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.
Oakland 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 |
| AT&T Internet Read full review |
DSL | $60 | 768Kbps-100Mbps | None | 1.5TB (no data cap for 100Mbps plan) | None | 7.4 |
| Sonic | Fiber | $50-$60 | 5-10,000Mbps | $5 (skippable) | None | None | N/A |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 (as low as $40-$55 with mobile plan) | 87-415Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 with select mobile plans) | 85-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
| Xfinity Read full review |
Cable | $40-$70 | 400-2,100Mbps | Varies | 1.2TB | Varies | 7 |
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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 Home Internet: 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.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in Oakland?
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xfinity Connect More Read full review |
$40 | 400Mbps | $25 (optional) | None |
| Sonic | $50 | 10,000Mbps | $5 (skippable) | None |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
$50 ($40 with eligible mobile plan) | 318Mbps | None | None |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible mobile plan) | 300Mbps | None | None |
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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 are the fastest internet plans in Oakland?
| Provider | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Starting price | Data cap | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonic | 10,000Mbps | 10,000Mbps | $50 | None | None |
| AT&T Fiber 5000 Read full review |
5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | $245 | None | None |
| Xfinity Gigabit X2 Read full review |
2,100Mbps | 35Mbps | $70 | 1.2TB | None |
| AT&T Fiber 2000 Read full review |
2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | $145 | None | None |
| Xfinity Gigabit Read full review |
1,100Mbps | 35Mbps | $50 | 1.2TB | None |
| AT&T Fiber 1000 Read full review |
1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | $80 | None | None |
| Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet Read full review |
1,000Mbps | 50Mbps | $70 ($55 with eligible mobile plan) | None | None |
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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.
Internet providers in Oakland FAQs
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.
