Best Internet Providers in Honolulu, Hawaii for 2026

Honolulu is more than a tourist destination; it’s a city where day-to-day life relies on strong connectivity. From University of Hawai‘i students in Mānoa finishing assignments late at night, to military families stationed near Pearl Harbor staying in touch with loved ones, to residents in Kaimukī or Kāhala working remotely while overlooking the Pacific, internet here isn’t optional.

But in an island city, internet can feel more precious, and sometimes more inconsistent, than on the mainland. Providers advertise high speeds, but what households actually experience depends on infrastructure and neighborhood. Download speeds may dominate marketing, but uploads are just as important for locals sending large files, uploading videos, or working with cloud platforms.

Latency is important as well, especially for gamers or professionals relying on fluid video calls with colleagues across the mainland. The best internet in Honolulu is the one that holds steady through it all, whether your household is streaming movies, hosting video conferences, or running smart devices across multiple rooms.

Internet usage in Honolulu can be very different from one neighborhood to the next. A lot of people may feel like they have to take what they can get, as they assume the connectivity on an island isn't that good in general, but you’d be surprised. You do have choices.

It seems that at a minimum, just one device that isn't heavily utilized for anything beyond casual browsing, shopping, presentations, streaming, and your daily social media scrolling, 25 Mbps download and 10 Mbps upload is good enough. But for a family in Hawaiʻi Kai that's dabbling in a bit of everything, including online school, remote work, and gaming, that probably won’t cut it; at least not if you want the smoothest experience.

A practical starting point for most multi-person households is 100–300 Mbps. That allows for multiple streams, conference calls, and smart devices without constant buffering. If you’re a content creator in Kakaʻako uploading videos regularly, a teacher livestreaming lessons from home, or a photographer sending high-resolution files to clients, fiber speeds of 1 Gbps or more would be a better fit. But that's still not set in stone; it just depends because you might be able to get by on something lower.

Again, we're mainly talking about what's ideal and not a plan that's doable but leaves you frustrated each day. For Honolulu residents, where so much daily activity is tied to remote access, the faster and more reliable the plan, the better.

What’s Coming Down the Pipeline?

Honolulu has several projects and initiatives aimed at expanding access and performance:

• Hawaiʻi Broadband Hōʻike: Honolulu hosted the 2025 Hawaiʻi Broadband Hōʻike, a statewide summit highlighting digital equity programs like Lifeline Wi-Fi, Kupuna Tech Workshops, and community-run networks aimed at underserved neighborhoods.
• Pau Hana Innovation Series–Honolulu Digital Services: The Office of Economic Revitalization launched the Pau Hana Innovation Series to explore how broadband and tech innovation can improve public services, with Honolulu piloting digital access and service delivery models.
• Hawaiʻi State Broadband Initiative: Supported by federal funding, the state has launched projects to expand fiber infrastructure and digital literacy programs throughout Hawaiʻi, including Honolulu.

These combined efforts mean Honolulu residents can expect wider fiber coverage, faster speeds, and more inclusive internet access in the years ahead.