Best Internet Providers in Hawaii

What is the best internet provider in Hawaii?

Living in Hawaii means giving up things you’d find on the mainland; snakes, daylight savings time, and billboards, for example. Fortunately, super-fast internet isn’t one of them. Gig speeds of Spectrum, CNET’s pick for best overall internet provider in Hawaiiare available across much of Hawaii, from the Big Island to Kauai. Spectrum also offers a variety of speeds and basic service details, including unlimited data and a free modem with all plans.

Another option is Hawaiian Telcom, which uses a fiber-optic network to deliver speeds that are as fast or faster than Spectrum. T-Mobile’s $60-a-month 5G home internet service is another decent broadband alternative, and its wireless delivery can help fill in the gaps that other internet providers can’t reach.

Spectrum, Hawaiian Telecom, and Verizon all offer blazing-fast plans of up to 1,000 Mbps with no data caps or mandatory contracts. If you’re looking to save money on internet, Hawaiian Telecom’s 400 Mbps plan is just $40 per month, which is $10 cheaper than the average price for home broadband in Hawaii.

Best Internet in Hawaii in 2024

Source: CNET analysis of carrier data.

Internet Distribution by City in Hawaii

It’s hard to cover broadband options in a state like Hawaii and give individual cities the attention they deserve. That’s why we’re also compiling lists of the best internet providers in cities across the U.S., including Hawaii. We’ll tackle details like internet connection types, max speeds, cheapest providers, and more. Check back later if you don’t see the city you’re looking for below. We’re working to add more locations every week.

Cheap Internet Options in Hawaii

Spectrum has the cheapest starting price for internet in Hawaii at $30 per month for speeds up to 100Mbps. Hawaiian Telcom also offers plans starting at just $40 per month.

Source: CNET analysis of carrier data.

How do you find online deals and promotions in Hawaii?

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

ISPs in Hawaii, such as Spectrum and Viasat, may offer lower introductory prices or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many providers, including Verizon, maintain the same standard prices year-round.

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

Fastest Internet Plans in Hawaii

The FCC reports that 100% of households in Hawaii will be eligible for broadband speeds of at least 25 Mbps down and 3 Mbps up. The most recent Ookla speed test data ranks Hawaii’s average download speeds 13th among all states (and Washington, D.C.) at around 226 Mbps. Spectrum, Hawaiian Telcom, and Verizon 5G Home are your best choices for those speeds and higher.

In terms of speed potential and reliability, I would prefer a fiber connection like Hawaiian Telcom over a cable connection like Spectrum. Fiber internet is equipped to support much higher upload speeds and is less susceptible to speed fluctuations during peak times.

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 provide enough bandwidth for a single user to meet the demands of modern teleworking, video streaming, and online gaming.
• With 100 to 500 Mbps, one or two users can simultaneously participate in high-bandwidth activities such as video conferencing, streaming, and online gaming.
• With 500 to 1,000 Mbps, three or more users can participate in high-bandwidth activities simultaneously.

How CNET Chose the Best Internet Providers in Hawaii

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.

And it doesn’t stop there: We go to the FCC website to check our data and make sure we account for every ISP that offers service in an area. We also enter local addresses into carrier websites to find specific options for 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 pricing are subject to frequent change; all information provided is accurate at the time of publication.

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

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

While the answers to those questions are often layered and complex, the providers that come closest to “yes” to all three questions are the ones we recommend. When 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.

If you would like to take a more detailed look at our process, please visit our How We Test ISPs page.

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

While some amenities are less accessible or affordable in Hawaii than in other parts of the U.S., broadband connectivity and prices in Hawaii are as good as anywhere else. Spectrum is the best high-speed internet source in much of Hawaii, but Hawaiian Telcom’s fiber service may be the better value if it’s available at your address.

If neither service is available where you live, T-Mobile Home Internet is a good option for low-happy broadband. And as a last resort, satellite provider Viasat is available throughout the Aloha State.

Frequently Asked Questions About Internet Providers in Hawaii