Best Internet Providers in Upper State, Santa Barbara, CA
All 8 providers, ranked by coverage, speed and customer ratings
Find internet availability by address in Upper State, Santa Barbara, CA
Upper State has 8 internet service providers, they are sorted by coverage, available speed, and customer rating from our unbiased internet provider report. Fiber, Cable, Fixed Wireless, and DSL internet are available in the neighborhood. Reviews are grouped by provider and the type of service they offer, covering all 4 available internet technologies in Upper State.
Ranks compare Upper State with the 8 neighborhoods in Santa Barbara.
The Best Internet in Upper State, Santa Barbara, CA at a Glance
Upper State Internet Providers, Ranked by Coverage, Speed and Customer Ratings
Cox
Connection
Customer Rating
Fiber
Cable
Frontier
Connection
Customer Rating
Fiber
DSL
EarthLink
Connection
Customer Rating
Fixed Wireless
Verizon
Connection
Customer Rating
Fixed Wireless
Providers with less than 1% coverage in this neighborhood are excluded from the list. To see if one of these providers is available at your home, please use the address search above.
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 Upper State ratings may vary and are shown below.
Who is the Best Internet Provider in Upper State, Santa Barbara, CA?
Frontier Communications is the highest-rated internet provider in Upper State based on 299 California customer reviews, and T-Mobile Home Internet has the highest rating nationwide. The provider information above and the information immediately below can help you decide. Compare provider ratings and review counts above.
Click here to get Frontier Communications
or call 1-866-557-9907
Which Providers are Available at my Home in Upper State?
Coverage changes block by block. Pick a provider and a technology to see where its service reaches: the darker the area, the larger the share of homes it covers. For your exact address, use the address search above.
Coverage map for each provider in Upper State, Santa Barbara
- Frontier - fiber coverage map
- Cox - cable coverage map
- GeoLinks - fixed wireless coverage map
- Astound Broadband - fiber coverage map
- Cox - fiber coverage map
- Verizon - fixed wireless coverage map
- T-Mobile Home Internet - fixed wireless coverage map
- AT&T - fixed wireless coverage map
- EarthLink - fixed wireless coverage map
- Frontier - dsl coverage map
How Upper State Compares to the Rest of Santa Barbara
Upper State's report card score is 4th of 8 and its connectivity index is 3rd of 8.
| Measure | Upper State | Rank among neighborhoods in Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara County | US | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISP Report Card inputs: what providers offer here | ||||||
| Fiber availability | 89.8% | 5th of 8 | 85.7% | 74.5% | 71.5% | Eastside Santa Barbara (100.0%) |
| Average top speed | 6,211 Mbps | 5th of 8 | 6,183 Mbps | 5,273 Mbps | 3,486 Mbps | Eastside Santa Barbara (7,000 Mbps) |
| Providers at a typical address | 6.1 | 1st of 8 | 5.4 | 5.2 | 7.1 | Leads; next is Lower East (6) |
| Connectivity index inputs: how much households need and use the internet | ||||||
| People per household | 2.3 | 7th of 8 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 2.7 | Eastside Santa Barbara (3.0) |
| Workers who work from home | 24% | Tied 3rd of 8 | 21% | 13% | 15% | Las Positas (31%) |
| Homes with a computer, tablet or phone | 99% | Tied 1st of 8 | 97% | 96% | 96% | Tied with Las Positas and Riviera |
| Homes with internet | 95% | Tied 2nd of 8 | 94% | 92% | 91% | Riviera (97%) |
| Homes on fiber, cable or DSL | 83% | 3rd of 8 | 83% | 78% | 76% | Riviera (89%) |
| More about the households here | ||||||
| Homes with a desktop or laptop | 90% | 3rd of 8 | 87% | 84% | 81% | Las Positas (94%) |
| Median household income | $151,658 | 3rd of 8 | $131,965 | $107,563 | $93,246 | Riviera ($176,777) |
| Residents in school (6th grade to college) | 12% | 8th of 8 | 16% | 21% | 16% | Riviera (21%) |
Fiber reaches 89.8% of homes in Upper State, against 85.7% across Santa Barbara and 74.5% across Santa Barbara County. Households in Upper State are smaller than the US average (2.3 people against 2.7); 24% of workers work from home (US 15%); and the median household income is $151,658 (US $93,246).
