What Houston internet service provider is the best?
Due to its symmetrical download and upload speeds and higher levels of client satisfaction, AT&, T Fiber is Houston’s top internet service provider. Plans start at$ 55 and go up to$ 245 for the 5-gig plan. But, AT&, T Fiber doesn’t cover all Houston names, but and are also good options to consider if you’re outside of AT&, T’s service area.
If you want the cheapest online programs in Houston, there are some good options, too. The cheapest ISP in Houston is , offering a$ 20-a-month program. Astound’s company comes with a 300-megabit-per-second relationship.
AT&, T Fiber, and local internet service offer the fastest internet acceleration in Houston. Each company boasts 5 gigabits of symmetrical speed, costing$ 245,$ 130 and$ 180, respectively.
Our procedure
CNET considers speeds, costs, customer service and total value to recommend the best web support in Houston across various categories. Our analysis includes references to a specialized database created from years of internet service reviews. By spot-checking native addresses for company availability, we compare that to provider information. We also thoroughly read the terms and conditions of the companies and, as necessary, name ISPs to check the details.
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Despite our best efforts to provide the most recent and reliable data, there are some limitations that you should be aware of. Prices and frequency data vary depending on which addresses may be eligible for various service levels, and even within a city, monthly costs may vary. The best way to find out which options are best is to enter your address into a company’s website.
Additionally, the operator cards below and the prices, rate, and other details may not match what we found in our analysis. According to our database of strategy information provided instantly by ISPs, the cards show the complete range of a company’s pricing and speed across the US. At the same time, the word is certain to what’s attainable in Houston. The costs referenced in the text of this article are based on our research and include appropriate discounts for setting up monthly automatic payments, which is a common industry offer. For terms of service agreements or the bundling of multiple companies, discounts and promotions might also be attainable.
Visit our whole to learn more about how we evaluate internet providers.
Origin: CNET evaluation of company data.
Another internet service providers are present in Houston.
In addition to the three above decisions, Houston’s metro area has a number of other broadband options. Some are only found in small neighborhoods of the area, while others are primarily found in the suburbs. There are some powerful choices here, even though they’re not as widely available.
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Astound Broadband: This cable internet service, known locally as Grande, offers some of Houston’s most competitive starting prices. For a 300Mbps plan, its starting price of$ 20 per month comes out to be an affordable 6 cents per Mbps. The wash is that Astound’s rate increases are some of the steepest in the industry.Brightspeed: You’ll want to research this because, depending on your location, you may be dealing with mostly DSL coverage for the Houston area ( which can be as low as 20Mbps ), or if you’re in the Kingwood area, you might see the company’s much more compelling fiber product.Frontier Communications: Frontier has a scattered reputation in the greater Houston area. You won’t find it there, but you can get its DSL and fiber-optic services in the north fringes of Baytown, Beach City, Cove and Crosby. Additionally, it can be found in League City and Sante Fe, in the southwestern region of the city. If Frontier Fiber is available– it features symmetrical plans of 200Mbps, 500Mbps, 1Gbps, 2Gbps, 5Gbps or 7Gbps speeds ranging from$ 30 to$ 300 per month for the first year– it’s a very appealing choice. If Frontier DSL is your only option, try various options.Within the Houston city limits, there are only a dozen small pockets for Kinetic by Windstream, a DSL and grain service. The southern district of Sugar Land has the majority of that presence. Compared to the faster fiber-optic ideas, you’ll primarily offer with its DSL service.Optimum: First away, I can imagine you might be confused. You’re likely familiar with the Houston-based company Suddenlink. Its family business, Altice USA, renamed it Optimum in 2022. In any case, Conroe and Kingwood, north of the city, have a higher concentration than the city’s, and Optimum service is sparsely distributed throughout the metro area. This cord ISP is renowned for its cheap, extremely competitive starting prices.Spectrum: Charter Communications ‘ ISP has some of the more customer-friendly, simple words you’ll get for cable internet service. There are no contracts, no data caps and a free modem rental included in your monthly price, ranging from$ 50 to$ 70. Additionally, it provides free Wi-Fi entry throughout the nation. In Houston’s town center, there is only limited range service. You can find cover north of the city, largely in Magnolia, Spring, Tomball and The Woodlands.Tachus: This local ISP, founded in 2018, is renowned for its community presence and commitment to building 100 % fiber-to-the-home systems within the greater Houston metropolitan area. It’s now available to over 50, 000 properties in Atascocita, Conroe, East Montgomery County, Kingwood, Magnolia, Oak Ridge County North and The Woodlands. There are five fiber programs, depending on what is available at your area,– 300Mbps, 600Mbps, 1Gbps, 2.5Gbps and 5Gbps– ranging from$ 65 to$ 180 a month, with no data cap and no contracts. You’ll need to provide your own router or rent one for as little as$ 6 per month, but the monthly price includes a modem rental.T-Mobile Home Internet: T-Mobile uses its fixed mobile home internet product, which is accessible to over 50 million homes statewide and about 55 % of people in the greater Houston area, to power its 5G and 4G LTE sites. Check your address on the T-Mobile website to see if you’re serviceable because not everyone with home T-Mobile cell service is eligible for home internet service. In any case, it’s an intriguing offering that includes installation fees, taxes and equipment rental under its$ 55-a-month fee, with no data caps or contracts.
