Internet Providers in Santa Cruz, California

Internet Access in Santa Cruz, California

Data below is calculated based on the FCC's bi-annual coverage reports. Our data also includes direct provider reports to further validate and enhance the information. Plan and pricing information is aggregated by our research team. Locally, we've analyzed and verified 477 broadband plans in Santa Cruz in the past few years. Average speed data discussed here is calculated from 57,752 local speed tests and intended for general provider comparison purposes, not to indicate maximum Internet speedsin the area.

Viasat Internet and HughesNet are the main Internet choices in Santa Cruz.

Broadband competition in Santa Cruz is overall high. The average resident has about 7 providers available in their area. Access isn't distributed fairly — a surprising 11.1 percent of the population still have only one option for true broadband service.

XFINITY from Comcast is another commonly available broadband choice in Santa Cruz. They offer Cable connections available to 92 percent of the area. Etheric Networks is another alternative wireless service to near one hundred percent of the local area. Keep in mind this option needs roof access and line of site with a Etheric Networks access point.

So, looking at the big picture, Santa Cruz's broadband Internet infrastructure conforms with a similar pattern to other US cities: strong coverage for bundled cable and DSL, with the problem being that a majority of residences are limited to only one company for subscribing to either type of Internet service. The cable/DSL pattern has a simple reason. Broadband Internet outfits started as cable TV and landline phone companies. So, they use these conveniently pre-built infrastructures for delivering broadband Internet service. Fiber network access is expanding as a third option. While some "Fiber" plans aren't actually 100% "Fiber to the Home" connections, 55.32 percent of the population has access to fiber reaching at least as far as the street outside. The local average downstream speed is 87.00 percent ahead of the California average, accounting for all cities. Take a look at the download speed test results directly below for insights on how major Internet providers compare over time.