Internet providers in Paterson, New Jersey
Fiber is available at 94.7% of the 21,748 homes and businesses the FCC counts in Paterson, and wired broadband of at least 100/20 Mbps at 95.1%. 64.7% of locations have a choice of two or more wired providers at that speed; at 30.4% there is only one.1
FCC National Broadband Map, availability as of June 30, 2026 (data revised November 10, 2026), as reported by providers.
Paterson in New Jersey
Fiber is reported at 94.7% of Paterson's homes and businesses on the FCC map, from Optimum at 90.6% of locations and Verizon at 68.5%. Choice has moved the other way from the rest of New Jersey: the share of locations with two or more wired providers at 100/20 Mbps fell by 21.8 percentage points since June 2022, the 3rd lowest1 change among the 343 largest US cities.
Optimum, Verizon and a short wired list
Two wired networks serve nearly all of Paterson's 21,748 homes and businesses. Optimum reports service at 91.2% of them and files fiber at 90.6% and cable at almost the same addresses, with a fastest advertised download of 10 Gbps. Verizon reports service at 89.9% of locations: fiber at 68.5%, advertised up to 2.3 Gbps1, and fixed wireless across much of the remainder.
| Optimum | Fiber Cable | 91.2% | 91.2% | 10 Gbps | 26.5% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon | Fiber Licensed wireless | 89.9% | 84.7% | 2.3 Gbps | 3.9% |
| T-Mobile | Licensed wireless | 77.3% | 6.8% | 100 Mbps | – |
| AT&T | Licensed wireless | 29.3% | 9.8% | 100 Mbps | – |
| Andrena | DSL | 0.1% | 0.1% | 200 Mbps | – |
| Astound | Cable | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1.5 Gbps | 0.0% |
Source: FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2026. Share of the area's broadband serviceable locations where the provider reports service as of June 30, 2026. "Only wired option" is the share of locations where it is the single wired provider at 100/20 Mbps. Provider-reported and challengeable; speeds are advertised maximums, not measured; no prices. Satellite providers (HughesNet, Starlink) report service at nearly every location and are left out of the table.
Beyond those two, the wired list is short. Andrena reports 15 locations and Astound 10. Paterson has 4 wired providers in all, a count tied for 42nd lowest among large cities, and 21 that report fiber (22 in June 2022).
The figures are provider filings to the FCC as of June 30, 2026, revision of November 10, 2026, for city limits as drawn for the 2020 Census. A location counts as served when a provider says it could install service there within ten business days. Filings can be challenged on the FCC National Broadband Map.
Optimum alone at almost a third of locations
Where Verizon's fiber does not run, Optimum is the only wired provider offering 100/20 Mbps. That is the case at 26.5% of Paterson's locations, 6,619 in all, up from 13.5%2 in June 2022. Two wired choices are reported at 64.6% and three or more at 0.1%. Wired 100/20 Mbps service from any provider is reported at 95.1%1 of locations.
Source: FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2026. Different wired providers (fiber, cable or DSL; FCC provider IDs) reporting 100 Mbps down and 20 Mbps up or more at the same location. Fixed wireless and satellite are not counted.
Show the numbers
| Area | None | One | Two | Three or more |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paterson | 4.9% | 30.4% | 64.6% | 0.1% |
| New Jersey | 1.3% | 34.8% | 60.5% | 3.4% |
| United States | 7.8% | 36.6% | 44.6% | 11.1% |
Paterson's single-wire share is now above New Jersey's (34.8%) though below the national figure (36.6%1), and the highest of the state's four largest cities.
Source: FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2026. FCC file revision of November 10, 2026. Shares are of broadband serviceable locations (homes and businesses), not people.
