Best Internet Providers in San Bernardino, California
Our Experts
What is the best internet provider in San Bernardino?
Spectrum is CNET’s pick for the best internet service provider overall for most households in San Bernardino, because of its availability and gigabit speed tier. That being said, Spectrum service isn’t available everywhere in San Bernardino, so Frontier or T-Mobile Home Internet are also solid picks, depending on which ISPs service your home.
We've also found the top options if you're hunting for the lowest prices or the fastest speeds. The cheapest widely available internet in San Bernardino comes from Spectrum's 300-megabit-per-second cable connection for $50 a month or Frontier's 500Mbps fiber plan for the same price. Spectrum offers a 500Mbps plan for $40 per month in some parts of town. The fastest available internet speed in San Bernardino comes from Frontier. It offers a 5,000Mbps (5-gigabit) fiber connection across a decent portion of the city.
Our methodology
CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in San Bernardino across several categories. Our evaluation includes referencing a proprietary database built over years of reviewing internet services. We validate that against provider information by spot-checking local addresses for service availability. We also do a close read of providers' terms and conditions and, when needed, will call ISPs to verify the details.
Despite our efforts to find the most recent and accurate information, our process has some limitations you should know about. Pricing and speed data are variable: Certain addresses may qualify for different service tiers, and monthly costs may vary, even within a city. The best way to identify your options is to plug your address into a provider's website.
Also, the prices, speed and other information listed above and in the provider cards below may differ from what we found in our research. The cards display the full range of a provider's pricing and speed across the US, according to our database of plan information provided directly by ISPs. At the same time, the text is specific to what's available in San Bernardino. The prices referenced within this article's text come from our research and include applicable discounts for setting up automatic payments each month -- a standard industry offering. Discounts and promotions might also be available for signing a term contract or bundling multiple services.
To learn more about how we review internet providers, visit our full methodology page.
Best internet in San Bernardino, California
Spectrum
Best internet provider in San Bernardino, CA
Our take - Availability across almost all of San Bernardino earns Spectrum a nod as the best ISP in the city. Plans are fairly straightforward, and you can get download speeds up to a gig from the cable provider. However, consider Frontier Fiber a compelling alternative if it services your address.
Frontier Fiber
Best fiber internet in San Bernardino, CA
Our take - If you want fiber, Frontier is your best bet in San Bernardino. Coverage is limited, but you’ll find speeds up to 5,000Mbps. Compare pricing and speeds with Spectrum if both ISPs service your address. Fiber’s fast uploads may tip the scales to Frontier.
T-Mobile Home Internet
Best fixed wireless internet in San Bernardino
Our take - There aren’t many ISP options in San Bernardino, so you could turn to T-Mobile Home Internet (or competitor Verizon 5G Home Internet) for broadband. A no-fuss plan and a substantial bundling discount make it worth looking into as an alternative to Spectrum. Here’s what you need to know about 5G home internet.
San Bernardino internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Frontier Read full review | Fiber | $50-$155 | 500-5,000Mbps | None | None | None | 6.3 |
|
Spectrum Read full review | Cable | $50-$90 | 300-1,000Mbps | Modem free; $5 for router (optional) | None | None | 7.2 |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review | Fixed wireless | $60 ($40 with eligible mobile plans) | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review | Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 for eligible Verizon Wireless customers) | 50-300Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Other available internet providers in San Bernardino
- AT&T Fiber: AT&T’s fiber network is superior to its DSL offering, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find AT&T Fiber in San Bernardino proper. I’m mentioning it here because residents of some areas of nearby Rialto, Colton and Highland may have it as an option. Prices range from $55 per month for 300Mbps up to $225 per month for 5,000Mbps.
- AT&T Internet Air: AT&T entered the 5G wireless internet market in 2023. The ISP offers its $55-per-month Internet Air plan in some parts of San Bernardino. Equipment is included, and there are no data caps, but AT&T doesn’t advertise speeds. As with T-Mobile and Verizon, you can bundle with an eligible phone plan for a home internet discount.
- Satellite internet: Satellite internet from Starlink, Viasat or Hughesnet is best suited to homes in rural or remote areas that can’t get a faster, more affordable broadband connection via fiber, cable, DSL or fixed wireless. Satellite prices can be high, and speeds may be variable, so check those other options first.
