Internet Providers in Houston, TX

Houston is the fourth most populated city in the United States, as well as the largest city not only in Texas but also the entire southern US. That means there are a lot of people who rely on the broadband providers in Houston, from residents to entrepreneurs. The good news is that there are a lot of companies providing Houston’s high speed internet. The downside to all that choice is that picking an internet service provider can be a challenge if you live in one of the areas with the most coverage.

Types of Houston High Speed Internet

In Houston, many customers can choose between both DSL (which uses existing phone lines to deliver data) and cable broadband (which uses the cable TV infrastructure and is slightly faster) providers. There are also multiple high speed internet providers in Houston that offer fiber broadband, which delivers the fastest speeds available using a network of cables made from thin strands of glass.

More than 80% of residents have access to high speed internet, which is notable considering that only about half of all residents of Texas can get broadband service. And nearly three-quarters of residents have three or more choices when shopping for an ISP.

The High Speed Internet Providers in Houston

There’s no one ISP that covers all of Houston, but AT&T, Cyberonic, and Xfinity cover the majority of the city. Fiber providers tend to cover fewer neighborhoods, which means that it’s not uncommon for one household to have access to fiber while another that’s just a few blocks away doesn’t. There are a number of smaller Houston high speed internet providers that fill in the gaps by servicing select neighborhoods.

Customers looking for the fastest speeds should check out AT&T, Frontier, Xfinity, and Spectrum. When cost is the most important factor, look at CenturyLink. Frontier offers no-contract plans, and Spectrum has no data caps. That said, if you live in one of the rare areas of Houston where none of the local ISPs can provide service to your address, modern satellite broadband can be a great alternative to cable or DSL.

The Reliability of Houston High Speed Internet

Houston is a busy metropolitan area, which means that many people will be connected to the internet over the course of a typical day. There is plenty of reliable broadband service in Houston but outages and slowdowns can and do happen. Internet speed slowdowns (especially those on peak weekday hours or on the weekend) tend to be caused by a high volume of traffic on the network. Customers who need constant speeds should look into business internet plans, which tend to offer more consistent service and, in some cases, guaranteed speeds.

How to Choose Between Houston High Speed Internet Providers

The three things you should look at first will be availability, speed, and price. Don’t fall into the trap of looking at what is offered in an ISP’s ad since advertisements often showcase promotional, limited time only deals. It’s more important to research using unbiased sources like BroadbandSearch so you can look at what the Houston high speed internet providers near you are actually delivering to their customers. That information plus recommendations from neighbors can help you make a smart choice.

Are the ISPs in My Area the Only Options?

Most households and businesses in Houston will have a number of options to pick from when it comes to choosing an ISP. That said, you may discover that yours is a neighborhood that is only serviced by a couple of providers. In that case, unless you want to explore satellite or cellular broadband, your address may make your choice for you.