Best Internet Providers in San Jose, California – CNET
Best Internet Providers in San Jose, California - CNET
What is the best internet provider in San Jose?
Xfinity is the best internet provider in San Jose, with broad coverage, low starting prices and speeds up to 2,000Mbps. You’ll have to look out for price increases in the second or third year (or both), but it’s still a solid deal even after your bill goes up. AT&T Fiber isn’t as widely available, but it offers faster plans than Xfinity, and your bill doesn’t automatically increase after the promotional pricing ends. T-Mobile Home Internet has a refreshingly simple proposition for smaller households that don’t need as much speed. Everything is included in its $50 monthly price, which is locked in for as long as you maintain service.
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Our methodology
CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in San Jose across a number of categories. Our evaluation includes referencing a proprietary database built over years of reviewing internet services. We validate that against provider information by spot-checking local addresses for service availability. We also do a close read of providers’ terms and conditions and, when needed, will call ISPs to verify the details.
Despite our efforts to find the most recent and accurate information, our process has some limitations you should know about. Pricing and speed data are variable: certain addresses may qualify for different tiers of service, and monthly costs may vary, even within a city. The best way to identify your particular options is to plug your address into a provider’s website.
Also, the prices, speed, and other information listed above and in the provider cards below may differ from what we found in our research. The cards display the full range of a provider’s pricing and speed across the US, according to our database of plan information provided directly by ISPs, while the text is specific to what’s available in San Jose. The prices referenced within this article’s text come from our research and include applicable discounts for setting up automatic payments each month — a standard industry offering. Other discounts and promotions might be available as well, for things like signing a term contract or bundling with multiple services.
To learn more about how we review internet providers, visit our full methodology page.
Best internet in San Jose, California, in 2023
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Xfinity
Best internet provider in San Jose, California
Xfinity has the lowest starting prices in San Jose and speeds that fit every kind of home. While there are some noteworthy flaws — primarily its slow upload speeds and price increases — customers are largely happy with their service. Xfinity scored above the industry average in the most recent American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power surveys.
- Good variety of plans
- Some of the fastest residential plans available
- Above average scores in almost all customer satisfaction metrics
- Data caps for some plans
- Contracts often required to get the lowest price
- Steep jump from promo price to regular rates
Availability Xfinity is available to 98% of San Jose residents, according to FCC data.
Plans and pricing Xfinity offers seven plans in San Jose, ranging from 75/10Mbps for $20 monthly (with a one-year contract) to 2,000/200Mbps for $120. On the cheapest plan, the price increases to $35 in year two and $51 in year three. All other plans but the most expensive one — which doesn’t automatically increase — go up in price by $23 to $33 in the third year.
Fees and service details Contracts are required on the cheapest Xfinity plan to get the best rate. The two cheapest plans also have a monthly data cap of 1.2TB. Wi-Fi equipment adds $15 a month, but it’s included with every plan but the cheapest and most expensive ones.
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AT&T Fiber
Best fiber internet in San Jose, California
There’s rarely a better option when AT&T Fiber is available at your home. It was CNET’s pick for the best fiber internet provider in our nationwide analysis of the best ISPs. It also received the highest provider score in the most recent ACSI survey. With AT&T’s 100% fiber-optic service, customers enjoy symmetrical download and upload speeds — ideal for working from home and online gaming.
- No contracts required to receive the lowest available price
- No data caps for any fiber plans
- Valuable perks and promotional offers
- Much slower DSL plans are more prevalent than fiber options
- Data caps enforced on all non-fiber plans
Availability AT&T internet is available to 79% of San Jose residents, but some will only have access to AT&T’s slower DSL plans. If you only see one plan available at your address, it’s likely DSL, and we’d recommend moving on to another option.
Plans and pricing There are five AT&T Fiber plans in San Jose. Monthly prices start at $55 for 300/300Mbps speeds and go up to $250 for 5,000/5,000Mbps.
Fees and service details Equipment is included with every AT&T Fiber plan, and there are no data caps or contracts. Customers can also save an extra $20 monthly when bundling with an eligible AT&T Wireless plan.
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T-Mobile Home Internet
Best fixed wireless internet in San Jose, California
T-Mobile’s fixed wireless internet service is an affordable and headache-free option for internet in San Jose. It has the highest approval rating of any non-fiber provider in the country, according to the ACSI, and you won’t have to deal with the hassle of equipment fees, data caps or contracts.
- No contracts
- No data caps
- Simple, affordable pricing
- Aggressively competitive with its terms and perks
- Speeds may vary
- Max download speeds don’t match fiber and cable
- Home internet customers deprioritized over mobile
Availability T-Mobile Home Internet is available to 73% of San Jose residents.
Plans and pricing There’s only one T-Mobile plan. For $50 a month, you’ll get download speeds up to 245Mbps and upload speeds up to 31Mbps. T-Mobile also guarantees that your price won’t ever increase.
Fees and service details T-Mobile doesn’t have any equipment fees, data caps or contracts, and you can save an additional $20 each month by bundling with an eligible T-Mobile cellphone plan. T-Mobile also offers a 15-day “worry-free” trial to test the service.