- Verizon 5G Home Internet: Verizon is a close rival to T-Mobile regarding 5G home internet. While Verizon offers speeds up to a gig in some places, you’ll top out at 300Mbps in San Bernardino. There are two plans. For $50 per month, you’ll get speeds up to 100Mbps. For $70 per month, you can get speeds up to 300Mbps. Bundle an eligible phone plan to bring your monthly home internet price down as low as $35.
Cheap internet options in San Bernardino
Expect to pay around $50 monthly for an entry-level home internet plan in San Bernardino. That’s typical of what you’ll find in the broader Inland Empire area. Competition can mean better prices for some residents. Both Frontier and Spectrum may run deals that are lower than standard pricing. Spectrum may offer its 500Mbps plan for as low as $40 per month in areas where it’s competing with Frontier. Frontier may also offer a special deal to lower its 500Mbps tier to $45 per month for some addresses.
Another way to save on home internet is to bundle a T-Mobile or Verizon 5G plan with an eligible phone plan. That can drop your home internet monthly price to as low as $35-$40.
The federal Affordable Connectivity Program has been a broadband lifeline for low-income households. You can get cheap (or sometimes free) internet if you qualify. Most ISPs take part in the program. Frontier, for example, offers a couple of options for lower-speed fiber service at no cost for ACP participants.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in San Bernardino?
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Frontier Fiber 500 Read full review | $50 | 500Mbps | None |
|
Spectrum Internet Read full review | $50 | 300mbps | Modem free; $5 for router (optional) |
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review | $50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 100Mbps | None |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review | $60 ($40 with eligible mobile plans) | 245Mbps | None |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in San Bernardino
The best internet deals and top promotions in San Bernardino depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
San Bernardino internet providers, such as Spectrum, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, however, including AT&T Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet, tend to run the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
How fast is San Bernardino broadband?
If only the fastest internet will do, turn to Frontier and its speeds of up to 5,000Mbps. The fiber ISP clocks in as San Bernardino’s fastest provider in a recent Ookla speed test report. Overall, San Bernardino fares well with a median fixed internet download speed of just over 261Mbps. The city edges out some of its neighbors. Fontana logs a 246Mbps median speed, while Redlands comes in at 239Mbps and Riverside at 216Mbps.
Fastest internet plans in San Bernardino
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Frontier Fiber 5 Gig Read full review | $155 | 5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
|
Frontier Fiber 2 Gig Read full review | $100 | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
|
Frontier Fiber 1 Gig Read full review | $60 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
|
Spectrum Internet Gig Read full review | $90 | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | None | Cable |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What’s a good internet speed?
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 Federal Communications Commission. 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.
- 0 to 5Mbps allows you to tackle the basics -- browsing the internet, sending and receiving email, streaming low-quality video.
- 5 to 40Mbps gives you higher-quality video streaming and videoconferencing.
- 40 to 100Mbps should give one user sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and gaming.
- 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in San Bernardino
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 pricing, availability and speed database that draws from our own historical ISP data, partner data and mapping information from FCC.gov.
But it doesn't end there. We go to the FCC's website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for 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 publication.
Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:
- Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
- Do customers get decent value for what they're paying?
- Are customers happy with their service?
While the answer to those questions is often layered and complex, the providers who 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, visit our page on how we test ISPs.
What’s the final word on internet providers in San Bernardino?
Most residents of San Bernardino will be weighing either Spectrum or Frontier as a broadband provider. Spectrum has wider coverage across the city, but Frontier’s fiber network offers much faster top download speeds alongside symmetrical upload speeds. Prices are best in the places where the two ISPs compete with each other. While T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T all offer 5G home internet in some parts of town, you’ll find faster top speeds with cable or fiber.
Internet providers in San Bernardino FAQs
What is the cheapest internet provider in San Bernardino?
Most San Bernardino home internet plans start at $50 or $55 per month, but residents should watch for deals where Spectrum and Frontier compete. You may find a Spectrum 500Mbps plan with a $40-per-month introductory price.
Which internet provider in San Bernardino offers the fastest plan?
Frontier runs away with the speed crown in San Bernardino. The ISP tops out with a symmetrical 5-gig fiber plan for $155 per month. Frontier also offers a 2-gig tier for $100 per month.
Is fiber internet available in San Bernardino?
Frontier is the fiber internet provider for San Bernardino. It’s available across much of the central and northern areas of the city. With speeds up to 5 gigs and reasonable plan terms, Frontier is an ISP worth considering.
What internet provider has the best coverage in San Bernardino?
Spectrum reigns when it comes to sheer coverage across San Bernardino. The cable ISP reaches nearly 90% of homes, according to the FCC. The next closest is Frontier.
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