Show the numbers
| Area | One wired choice |
|---|---|
| United States | 36.6% |
| New Jersey | 34.8% |
| Paterson | 30.4% |
| Elizabeth | 24.0% |
| Newark | 20.1% |
| Jersey City | 8.9% |
A second wire at fewer addresses than in 2022
On the FCC map, wired choice in Paterson has narrowed. In June 2022, 86.5%2 of locations had two or more wired providers offering 100/20 Mbps. By June 2026 the share was 64.7%, a change of −21.8 percentage points. That is the 3rd lowest1 change among the 343 cities of 100,000 or more.
The rest of New Jersey went the opposite direction. Statewide, the share of locations with two or more wired choices rose from 55.8%2 to 63.9%, and in Passaic County, which contains Paterson, it rose by 8.6 percentage points1.
Source: FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2022; FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of December 31, 2025; FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2026. Shares of broadband serviceable locations in each FCC release (latest revision of each); the small number is the change in percentage points since June 30, 2022. The FCC's count of locations is updated with each release, so shares are compared rather than counts.
Show the numbers
| Measure | June 30, 2022 | December 31, 2025 | June 30, 2026 | Change (points) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Two or more wired choices | 86.5% | 64.0% | 64.7% | −21.8 pts |
| Two or more fiber networks | 86.2% | 63.8% | 64.5% | −21.7 pts |
| One wired choice | 13.5% | 31.2% | 30.4% | 16.9 pts |
The decline tracks fiber overlap. Two or more fiber networks were reported at 86.2%2 of locations in 2022 and at 64.5% in 2026, close to Verizon's current fiber share of 68.5%. Verizon has not left the city in the filings: it still reports some form of service at 89.9% of locations, and offers 100/20 Mbps at 84.7%, a figure that includes its fixed wireless service, which is not wired. The filings record where each technology is reported, not why a provider changed its reports. The most recent release shows a small reversal: two or more wired choices rose by 0.7 percentage points1 since December 31, 2025.
Evansville, Indiana −31.9 ptsRio Rancho, New Mexico 91.9 pts
Source: FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2026. Each dot is a city. FCC file revision of November 10, 2026. Shares are of broadband serviceable locations (homes and businesses), not people.
Show the numbers
| Area | Two or more wired choices: change since June 30, 2022 |
|---|---|
| Rio Rancho, New Mexico | 91.9 pts |
| Brockton, Massachusetts | 90.1 pts |
| Greeley, Colorado | 85.6 pts |
| Yuma, Arizona | 83.6 pts |
| Norfolk, Virginia | 83.3 pts |
| Simi Valley, California | 81.4 pts |
| Tyler, Texas | 79.7 pts |
| Alexandria, Virginia | 77.8 pts |
| Killeen, Texas | 76.9 pts |
| Lowell, Massachusetts | 76.4 pts |
| Pueblo, Colorado | 72.5 pts |
| Cedar Rapids, Iowa | 69.6 pts |