Our demographic data is sourced from the latest 5-year release of the American Community Survey by the US Census Bureau.
Fiber, 5G, Cable and DSL Internet in Upper State
Which Fiber Internet Providers are Available in Upper State?
Frontier Fiber in Upper State, Santa Barbara, CA
Availability:
84.0%
Customer Rating:
(119)
Avg. Download Speed
6,934 Mbps
Frontier Communications offers Fiber service to 84.0% of Upper State homes. Across the neighborhood, Frontier Fiber has speeds up to 6,934 Mbps, with speeds from 2,000 Mpbs up to 7,000 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds are symmetrical, meaning they are exactly the same as download speeds for Frontier Fiber. Frontier Fiber is rated about the same as other types of internet service available in Upper State from Frontier in terms of customer satisfaction.
Cox Fiber in Upper State, Santa Barbara, CA
Availability:
23.6%
Customer Rating:
(54)
Avg. Download Speed
1,000 Mbps
Cox Communications offers Fiber service to 23.6% of Upper State homes. Across the neighborhood, Cox Fiber has speeds up to 1,000 Mbps
Astound Broadband Fiber in Upper State, Santa Barbara, CA
Availability:
5.4%
Customer Rating:
(21)
Avg. Download Speed
5,000 Mbps
Astound Broadband offers Fiber service to 5.4% of Upper State homes. Across the neighborhood, Astound Broadband Fiber is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 5,000 Mbps
Which Fixed Wireless and LTE Internet Providers are Available in Upper State?
Verizon Fixed Wireless in Upper State, Santa Barbara, CA
Availability:
98.8%
Customer Rating:
(362)
Avg. Download Speed
195 Mbps
Verizon offers Fixed Wireless service to 98.8% of Upper State homes. Across the neighborhood, Verizon Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 195 Mbps, with speeds from 25 Mpbs up to 300 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 6.0 and as high as 20, with an average of 15 Mbps throughout the neighborhood.
T-Mobile Home Internet Fixed Wireless in Upper State, Santa Barbara, CA
Availability:
95.7%
Customer Rating:
(342)
Avg. Download Speed
74 Mbps
T-Mobile Home Internet offers Fixed Wireless service to 95.7% of Upper State homes. Across the neighborhood, T-Mobile Home Internet Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 74 Mbps, with speeds from 25 Mpbs up to 100 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 3.0 and as high as 20, with an average of 14 Mbps throughout the neighborhood.
EarthLink Fixed Wireless in Upper State, Santa Barbara, CA
Availability:
64.2%
Customer Rating:
(4)
Avg. Download Speed
27 Mbps
EarthLink offers Fixed Wireless service to 64.2% of Upper State homes. Across the neighborhood, EarthLink Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 27 Mbps, with speeds from 25 Mpbs up to 100 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 3.0 and as high as 20, with an average of 3.5 Mbps throughout the neighborhood.
AT&T Fixed Wireless in Upper State, Santa Barbara, CA
Availability:
64.2%
Customer Rating:
(205)
Avg. Download Speed
27 Mbps
AT&T offers Fixed Wireless service to 64.2% of Upper State homes. Across the neighborhood, AT&T Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 27 Mbps, with speeds from 25 Mpbs up to 100 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 3.0 and as high as 20, with an average of 3.5 Mbps throughout the neighborhood.
GeoLinks Fixed Wireless in Upper State, Santa Barbara, CA
Availability:
31.7%
Customer Rating:
(0)
Avg. Download Speed
981 Mbps
GeoLinks offers Fixed Wireless service to 31.7% of Upper State homes. Across the neighborhood, GeoLinks Fixed Wireless is the only type of service available from the company, with speeds up to 981 Mbps, with speeds from 200 Mpbs up to 1,000 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds are symmetrical, meaning they are exactly the same as download speeds for GeoLinks Fixed Wireless.
Which Cable Internet Providers are Available in Upper State?
Cox Cable in Upper State, Santa Barbara, CA
Availability:
97.3%
Customer Rating:
(399)
Avg. Download Speed
2,000 Mbps
Cox Communications offers Cable service to 97.3% of Upper State homes. Across the neighborhood, Cox Cable has speeds up to 2,000 Mbps
Which DSL Internet Providers are Available in Upper State?
