Best Internet Providers in Glendale, California

What is the best internet provider in Glendale, California?

For a city in the most populous county in the US, there are surprisingly few internet providers operating in Glendale, California. The best internet provider in Glendale is AT&T Fiberand it is probably the best internet provider in the country. It offers symmetrical upload and download speeds, clear pricing, and unlimited data on all plans. Unfortunately, only about 20% of Glendale residents have access to AT&T’s fiber internet. Spectrum is available almost everywhere in Glendale, but upload speeds are significantly slower and prices increase by up to $48 after a year or two.

Our team looks at speeds, prices, customer service, and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Glendale in several categories. Our evaluation involves consulting a proprietary database built up over years of reviewing internet services. We validate that against provider information by spot-checking local addresses for service availability. We also carefully review providers’ terms and conditions and, if necessary, call ISPs to verify details.

Our process has some limitations that you should be aware of. Pricing and speed data are variable: certain addresses may qualify for different levels of service, and monthly fees can vary, even within a city. The best way to identify your specific options is to enter your address on a provider’s website. For more information on how we rate ISPs, visit our full methodology page.

Top Internet Providers in Glendale

When AT&T Fiber is available in a city, it’s almost always our top choice for internet in the area. Only about 20% of homes in Glendale have access to the service. For everyone else, Spectrum is a great option, with fast speeds — and a track record of actually delivering them — and reasonable prices.

Source: CNET analysis of carrier data.

Other available residential internet providers in Glendale

Our top picks are your best bets for internet in Glendale. However, if you’re not getting the service you’re looking for, there are a few other options to consider:

• Satellite internet: You can get satellite internet to almost any address in the country, but it’s only worth it as a last resort in rural areas where there are no other options. HughesNet and Viasat are the traditional satellite options; both require two-year contracts and have slow speeds, high prices, and stingy data caps. SpaceX’s newer Starlink service gives you faster speeds, but you’ll have to pay $299 up front for equipment, and plans start at $120 a month.
• Verizon 5G Home Internet: Like T-Mobile Home Internet, Verizon uses its extensive cellular network to beam wireless Internet to your home. It has two different plans available, with speeds of up to 1,000 Mbps at some addresses.

Glendale Home Internet Service Pricing Information

Starting prices for internet in Glendale average around $51 per month. That’s a bit higher than other California cities CNET covered; nearby Los Angeles has average starting prices of just $38. There are no real “budget” options for internet in Glendale unless you bundle internet and cell service through Verizon or T-Mobile.

Source: CNET analysis of carrier data.

How fast is the broadband internet in Glendale?

Glendale residents have a few options for high-speed internet in the area. Spectrum and Verizon all offer “gig speed” plans — download speeds over 940 Mbps — which is the gold standard for high-speed internet. Only AT&T Fiber offers symmetrical download and upload speeds.

Source: CNET analysis of carrier data.

What’s the final word on internet providers in Glendale?

For a city in such a large metropolitan area, Glendale has surprisingly few internet options. Spectrum offers the best combination of value and availability, but upload speeds are slow and prices rise after a year or two. AT&T Fiber is by far the best provider in the area, but only about 20% of residents can get it. T-Mobile Home Internet is another affordable option, but it’s best for smaller households.

How CNET Chose the Best Internet Providers in Glendale

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 database of pricing, availability, and speed information 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 fact-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 at the time 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?

While the answers to these questions are often layered and complex, the providers that come closest to “yes” to all three questions are the ones we recommend. To explore our process in more depth, visit our How We Test ISPs page.

Frequently Asked Questions About Internet Providers in Glendale