10 Best Internet Providers in 78542, TX

Compare Providers Ranked by Coverage, Speed, and Customer Ratings

Above are the top 4 providers in 78542, TX for most people based on high speed internet coverage, speeds, and customer reviews. Click below to see all providers in your zip.

All Providers

Speed and technology may vary by address for all providers. Please note we may have a financial relationship with some of the providers above, which does not impact the customer ratings displayed. Customer ratings listed above are national ratings, local 78542 ratings may vary and are shown below.

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Who is the Best Internet Provider in 78542, TX?

EarthLink is the best internet provider in 78542 based on Texas customer satisfaction ratings and reviews. Based on our extensive and unbiased survey, EarthLink had the best reviews at the local, state, and national levels versus all available providers in 78542, making it a solid recommendation among providers with reviews. EarthLink is an option for 68.97% of the zip.

The chart and table below show average customer ratings from customers in 78542, Texas, and customers throughout the country.

Top Rated Internet Providers in 78542

Local, State, and National Ratings for all 78542 Internet Providers

Based on 387 reviews from Texas internet customers, EarthLink is the best internet service provider for 78542 residents. EarthLink was rated at an average of 4.00 out of 5 in our report for overall customer satisfaction. T-Mobile Home Internet wins for second-place in Texas, with 3.96 out of 5 stars and 92.5% coverage in 78542.

At a national level, based on 3748 national reviews for any of the providers listed above, MetroNet is rated higher than any other provider, with a rating of 4.13 out of 5.

Who is the Fastest Internet Provider in 78542?

According to unbiased feedback from real internet customers in the zip, they reported being happiest with speeds provided by Verizon. On the other hand, based on data provided by the internet providers to the FCC, Smartcom Telephone should have faster speeds at a local level. While we typically put more weight on real-world customer ratings, we display both satisfaction and technical maximum information for customers to decide for themselves.

Data Reported to FCC by ISPs: Average Maximum Available in 78542

	ISP / Tech Type	Max Advertised Speed
	Smartcom Telephone	10,000 Mbps
	MetroNet	5,120 Mbps
	AT&T	5,000 Mbps
	EarthLink	5,000 Mbps
	Spectrum	1,000 Mbps
	VTX1 Companies	1,000 Mbps
	Verizon	300 Mbps
	Twin	200 Mbps
	T-Mobile Home Internet	100 Mbps
	Viasat	100 Mbps
	Smith Internet Solutions	50 Mbps
	HughesNet	25 Mbps

Customer Ratings for Internet Provider Speeds in 78542

Based on data reported by 78542 ISPs to the FCC, the fastest speeds in the zip are available through Smartcom Telephone. The company offers speeds up to 10,000 Mbps in 78542. Therefore, the average customer can get up to 5,355 Mbps if they're willing to purchase the fastest subscription tier available at their homes.

Additionally, actual customers in the zip rated their satisfaction with internet speed highest with Verizon. This indicates Verizon reliably delivers speeds expected by the customer based on the plan they are paying for.

Who is the Cheapest Internet Provider in 78542?

Texas customers rate T-Mobile Home Internet as the cheapest internet service provider in state. Data comes from customers in the state rating their satisfaction with pricing. This feedback is valuable because it considers price changes and whether the speeds paid for are worth it.

T-Mobile Home Internet received a local rating of 4.00 out of 5, which is lower than the average across all internet providers in the country. EarthLink is rated in second place for affordability by the company’s 78542 customers with an average price rating of 4.00 out of 5.

The chart and graph below show how customers in 78542, Texas, and the United States rated the affordability of their internet service.

Rated Affordability in 78542

78542 Internet Health Assessment

ISP Reports evaluates the technological infrastructure across the United States. This includes assessing a grade for ISP providers and infrastructure in the zip and setting an index number for the digital connectivity of its residents. You can view the ISP Report Card and the Digital Connectivity Index for 78542 below, including the metrics used and how 78542 compares to the rest of Texas and nation.

