Best Internet Providers in Hayward, CA

What is the best internet provider in Hayward, CA?

AT&T Fiber is the best Internet provider in Hayward, offering the fastest internet speeds and best value. AT&T Fiber has no device fees or data caps, and your price won’t automatically increase after the promotional period ends. That’s why this internet provider has the best customer satisfaction scores in the country.

If you are looking for the cheapest internet plans, Xfinity is the cheapest internet provider in Hayward. You’d be hard-pressed to find a cheaper plan than Xfinity’s $20 per month, 150-megabit-per-second plan. That said, Xfinity raises prices on all plans after a year or two (or both).

Another great option in Hayward is Wi-Fi. T-Mobile and Verizon offer wireless home Internet service in cities, and you can get deep discounts by bundling one of their cell phone plans.

Best Internet in Hayward, CA

Source: CNET analysis of provider profiles.

Source: CNET analysis of provider profiles.

How to find online deals and promotions in Hayward

Hayward’s best online deals and top promotions depend on the discounts available during a specific time. Most offers are short-lived, but we’re often on the lookout for the latest deals.

Hayward network providers, such as Xfinity and Verizon 5G Home Internet, may offer lower promotional prices or streaming add-ons for a limited time. However, others, including AT&T Fiber, use the same standard pricing year-round.

For a more extensive list of deals, check out our guide to the best internet deals.

Source: CNET analysis of provider profiles.

What is a good internet speed?

Most Internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you’re looking for a network plan that can accommodate video conferencing, streaming video, or gaming, you’ll get a better experience with a stronger connection. Below is an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications according to the FCC. Please note that these are guidelines only – Internet speeds, service and performance vary based on connection type, provider and address.

For more information, see our guide on the internet speed you really need.

• 0 to 5Mbps lets you handle the basics—browse the Internet, send and receive email, and stream low-quality video.
• 5 to 40Mbps provides you with higher quality video streaming and video conferencing.
• 40 to 100Mbps should provide one person with enough bandwidth to meet the needs of modern remote working, video streaming, and online gaming.
• 100 to 500Mbps allows one or two people to participate in high-bandwidth activities such as video conferencing, streaming media, and online gaming at the same time.
• 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more people to engage in high-bandwidth activities simultaneously.

CNET How to Choose the Best Internet Provider in Hayward

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router, or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. So what is our approach? We first looked at pricing, availability, and speed information, using our own historical ISP data, provider websites, and map information from the Federal Communications Commission’s FCC.gov.

But it didn’t end there. We visited the FCC’s website to check our data and make sure we accounted for every ISP serving an area. We will also enter your local address on the provider website to find specific options for residents. We evaluate customer satisfaction with ISP services by looking at sources such as the US Customer Satisfaction Index and JD Power. ISP plans and prices may change frequently; all information provided is accurate as of publication time.

Once we have localized information, we ask three main questions:

1. Does the provider offer reasonably fast internet speeds?
2. Are customers getting value for money?
3. Are customers satisfied with their service?

While the answers to these questions are often layered and complex, we recommend the providers who come closest to a “yes” on these three questions. When choosing the cheapest internet service, we look for plans with the lowest monthly fees, although we also consider factors like price increases, equipment fees, and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively simple. 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 How to Test ISPs page.

Hayward Internet Provider FAQs