Best Internet Providers in Sacramento, CA

Internet Services in Sacramento, California

Whether you’re looking for some genuine farm-to-fork culinary fare, picturesque views along the downtown riverwalk, or a chance to immerse yourself in California’s political center, Sacramento has it all. Home to fine institutions like Cal State Sacramento, the Sacramento Kings basketball team, and the California State legislature, the 850,624 residents of this capital city rely on rock-solid internet connectivity to make each day a success.  In Sacramento, 23 internet providers are working hard, vying for your attention. With all of these choices, picking the right provider might leave you feeling a bit like an undecided voter. Don’t worry, though; our expert team has dug up all the research for you. We created this Insider’s Guide to assist you in finding the best internet providers in Sacramento, or at least a few that deserve your vote.

Finding the Fastest Internet in Sacramento

Fast internet is an absolute must for your online college class, your video conference with colleagues, or your newest buffer-free video streaming experience. Choose an inadequate plan, and you may quickly find yourself fighting dropped calls, missed deadlines, andr relaxation replaced with frustration. Sacramento internet speeds vary considerably depending on the provider you choose, whether fiber, cable, DSL, fixed-wireless, or satellite. With such an important decision, where do you start? Our expert team has found the fastest providers in Sacramento to get you started on the right track:

Fastest Sacramento Internet Providers

Searching for the Cheapest Internet Plans in Sacramento

Equipping your household with lightning-fast internet can drain money from your bank account faster than a politician can change positions. Affordable internet is an absolute must, given all the other living expenses doing their part to whittle away your earnings. Providers work hard to keep prices low, but with ever-growing technology and network expansion, operation costs continue their upward creep. Our experts have constructed a breakdown of the cheapest Sacramento internet prices divided by their advertised download speeds. We call it “internet value.” The list below highlights the internet providers in Sacramento offering the best bang for your buck: 

Best Internet Value of Sacramento Providers

Getting a Great Deal on Internet Services in Sacramento

Securing a reasonable price for your internet service could mean more money for enjoying all that California’s capital city has to offer. Yet, like many tough choices, finding pocket-friendly internet service provider pricing can lead to loads of frustration and indecision. With so many factors to consider, like service availability, internet bundling, or fluctuation in bandwidths, getting bogged down in the details can drain much of your internet-service-voting ambitions. Here at InMyArea.com, we’ve provided the following steps for you to take to find great deals without losing focus on what factors matter most to you. Here are our five simple steps to getting a great deal on internet service in Sacramento:

1. Take Advantage of Promotional Prices

   Most Sacramento internet providers will put their money where their mouth is in the form of appealing promotional rates to win your business and demonstrate their quality performance. Most introductory rates will last anywhere between a few months and a full year, after which, the more expensive regular rate kicks in. You won’t have to look long to find some of the most valuable internet deals in Sacramento.

   Insider’s Tip: Get Frontier internet services, unlimited digital voice, and DISH America’s Top 200 with over 240 channels for just $154.98 per month when you sign up today.

   When locking in a promotion rate, note when the introductory period ends. Then, before your rate jumps up, call your internet provider to negotiate a new rate. You may run into serious resistance on the part of the provider, but remember, your vote counts, and you can always take your business elsewhere. During rate negotiation, a little filibuster mentality never hurt.

2. Pin Down a Complementary Contract

   You may be living in Sacramento for a couple of years to attend school, for a few months to work on a campaign, or for a lifetime to establish family roots. Whatever the life circumstance, finding a contract that works for your timeline is imperative. If you’re planning on being in town less than a year, a month-to-month agreement may work best for you, so you’re not locked into paying for service you don’t need. 

   If you’re a lifelong Sacramento native, on the other hand, a more extended contract at a cheaper rate would be the way to go, since the probability of breaking the contract terms is pretty low. A great internet provider will offer various service contracts that allow the level of flexibility you need. Longer-term agreements may result in lower monthly rates, while month to month plans allow you more freedom if required. Wave Broadband and Softcom both offer no-contract service. AT&T offers a no-contract option or a 12-month contract option at a promotional price.

