HTC Inc. vs. Spectrum: Which Is Best in South Carolina?

Bottom line

Horry Telephone Cooperative (HTC) is a fiber and cable internet provider in South Carolina covering Horry, Georgetown, and Marion counties. It doesn’t have Spectrum’s vast, nationwide network, but it excels in straightforward pricing.

Spectrum is one of the largest cable internet providers in the US, so it’s a great option if you can’t get HTC’s internet service. Spectrum has some fiber-to-the-home internet, too, but it’s not as widely available as Spectrum’s cable internet.

Current internet deals

HTC’s wireless phone customers can get $10 per month off their monthly bill by signing up for three or more services. The provider also offers cable TV, wireless, and home security services.

Spectrum will give you a free, 90-day trial of Peacock Premium when you sign up for a qualifying internet plan.

See our Best Internet Deals page for more deets on the cheapest plans and the biggest discounts from other major internet providers like Spectrum. It’s updated every month to give you the scoop.

HTC vs. Spectrum internet

HTC vs. Spectrum packages and pricing

HTC and Spectrum are very similar. Both offer mostly cable internet and some fiber, and both raise their rates after a year. But Spectrum is the only one of the two with plans designed specifically for low-income families.

HTC internet packages

HTC provides fiber-to-the-home internet in most of its service areas and cable internet in areas that still need an upgrade. Some areas continue to offer both as HTC replaces cable with fiber, so you won’t know if a plan uses cable or fiber until you call. Prices are the same whether you’re on cable or fiber.

As for cost, HTC’s prices are cheaper than Spectrum during and after the first 12 months. The rates include a cable modem and router—Spectrum offers a free cable modem only. And you can waive the installation cost if you sign up for an annual contract instead of going with a no-contract plan.

Finally, there are no data caps, so you’re free to use the internet as much as you want without worrying about overage charges.

Spectrum Internet packages

Spectrum offers decent prices and impressive speeds. Its base plan delivers speeds up to 300Mbps (wireless speeds may vary), while its fastest plan, Internet Gig with up to 1,000Mbps, is now more affordable than ever. If you’re lucky, Spectrum’s fiber internet is in your area, offering equal upload and download speeds.

Spectrum doesn’t have contracts, so you can cancel service after one month if you’re dissatisfied. But it’s more expensive than HTC during and after the first year. Spectrum’s Gig plan, for example, increases $25.00 to $114.99 per month by the third year. HTC’s similar plan has a standard rate of $89.95 per month—a $15.00 increase if you choose the one-year contract.

HTC vs. Spectrum: Who has the fastest internet speed?

Internet speeds

Spectrum and HTC both have three primary plans delivered over cable and fiber. Both have gigabit plans with download speeds of up to 1,000Mbps, but the upload speeds depend on the connection type: 35Mbps with cable or 1,000Mbps with fiber.

But there’s a huge dollar-per-megabit difference when we compare their non-gigabit plans. You get more value out of HTC’s 500Mbps plan than you do with Spectrum, but the drawback is that HTC doesn’t offer internet outside of South Carolina. Spectrum doesn’t even offer a 750Mbps plan, while HTC doesn’t have a 300Mbps plan.

Overall, if you live in South Carolina, HTC should be your go-to provider for cable or fiber internet.

Internet types

HTC and Spectrum offer fiber and cable internet. Technically, the two types don’t have a maximum speed—think of them as highways with speed limits enforced by providers. However, here are the maximum download and upload speeds currently offered to residential customers:

*Data according to area provider maps for cable and maps for fiber from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

Cable internet relies on existing cable TV lines with a copper-clad core (coaxial cables) to deliver internet using radio waves. Fiber internet operates over cables with glass cores to deliver internet using light signals (think Morse code).

Fiber is generally symmetrical in speed, meaning the upload speeds match the downloads. Cable internet is designed with asymmetrical speeds using a (roughly) 10:1 or 20:1 download/upload ratio.

HTC’s fiber internet is available only in some parts of its service area, so you may have to settle for cable until HTC upgrades the area.

