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What is the best internet provider in Los Angeles?
Los Angeles. The City of Angels and the birthplace of Hollywood. But is it a great place for internet? After thoroughly researching and testing, our CNET experts recommend AT&T Fiber as the top internet provider in Los Angeles. According to the FCC, it has a pretty widespread coverage of 78% and it stands out as being one of the few providers to offer fiber with decent median download speeds, zero contracts and even includes equipment.
However, for residents who are looking for something a little cheaper — and are lucky enough to live in the areas where it’s provided — we recommend checking out Frontier Fiber’s $30 200Mbps plan. It offers symmetrical download and upload speeds.
We also believe Sonic Telecom is well worth considering as an internet service provider. It not only boasts the fastest speeds in Los Angeles, up to 10,000Mbps, but it’s also somewhat affordable at $50 a month. If you’re in the area where it’s available, you’re bound to get an exceptional deal.
Los Angeles internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Fiber Read full review |
Fiber | $55-$245 | 300-5,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| Cox Communications Read full review |
Cable | $30-$150 | 100-2,000Mbps | $15 (optional) | 1.25TB | None | 6.2 |
| Sonic | Fiber | $50-$60 | 10,000Mbps | $5 (optional) | None | None | N/A |
| Spectrum Read full review |
Cable | $25-$70 | 50-1,000Mbps | Free modem; $10 router | None | None | 7.2 |
| Starry Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $15-$90 | 30-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$55 for eligible mobile customers) | 87-415Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 for eligible Verizon Wireless customers) | 50-250Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Other available internet providers in Los Angeles
- Cox Communications: Although it’s one of the country’s biggest cable internet providers, Cox has a relatively small footprint in the Los Angeles metro area. It’s solely available in the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Plans start at $30 per month for 100Mbps download and go up to $150 per month for its 2-gigabit option.
- Sonic Telecom: This ISP is mainly known for offering service in the Bay Area. Angelenos can find Sonic service in a handful of neighborhoods, including Beverly Hills, Glendale, Inglewood, Pasadena and West Hollywood. Although Sonic is known for building 100% fiber networks, much of its offering in the LA market is older DSL, and most of its fiber service in the area currently utilizes AT&T’s fiber network.
- T-Mobile 5G Home Internet: T-Mobile’s fixed wireless home internet service uses its 5G and 4G LTE networks to get customers online at an average download speed between 87 and 415Mbps. It’s appealing for its simplicity: $50 a month covers all equipment, taxes, installation fees and services. Get faster speeds at $60 a month. For $70 a month, you can include a Mesh Access Point and a Wi-Fi Gateway for more reliable speeds throughout the house. There are no data caps and no contracts required. Although technically available throughout the Los Angeles metro area, you must plug in your address on the T-Mobile site to see if you’re serviceable.
- Verizon 5G Home Internet: Like T-Mobile, this is a fixed wireless home internet option. Verizon’s average download speeds are around 250Mbps. It also features an all-in price that covers taxes, installation fees and equipment but splits the cost into two buckets: $50 a month for a two-year price-lock guarantee or $70 per month for a three-year price-lock and additional perks.
Cheap internet options in Los Angeles
The average starting price for internet service in Los Angeles is approximately $45 monthly. If you’re looking for the most affordable internet plans in your area, multiple options are available that are cheaper than the average cost. The cheapest plan is Starry Connect, which costs $15 per month and offers speeds up to 30Mbps but will only be available to qualifying users.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in Los Angeles?
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Los Angeles
The best internet deals and top promotions in Los Angeles depend on what discounts are available during that period. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Los Angeles internet providers, such as Spectrum and Cox, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, such as AT&T, Frontier and Verizon, run the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
How fast is Los Angeles broadband?
Los Angeles isn’t among the top 50 fastest cities in the US, ranking at 78. A big reason is that 100% fiber connections are not yet as prevalent as cable and DSL connections in the city. Major efforts by AT&T (making its Fiber 2000 and Fiber 5000 plans more widely available) and Frontier (whose 2- and 5-gigabit plans are now available for all locations serviceable for its fiber offerings) should help boost those stats.
