Internet service is decided house by house. Two neighbors can have different providers, and a provider that serves most of a town may not reach the last street before the fields. These three steps give you the real list for your home in about ten minutes.
1. Search your address on the FCC map
The FCC National Broadband Map is the official record of where internet providers say they offer service. Every provider must report, twice a year, each location where it can install service within about ten business days. Enter your full street address, choose the matching location, and the map lists:
- each provider that reports service at that location,
- the technology — fiber, cable, DSL, fixed wireless or satellite,
- the maximum advertised download and upload speeds.
Switch between the fixed and mobile tabs if you are also weighing a phone-based hotspot. The map is free and needs no account.
2. Confirm with each provider
The FCC map is only as good as the providers’ own reports. It can lag new construction, and occasionally a provider lists homes it cannot actually connect. Put the same address into each listed provider’s availability checker, or call. If a provider confirms service, ask about installation dates and whether any construction charge applies.
3. Compare the broadband facts labels
Every plan must come with a standard broadband label — similar to a food nutrition label — showing:
- the monthly price, and how long any promotional price lasts,
- one-time and recurring fees, including equipment rental,
- typical download and upload speeds and typical latency,
- any data allowance and the provider’s network management policy.
Headline prices often exclude equipment or rise after twelve months. The label shows the whole cost. If you are choosing between technologies, our fiber vs cable vs 5G guide explains what the numbers mean in practice.
If the map is wrong about your home
Two kinds of correction are possible from the map itself:
- Availability challenge — a listed provider cannot actually serve you, or the speed is not offered. The provider has to respond.
- Location challenge — your home is missing from the map or placed in the wrong spot.
These corrections matter beyond your own order. Federal and state grant programs use the map to decide where new networks get funded, so a home wrongly shown as served can miss out. More in our rural internet guide.
Using town pages on this site
Each Texas town page shows which providers report service anywhere in town and what share of homes each covers, plus how local households actually connect. Use it to see who is around, then run the address check above before you order.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out what internet providers are available at my address?
Search the address on the FCC National Broadband Map, which lists every provider that reports service there. Then confirm availability on each provider’s website or by phone.
Can I search internet providers by ZIP code?
A ZIP code is too coarse: providers often serve one street and not the next. Use a full street address on the FCC map for an accurate list.
What if the FCC map lists a provider that cannot serve me?
Select your location on the map and file an availability challenge. The provider must respond, and the map is corrected if the listing is wrong.