Blog
Houston Internet Providers (2026): Compare Plans, Prices, Electricity & Who Has a Choice
By the Utility Search Marketplace Team · Last updated June 21, 2026
Houston internet providers give most of the city a real choice. If you’re comparing Houston electricity and internet providers, the short version is that you get to choose both. Houston sits in Texas’s deregulated power market, so you shop for your retail electricity provider, and 95% of Houston ZIP codes also have a real choice of internet provider. This guide compares plans, prices, and how to set both up when you move.
Renting or moving often? See our guide to the best internet for renters who move frequently for no-contract, portable options.
TL;DR
- Houston is deregulated for electricity — you choose your retail provider; CenterPoint Energy delivers the power and handles outages.
- 95% of Houston ZIP codes (97 of 102) have a choice of 2+ internet providers — and several have four. Only 5 are single-provider “monopoly ZIPs.”
- Moving for fall? Order electricity 1–2 weeks ahead and internet about 2 weeks ahead — install slots fill fast in July/August.
- Compare both bills together — the true “cost to get connected” is electricity + internet, so optimize the bigger one.
Quick answer: who provides internet and electricity in Houston?
In Houston you choose both. For electricity, Houston is in Texas’s deregulated market, so you shop retail providers (REPs) for your rate while CenterPoint Energy owns the wires and restores power no matter who you pick. For internet, most addresses have real choice — our ZIP-level data shows 95% of Houston ZIP codes have two or more Houston internet providers, and the leading Houston internet providers are AT&T Fiber, Fios (Frontier), and Spectrum/Xfinity cable.
Does Houston actually have internet choice? (Yes — almost everywhere)
Houston internet competition — by the numbers (proprietary data):
- 95% of Houston ZIP codes (97 of 102) have 2+ internet providers.
- Several ZIPs have four wired providers competing.
- Only 5 ZIP codes are “monopoly ZIPs.”
Definition — Choice ZIP vs. Monopoly ZIP: A Choice ZIP has two or more wired providers competing for your address; a Monopoly ZIP has one. Houston is overwhelmingly Choice — which is leverage when you compare Houston internet providers and negotiate.
Houston internet providers compared
| Provider | Type | Footprint in Houston | Speeds | Starting price* | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | Fiber / DSL | Widest (100/102 ZIPs) | Fiber up to 5 Gbps | from ~$35/mo* [VERIFY] | Fastest fiber |
| Fios (Frontier) | Fiber | Very broad (98/102 ZIPs) | Up to 2 Gbps | from ~$30/mo* [VERIFY] | Symmetrical fiber |
| Spectrum / Xfinity | Cable | Broad cable coverage [VERIFY Xfinity ZIP count] | 100 Mbps–1 Gig+ | from ~$30/mo* [VERIFY] | No-contract cable |
| Astound | Cable/Fiber | Select areas | varies | from ~$30/mo* [VERIFY] | Value in covered ZIPs |
*Advertised starting prices (US, June 2026) — verify the current offer at your address. [VERIFY speeds & prices, and confirm/insert Comcast Xfinity coverage (data-master gap) before publish. The 95%-choice headline is solid regardless.]
How to find your exact options: find providers by your Houston ZIP and see which serve your specific address — and whether you’re in a Choice or Monopoly ZIP.
Houston electricity: you choose your provider
Comparing Houston electricity and internet providers side by side is the fastest way to lower your total cost, because both are competitive markets in Houston. Electricity is the bigger, more variable bill, so it usually pays to start there.
Definition — Deregulation: You choose a Retail Electric Provider (REP) for your plan/rate; a regulated utility (TDU) owns the wires and fixes outages. Competition among REPs is what lets you shop for a better rate. Learn more about Texas electricity deregulation.
Definition — TDU (your delivery utility): Your TDU in Houston is CenterPoint Energy — the same regardless of which REP you choose. They read your meter and restore power during outages; you never “switch” your TDU.