3. Pursue Provider Perks

   So, which provider will get your vote? That may depend heavily on the notorious, quietly advertised, but readily available provider perk. Many internet providers save goodies in their proverbial back pocket to use only when necessary to tip your vote in their direction. These provider perks typically consist of various incentives such as free equipment, contract-free service, gift cards, or unlimited data, to name just a few. You may have to do a little digging to find these extras, but it could very well be worth the extra elbow grease.

   Sacramento Provider Perk: AT&T is offering a $100 AT&T Visa Reward card with no annual contract for plans offering 100 Mbps download speeds or faster.

   Finding perks may be as simple as visiting a provider website. When perusing a provider site, if you don’t see any enticements pop up, don’t assume that’s all they have to offer. Sometimes a phone call with a service rep will reveal more perks to be had. Here’s a short list our experts have come up with to give you a glimpse of popular provider perks and which internet providers in Sacramento offer them.

   Internet Provider Perks in Sacramento

   Provider perks	Internet providers in Sacramento
   No data caps	Consolidated, Sonic, and Cal.net
   No contracts	Wave, Softcom, and Cal.net
   Free internet equipment	Frontier and Google Fiber
   Internet app integration Free cloud storage Free email creation Battery backup Music subscription	Disclaimer: Some provider perks vary by city, valid promotions, and plan.

4. Bundle Services to Save Yourself Some Cash

   More than likely, you’re a mobile user, possibly a TV watcher, and even a landline phone user, as rare as that is nowadays. Companies like AT&T or HughesNet, for example, offer more than internet service. If you can check yourself in one or more of these boxes, then a bundle package, such as a Double Play (internet and TV) or Triple Play (Internet, TV, and phone), might be worthwhile moneywise. Take a peek at what different providers have to offer in terms of combined services. You may find that the total cost beats your incumbent services, leading to lower prices and higher internet value. Plus, getting one bill for multiple services is a whole lot nicer than tracking a few each month.

   Money-Saver Alert: Xfinity is currently offering a $100 Amazon.com gift card with online purchases of their Blast! Pro+ and Gigabit internet plans.

5. Select a Service for Your Lifestyle

   Don’t let any smooth talkers oversell you on services you don’t need. Assess your internet service requirements by listing all of the activities you undertake while online. If you’re a quick email checker, news scroller, or online peruser, a low-speed, low-cost plan deserves your vote. However, if you’re a fast-moving online entrepreneur or gaming guru, you may require service that’s much more substantial. In this case, paying $30 or $40 more a month for the services you need would be a smart investment. 

   Which of the below internet service types best suits your needs? The answer may help you determine how much you’re willing to pay for the right plan. Here is how we see what households each type of internet service best serves.

   • Satellite: Best for rural residences without many options for internet access
   • Fixed Wireless: Best for standard definition (SD) and possibly high definition (HD) streaming and videoconferencing 
   • DSL: Best for light internet use, such as web surfing and SD streaming
   • Cable: Best for households with multiple devices and HD streaming
   • Fiber: Best for many devices, HD streaming, and no-lag gaming

Avoiding Hidden Fees in Sacramento

One important thing to remember when shopping for service is not assuming that what you see is what you get. Like any enticing deal, the devil is always in the details. As long as you read the print, even if it takes a small investment in a pair of reading glasses or a couple of extra clicks on the zoom-in button on the screen, no additional charges will catch you by surprise.

Look for charges such as equipment rental, late payments, maintenance charges, early termination, or installation. All internet providers make this information available before you sign a service agreement. We assembled this list of the most common internet fees found in Sacramento to keep you in the know:

Internet Fees in Sacramento

Data Overage Fees

If you’ve got a household full of online rockstars, you may want to keep in mind that some internet providers impose a monthly data limit. Before you sign on the dotted line, make sure you’re aware of these restrictions. Most households don’t come close to these data caps, but it’s something to keep in mind if your particular house is full of heavy media consumers. Going over the limit could result in data overage fees or degraded internet service. Thankfully, internet service providers are increasingly moving away from imposing data caps. 