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Cheap internet options in Houston
The starting cost for internet service in Houston is typically just over$ 46 per month, but a few companies offer plans less than that.
The Houston starting price is the lowest from Astound Broadband. Astound Broadband’s$ 20 plan grants download speeds up to 300Mbps and includes your equipment rental. Xfinity also offers a$ 20-a-month plan that gets you 150Mbps speeds.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in Houston?
Origin: CNET evaluation of company data.
How to locate online discounts and promotions in Houston
What are the best online coupons and top promotions in Houston determined by the discounts that are offered at a particular time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Houston internet providers, such as Xfinity, Astound Broadband, Spectrum and Optimum, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, including AT&, T, Frontier and Verizon, run the same standard pricing year-round.
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Check out our guide to the best online deals for a more in-depth list of promotions.
How fast is Houston broadband?
Houston, we have a problem. Although it’s one of the top five most populated metros in the US, H-Town couldn’t crack the top 50 on Ookla’s list of the country’s fastest cities for broadband.  , ( Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis. )
Per the , Houston managed to clock in at only No. 58. By contrast, its fellow Lone Star State cities of , , , and all placed in the top 15. Other Texas towns that placed higher on the speed chart– adding insult to injury– include , , , , and . Some small consolation: Houston finished well ahead of , which was in the bottom 3.
Some Houstonians may have access to the splashy 5Gbps plans from AT&, T and Frontier which cost$ 245 and$ 130 per month, respectively, and even the 7Gbps plan from Frontier for$ 300 per month.
Fastest internet plans in Houston
Origin: CNET evaluation of company data.
Internet service providers in well-known cities close to Houston
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See Texas internet providers’ complete results.
What’s a good internet speed?
Most modern internet connection plans can now handle simple tasks like communication and productivity. If you’re looking for an internet plan that can accommodate videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you’ll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here’s an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, . Please take note that these are only general guidelines and that the performance, speed, and performance of internet depend on the type of connection, the provider, and the address.
For more information, refer to our guide on .
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0 to 5Mbps allows you to tackle the basics: browsing the internet, sending and receiving email and streaming low-quality video.
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5 to 40Mbps gives you higher-quality video streaming and videoconferencing.
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40 to 100Mbps should give one user sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
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100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming.
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500 to 1, 000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.
How CNET selected the top internet service providers in Houston
There are numerous, local Internet service providers. Unlike the latest , , or , it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. What’s our approach? We begin by researching the pricing, availability, and speed information, using historical ISP data, provider websites, and mapping data from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC. gov.
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We visit the FCC’s website to check our data and make sure we take into account every ISP that offers service in a given area. We also enter local addresses to find out what options are available to residents on provider websites. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J. D. Power, to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service. All information provided is current and accurate at the time of publication. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes.
Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:
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Does the provider provide access to a speedy internet connection?
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Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?
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Are customers happy with their service?
The providers we recommend are the ones who answer those questions the best, though the answer to those questions frequently has layers and is complex. We look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee when choosing the least expensive internet service, but we also take into account costs like price increases, equipment fees, and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. We take into account real-world speed data from sources like and and consider advertised upload and download speeds.
Visit our page to learn more about our process.
What’s the final word on Houston internet providers?
Houston offers several high-speed internet choices. Fast fiber options like AT&, T, Frontier, and the local internet service provider Tachus can be connected to home internet. You could hop online via  , from Optimum and Spectrum. Try T-Mobile Home Internet or Verizon 5G Home Internet to join the movement.
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Houston is covered by Comcast’s cable internet service provider Xfinity, which offers the most comprehensive coverage of the city. A fiber internet connection almost always outperforms cable, as we’ve been saying in our CNET home internet reviews. If you can access a fiber provider in the area– including AT&, T Fiber, Consolidated Communications, Frontier Fiber or Tachus– don’t hesitate to sign on the virtual dotted line.
Houston’s top internet service providers FAQs
Which internet service provider in Houston offers the most coverage?
In the greater Houston metro area, there are more than a dozen different ISPs, including satellite internet providers like Hughesnet, Starlink, and Viasat ( all three are, according to the FCC, available to 100 % of the area ). Besides those satellite providers, Xfinity covers the most extensive area. You can find Comcast’s cable service as far as Conroe to the north, East Bernard to the west, Baytown to the east, and Freeport and Galveston to the south.
Is fiber internet available in Houston?
Yes. H-Town has fiber internet access. Houston’s top fiber internet providers include AT&, T Fiber, Frontier Fiber , and Tachus Fiber. A small portion of Xfinity locations are also eligible for fiber service, but it must be done first to determine whether the address is serviceable.
Who in Houston has the fastest internet speeds?
The current fastest internet speed offered by Frontier Fiber in Houston is 7Gbps (7, 000Mbps ). Per Ookla’s latest findings, the provider with the fastest average , download speeds in Houston is AT&, T, with a median download speed of approximately 257Mbps.