Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
The average starting monthly cost in Honolulu is around $46. Spectrum offers the cheapest internet in Honolulu, with plans starting at $30 per month. But after a year, that price increases to $50. If you don’t want to worry about price hikes, T-Mobile Home Internet is the only provider in Honolulu that doesn't automatically raise its rates, and you can get it for as low as $40 monthly when you bundle with an eligible cellphone plan. Some households can also take advantage of low-income internet programs available in Honolulu.
Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
---|---|---|---|
Spectrum Internet Read full review | $30 | 100Mbps | Modem free; $10 router (optional) |
Hawaiian Telcom Fioptics 400 | $40 ($55 after 12 months) | 400Mbps | None |
Spectrum Internet Read full review | $50 | 500Mbps | Modem free; $10 router (optional) |
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review | $50 ($35 for eligible Verizon Wireless customers) | 100Mbps | None |
Hawaiian Telcom Fioptics 600 | $50 ($65 after 24 months) | 600Mbps | None |
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review | $60 ($40 with eligible mobile plans) | 245Mbps | None |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How many members of your household use the internet?
The best internet deals and the top promotions in Honolulu depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Honolulu internet providers, such as Hawaiian Telcom and Spectrum, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, including T-Mobile Home Internet, run the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
According to the latest Ookla speed test data, Honolulu residents receive median download speeds of 222Mbps and upload speeds of 23Mbps. This is good for 64th out of the top 100 most populous cities in the US and slightly lower than Hawaii as a state. Spectrum and Hawaiian Telcom have gig-speed plans available in Honolulu.
Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Spectrum Internet Gig Read full review | $70 | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | None | Cable |
Hawaiian Telcom Fioptics 1 Gig | $70 ($85 after 36 months) | 940Mbps | 500Mbps | None | Fiber |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
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.
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 our pre-publication fact-check.
Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:
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. 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.
There aren’t a lot of internet providers operating in Honolulu, but the ones it does have are widely available and offer good value. The best ISP in the area is Hawaiian Telcom, a fiber internet provider with one of the cheapest plans in the area. Spectrum offers slightly faster download speeds than Hawaiian Telcom, but its upload speeds are dramatically lower, and the price jumps significantly after a year. T-Mobile Home Internet is a wireless alternative in the area that comes with a price-lock guarantee, but it doesn’t reach the same speeds as Hawaiian Telcom or Spectrum.
What is the best internet service provider in Honolulu?
Hawaiian Telcom is the best internet service provider in Honolulu, offering fiber internet plans starting at $40 per month. Spectrum offers slightly faster download speeds, but its upload speeds are significantly lower than Hawaiian Telcom’s, which could be an issue if you work from home or game online.
Is fiber internet available in Honolulu?
What is the cheapest internet provider in Honolulu?
Spectrum and Hawaiian Telcom are the cheapest internet providers in Honolulu, with plans starting at $30 and $40 per month, respectively. That noted, the price jumps by $15 to $20 in the second year of service.
Which internet provider in Honolulu offers the fastest plan?
Spectrum offers the fastest internet plan in Honolulu, with download speeds of 1,000Mbps and upload speeds of 35Mbps. Hawaiian Telcom offers slightly lower download speeds at 940Mbps, but upload speeds are much higher at 500Mbps.
Source: cnet.com