In Sacramento, some providers still put caps on data. AT&T offers unlimited data on all their fiber plans. Xfinity imposes a monthly data cap, but it’s a very generous 1.2 TB of data. You’ll have to be a pretty heavy-duty data consumer to get close to this monthly limit. HughesNet’s satellite plans are based on the amount of monthly data you plan to consume. Their 10 GB data plan will get you about three hours of Amazon Prime Video time max per month, which isn’t a great option for most of us.

Early Termination Fees

If you’re tired of your current provider and ready to jump ship, check your service agreement first. Your current provider may charge an early termination fee, a certain amount of money owed to the provider for ending your service before the end of your contract. These fees can be incredibly high depending on the provider, so make sure you read the fine print first. On the other hand, choosing a plan without early termination fee provisions could result in higher monthly payments. Before signing up with a new provider, determine whether you’re better off with a no-contract provider or at least a provider whose early termination fees are manageable. 

Wave Broadband, Softcom, and Cal.net are a few providers in Sacramento that offer no-contract plans. Sonic will charge you $149 or the remainder of your monthly charges, whichever is less if you leave them early. With Frontier in Sacramento, you may pay up to $400 if you disconnect early, depending on your internet plan. Remember, too, that some providers may pay your early termination fees from previous plans if you switch your service to them. 

Internet Equipment Fees

Many internet providers require particular types of equipment to get your internet up and running. Some companies give you the option of leasing their equipment, buying their equipment or purchasing your own. Others require no equipment at all. Depending on the service you choose, equipment costs could be relatively high. Don’t catch yourself in an internet equipment scandal. Read your agreement first to inform yourself of the equipment required. 

In Sacramento, Frontier and Google Fiber are a couple of providers working hard to get your internet vote with free equipment. Depending on the plan you choose, Google Fiber will supply a Network Box and possibly a storage box or network/storage box combo. Other companies will ask you to lease their equipment, such as HughesNet, who charges $14.99 monthly for equipment lease on top of a $99 lease activation fee. The upside to paying for the use of the provider’s equipment is that the provider covers almost all of the maintenance or replacement of such equipment.

Setup and Installation Fees

Think you’ve cast your internet service provider vote? Hold on; there’s one more cost to consider before the final decision. Setup and installation fees for a service provider installing any necessary equipment and initiating service can run the gamut between no fees at all, such as is the case with Sonic Fiber, somewhere in the middle as is the case with California Broadband in Sacramento that charges a $99 setup fee, to a substantial $199.99 with Hughesnet if you buy the satellite dish and modem instead of lease it. 

You may be able to avoid the installation fee altogether if you choose a type of internet connection that allows you to set it up yourself. Be advised: if you run into problems that require professional assistance, you’ll end up paying for the solutions yourself as well.

Setting Up Your High-Speed Internet in Sacramento

The thought of self-installation may be scary. But for many internet types, it’s actually pretty user-friendly, fast, and cost-efficient. Xfinity in Sacramento even has an app to help walk you through their self-installation process. If you’re looking to save some money and pursue the DIY installation route, our experts want to make it that much easier for you. You can find a complete step-by-step guide to self-installation here for numerous internet connection types. 

Learning About Sacramento’s Internet Neighborhoods

Sacramento is an exciting California city, where various cultures and backgrounds converge, resulting in an eclectic mix of ambitious students, farm-to-fork artists, political thinkers, cultural leaders, and much more. It’s no wonder there are so many internet providers in this city to serve these diverse needs and tastes. If you’re planning on moving to this city, knowing which neighborhoods have the speeds you need could help inform your ultimate choice in location. We put together this rundown of internet neighborhoods in Sacramento to help you narrow your list of choices:

Sacramento Neighborhood Internet Availability