Best Internet Providers in Oakland, California

CNET recommends AT&T Fiber as the best internet provider in Oakland.The service offers extensive coverage and speeds of up to 5 gigabits. However, there's another regional internet service provider called Sonic, which has been gaining ground with its expanding network.

Oakland residents now have a broad range of ISPs to choose from. The Internet Choice Ordinance regulation, introduced a few years ago, ensures landlords of multiunit properties can't restrict tenants' internet options, giving renters more flexibility to find the right provider for their needs.

Other strong contenders include Xfinity for cable and fixed wireless options from Verizon and T-Mobile . Ultimately, the best provider for you will depend on what's available at your address, your speed needs and your budget. Below, we've highlighted the fastest, most affordable and top-performing home internet options in Oakland.

Best internet providers in Oakland

AT&T Fiber tops our recommendations for best overall home internet provider in Oakland, thanks to its broad coverage area and fast speeds. Fiber competitor Sonic, however, is worthy of strong consideration if it services your address. If you're not fortunate enough to have fiber as an option, or if you're looking for a bargain deal, then check out Xfinity for cable or Verizon and T-Mobile for affordable fixed wireless plans.

Note:The prices, speeds and features detailed in the article text may differ from those listed in the product detail cards, which represent providers' national offerings. Your particular internet service options -- including prices and speeds -- depend on your address and may differ from those detailed here.

AT&T Fiber

Wide availability and fast speeds of up to 5 gigabits push AT&T Fiber to the top of our recommended list of ISPs for Oakland. But AT&T has stiff competition from beloved local provider Sonic, our choice for the best regional internet provider in Oaktown. AT&T also offers DSL plans in some areas not serviced by its fiber network, but keep in mind those DSL speeds won't be able to touch the zippiness of fiber.

Availability: California's interactive broadband map tracks internet availability across the state and shows AT&T fiber reaching much of Oakland, with especially strong coverage in neighborhoods like Glenview, Longfellow and the Dimond District. The communities of Piedmont and Alameda are also well covered.

Plans and pricing:AT&T's budget fiber plan is $55 for up to 300Mbps with no annual contract or data caps. Next up is a 500Mbps plan for $65 monthly. Keep an eye out for deals, like a recent offer on the $80-per-month 1,000Mbps plan bringing it down to $55 monthly. Next up is 2,000Mbps internet for $145 a month. The fastest speed tier, a whopping 5 gigs, will cost you a pretty penny at $245 per month (though it offers solid value with a cost per Mbps of under 4 cents). The lowest monthly prices require signing up for autopay and paperless billing. 

Fees and service details: Equipment is included, and there is no data cap or annual contract. AT&T often dangles carrots like a $150 reward card for ordering online.

Sonic

If you eavesdrop on Oakland Reddit discussions about internet providers, many residents will share their love for Sonic, an independent ISP that services parts of Northern California. Sonic brings the goods with up to 10 gigabits in some areas, making your internet feel like a Lamborghini. 

Availability:Sonic has been expanding its coverage across the Bay Area, though the fastest 10-gigabit speeds are available to a select few. More likely, you can expect speeds around 1 gigabit. Ookla ranks Sonic as the fastest internet provider in Oakland, with a median download speed of about 336Mbps.

Plans and pricing:Sonic keeps pricing pretty simple. Its standard plan runs $50 monthly for whatever speed is available at your address. A $60 service level adds a home phone into the mix, but most customers will likely opt for the savings and skip the phone. Sonic offers a free first month to let you test-drive the service with no worries.

Fees and service details:Sonic encourages new customers to rent equipment for an additional $5 per month, but you can opt out of that and use your own gear. However Sonic won't help troubleshoot your equipment should you run into any problems. There are no contracts and no data caps.

Verizon 5G Home Internet

There's a battle in the 5G home internet arena, but Verizon edges out T-Mobile in our evaluation because it offers speeds up to 1,000Mbps in some areas of Oakland. If fixed wireless is your thing, then the choice between Verizon and T-Mobile may come down to availability and which phone service you prefer. Both companies offer generous bundling discounts. 

Availability:Verizon's 5G coverage map shows its fastest 5G offering, dubbed 5G Ultra Wideband, blankets the Oakland area except for a few pockets. Parts of Emeryville, for example, aren't well covered, but the community still has access to Verizon's regular 5G network and home internet speeds up to 300Mbps. 

Plans and pricing:An autopay discount brings the starting price of Verizon 5G internet down to $50 per month, but mobile customers with select mobile plans can get internet for just $35 when bundling the services. Verizon's typical speeds hit from 85 to 300Mbps, but your mileage will vary depending on the strength of the signal at your location and how much demand is on the network. Some customers may be able to pull down up to 1,000Mbps with the 5G Home Plus plan. That'll run you $80 normally, $70 with auto pay or just $45 with select mobile plans.

Fees and service details: With equipment included, no contract and no data caps, it's easy to start with Verizon's 5G Home Internet. It's an especially tempting deal if you're bundling with mobile service and have a strong home connection.

Xfinity

Xfinity may not have the absolute fastest internet service around, but it offers a wide variety of plans with different pricing options and is widely available. If fiber isn't an option for you, then chances are Xfinity will be there for you instead.

Availability:When you check California's broadband map, you'll find that Xfinity's cable service covers almost all of Oakland. That fact and a variety of internet speed plans make Xfinity a strong choice when budget is a top factor or when fiber isn't available at your address.

Plans and pricing:Xfinity's Connect More plan gets you connected at speeds of up to 400Mbps for $40 per month for the first year. Equipment is also included, but it will cost $25 per month after the promotional period or you can provide your own gear. Where available, Xfinity offers speeds up to 2,100Mbps, with that tier clocking in at $70 per month. There are two other speed and pricing options between those two, offering 600Mbps and 1,100Mbps speeds for $45 and $55 monthly, but again, keep an eye on future price changes and be prepared to negotiate if needed. 

