As one of the fastest growing states in the country with a population spread out across vast rural areas and major metro hubs, finding the right internet service in Texas can seem like a daunting task. With over 500 providers in the state offering everything from snail-paced dial-up to blazing multi-gig fiber, how do you even begin to navigate the options?
This comprehensive guide will discuss the major types of internet connections available in the Lone Star State, compare offerings from the top providers across speed, price and availability metrics, and provide insider tips for choosing the best service no matter where you live in Texas.
The Lay of the Land: Availability and Speeds
Texas trails the national average by a few percentage points in terms of broadband availability. 87% of the population has access to some type of high-speed internet connection, whether it be cable, DSL, fiber or fixed wireless services. However, speeds and provider options can still vary widely depending on if you reside in a dense urban center or more remote rural locale.
In Dallas, Austin, Houston and other large metro areas, most residents have access to both cable and fiber connections capable of delivering speeds of 100 Mbps or higher, suitable for data-intensive uses like 4K video streaming and online gaming. However, rural connectivity continues to pose challenges in Texas, with only 65% of rural households served by minimum 25 Mbps down / 3 Mbps up internet service as of 2022 according to FCC data. Approximately 1 million rural Texans still lack access to any fixed broadband internet providers based on where they live.
| Metric | Texas | National Average |
|---|---|---|
| Broadband Access | 87% | 90% |
| Avg Download Speed | 70 Mbps | 70 Mbps |
| Households with Fiber Access | 42% | 60% |
Table 1 – Texas Internet Access Metrics Compared to National Averages (Source: FCC, Ookla Speedtest)
Drilling down to the county level, the Texas broadband map continues to show major gaps in rural areas compared to the states urban corridors. Per FCC measurements, counties like Loving, McMullen, Roberts and Armstrong have less than 40% of households served with minimum 25/3 Mbps broadband internet. Meanwhile, more population dense counties like Harris (Houston) and Dallas have 97% or more availability.
| County | 25/3 Mbps Broadband Access |
|---|---|
| Harris (Houston) | 97% |
| Travis (Austin) | 96% |
| Dallas | 99% |
| Loving | 37% |
| McMullen | 26% |
Table 2 – Variation in 25/3 Mbps Broadband Access by Texas County (Source: FCC)
Ultimately, whether you have access to the fastest fiber connections or remain completely unserved living in rural Texas varies greatly depending on exactly where your home or business is located.
Top Internet Providers in Texas
Now that we‘ve set the stage on availability and speeds, let‘s take a closer look at the specific options available from the major internet service providers operating across Texas along with their respective download/upload speeds, pricing and general availability.
1. AT&T
Offering internet service through both its traditional U-verse brand and newer AT&T Fiber offerings, download speeds range from 10 to 1000 Mbps depending on your location and type of connection. Because AT&T built out its network decades ago leveraging old copper phone lines, speeds can vary dramatically between neighborhoods. While AT&T Fiber continues to expand into more metro areas, offering blazing fast 1000 Mbps speeds, some rural areas remain limited to 10-100 Mbps DSL connectivity.
Pricing for AT&T Internet starts as low as $35/month when bundling TV or Phone service, but actual internet-only plans typically start closer to the $50-70/month range.
| Metric | AT&T |
|---|---|
| Starting Download Speed | 10 Mbps |
| Max Advertised Download Speed | 1000 Mbps |
| Max Upload Speed | 1000 Mbps |
| Avg Availability Statewide | 20% |
2. Spectrum
Formerly Time Warner and Brighthouse cable providers, Spectrum utilizes existing coaxial cable lines hanging on power poles to deliver internet across more metro and suburban areas of Texas. With max download speeds up to 1000 Mbps and uploads up to 35 Mbps, the network is suitable for streaming HD video and handling smart home devices. Spectrum markets itself primarily on delivering reliable connections and good customer service compared to the phone company DSL alternatives.
Pricing for Spectrum Internet is straightforward if not entirely cheap – $49.99 gets you straight 200 Mbps down service without contracts or hidden fees. Bundling TV and phone can drop the pricing somewhat to $39.99/month.
| Metric | Spectrum |
|---|---|
| Starting Download Speed | 200 Mbps |
| Max Advertised Download Speed | 1000 Mbps |
| Max Upload Speed | 35 Mbps |
| Avg Availability Statewide | 54% |
3. Xfinity
Backed by media and telecom giant Comcast, Xfinity utilizes both traditional coaxial cable and next-gen fiber lines to deliver fast internet to metro area subscribers. Max advertised speeds can rival Google Fiber, reaching 1000 Mbps down and 35 up over fiber. Actual speeds over traditional cable lines still outpace DSL, but are generally closer to 200-400 Mbps down for most subscribers.
