Best Internet Providers in Oakland, California

Oakland appreciates having a wide choice of internet service providers. The Internet Choice Ordinance — a directive that prohibits owners of multiunit properties from restricting tenants’ choice of ISP — went into effect a couple of years ago. That was a win for renters who want to shop around among Oakland ISPs. AT&T Fiber is our top pick for Oakland. It tops our charts alongside Sonic, a local favorite that’s been expanding its availability in recent years.

Cable provider Xfinity and fixed wireless ISPs Verizon and T-Mobile round out the top options. Your ultimate choice will depend on availability, your need for speed and your budget. Here are the best, most affordable and speediest home internet options for 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.

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 $55 per month for speeds up to 100Mbps. That introductory deal is good for a year, but after that your rate may jump to $70. You may also bump into a $149 installation fee, but you could avoid that with a self-installation kit. 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. 
• Google Fiber Webpass: Google acquired fiber provider Webpass in 2016. Availability is pretty limited in Oakland, but some apartment buildings are hooked up to the service. The up-to-1,000Mbps plan runs $70 per month or $750 if paid annually. That works out to $63 per month, but keep in mind that yearly subscriptions aren’t refundable, so don’t commit if you think you might move. A router is included and there is no data cap.
• 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 Home Internet: T-Mobile’s fixed wireless offering doesn’t reach the same max speeds as Verizon is capable of, but it’s an affordable way to get connected to the internet. Typical speeds range from 33 to 182Mbps for $50 per month. T-Mobile phone customers may qualify for a bundle deal that brings that cost down to $30.

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 $180 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 $20 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 plan comes in at just $20 per month. That’s super-cheap, but be mindful of the 75Mbps limit, the one-year contract and the need to either rent equipment or provide your own. Be sure to check into the federal Affordable Connectivity Program. Eligible households can get a chunk of their bill knocked off, usually $30. That could make your internet free if you qualify.

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. Oaktown’s 39th-place showing is due to a median download speed of about 218 Mbps, 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 $20-per-month deal delivering 75Mbps.

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 $180 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 answer to those questions is often layered and complex, the providers who 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.

Internet providers in Oakland FAQs