| West Jordan, Utah | 69.6 pts |
| Lancaster, California | 66.7 pts |
| Suffolk, Virginia | 66.5 pts |
| Coral Springs, Florida | 64.5 pts |
| Deltona, Florida | 62.8 pts |
| Des Moines, Iowa | 62.6 pts |
| Wichita Falls, Texas | 60.4 pts |
| Brownsville, Texas | 59.5 pts |
| Rockford, Illinois | 58.6 pts |
| Fayetteville, North Carolina | 55.9 pts |
| Laredo, Texas | 55.4 pts |
| Westminster, Colorado | 54.3 pts |
| Port St. Lucie, Florida | 53.2 pts |
| Broken Arrow, Oklahoma | 52.9 pts |
| Surprise, Arizona | 52.7 pts |
| Nampa, Idaho | 51.6 pts |
| Sugar Land, Texas | 46.8 pts |
| Edinburg, Texas | 45.8 pts |
| Colorado Springs, Colorado | 45.2 pts |
| Edmond, Oklahoma | 45.1 pts |
| Green Bay, Wisconsin | 44.3 pts |
| Miami Gardens, Florida | 44.1 pts |
| Savannah, Georgia | 43.6 pts |
| Mesa, Arizona | 42.1 pts |
| Columbia, Missouri | 41.8 pts |
| Palm Coast, Florida | 41.6 pts |
| Lansing, Michigan | 41.4 pts |
| Buckeye, Arizona | 41.4 pts |
| Goodyear, Arizona | 41.2 pts |
| Meridian, Idaho | 40.4 pts |
| Gainesville, Florida | 40.3 pts |
| Round Rock, Texas | 40.3 pts |
| McKinney, Texas | 39.7 pts |
| Thornton, Colorado | 38.8 pts |
| Eugene, Oregon | 38.6 pts |
| St. Paul, Minnesota | 38.5 pts |
| Chula Vista, California | 38.3 pts |
| Glendale, Arizona | 38.2 pts |
| Wichita, Kansas | 38.1 pts |
| Springfield, Massachusetts | 38.1 pts |
| Tacoma, Washington | 37.9 pts |
| Santa Clara, California | 37.0 pts |
| Manchester, New Hampshire | 36.8 pts |
| Billings, Montana | 36.8 pts |
| Independence, Missouri | 36.5 pts |
| Shreveport, Louisiana | 36.3 pts |
| Buffalo, New York | 36.0 pts |
| Worcester, Massachusetts | 34.3 pts |
| Georgetown, Texas | 33.8 pts |
| Conroe, Texas | 33.8 pts |
| Grand Rapids, Michigan | 33.8 pts |
| Tuscaloosa, Alabama | 33.7 pts |
| Sioux Falls, South Dakota | 33.6 pts |
| Pearland, Texas | 33.2 pts |
| New Haven, Connecticut | 33.1 pts |
| New Orleans, Louisiana | 32.6 pts |
| Hollywood, Florida | 31.8 pts |
| Las Cruces, New Mexico | 31.8 pts |
| Topeka, Kansas | 31.5 pts |
| Albuquerque, New Mexico | 31.5 pts |
| McAllen, Texas | 31.4 pts |
| Lakewood, Colorado | 31.3 pts |
| Wilmington, North Carolina | 31.3 pts |
| Spokane, Washington | 30.9 pts |
| Arlington, Texas | 30.8 pts |
| Hartford, Connecticut | 29.2 pts |
| Syracuse, New York | 29.1 pts |
| Pasadena, Texas | 28.9 pts |
| Jacksonville, Florida | 28.7 pts |
| Palm Bay, Florida | 28.7 pts |
| Aurora, Colorado | 28.3 pts |
| Bridgeport, Connecticut | 28.2 pts |
| Pompano Beach, Florida | 28.1 pts |
| Tulsa, Oklahoma | 28.0 pts |
| Peoria, Illinois | 27.9 pts |
| Fort Lauderdale, Florida | 27.4 pts |
| Baton Rouge, Louisiana | 27.2 pts |
| Cape Coral, Florida | 27.0 pts |
| Columbia, South Carolina | 26.6 pts |
| Palmdale, California | 26.4 pts |
| Frisco, Texas | 26.4 pts |
| Fullerton, California | 26.2 pts |
| Memphis, Tennessee | 26.2 pts |
| Knoxville, Tennessee | 26.0 pts |
