowell County homes.
- Cable is fastest for 55.31% of the county.
- DSL is fastest for 1.56%.
- Fixed wireless is fastest for 5.78%.
- Satellite internet may be the only option for less than 1% of McDowell County homes.
DSL Providers in Depth
Below you'll find which TV and internet providers offer service in McDowell County, along with details on where in McDowell County and at what speeds.
Frontier Communications DSL in McDowell County, NC
Frontier DSL coverage
About 65.45%, or 29,175 people, have Frontier DSL internet available to them in the county. The company covers the entire McDowell County area. Frontier is one of the largest internet service providers internet service providers in the US, with internet service available in much of McDowell County.
Frontier Communications DSL download speeds
Frontier is below average when comparing download speeds to all other internet providers in McDowell County. Versus other DSL providers in the area, Frontier DSL is the fastest. There are 5 different maximum speeds throughout McDowell County. The fastest plan anyone in McDowell County can order from Frontier goes up to 115 Mbps, the slowest package only goes up to 10 Mbps, and the county-wide average maximum speed for McDowell County customers is up to 37 Mbps.
Show all download speeds
- 16.5% up to 115.0 Mbps
- 8.9% up to 90.0 Mbps
- 1.8% up to 70.0 Mbps
- 4.4% up to 45.0 Mbps
- 68.5% up to 10.0 Mbps
Frontier Communications DSL upload speeds
In McDowell County download speeds tend to be faster than than upload speeds for Frontier DSL. Compared to other ISPs, Frontier is below average where upload speeds are concerned, and the fastest compared to other McDowell County DSL providers. Frontier offers 4 different upload speeds across the county, so your internet plan's upload speed may vary by neighborhood . The fastest upload speed available to anyone from this ISP in McDowell County is up to 7.0 Mbps. Some customers have slower plan choices, which only go up to 1.0 Mbps. On average, Frontier customers can get speeds up to 2.5 Mbps.
Show all upload speeds
- 16.5% up to 7.0 Mbps
- 8.9% up to 5.0 Mbps
- 6.1% up to 3.0 Mbps
- 68.5% up to 1.0 Mbps
McDowell County DSL by Area
This information is most helpful to those looking for homes or considering moving to McDowell County or any of the areas nearby.
How does DSL internet in McDowell County compare to the rest of North Carolina?
DSL internet speeds in McDowell County are much faster versus the average speeds in North Carolina: 0.00 Mbps in North Carolina versus 37 Mbps in the county. The state has similar DSL availability compared to the county. Average DSL coverage in North Carolina is 0.00% versus 65.60% in McDowell County.
What zip codes have DSL internet?
DSL internet coverage varies by zip code and neighborhood. Some examples in or around McDowell County are shown below. You can enter any zip code here to see TV and internet providers by zip code.
What does DSL internet look like in other counties?
Below are counties nearby and with similar populations. This comparison can be useful if living somewhere with fast internet is important to you.
Nearby Counties
- Burke County, NC: more DSL coverage, faster speeds
- Buncombe County, NC: more DSL coverage, faster speeds
- Catawba County, NC: more DSL coverage, faster speeds
- Haywood County, NC: less DSL coverage, slower speeds
- Iredell County, NC: more DSL coverage, faster speeds
- Rowan County, NC: more DSL coverage, faster speeds
- Blount County, TN: more DSL coverage, faster speeds
- Randolph County, NC: less DSL coverage, slower speeds
- Loudon County, TN: more DSL coverage, faster speeds
- Monroe County, TN: more DSL coverage, faster speeds
Counties with Similar Populations
- Macon County, NC: less DSL coverage, faster speeds
- Ogle County, IL: less DSL coverage, slower speeds
- Nye County, NV: less DSL coverage, faster speeds
- Nelson County, KY: more DSL coverage, faster speeds
- Monroe County, WI: more DSL coverage, faster speeds
- Mifflin County, PA: less DSL coverage, faster speeds
- Manati Municipio, PR: more DSL coverage, slower speeds
- Madison County, OH: less DSL coverage, slower speeds
- Madison County, ID: more DSL coverage, slower speeds
- Macoupin County, IL: less DSL coverage, slower speeds