Before you pick a plan: compare the price at 1,000 kWh on each provider’s Electricity Facts Label (EFL), check contract length and early-termination fee, and favor a fixed rate to avoid summer price spikes (key for a July/August move). Here’s a quick guide to switching electricity in Texas.
Houston electricity providers & plans (CenterPoint service area)
Rates updated [FILL-IN DATE]. The table below is a framework — fill from Power to Choose (PUCT) for the CenterPoint service area, or your rate feed, before publish.
| Retail Provider (REP) | Plan | Term | Rate @ 1,000 kWh | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Pull from Power to Choose — CenterPoint area] | [plan] | [term] | [¢/kWh] | Fixed/Variable | [standout] |
| [REP 2] | [plan] | [term] | [¢/kWh] | ||
| [REP 3] | [plan] | [term] | [¢/kWh] |
How to set up internet + electricity when you move to Houston
- Confirm your ZIP’s internet options (Choice vs. Monopoly) and that Houston = CenterPoint for delivery.
- Order electricity 1–2 weeks before move-in; pick a fixed rate for a summer move.
- Order internet ~2 weeks ahead — July/August install slots go fast.
- Compare combined cost. Pricing Houston internet providers and electricity together shows your true monthly cost, so you can optimize the bigger bill.
- Note contract end dates so you can re-shop before a rate jumps.
Want the citywide picture first? See the cheapest electricity in Texas, city by city, and why internet choice and deregulated energy go hand in hand.
Frequently asked questions about Houston electricity and internet providers
Is electricity deregulated in Houston?
Yes — you choose your retail provider and rate, while CenterPoint Energy delivers the power and handles outages regardless of who you pick.
Who delivers electricity in Houston?
CenterPoint Energy (the TDU) — the same no matter your retail provider. It owns the wires, reads your meter, and restores power during outages.
What internet providers are in Houston?
The main Houston internet providers are AT&T Fiber, Fios, and cable (Spectrum/Xfinity); our ZIP-level data shows 95% of Houston ZIPs have 2+ providers. [VERIFY speeds/prices]
How early should I set up utilities moving to Houston?
Electricity 1–2 weeks ahead, internet about 2 weeks ahead — slots fill in July/August.
How do I find the cheapest Houston electricity rate?
Compare plans at 1,000 kWh on the Electricity Facts Label (EFL) via Power to Choose, and prefer a fixed rate to avoid summer price spikes.
Where can I compare Houston electricity and internet providers together?
You can compare Houston electricity and internet providers in one place on Utility Search Marketplace — enter your address once and see both, instead of using a separate site for each.
Official resource to check your address
Before you order, confirm which internet providers report service at your specific Houston address using the federal government’s free tool:
- FCC National Broadband Map — check the reported internet providers, technologies, and speeds available at your exact address.
Sources
- CenterPoint Energy (delivery utility) — centerpointenergy.com
- Power to Choose, Public Utility Commission of Texas (REP/rate comparison) — powertochoose.org
- FCC National Broadband Map (provider availability) — broadbandmap.fcc.gov
- Internet provider availability: myutilitysearch.com Multi-Provider Density data (proprietary, ZIP-level)
Compare Houston electricity and internet providers in one place
On Utility Search Marketplace you enter your Houston address once and compare Houston internet providers and electricity plans together, instead of using a separate site for each. It’s free to you — providers pay us — and takes about five minutes.
Compare your Houston address in about 5 minutes — free. Shop Fiber Offers · Shop Energy Rates · 100% free to you — providers pay us, never you.
Keep going
- Internet hub: compare plans by true all-in cost
- Energy hub: choose a Texas electricity plan
- Cheapest electricity in Texas: city-by-city comparison
- Moving to Dallas–Fort Worth? Utility setup checklist
- Home security buying guide for a new home
Related: Weighing the cable option in Houston? See our full Spectrum internet plans & prices guide for 2026 speeds, real after-promo costs, and who it’s best for.