| Durham, North Carolina | 26.0 pts |
| New York, New York | 25.9 pts |
| Tucson, Arizona | 25.7 pts |
| Norman, Oklahoma | 25.5 pts |
| Little Rock, Arkansas | 25.3 pts |
| Jackson, Mississippi | 25.0 pts |
| Grand Prairie, Texas | 24.9 pts |
| Abilene, Texas | 24.4 pts |
| St. George, Utah | 24.3 pts |
| Omaha, Nebraska | 24.1 pts |
| Fort Myers, Florida | 23.9 pts |
| Carlsbad, California | 23.6 pts |
| Chesapeake, Virginia | 23.4 pts |
| New Braunfels, Texas | 23.1 pts |
| Miramar, Florida | 23.1 pts |
| Toledo, Ohio | 22.6 pts |
| Madison, Wisconsin | 22.4 pts |
| Akron, Ohio | 22.3 pts |
| Lakeland, Florida | 22.1 pts |
| Sparks, Nevada | 22.0 pts |
| Concord, North Carolina | 21.8 pts |
| Springfield, Missouri | 21.7 pts |
| Boca Raton, Florida | 21.5 pts |
| Mesquite, Texas | 21.4 pts |
| El Cajon, California | 21.4 pts |
| Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | 21.3 pts |
| Orlando, Florida | 21.3 pts |
| Macon, Georgia | 21.1 pts |
| Chandler, Arizona | 20.9 pts |
| Hialeah, Florida | 20.8 pts |
| Rochester, New York | 20.6 pts |
| Louisville, Kentucky | 20.5 pts |
| Peoria, Arizona | 20.5 pts |
| Irvine, California | 20.3 pts |
| Vancouver, Washington | 20.1 pts |
| Houston, Texas | 19.4 pts |
| Fort Worth, Texas | 19.3 pts |
| Santa Maria, California | 19.1 pts |
| Arvada, Colorado | 18.8 pts |
| Pasadena, California | 18.5 pts |
| South Bend, Indiana | 18.5 pts |
| Dayton, Ohio | 18.5 pts |
| Ann Arbor, Michigan | 17.8 pts |
| Amarillo, Texas | 17.8 pts |
| High Point, North Carolina | 17.2 pts |
| Miami, Florida | 16.9 pts |
| Waterbury, Connecticut | 16.7 pts |
| Pembroke Pines, Florida | 16.7 pts |
| Winston-Salem, North Carolina | 16.6 pts |
| Gilbert, Arizona | 16.5 pts |
| Boise, Idaho | 16.5 pts |
| Indianapolis, Indiana | 16.4 pts |
| Lubbock, Texas | 16.1 pts |
| Hayward, California | 15.7 pts |
| Austin, Texas | 15.5 pts |
| Virginia Beach, Virginia | 15.3 pts |
| Baltimore, Maryland | 15.1 pts |
| Spokane Valley, Washington | 14.9 pts |
| Chico, California | 14.9 pts |
| Nashville, Tennessee | 14.9 pts |
| Reno, Nevada | 14.8 pts |
| Aurora, Illinois | 14.7 pts |
| Allen, Texas | 14.5 pts |
| College Station, Texas | 14.4 pts |
| West Palm Beach, Florida | 14.4 pts |
| Mobile, Alabama | 14.3 pts |
| Springfield, Illinois | 14.2 pts |
| Burbank, California | 13.8 pts |
| Las Vegas, Nevada | 13.7 pts |
| Davie, Florida | 13.6 pts |
| Avondale, Arizona | 13.5 pts |
| Scottsdale, Arizona | 13.4 pts |
| South Fulton, Georgia | 13.3 pts |
| Honolulu, Hawaii | 13.2 pts |
| Vallejo, California | 13.1 pts |
| El Paso, Texas | 12.9 pts |
| Torrance, California | 12.8 pts |
| Denver, Colorado | 12.6 pts |
| Stockton, California | 12.4 pts |
| Bend, Oregon | 12.4 pts |
| San Antonio, Texas | 12.3 pts |
| Athens, Georgia | 12.2 pts |
| Joliet, Illinois | 12.2 pts |
| Inglewood, California | 12.1 pts |
| Sandy Springs, Georgia | 11.9 pts |