Bundling TV, phone and other Comcast services can drop Xfinity pricing to $39.99/month for the first year, but prices jump sharply thereafter. As the second largest cable provider in Texas behind Spectrum, Xfinity availability is concentrated around Dallas, Houston and Austin.
| Metric | Xfinity |
|---|---|
| Starting Download Speed | 25 Mbps |
| Max Advertised Download Speed | 1000 Mbps |
| Max Upload Speed | 35 Mbps |
| Avg Availability Statewide | 22% |
4. T-Mobile
The relatively new kid on the block, T-Mobile has been aggressively expanding availability of its 5G Home Internet service leveraging the broad coverage footprint of its robust nationwide 5G cellular network. This wireless WAN technology provides an alternative to wired cable or fiber connectivity, offering speeds up to 182 Mbps down and 21 Mbps with typical speeds in the 50-100 Mbps range based on location.
Pricing is straightforward at $50/month flat with no data caps or contracts. T-Mobile 5G Home Internet aims to compete head-on with more traditional cable providers like Spectrum & Xfinity, targeting underserved markets and delivering another competitive option to increase access. It does however remain dependent on having solid 5G signals, so actual speeds can suffer in remote areas far from cellular towers.
| Metric | T-Mobile 5G Home Internet |
|---|---|
| Typical Download Speed | 50-182 Mbps |
| Max Advertised Download Speed | 182 Mbps |
| Max Upload Speed | 21 Mbps |
| Avg Availability Statewide | 86% |
…Additional Sections on Other Major Providers…
Key Factors To Consider When Choosing
When deciding which route to take for your internet needs among the many providers operating in Texas, the ideal option depends heavily on balancing speed, reliability and affordability. Exactly how these attributes stack up against your specific household requirements should ultimately guide the decision.
Weighing Speed vs Price
Blazing fast speeds in the 1000 Mbps range give connected homes the biggest pipe for streaming 4K video, gaming online, video calls and managing dozens of devices simultaneously. But that level of performance doesn‘t come cheap in most regions – generally $100+/month for multi-gigabit fiber speeds on AT&T, Xfinity and other networks.
Most households can actually thrive quite well on more moderately priced cable internet plans in the 200-400 Mbps range offered from Spectrum, Suddenlink and various regional cable operators. This represents a nice balance between brisk speeds and budget, with 100 Mbps generally sufficient for basic HD streaming. Going below those thresholds though often means frustrating buffering and pixelation issues.
In rural areas where wired infrastructure availability is limited, fixed wireless services like T-Mobile 5G Home Internet and Rise Broadband offer new options to finally get rural communities connected. While speeds remain capped to around 50-150 Mbps down, the technologies continue improving. Even satellite internet remains an option for remote locations despite high latency challenges.
Connection Technology Pros and Cons
Fiber, cable, DSL and fixed wireless internet connections each have their inherent advantages and disadvantages when it comes to performance, reliability and pricing. Fiber optic cables theoretically deliver the fastest speeds and lowest latency by encoding data in light flashes through tiny glass threads. However, fiber rollout requires large capital investment to trench miles of fiber lines throughout neighborhoods. Speeds remain restricted by equipment capability on each end.
Coaxial and copper cable follows a similar geographic restriction for deployment, but offers faster rollout leveraging existing infrastructure. DOCSIS 3.1 and DSL technology advances have boosted cable and phone line speeds dramatically in recent years while maintaining affordability. Reliability used to favor fiber but new cabling and advanced modem innovations help cable internet remain highly reliable as well.
Fixed wireless connections offered from cellular providers like T-Mobile and Rise Broadband showcase the flexibility of newer 5G radio and LTE technologies. Bypassing wires altogether, fixed antennas beam signals directly to a home router miles away. However range restrictions, signal strength challenges in remote terrain, and throttling during network congestion can restrict speeds versus wired connectivity.
Ultimately every connection medium offers tradeoffs across cost, speed, latency and reliability factors. Fiber edges out as the premium top-tier option with cable, DSL and fixed wireless best suited for more budget conscious needs in areas lacking fiber availability.
What the Future Holds
While state and federal programs work to bridge remaining digital divides across rural Texas, next generation wireless and low-orbit satellite technology promises immense potential. Elon Musk‘s SpaceX Starlink has already brought satellite broadband service to remote Texas regions overlooked by wired providers. Newer low orbit designs help mitigate latency concerns that previously hindered satellite internet performance.
At the same time, upstart wireless internet service providers continue lighting up new networks using dynamic spectrum sharing, multi-frequency 5G radios, and innovative backhaul infrastructure to reach previously underserved communities. These emerging operators and technologies provide new conduits to closing lingering rural availability gaps in years ahead.
Ultra-fast fiber internet also continues expanding, including talk of Austin becoming one of the country‘s first 10-gigabit cities within this decade. With every new innovation, the promise of universal and affordable high-speed internet access across all of Texas moves closer to reality. Texans in even the most remote country towns should take comfort that modern robust web connectivity exists now or will arrive soon!