Spectrum doesn’t install fiber internet in its cable areas. Instead, fiber-to-the-home service is in “green” areas where other fiber providers don’t claim, like in new neighborhoods. Current Spectrum cable customers must wait for the 10G Platform to get fiber-like speeds or get fiber from another provider.

TV bundle deals

Spectrum doesn’t offer the traditional internet and TV bundle. Instead, you can pair any discounted Spectrum Internet plan with any discounted Spectrum TV service. Both discounts end after 12 months.

HTC doesn’t bundle internet with TV, either. Instead, you pick the internet plan you need and subscribe to its streaming TV service, HTC TV Max, starting at $111.95 per month. Add-ons include the Family & Kids programming for another $10.75 per month.

HTC vs. Spectrum fees and contracts

HTC and Spectrum both go easy on extra fees. For starters, neither provider has data caps, so you won’t see data overage charges.

If you’re concerned about possible early termination fees (ETFs), Spectrum doesn’t impose annual contracts, so no worries there. But you’re obligated to keep the service for at least one month to enjoy the promotional discount.

Meanwhile, HTC charges $100 if you discontinue service at any time before your one-year contract ends. There is no ETF if you take the no-contract option.

Finally, Spectrum charges a reasonable $5 per month for its router or WiFi access in its gateways, and $3 per month for each WiFi Pod—there’s no fee for its modem. HTC includes the modem and router as part of the total bill.

HTC fees

HTC doesn’t charge monthly rental fees for its equipment. Plus, if you miss a payment, HTC’s late fees aren’t too bad. You have around a week to make your payment before HTC disconnects your service and you’re hit with a $25 reconnection fee on the next bill. Installation can be a bit pricey, but you can waive the cost by signing an annual contract.

Spectrum fees

Spectrum doesn’t have data caps, so there are no overage fees. Installation is on the cheaper end, costing $59.99 for professional installation—$24.99 for the self-install kit, which includes activation. The WiFi access fee won’t run you much at $7 per month—many internet providers charge twice that (except for HTC, which doesn’t charge anything at all).

Internet contracts

Spectrum doesn’t have contracts. Instead, it offers discounted pricing for 12 months, but you must keep the service for at least one month to get the discount. After that, you can cancel service without shelling out big bucks in early termination fees (ETFs).

With HTC, you have two options:

• One-year contract – Get free installation and a discounted rate for 12 months. This option does not renew. The ETF cost is $100.
• No contract – Pay up to $100 in installation fees and HTC’s standard rates.

HTC does not list the no-contract option on its website. An agent gives you this option when you call to sign up for new internet service.

HTC vs. Spectrum equipment

Renting equipment

HTC provides all the equipment you need for fiber or cable internet at no extra cost—just return the devices once you discontinue your service.

Spectrum doesn’t charge a monthly fee to use its modem, gateway, or fiber ONT. But WiFi costs $5 per month whether you use Spectrum’s standalone router or access WiFi from the gateway. Spectrum’s WiFi Pods are $3 per unit per month, which can add up if you want whole-home coverage.

HTC vs. Spectrum availability

HTC’s service area covers Horry, Georgetown, and Marion counties in the top northeastern corner of South Carolina. It’s available across major cities like Myrtle Beach, Conway, and Georgetown along with smaller towns and rural communities.

Spectrum covers most of the same area—as well as other parts of South Carolina. It’s available in 227 towns and cities across the state, including all the best-known locales in the Horry-Georgetown area.

Pros and cons

Our verdict

HTC is the best internet provider in South Carolina if you want great prices. Each plan includes rent-free equipment and unlimited data, so you’re free to use as much internet as you please. It’s the cheapest of the two in Horry, Georgetown, and Marion counties, too.

Spectrum is your next-best option, especially if you don’t need speeds above 300Mbps. It’s the only one of the two who scored on our latest customer satisfaction survey, so we can only go by reviews on Google in terms of how customers rate HTC. But HTC’s post-promo rates make it our top pick of the two in South Carolina.

FAQ about HTC vs. Spectrum