| Murfreesboro, Tennessee | 11.7 pts |
| San Jose, California | 11.5 pts |
| Antioch, California | 11.5 pts |
| Tallahassee, Florida | 11.4 pts |
| Sunnyvale, California | 11.3 pts |
| Cincinnati, Ohio | 11.3 pts |
| Birmingham, Alabama | 11.2 pts |
| Milwaukee, Wisconsin | 11.0 pts |
| Costa Mesa, California | 11.0 pts |
| Fremont, California | 10.9 pts |
| Rancho Cucamonga, California | 10.5 pts |
| Richmond, California | 10.4 pts |
| Glendale, California | 10.3 pts |
| Cleveland, Ohio | 10.3 pts |
| Kent, Washington | 10.1 pts |
| Jurupa Valley, California | 10.0 pts |
| Riverside, California | 9.9 pts |
| San Diego, California | 9.6 pts |
| Centennial, Colorado | 9.5 pts |
| Dallas, Texas | 9.4 pts |
| North Las Vegas, Nevada | 9.3 pts |
| Kansas City, Missouri | 9.3 pts |
| Stamford, Connecticut | 9.2 pts |
| Bellevue, Washington | 9.1 pts |
| Santa Ana, California | 9.1 pts |
| Los Angeles, California | 9.0 pts |
| Detroit, Michigan | 9.0 pts |
| Salem, Oregon | 9.0 pts |
| Rialto, California | 8.9 pts |
| Quincy, Massachusetts | 8.8 pts |
| San Angelo, Texas | 8.7 pts |
| Salinas, California | 8.7 pts |
| Santa Rosa, California | 8.6 pts |
| Bakersfield, California | 8.5 pts |
| Atlanta, Georgia | 8.5 pts |
| Hesperia, California | 8.4 pts |
| Charlotte, North Carolina | 8.4 pts |
| St. Louis, Missouri | 8.1 pts |
| Provo, Utah | 8.0 pts |
| Greensboro, North Carolina | 8.0 pts |
| Raleigh, North Carolina | 7.9 pts |
| Charleston, South Carolina | 7.6 pts |
| Kansas City, Kansas | 7.4 pts |
| Fairfield, California | 7.4 pts |
| Garden Grove, California | 7.4 pts |
| Denton, Texas | 7.3 pts |
| Anchorage, Alaska | 7.3 pts |
| Allentown, Pennsylvania | 7.1 pts |
| Fresno, California | 7.1 pts |
| Clovis, California | 7.1 pts |
| Victorville, California | 6.9 pts |
| Oceanside, California | 6.9 pts |
| Minneapolis, Minnesota | 6.9 pts |
| Salt Lake City, Utah | 6.8 pts |
| Sterling Heights, Michigan | 6.8 pts |
| Olathe, Kansas | 6.7 pts |
| North Charleston, South Carolina | 6.7 pts |
| Fontana, California | 6.7 pts |
| League City, Texas | 6.6 pts |
| Sacramento, California | 6.4 pts |
| Washington, District of Columbia | 6.2 pts |
| Orange, California | 6.0 pts |
| Anaheim, California | 5.9 pts |
| Santa Clarita, California | 5.9 pts |
| Warren, Michigan | 5.9 pts |
| Daly City, California | 5.9 pts |
| Irving, Texas | 5.8 pts |
| Tracy, California | 5.7 pts |
| Overland Park, Kansas | 5.7 pts |
| Garland, Texas | 5.5 pts |
| Modesto, California | 5.5 pts |
| Augusta, Georgia | 5.5 pts |
| Escondido, California | 5.3 pts |
| Roseville, California | 5.3 pts |
| El Monte, California | 5.3 pts |
| Elk Grove, California | 5.2 pts |
| Seattle, Washington | 5.1 pts |
| Odessa, Texas | 5.1 pts |
| Fishers, Indiana | 4.8 pts |
| Huntsville, Alabama | 4.8 pts |
| Fort Collins, Colorado | 4.8 pts |
| Moreno Valley, California | 4.7 pts |
| Fayetteville, Arkansas | 4.5 pts |
