Moving to Dallas-Fort Worth in 2026? Set Up Electricity, Internet, and Security in the Right Order

By the MyUtilitySearch Team — Last updated June 3, 2026

If you’re moving to Dallas Fort Worth 2026 — relocating to the Dallas-Fort Worth metro this year — you’re in good company: PODS ranked DFW the third most popular move-in metro in the country this year, behind only the Myrtle Beach–Wilmington area and Ocala, Florida. The draw is a strong job market and, by Texas standards, real affordability — DFW has the lowest average electric bill of any major Texas metro at about $170 a month. But there’s a catch new arrivals rarely hear until move-in week: in DFW you don’t inherit a power company. You have to pick one before the lights come on.

That one quirk — deregulated electricity — changes the whole move-in checklist. Set things up in the right order and you’ll have power, internet, and a secure home on day one. Get the order wrong and you’re sitting in a dark house waiting on a connection. Here’s the sequence that works.

Why is setting up utilities in Dallas-Fort Worth different from other cities?

Because DFW is in a deregulated electricity market, you choose your own retail electric provider — the power doesn’t just switch on in your name. Oncor owns and maintains the poles, wires, and meters across Dallas, Fort Worth, Irving, Plano, and Arlington, and it delivers power to your home no matter who you buy from. But the company that sells you the electricity — and sets your rate — is one of 40-plus retail providers competing for your business.

This is actually good news for movers. Oncor’s lower delivery charges give DFW the cheapest electricity in Texas, with shopped fixed-rate plans recently starting in the single digits per kWh versus a statewide average around 16 cents. The flip side: nobody sets it up for you. You have to enroll before your move-in date, or you arrive to no power. For the official rules on how Texas electric choice works, the state’s Power to Choose site, run by the Public Utility Commission of Texas, is the authoritative source.

What should I set up first when moving to Dallas-Fort Worth?

Set up electricity first — it has the hardest deadline. Internet and home security can be scheduled around your move date, but power has to be in your name and active the day you take the keys. A simple order that avoids day-one headaches:

• Electricity (2–7 days ahead): Pick a retail provider and a start date. Same-day or next-day start is often possible, but don’t count on it during summer.
• Internet (1–2 weeks ahead): Fiber and cable installs book out, especially in summer moving season. Schedule the technician as soon as you have a closing or lease date.
• Home security (move-in week): Easiest to add once you’re in, but worth lining up early so an empty or half-unpacked house isn’t sitting unprotected.

The reason electricity leads: a Texas summer is unforgiving. DFW homes that use around 1,000 kWh in spring can climb past 2,000 kWh in July, pushing bills from roughly $140 toward $300 or more. Locking a fixed rate before summer demand peaks is the single highest-value move on this list.

How do I choose an electricity plan in DFW without overpaying?

Compare plans at your real summer usage, not the headline 1,000 kWh teaser rate. Many of the lowest advertised DFW rates are bill-credit plans that only look cheap at exactly 1,000 kWh and cost much more above or below that — which is most of the summer. Three rules keep you out of the common traps:

• Compare the “all-in” price that includes Oncor delivery charges, not just the energy rate — that’s your true cost.
• Check the rate at 2,000 kWh, which is closer to what you’ll actually use June through September in North Texas.
• Favor a fixed-rate plan if you want predictable bills; lock it before summer, when providers price in more risk.

If you’re comparing on your own, the U.S. Energy Information Administration publishes residential electricity price data you can use as a sanity check against any rate you’re quoted. And because comparison sites like ours are paid by providers, not by you, getting an apples-to-apples shortlist is free — more on that below.

Which internet providers are available in Dallas-Fort Worth?

DFW is one of the most competitive broadband markets in the country, with fiber, cable, and 5G home internet all widely available. The main providers across the metro include AT&T Fiber, Spectrum, Frontier, T-Mobile 5G Home Internet, Optimum, and EarthLink, though exact options come down to your specific address and even your block. Fiber (AT&T, Frontier) generally delivers the fastest, most reliable connection with matching upload and download speeds — worth prioritizing if you work from home.

