Providers we compare in California
Each of these companies serves parts of California. None of them covers the whole state, so the right choice depends on your street.
The largest cable provider in Southern California, serving much of Greater Los Angeles and the Inland Empire, plus parts of the Central Valley, the desert and other regions. Former Cox areas in San Diego County, Orange County and Santa Barbara are now moving to Spectrum, too. Spectrum details
Cable across much of Northern California, including large parts of the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento and Fresno, and many smaller Northern and Central California communities. Xfinity details
Cox served parts of San Diego County, Orange County, Palos Verdes and Santa Barbara. Charter, the company behind Spectrum, completed its purchase of Cox in 2026, and these areas are moving to Spectrum branding and plans. Current customers keep their service. Cox details
AT&T is the traditional phone company across much of California. AT&T Fiber serves parts of most large metros, including Los Angeles, the Bay Area, San Diego and Sacramento, and AT&T Internet Air (5G) is offered in some areas without fiber. AT&T details
Optimum serves a small part of California, mainly the Eureka and Humboldt County area on the North Coast (former Suddenlink territory). Optimum details
Fiber in parts of Southern California that used to be Verizon territory, such as Long Beach, Lakewood, Norwalk, Seal Beach and Santa Monica, plus other communities around the state. Verizon completed its purchase of Frontier in January 2026. Frontier details
Sells internet over partner fiber and 5G networks at many California addresses, with its own plans and customer service. EarthLink details
Satellite internet that works in mountain, desert and farm areas where wired service doesn’t reach, as long as there is a clear view of the sky. Starlink details
Astound (formerly Wave) serves parts of the San Francisco Bay Area and the Sacramento region with cable and fiber. Astound announced in March 2026 that it will combine with GFiber (Google Fiber); the deal is expected to close by the end of 2026. Astound details
Fidium Fiber, from Consolidated Communications, serves parts of the Roseville area and other Sacramento-region communities. Fidium Fiber details
How California internet differs by region
California’s cable map was split up decades ago. Spectrum ended up with most of Los Angeles, Comcast (Xfinity) with most of Northern California, and Cox with San Diego, south Orange County and Santa Barbara. AT&T and Frontier, the old phone companies, have since built fiber over many of their lines. That’s why the options in Pasadena look very different from those in Oakland or Chula Vista.
| Region | Providers often found there* |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles & Inland Empire | Spectrum, AT&T, Frontier (Long Beach, Santa Monica and other former Verizon areas) |
| Orange County | Spectrum, Cox (becoming Spectrum), AT&T, Frontier (some areas) |
| San Diego County | Cox (becoming Spectrum), AT&T |
| San Francisco Bay Area | Xfinity, AT&T, Astound, Sonic (local fiber) |
| Sacramento region | Xfinity, AT&T, Astound, Fidium Fiber (Roseville area) |
| Central Valley (Fresno, Bakersfield) | Xfinity (Fresno area), Spectrum (Bakersfield area), AT&T |
| Santa Barbara & Central Coast | Cox (becoming Spectrum) around Santa Barbara, Xfinity around Monterey Bay, Spectrum, AT&T |
| North Coast & rural mountains | Optimum (Eureka area), AT&T, fixed wireless and satellite |
*Every provider serves only parts of each region. Your exact options depend on your street address.
Cox is becoming Spectrum in Southern California
If you live in San Diego County, south Orange County, Palos Verdes or Santa Barbara, your cable company is changing. Charter completed its purchase of Cox in 2026 and began bringing Spectrum branding, pricing and packages to former Cox markets in September. You don’t need to do anything right away, and your service keeps working. When your current promotion or price lock ends, it’s a good time to compare your Spectrum offer with AT&T Fiber, Frontier or 5G home internet at your address.
Bay Area: more fiber choice than most of the state
The Bay Area has more competition than many parts of California. Besides Xfinity and AT&T, Astound serves parts of San Francisco and the Peninsula, and Sonic, a Northern California company, offers fiber in some Bay Area neighborhoods. Many apartment buildings in San Francisco and Oakland are wired for only one or two providers, so ask the building which ones are available before you sign a lease.
Apartments, HOAs and new construction
Many California apartment communities and HOAs have a bulk internet agreement, sometimes included in rent or dues. Ask the leasing office or association which providers are wired in and whether you can bring your own. In new subdivisions in the Inland Empire, Central Valley and Sacramento suburbs, fiber is often installed as homes are built, but service can lag behind move-in dates. Book early.
Wildfire season and power shutoffs
In high fire-risk areas, utilities such as PG&E, Southern California Edison and SDG&E may turn off power during dangerous wind events, called Public Safety Power Shutoffs. Your modem and router stop when the power does. A battery backup (UPS), a phone plan with hotspot data, and a second connection like 5G home internet or satellite can help if you work from home in a fire-prone area.
Rural California and new broadband funding
NTIA approved California’s BEAD final proposal on July 21, 2026, awarding about $1.42 billion to bring high-speed internet to roughly 270,000 homes and businesses. About half of those locations are planned for fiber, with the rest served by satellite and fixed wireless. The state is also building an open-access middle-mile fiber network. If you live in a rural area, check your address again over the next few years, as new options may arrive.
Other options Californians use
Many California homes can also get 5G home internet from T-Mobile or Verizon, and some areas have local fiber or fixed wireless companies. Not sure what speed you need? Read how much internet speed do I need, or compare technologies in our fiber vs cable guide. Moving to California? Our moving internet checklist covers the timeline, and a specialist can compare every provider at your new address.