Fastest internet plans in Los Angeles
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonic | $50 | 10,000Mbps | 10,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| AT&T Fiber 5000 Read full review |
$245 | 5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| AT&T Fiber 2000 Read full review |
$145 | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Cox 2 Gig Read full review |
$150 | 2,000Mbps | 100Mbps | 1.25TB | Cable |
| Cox 1 Gig Read full review |
$110 | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | 1.25TB | Cable |
| Starry Gigabit Read full review |
$90 | 1,000Mbps | 50Mbps | None | Fixed wireless |
| Spectrum Internet Gig Read full review |
$70 | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | None | Cable |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Internet providers in popular cities near Los Angeles
See all results for internet providers in California.
What’s a good internet speed?
Most internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. 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, according to the Federal Communication Commission. Note that these are only guidelines and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.
- 0 to 5Mbps allows you to tackle the basics: browsing the internet, sending and receiving email and streaming low-quality video.
- 5 to 40Mbps gives you higher-quality video streaming and videoconferencing.
- 40 to 100Mbps should give one user sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming.
- 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.
For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Los Angeles
Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. What’s our approach? We start by researching the pricing, availability and speed information, drawing on our own historical ISP data, the provider sites and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.
It doesn’t end there: We go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. 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. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes. All information provided is accurate as of publication.
Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:
- Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
- Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?
- Are customers happy with their service?
The answers to those questions are often layered and complex, but the providers that come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, although we also factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)
To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.
What’s the final word on internet providers in Los Angeles?
Spectrum is tough to beat among Los Angeles internet providers if you want consistent service and wide availability. Sonic is the fastest ISP in the city, but AT&T and Frontier’s fiber plans are also tough to beat. Overall, change is coming over the next few years in the City of Angels as providers like AT&T and Frontier move away from their older DSL lines (still prominent in the area) toward their growing fiber networks. Cable internet still rules in LA, but fiber is the future.
Internet providers in Los Angeles FAQs
How much does internet service cost in Los Angeles?
Most internet providers in Los Angeles offer at least three different tiers, ranging in price from a low of $15 to a high of $245 per month. The average starting cost for a provider’s cheapest plan is $45 per month. Remember that some providers also charge to rent their modem and router.
Is fiber internet available in Los Angeles?
Yes. Although fiber internet connections aren’t as prevalent in Los Angeles as cable internet or DSL, about 30% of residents throughout Los Angeles County can get fiber internet, per FCC stats. Top fiber internet providers in Los Angeles include AT&T and Frontier.
What is the cheapest internet provider in Los Angeles?
Looking only at the starting price, the cheapest internet provider in Los Angeles would be Starry, with its low-cost internet plan Starry Connect for $15 per month. Starry Connect differs from low-cost internet plans offered by other ISPs by eliminating the need to see if your household qualifies: to get Starry Connect, you just need to live in a building that’s serviceable for it.
Other cheap internet options in Los Angeles are Frontier Fiber and Starry’s $30 monthly plans for 200Mbps. Although Starry may be more widely available than Frontier in the city, Frontier’s full-fiber symmetrical download and upload speeds make that option pretty hard to pass up if it’s available to you.
How fast are Los Angeles internet speeds?
Internet speeds in Los Angeles are somewhat bogged down by DSL networks, which major providers like AT&T and Frontier still use. Per Ookla’s latest broadband report, Los Angeles was only the 83rd fastest city among the top 100 metro areas in the US.
It scored a median download speed of just over 213Mbps and a median upload speed of 20.5Mbps. Comparing that with just some of the cities CNET has covered thus far, San Antonio and Austin were in the top 10 (with median download speeds above 290Mbps). On the flip side, LA isn’t in the bottom 10, unlike Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Miami and Seattle.
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