San Jose internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Fiber | Fiber | $55-$250 | 300-5,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| Sonic Fiber | Fiber | $50 | 10,000Mbps | $10 (optional) | None | None | N/A |
| T-Mobile Home Internet | Fixed wireless | $50 ($30 with eligible mobile plans) | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet | Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 for eligible Verizon Wireless customers) | 50-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
| Xfinity | Cable | $20-$120 | 75-2,000Mbps | $15 (included on most plans) | 1.2TB (unlimited on most plans) | Optional | 7 |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Other available internet providers in San Jose
- Etheric Networks: Offering fixed wireless internet in San Jose, Etheric plans start at $79 per month for 100Mbps speeds. Unless your only other option is satellite internet, you can safely eliminate Etheric from contention — several other providers offer faster speeds at a lower price.
- Ridge Wireless: Like Etheric, Ridge Wireless should only be viewed as a last resort in San Jose. It’s prohibitively expensive — plans start at $100 monthly for just 20Mbps — and fixed wireless internet is less reliable than cable or fiber.
- Satellite internet: You can get satellite internet at nearly every address in the country, but it’s rarely your best option. HughesNet and Viasat come with low data allowances, slow speeds and high prices. Starlink improves on the speed and latency issues satellite internet is known for, but you’ll have to buy the dish for $599 just to get started.
- Sonic Fiber: Sonic would be an easy choice for our top pick if it were more widely available. Its single plan costs $50 a month for 10,000Mbps speeds — a value unheard of in the internet world. For comparison, AT&T charges five times as much for half the speed. Unfortunately, it’s available at fewer than one in four San Jose homes. (Because Sonic isn’t among the city’s top 10 most prevalent providers, FCC data doesn’t list exact availability figures.)
- Verizon 5G Home Internet: Like T-Mobile, Verizon uses its 5G cellular network to offer high-speed internet in San Jose. It reaches higher speeds than T-Mobile but isn’t as widely available. Right now, only 34% of homes have access to Verizon. It’s especially appealing if you’re a Verizon Wireless customer — bundling with a cellphone plan cuts off $15 to $25 from home internet plans.
Cheap internet options in San Jose
Several affordable internet plans are available in San Jose, with prices starting at just $20 per month from Xfinity. Xfinity’s prices increase after the promotional period ends, but this isn’t until the third year on most plans. If you don’t want to worry about your bill going up, T-Mobile locks in your price for as long as you stay a customer.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in San Jose?
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xfinity Connect | $20 | 75Mbps | $15 (optional) |
| Xfinity Connect More | $30 | 200Mbps | None |
| Sonic Fiber | $50 | 10,000Mbps | $10 (optional) |
| T-Mobile Home Internet | $50 ($30 with eligible mobile plans) | 245Mbps | None |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet | $50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 300Mbps | None |
| Xfinity Fast | $50 | 400Mbps | None |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in San Jose
The best internet deals and the top promotions in San Jose depend on what discounts are available during that time period. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
San Jose internet providers such as Xfinity may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, however, including T-Mobile, AT&T Fiber and Sonic Fiber, run the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of deals, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
How fast is San Jose broadband?
San Jose has several multi-gig internet plans if you’re looking for ultra-fast speeds. According to Ookla speed test data, San Jose ranks 34th out of the 100 most populated cities in the US for median internet speed — ahead of Oakland, Fresno, San Francisco and Sacramento.
Fastest internet plans in San Jose
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonic Fiber | $50 | 10,000Mbps | 10,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| AT&T Internet 5000 | $250 | 5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| AT&T Internet 2000 | $150 | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Xfinity Gigabit X2 | $120 | 2,000Mbps | 200Mbps | None | Cable |
| Xfinity Gigabit Extra | $70 | 1,200Mbps | 35Mbps | None | Cable |
| AT&T Internet 1000 | $55 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet | $70 ($45 with qualifying Verizon 5G mobile plans) | 1,000Mbps | 75Mbps | None | Fixed wireless |
| Xfinity Gigabit | $70 | 1,000Mbps | 20Mbps | None | Cable |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
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 FCC. Note that these are only guidelines — and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.
For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need.
- 0 to 5Mbps allows you to tackle the basics — browsing the internet, sending and receiving email, 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 like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming all at the same time.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in San Jose
Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every internet service provider in a given city. So what’s our approach? For starters, we tap into a proprietary database of pricing, availability and speed information that draws from our own historical ISP data, partner data and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.
This guide leverages an in-house artificial intelligence tool called RAMP, which is trained on our own writing and uses our database to generate content about specific internet service providers that our writers can use in determining and presenting our picks for a given guide. Check CNET’s AI policy for more information about how our teams use (and don’t use) AI tools.
Because our database is not exhaustive, we go to the FCC’s website to check the primary data for ourselves and make sure we’re considering every ISP that provides service in an area. Plans and prices also vary by location, so we input local addresses on provider websites to find the specific options available to 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 the time of our pre-publication fact-check.
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. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, though 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.
To explore our process in more depth, you can visit our How we test ISPs page.
What’s the final word on internet providers in San Jose?
San Jose residents have an embarrassment of riches when choosing an internet plan. Xfinity is our pick for the best internet provider overall due to its broad coverage throughout the city, a wide range of plan options and high customer satisfaction scores. AT&T Fiber isn’t as widely available, but it’s hard to beat the fast, symmetrical speeds and simple pricing if you can get it. For smaller households that don’t need as much horsepower, T-Mobile Home Internet is an affordable option that won’t ever go up in price.
Internet providers in San Jose FAQs
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What is the best internet service provider in San Jose?
Xfinity is the best internet provider in San Jose, with a range of plan options and widespread availability. Most Xfinity plans increase after the first or second year — and sometimes both — but prices start so low on most plans that it’s still a pretty good deal.