Fees and service details: Xfinity's many options can be a little confusing, so dial into the details of your preferred plan. Some deals require a contract, and some don't include equipment. For most users, a $15 monthly equipment rental fees will apply. There's a 1.2TB monthly data cap, but you can get around that by paying an extra fee for the xFi complete gateway. That will run you $25 monthly.

All available Oakland residential internet providers

• AT&T Internet :If AT&T Fiber doesn't reach you, then you may have the option for AT&T DSL instead. Prices start at $60 per month for speeds up to 100Mbps. There is no installation fee. The price-to-speed ratio isn't great, so this may be a fallback option if there isn't a faster or cheaper service available to you.

• Satellite internet :Chances are your Oakland address is covered by cable, fiber or fixed wireless. Satellite internet providers like Starlink , Viasat and HughesNet aim to fill in for remote areas that aren't serviced by other ISPs. So why would you consider satellite internet if you're a city dweller? It's not likely to be your first choice, but an option like Starlink's RV plan could make sense for people who travel a lot and need to stay connected on the road.

• : T-Mobile's fixed wireless offering is one of the most affordable ways to get connected to the internet. Typical speeds range from 87 to 415Mbps for $50 to $70 per month. T-Mobile phone customers may qualify for a bundle deal that brings that cost down to $40.

Oakland broadband at a glance

Fiber internet is the premium option for Oakland. You can access reliable and fast download and upload speeds from AT&T Fiber or Sonic. For budget options or wider availability, look to Xfinity for cable, or to Verizon or T-Mobile for 5G fixed wireless internet. Your ultimate decision will come down to your speed needs, budget range and which companies service your address .

Pricing for Oakland home internet service

Home internet pricing is all over the map in Oakland. The average starting price for Oaktown's ISPs works out to $50. AT&T Fiber offers the priciest plan at $245 per month for 5-gigabit service. If you're lucky to have access to Sonic's fastest 10-gigabit fiber speeds, then you'll pay a bargain price as low as $50 per month. Down on the low side of the fee scale, you can find deals from Xfinity starting at just $40 per month.

Cheap internet options in the Oakland metro area

Oakland ISPs have you covered when it comes to affordable options for getting online. Xfinity's Connect More plan comes in at $40 per month. If you choose the one-year plan be mindful of the price increase that will follow and equipment fees, unless you're bringing your own hardware.

Fastest internet providers in Oakland

Oakland is in the top half of Ookla's ranking of internet speeds for the 100 most populous US cities. (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.) Oaktown's 39th-place showing is due to a median download speed of about 239Mbps, with Sonic reigning as the city's fastest ISP. Sonic's 10,000Mbps option should be enough for even the most demanding residential needs. On the other end of the spectrum, you'll find Xfinity's budget $40-per-month deal delivering 400Mbps.

Sonic's 10,000Mbps plan blows everyone else out of the bay, but it's not available everywhere. AT&T Fiber's 5,000Mbps option is the next closest competitor.  Here's our rundown of the best multi-gigabit internet plans . AT&T offers lower gigabit tiers for much less than the high-end $245 plan. You may also be able to pull down near-gigabit speeds with Verizon 5G Home Internet if you're in a good location. 

What's the final word on internet providers in Oakland?

Sonic's fiber service has a lot of fans in Oakland. If your address qualifies, you're in luck with a very affordable multi-gigabit fiber plan. Otherwise, look to AT&T Fiber for fast speeds or check into Xfinity, T-Mobile Home Internet or Verizon 5G Home Internet for widely available budget plans.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Oakland

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. So 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 .

But it doesn't end there. We go to the FCC's website to check our data and ensure we're considering every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. To evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP's service, we look at sources including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of the time 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? 

While the answers to those questions are often layered and complex, the providers that come closest to "yes" on all three are the ones we recommend. 

To explore our process in more depth, visit our How We Test ISPs page.

Is fiber internet available in Oakland?

Yes. Oakland has fiber internet and one of the fastest residential options available in the western US with Sonic's 10,000Mbps offering. It's not available everywhere in the city, but qualifying addresses can soak up the mighty speeds at a very reasonable $50-per-month price. AT&T Fiber is no slouch, either, with speeds up to 5,000Mbps, though with a heftier $245-per-month price tag on the top tier.

Who is the cheapest internet provider in Oakland?

Xfinity's $40-per-month, 400Mbps cable plan is the champion of cheap internet, but you'll need to keep an eye out for a price increase after 12 months and the $25 equipment fee which will kick in. However, T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet both offer tempting discounts for customers who bundle certain phone plans.

Which internet provider in Oakland offers the fastest plan?

Gigabit internet is nice. Multigigabit internet is even more impressive. But 10 gigabits? That's what regional ISP Sonic offers to some households in Oakland for $50 per month. Speed like that may be a luxury for many, but it could be very useful for large households where the residents have heavy download demands or for anyone who needs to move a lot of data down or upstream.

Is T-Mobile Home Internet or Verizon Home Internet better?

T-Mobile and Verizon are locked in a tight battle for 5G fixed wireless supremacy in Oakland. They have similar monthly costs ($50), though Verizon has an edge by offering speeds up to 1,000Mbps in some city areas. T-Mobile maxes out at 418Mbps. Your decision will likely come down to bundling and connection quality at your location. Both providers offer discounts for bundling with certain phone plans. So if you already use one of those for your phone, start there. Fixed wireless can be fussy depending on your location and how much demand is placed on the network. That means speeds may vary, and you may find one ISP offers stronger service at your address than the other. Check out our shootout between T-Mobile and Verizon 5G services .