78542 ISP Report Card: B

	Metric (hover for details)	78542	Texas	USA
	Fiber Availability Percent The percentage of households in 78542 that have a Fiber internet connection available to their home.	65.84%	78.37%	67.25%
	Average Download SpeedThe maximum download speed most households can get on average. This is measured by availability in a block group and weighted by the population in that area.	2,958 Mbps	3,946 Mbps	3,293 Mbps
	Provider CountThe number of providers available for most people. This is a weighted average by block rather than a total for 78542.	7.0	7.8	6.8

 

78542 Digital Connectivity Index: 51 / 100

	Metric (hover for details)	78542	Texas	USA
	Average Household SizeA larger household size in a zip indicates that there will be a greater need for bandwidth due to simultaneous usage, multiple devices, and network congestion.	3.6	2.8	2.7
	Work From Home PercentA higher percent of the population working from home indicates bandwidth requirements being more widely needed rather than consolidated to commercial portions of the city.	11%	13%	14%
	Households with DevicesA higher percentage of households with computing devices in the home indicates a higher level of infrastructure needed to support those households.	92%	96%	95%
	Households with InternetA higher percentage of households with internet indicates a higher need for usage and connectivity in people’s daily lives.	82%	90%	90%
	Households with BroadbandA higher percentage of households with a broadband connection (defined as speeds above 25 Mbps) indicates heavier usage needs within these households.	57%	73%	75%
	Broadband Usage vs. AvailabilityThis measures what percentage of households who have a broadband connection to their home actually have an active subscription to that service.	58%	74%	76%

78542 ISP Report Card & Digital Connectivity Index

The ISP Report Card in 78542 is B, which is worse than other zip codes. The local demand for broadband internet connectivity in 78542 is high with a score of 51 / 100 in our Digital Connectivity Index. This means that internet service providers operating in 78542 have done a average job meeting the needs of its residents.

The 78542 ISP Report Card evaluates the zip on availability and speed metrics compared to other zip codes in the United States. ISP Infrastructure can vary greatly and on its own isn’t a perfect measure of what a zip needs. Please see our ISP Report Card along with the Digital Connectivity Index above to evaluate how well the connectivity demand is met by the existing infrastructure.

82% of 78542 households have an internet connection despite having 99.17% availability. 57% of households have fiber, cable, or DSL, 9% have satellite, 0% are still on dial-up, and 3% of households have internet but don’t pay for a subscription because it’s subsidized by the Affordable Connectivity Program.

As you can see in the table above, while 57% of households have a broadband connection such as fiber, cable or DSL available to their home, 58% subscribe to it. A low number of 78542 residents are taking advantage of the available internet infrastructure.

For more details, please visit our ISP Report Card and Digital Connectivity Index pages.

How do Neighboring Zip Codes Compare to 78542?

How Much Speed does a 78542 Household Need?

Higher speed is typically preferred, but that comes at a higher price. The average size of a household in 78542 is 3.6, which is larger than the Texas average of 2.8 and larger than the national average of 2.7. 78542's average household income is $53,217 which is much lower than the Texas average of $89,715 and much lower than the national average of $90,606. Homes with more people living in them and with lower incomes tend to indicate a fairly average device usage pattern.

78542 also has 19% of its population enrolled in school between the 6th grade and college level, this is higher than the Texas average of 17%. Additionally, 11% of residents work from home, which is lower than the 13% of residents in Texas who work from home. This and other factors you can see above show us that the community of 78542 has an average need for internet connectivity and speeds.

Compared to the rest of the country, 78542 households are more technology-disengaged. 92% of households have some sort of computing device, 55% have desktops or laptops in the home, and 91% have smartphones. To see what speeds you are currently getting, please visit our internet speed test tool.

Which Fiber Internet Providers are Available in 78542?

Which Cable Internet Providers are Available in 78542?

Which DSL Internet Providers are Available in 78542?

Which Fixed Wireless and LTE Internet Providers are Available in 78542?

Which ISP Should You Choose in 78542?

The right ISP for you depends upon your needs, but in general we can make the following suggestions:

• The best all-around internet service provider in 78542 is EarthLink.
• The fastest internet provider should be Smartcom Telephone. Considering speed for the money and reliability in speeds, Verizon may be a better choice based on real-world local customer feedback.
• The most affordable internet provider in 78542 is T-Mobile Home Internet.
• HughesNet, Viasat, and VTX1 Companies has the broadest coverage in 78542, and is most likely to cover your home. To find out exactly what's available at your home, please use our address search tool.

How does 78542 compare to other cities with a similar population?

To see how 78542 stacks up on the national level, it's useful to look at some other cities with similarly sized populations. Below you can see a list of these cities and how they compare to 78542's B ISP Report Card and 51 / 100 Digital Connectivity Index.