Frontier DSL in Upper State, Santa Barbara, CA
Availability:
46.6%
Customer Rating:
(58)
Avg. Download Speed
14 Mbps
Frontier Communications offers DSL service to 46.6% of Upper State homes. Across the neighborhood, Frontier DSL has speeds up to 14 Mbps, with speeds from 10 Mpbs up to 90 Mbps depending on the address. Upload speeds differ from download speeds, and are as low 1.0 and as high as 5.0, with an average of 1.2 Mbps throughout the neighborhood. Frontier DSL is rated higher than other types of internet service available in Upper State from Frontier in terms of customer satisfaction.
How Upper State Compares to Its Neighbors
The 10 neighborhoods nearest to Upper State that have their own pages are all within 35 miles. Among them, Sierra Linda (Oxnard) has the most homes with fiber (100.0%) and Sea View Estates (Oxnard) the fewest (17.6%); Upper State has 89.8%.
| Place | People | Homes with fiber | Average top speed | Providers at a typical address | Report card | Connectivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper State (this page) | 19,122 | 89.8% | 6,211 Mbps | 6.1 | B+ | 75/100 |
| Westside-Santa Barbara | 21,754 | 98.3% | 6,916 Mbps | 5.4 | B+ | 74/100 |
| Riviera | 13,765 | 73.7% | 5,608 Mbps | 4.7 | B- | 83/100 |
| Mesa | 9,632 | 96.0% | 6,750 Mbps | 5.1 | B | 73/100 |
| Waterfront | 6,483 | 79.3% | 5,456 Mbps | 5.6 | B | 66/100 |
| Las Positas | 6,242 | 65.5% | 5,130 Mbps | 5.4 | B- | 84/100 |
| Lower East | 4,383 | 99.3% | 6,966 Mbps | 6 | A- | 64/100 |
| Via Marina (Oxnard) | 4,237 | 30.8% | 2,845 Mbps | 4.1 | C | 79/100 |
| Eastside Santa Barbara | 3,434 | 100.0% | 7,000 Mbps | 4.7 | B+ | 72/100 |
| Sea View Estates (Oxnard) | 3,373 | 17.6% | 2,053 Mbps | 5.6 | C | 87/100 |
| Sierra Linda (Oxnard) | 3,259 | 100.0% | 4,092 Mbps | 5.8 | B+ | 65/100 |
Who is the Fastest Internet Provider in Upper State?
Based on both FCC data and unbiased customer ratings, the fastest internet in the neighborhood comes from Frontier Communications.
Data Reported to FCC by ISPs: Average Maximum Available in Upper State
| Frontier Communications | 7,000 |
|---|---|
| Astound Broadband | 5,000 |
| Cox Communications | 2,000 |
| GeoLinks | 1,000 |
| Verizon | 300 |
| Viasat | 100 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet | 100 |
| AT&T | 100 |
| EarthLink | 100 |
| HughesNet | 25 |
How fast is your internet?
Test your connection here and see it next to the speeds providers advertise in Upper State. It takes about 20 seconds and, on a fast line, can move a few hundred MB of data.
Customer Ratings for Upper State Internet Providers
Based on 299 reviews from California internet customers, Frontier Communications is the best internet service provider for Upper State residents. Frontier Communications was rated at an average of 3.71 out of 5 in our report for overall customer satisfaction. AT&T wins for second-place in California, with 3.34 out of 5 stars and 64.2% coverage in Upper State.
At a national level, based on 2976 national reviews for any of the providers listed above, T-Mobile Home Internet is rated higher than any other provider, with a rating of 4.02 out of 5.
Local, State, and National Ratings for all Upper State Internet Providers
The table below shows average customer ratings from customers in Upper State, California, and customers throughout the country.
| ISP / Tech Type | Upper State Overall | California Overall | National Overall | For Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier |  (1) | (51) | (177) | View Plans | ||
| Astound Broadband | (0) | (17) | (122) | View Plans | ||
| AT&T | (0) | (119) | (1051) | View Plans | ||
| EarthLink | (0) | (2) | (15) | View Plans | ||
| HughesNet | (0) | (1) | (25) | View Plans | ||
| T-Mobile Home Internet | (0) | (27) | (342) | View Plans | ||
| Verizon | (0) | (28) | (816) | View Plans | ||
| Viasat | (0) | (1) |  (12) | View Plans | ||
| Cox |  (1) | (55) | (453) | View Plans | ||
| GeoLinks | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans |
Customer Ratings for Internet Provider Speeds in Upper State
Based on data reported by Upper State ISPs to the FCC, the fastest speeds in the neighborhood are available through Frontier Communications. The company offers speeds up to 7,000 Mbps in Upper State. Therefore, the average customer can get up to 6,229 Mbps if they’re willing to purchase the fastest subscription tier available at their homes.
