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Affordable living, a strong economy, proximity to metropolitan centers, and an environment that promotes the healthy growth of new residents and their families – all that is what people used to look for when choosing a place to settle and live.
And everything listed above? Beaumont, Texas, offers.
The question is: In today’s world, is this enough to promise a comfortable and convenient life?
Not quite. Because, whether we like it or not, having access to reliable and high-speed internet is now a key contributor to the overall quality of life, regardless of where one resides. And the state of Beaumont’s internet providers is… less than ideal.
Does Beaumont, Texas, Have an Internet Problem?
In 2019, the city of Beaumont received a less-than-stellar internet report card. Amid the COVID-19 chaos, Beaumont was ranked among the National Digital Inclusion Alliance’s 20 worst-connected cities in the country. The broadband problem has been a serious concern in Southeast Texas, especially in the Beaumont outskirts and the surrounding rural areas of Jefferson County.
Throughout the city, the internet reliability and quality vary widely based on which provider offers services in the region. There are four different types of connections found in the city, including fiber optic, cable, DSL, fixed wireless, and satellite.
Fiber Optic: Blazing- Fast Internet
Fiber optic is widely available in Central Beaumont and some suburban neighborhoods, through providers such as AT&T and Earthlink. Homes in areas such as North End, South Park, and the Heart of the City can experience high-speed internet with up to 5 Gbps. However, on the outskirts of the city, the availability of fiber optic is limited or even non-existent.
Cable: The Most Common
One of the most common internet options for Beamonters is a cable connection. This internet does offer fast internet – advertised speed of 1 Gbps – but comes second to fiber optic. The download speeds offered by cable are much faster than upload speeds. Spectrum’s cable is widely available throughout Central Beaumont. And just like fiber optic, this option is limited to the outskirts of the city, as it is nonexistent in remote and rural areas.
DSL: Slowest Land-based Option
DSL is another option in the city, delivered through legacy copper phone lines. It is a land-based option that offers the slowest Beaumont, TX, internet speeds, serving mostly as a backup connection in Central Beaumont. Residents rely on this only when the faster option is down or unavailable. However, in the outskirts of the city and other surrounding remote and rural areas, this is the only option.
Fixed Wireless and Satellite: Rural Internet Options in Beaumont
Fixed wireless and satellite internet in Beaumont are widely used in its rural and outlying areas, where traditional infrastructure is limited. They do offer connection, but the speed is very slow, the latency is potentially high, and it does not rank very well in reliability as well.
Viasat is one of the available providers of satellite service in the city and surrounding rural areas, but not a very common choice in Central Beaumont.
The Bigger Beaumont Picture
Unfortunately, there is a rural-urban gap in the quality of internet connection in Beaumont. For Central Beaumont residents, especially in areas like North End and the Heart of the City, fiber and cable are increasingly available. Families can stream, game, and work remotely with 1-5 Gbps.
However, only a short drive away, on the outskirts and rural stretches of Jefferson County, many households still rely on copper DSL or even satellite connections, where speeds may fall below 25 Mbps.
This gap means that while families living near Lamar University or downtown’s Calder Avenue can stream in 4K on fiber, households toward Fannett, Nome, or even around Pine Street still rely on DSL lines or satellite. That means while students at Lamar can upload assignments in seconds, kids on the outskirts might wait several minutes just to get a page to load. And not to forget the limited employment opportunities, including those of remote working, are just not for the residents on the other side of the divide.
The Affordability Factor
Even when higher speeds are available, affordability remains a challenge. Fiber and cable plans can cost more than many rural households are willing or can pay. In those areas, families often settle for slower DSL or fixed wireless because it’s cheaper, even though it doesn’t meet modern needs.
This digital divide is real and not just about availability, but also about accessibility.
Closing the Gap: What’s Next for Beaumont
Beaumont has already made strides since its ranking as one of the “worst-connected cities” in 2019. Federal broadband funding and local infrastructure projects are expanding fiber coverage, though full rural access will take time.
For now, residents can:
- Check availability by ZIP code. Some outskirts are beginning to get Frontier or AT&T fiber expansions.
- Consider fixed wireless upgrades. T-Mobile 5G Home Internet now covers parts of Beaumont and nearby areas.
- Evaluate affordability programs. The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) can reduce monthly costs for qualifying households.
But Beaumonters don’t have to do this alone. With SmarterHome.ai by their side, they can easily find the best internet in Beaumont that suits not just their lifestyle but also their budget.
Our expert agents help with careful Beaumont internet provider comparison, so that residents, both urban and rural, can find better solutions today while waiting for infrastructure to fully catch up.
