Internet Providers in Houston, TX

We kept only providers that at least two independent comparison sites list for Houston. That gives 14 providers.

• 92.1% of Houston's 943,336 households have an internet subscription.
• 72.9% have a wired connection (cable, fiber or DSL), compared with 92.0% with any broadband.
• 5.8% have no internet access at home.
• Source: Census ACS 2024 1-year estimates.

• Harris County Digital Access (Digital Navigators) — County Digital Navigators help residents find free or low-cost internet, devices and training; 713-755-5000, getinternet@harriscountytx.gov (official page)
• Xfinity Internet Essentials (Xfinity customers) — $14.95/mo (up to 75 Mbps); Internet Essentials Plus $29.95/mo (up to 100 Mbps) (provider page)
• Spectrum Internet Assist (Spectrum customers) — $25/mo standard rate; $15/mo with NSLP, CEP or SSI; 50 Mbps (provider page)
• Access from AT&T (AT&T customers) — Depends on the address (shown after availability check); NY pricing at att.com/accessny (provider page)
• Optimum Advantage Internet (Optimum customers) — $15/mo plus taxes and fees, up to 100/100 Mbps, free installation, equipment included (provider page)
• Texas Broadband Development Office — the state broadband office; it tracks grant-funded buildouts and local help (site)
• Federal Lifeline — a monthly discount on phone or internet for income-qualified households (FCC)

Houston has 943,336 households, more than half of Harris County's 1,801,856. The Census tables show these local patterns:

• Homes with no internet access: 5.8% of Houston households (about 55,100), against 4.4% county-wide.
• A computer but no internet plan: 5.3% of households, or about 49,800 homes (Harris County: 4.4%).
• Cellular data as the only subscription: 15.7% of households (county: 14.1%).
• Smartphone as the only device: 15.3% of households (county: 13.0%). 74.6% have a desktop or laptop (county: 78.3%).
• No computer: 3.7% of households (county: 2.8%).
• Satellite internet subscriptions: 6.4% of households (county: 6.9%).
• Median household income: $64,361 (±$1,735), compared with $74,629 for Harris County.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2024 1-year detailed tables B28001, B28002, B28003 and B19013 (www2.census.gov summary file, retrieved 2026-10-16).

• Houston Public Library hotspots: holders of an active adult MyLink card in good standing can place a catalog hold on a mobile hotspot and pick it up at a service desk with their PIN or a government photo ID. Only one type of device per card. Return it to the service desk at any HPL location, not the book drop; a lost or damaged hotspot costs $80 plus a $10 processing fee. (askhpl.houstonlibrary.org, fees)
• Chromebooks with built-in data: MyLink cards can also check out Google Chromebooks, as available, for three weeks. (HPL, houstonlibrary.org)
• Program scale: HPL's hotspot lending began in 2017, and the library reported 34,080 hotspot checkouts from 2017 through 2022 in a February 2023 presentation to City Council. (houstontx.gov)

The Public Utility Commission of Texas regulates competitive local phone service but states that it does not regulate internet or wireless service, even when a phone company provides it (puc.texas.gov). After contacting your provider, file internet billing, speed, availability or equipment complaints with the FCC, which forwards them to the provider for a written response within 30 days (FCC complaint center). For cable TV under a state franchise, the PUCT can only forward a complaint to the cable company (puc.texas.gov).