Additionally, actual customers rated their satisfaction with internet speed highest with Frontier Communications. This indicates Frontier reliably delivers speeds expected by the customer based on the plan they are paying for.
| ISP / Tech Type | Upper State Speed | California Speed | National Speed | For Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier | (1) | (51) | (177) | View Plans | ||
| Astound Broadband | (0) | (17) | (122) | View Plans | ||
| AT&T | (0) | (119) | (1051) | View Plans | ||
| EarthLink | (0) | (2) | (15) | View Plans | ||
| HughesNet | (0) |  (1) | (25) | View Plans | ||
| T-Mobile Home Internet | (0) | (27) | (342) | View Plans | ||
| Verizon | (0) | (28) | (816) | View Plans | ||
| Viasat | (0) | (1) | (12) | View Plans | ||
| Cox | (1) | (55) | (453) | View Plans | ||
| GeoLinks | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans |
Who is the Cheapest Internet Provider in Upper State?
Of the providers in Upper State, customers rate AT&T the best for price. Data comes from customers rating their satisfaction with pricing: in Upper State where enough of them have reviewed a provider, otherwise across California or the country. This feedback is valuable because it considers price changes and whether the speeds paid for are worth it.
AT&T is rated 3.22 out of 5 for price, which is lower than the average across all internet providers in the country. EarthLink is rated second for affordability, with an average price rating of 2.00 out of 5.
The table below shows how customers in Upper State, California, and the United States rated the affordability of their internet service.
Rated Affordability in Upper State
| ISP / Tech Type | Upper State Affordability | California Affordability | National Affordability | For Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier | (1) | (51) | (177) | View Plans | ||
| Astound Broadband | (0) | (17) | (122) | View Plans | ||
| AT&T | (0) | (119) | (1051) | View Plans | ||
| EarthLink | (0) | (2) | (15) | View Plans | ||
| HughesNet | (0) | (1) | (25) | View Plans | ||
| T-Mobile Home Internet | (0) |  (27) | (342) | View Plans | ||
| Verizon | (0) | (28) | (816) | View Plans | ||
| Viasat | (0) | (1) | (12) | View Plans | ||
| Cox | (1) | (55) | (453) | View Plans | ||
| GeoLinks | (0) | (0) | (0) | View Plans |
Customer Reviews for Internet Service Providers in California
Customer Reviews
A Santa Barbara, CA Customer
Cox Cable
May 16, 2023 I am based in the suburbs of Southern California where Cox has had a monopoly on the internet market for years. Because they have historically been the only brand available, they've monopolized the market and charged sky high prices. Their connection and speed is consistently slower than any other provider I've used and we consistently deal with unscheduled outages.
A Santa Barbara, CA Customer
Frontier Fiber
May 07, 2023 I was a little bit disappointed in how long it took Frontier to set up the internet connection at our house. However, signing up with Frontier did have some good benefits. I had used a referral code from a friend, so we both received a $200 Amazon gift card. Additionally, since I had set up the account with direct debit, they sent me a $100 Visa gift card as well. Those two bonuses basically mean that my monthly cost for my first year of service is only $15/month, which is a good deal compared to what I was paying before for cable internet with Cox.
Steve
ting Fiber
November 13, 2026 Slow, 1/10th the speed they advertised
Robert
Verizon Fixed Wireless
November 10, 2026 Was cut off with .out notice due to upgrade and was not provided connection to upgrade from the same location (tower). Causing further problems in service and added cost.
ISPReports User
AT&T DSL
November 08, 2026 Lousy
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Which ISP Should You Choose in Upper State?
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 Upper State is Frontier.
- The fastest internet provider should be Frontier Communications. Considering speed for the money and reliability in speeds, Frontier Communications may be a better choice based on real-world local customer feedback.
- The most affordable internet provider in Upper State is AT&T.
- Viasat, HughesNet, and Cox Communications has the broadest coverage in Upper State, available to 99.9% of homes, and is most likely to cover your home. To find out exactly what’s available at your home, please use our address search tool.