Best Internet Providers in El Paso, Texas

What is the best internet provider in El Paso?

AT&T Fiber is the best internet provider in El Pasowith the fastest speeds and the most favorable terms of all providers in the region. The rates are not exactly cheap, but you get more for the price than almost any other ISP in the country.

If you want to pay the lowest possible price, Spectrum and T-Mobile offer the cheapest internet plans in El Pasostarting at just $50 per month for speeds of around 500 Mbps and 300 Mbps, respectively. T-Mobile Home Internet has slower speeds than AT&T Fiber and Spectrum, but offers something unique in the internet world: a price guarantee. Your monthly bill will never deviate from the $50 you start with. Plus, T-Mobile customers are generally satisfied with the product; it had the highest approval rating of any non-fiber ISP in the American Customer Satisfaction Index survey.

Best internet in El Paso, Texas

Source: CNET analysis of carrier data.

Other available internet providers in El Paso

• Satellite internet: HughesNet and Viasat are available to 100% of addresses in El Paso, but they’re only worth considering in rural areas where you have no other options. Both providers are extremely expensive, and you’ll encounter slower speeds and restrictive data caps. Starlink uses low-orbit satellites, which can offer faster speeds and lower latency, but you’ll have to buy the satellite dish for $599 up front and it’s still on the pricey side at $120 per month.
• Verizon 5G Home Internet: Like T-Mobile, Verizon offers fixed wireless home internet, but it’s not as widely available in El Paso. Speeds can reach 1,000 Mbps at some addresses, and you can pay as little as $35 per month if you bundle with a qualifying Verizon phone plan.

Cheap Internet Options in El Paso

There aren’t many cheap internet plans in El Paso. Spectrum, Verizon, and T-Mobile all have plans starting at $50, but both Verizon and T-Mobile customers can bundle their phone plans to save on internet. Plus, both providers don’t have equipment fees or steep price increases after the first year.

Source: CNET analysis of carrier data.

How to Find Online Deals and Promotions in El Paso

The best internet deals and top promotions in El Paso depend on what discounts are available at the time. Most deals are short-lived, but we regularly search for the latest offers.

El Paso internet providers, such as Spectrum, may offer lower introductory prices or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many providers, including AT&T Fiber and T-Mobile Home Internet, maintain the same standard pricing year-round.

For a more comprehensive overview of all promotions, check out our guide to the best online deals.

How fast is the broadband internet in El Paso?

El Paso has the 13th fastest internet speed of any city in the country, according to Ookla speed test data. Residents are receiving median download speeds of 265 Mbps and upload speeds of 21 Mbps. That’s slightly lower Corpus Christi (third place), Austin (fifth) and San Antonio (sixth), but ahead of Dallas (98th).

Source: CNET analysis of carrier data.

What is a good internet speed?

Most internet plans now can handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you’re looking for an internet plan that’s suitable for video conferencing, streaming video, or gaming, you’ll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here’s a look at the recommended minimum download speeds for different applications, according to the FCCPlease note that these are guidelines only and that Internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.

For more information, check out our guide to how much internet speed you really need.

• With 0 to 5 Mbps you can perform basic tasks: surfing the web, sending and receiving email, and streaming low-quality videos.
• 5 to 40 Mbps gives you higher quality video streaming and video conferencing.
• 40 to 100 Mbps should be enough bandwidth for one person to meet the demands of modern teleworking, video streaming, and online gaming.
• With 100 to 500 Mbps, one or two people can simultaneously participate in high-bandwidth activities such as video conferencing, streaming, and online gaming.
• With 500 to 1,000 Mbps, three or more people can participate in high-bandwidth activities simultaneously.

How CNET Chose the Best Internet Providers in El Paso

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router, or kitchen utensil, it’s impractical to personally test every Internet service provider in a given city. So how do we do it? To start, we use a proprietary price, availability, and speed database based on our own historical ISP data, partner data, and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.

This guide uses an in-house artificial intelligence tool called RAMP, which is trained on our own writing and uses our database to generate content about specific ISPs that our writers can use in determining and presenting our picks for a given guide. Check out 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 website to check the primary data ourselves and make sure we consider every ISP that offers service in an area. Plans and prices also vary by location, so we enter local addresses into 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 satisfied customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent change; all information provided is accurate as of our pre-publication fact check.

Once we have this localized information, we ask ourselves three main questions:

1. Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
2. Do customers get value for their money?
3. Are customers satisfied with their service?

The answers to those questions are often multi-layered and complex, but the providers that come closest to yes on all three are the ones we recommend. When it comes to selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fees, though we also consider things like price increases, equipment costs, and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively simple. We look at advertised upload and download speeds, and factor in real-world speed data from sources like Ookla And FCC Reports.

Want to dive deeper into our process? Visit our How We Test ISPs page.

What’s the final word on internet providers in El Paso?

With the sixth fastest speeds in the country and 100/20Mbps speeds available at every address in the city, El Paso is an exceptionally well-connected city. If you can get it, AT&T Fiber is an easy choice. It has the fastest speeds in the city for reasonable rates, and you don’t have to worry about your bill automatically going up after a promotional period ends. Spectrum and T-Mobile Home Internet are solid backup options if AT&T Fiber isn’t available at your address, but both have some drawbacks.

Frequently Asked Questions About Internet Providers in El Paso