Ownership in this market is also shifting fast, which matters if you’re comparing a provider you knew from another city. Verizon now owns Frontier, AT&T is absorbing Lumen’s consumer fiber, and T-Mobile has been buying regional fiber builders. The brand on the truck may have changed since you last shopped — so check what actually serves your new address rather than assuming.

Since you’re already lining up power, this is the natural moment to book internet too: install windows fill up in summer, and scheduling the technician before you move means you’re online day one instead of working from a phone hotspot.

When should I set up home security in a new DFW home?

Set up home security in your first week — ideally before the house is fully unpacked and full of new electronics. A new-construction or just-vacated home is exactly the kind of property that benefits from monitoring early, and modern systems install fast. Providers like Vivint offer professionally installed, app-controlled systems that bundle cameras, door sensors, and 24/7 monitoring — and many newer systems run over your home internet, which is one more reason to get connectivity sorted first.

Pairing security with the internet setup also tends to be the most cost-effective path, since the two are increasingly sold together. If you’re standing up all three services for a new home anyway, doing them in one sitting saves you repeating your address and move-in date to three different call centers.

Can I set up electricity, internet, and security at the same time?

Yes — and for a move, doing all three at once is the whole point. A move is the rare moment when every home service starts from zero on the same day, so it’s far simpler to handle them together than to chase each one separately after you’ve moved in. That’s exactly what MyUtilitySearch is built for: one place to compare and set up electricity, internet, and security for your new DFW address.

Our service is always free to you — providers pay us, not the other way around. That means you can get an apples-to-apples shortlist across all three categories, switch in minutes, and lean on a recommendation instead of wading through hundreds of plans. We’ll tell you honestly when we earn a commission from a provider you choose; it never changes the price you pay.

Your DFW move-in next step

Before moving day, get power, internet, and security lined up in one place. Compare your options at myutilitysearch.com or call (844) 437-9527 — it takes about five minutes, there’s no SSN required to start, and it’s always free. Get it done before the truck arrives and your first day after moving to Dallas Fort Worth 2026 is a move-in, not a scramble.

FAQ: Moving to Dallas-Fort Worth in 2026

Do I have to choose my own electricity provider in Dallas-Fort Worth?

Yes. DFW is in a deregulated market, so when moving to Dallas-Fort Worth in 2026 you must pick a retail electric provider before move-in — power won’t turn on automatically. Oncor delivers the electricity regardless of which provider you choose.

How far in advance should I set up utilities for a DFW move?

Set up electricity 2–7 days ahead, internet 1–2 weeks ahead because installs book out in summer, and home security in your move-in week. Electricity has the hardest deadline since it must be active the day you take the keys. Building this timeline into your plan for moving to Dallas Fort Worth 2026 is what keeps move-in week calm.

Why is electricity so important to set up first when moving to Dallas-Fort Worth in 2026?

Because there’s no default provider — you arrive to no power if you haven’t enrolled. North Texas summer usage can double from spring, so locking a fixed rate before peak demand is the highest-value step when moving to Dallas-Fort Worth in 2026.

Which internet providers serve Dallas-Fort Worth?

AT&T Fiber, Spectrum, Frontier, T-Mobile 5G Home Internet, Optimum, and EarthLink are the main DFW providers, though availability varies by address. Fiber options like AT&T and Frontier offer the fastest, most reliable speeds for remote work — worth checking early if remote work is part of your reason for moving to Dallas Fort Worth 2026.

Can I set up electricity, internet, and home security together?

Yes. A move is the one moment all three start at once, so it’s simplest to compare and set them up together. MyUtilitySearch does this in one place, free to you — providers pay, you don’t.

Sourcing note
Move-in ranking from the PODS 2026 Moving Trends Report (released May 27, 2026). DFW electricity rate and bill figures reflect Oncor-territory retail plans as of June 1, 2026. Provider availability varies by address; confirm at your exact ZIP. MyUtilitySearch is compensated by providers, not consumers.