| Beaumont, Texas | 4.4 pts |
| Menifee, California | 4.3 pts |
| Clarksville, Tennessee | 4.2 pts |
| Corona, California | 4.2 pts |
| Midland, Texas | 4.2 pts |
| Clearwater, Florida | 3.8 pts |
| Carmel, Indiana | 3.8 pts |
| Henderson, Nevada | 3.7 pts |
| Montgomery, Alabama | 3.7 pts |
| Phoenix, Arizona | 3.4 pts |
| Visalia, California | 3.2 pts |
| Elgin, Illinois | 3.1 pts |
| Oakland, California | 3.1 pts |
| West Valley City, Utah | 3.1 pts |
| Vacaville, California | 3.0 pts |
| Boulder, Colorado | 3.0 pts |
| Corpus Christi, Texas | 2.8 pts |
| Everett, Washington | 2.8 pts |
| Columbus, Georgia | 2.8 pts |
| Lafayette, Louisiana | 2.8 pts |
| Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | 2.8 pts |
| Pomona, California | 2.8 pts |
| Dearborn, Michigan | 2.7 pts |
| Portland, Oregon | 2.5 pts |
| Downey, California | 2.5 pts |
| Cary, North Carolina | 2.3 pts |
| West Covina, California | 2.3 pts |
| Lee's Summit, Missouri | 2.2 pts |
| Renton, Washington | 2.1 pts |
| San Bernardino, California | 2.1 pts |
| Waco, Texas | 2.0 pts |
| Davenport, Iowa | 2.0 pts |
| Chicago, Illinois | 1.7 pts |
| Gresham, Oregon | 1.6 pts |
| San Francisco, California | 1.4 pts |
| Hampton, Virginia | 1.3 pts |
| Naperville, Illinois | 1.0 pts |
| St. Petersburg, Florida | 0.7 pts |
| San Mateo, California | 0.7 pts |
| Richardson, Texas | 0.7 pts |
| Berkeley, California | 0.7 pts |
| Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 0.6 pts |
| Cambridge, Massachusetts | 0.5 pts |
| Richmond, Virginia | 0.5 pts |
| Long Beach, California | 0.5 pts |
| Fort Wayne, Indiana | 0.5 pts |
| Tempe, Arizona | 0.4 pts |
| Lincoln, Nebraska | 0.4 pts |
| Plano, Texas | 0.4 pts |
| Huntington Beach, California | 0.3 pts |
| Carrollton, Texas | 0.2 pts |
| Albany, New York | 0.1 pts |
| Chattanooga, Tennessee | 0.1 pts |
| New Bedford, Massachusetts | 0.0 pts |
| Lexington, Kentucky | 0.0 pts |
| Temecula, California | −0.1 pts |
| Concord, California | −0.3 pts |
| Lynn, Massachusetts | −0.4 pts |
| Thousand Oaks, California | −0.4 pts |
| Columbus, Ohio | −0.6 pts |
| Rochester, Minnesota | −0.6 pts |
| Longmont, Colorado | −0.7 pts |
| Hillsboro, Oregon | −0.9 pts |
| Tampa, Florida | −0.9 pts |
| Fargo, North Dakota | −0.9 pts |
| Lewisville, Texas | −1.4 pts |
| Murrieta, California | −1.4 pts |
| Boston, Massachusetts | −1.5 pts |
| Jersey City, New Jersey | −1.7 pts |
| Ontario, California | −2.0 pts |
| Newport News, Virginia | −2.3 pts |
| Ventura, California | −4.5 pts |
| Providence, Rhode Island | −6.7 pts |
| Newark, New Jersey | −10.1 pts |
| Yonkers, New York | −13.7 pts |
| Elizabeth, New Jersey | −15.5 pts |
| Paterson, New Jersey | −21.8 pts |
| Oxnard, California | −27.9 pts |
| Evansville, Indiana | −31.9 pts |
Multi-gigabit tiers at most addresses
The speed measures follow the fiber. Symmetrical wired service of 100/100 Mbps or more is reported at 94.7% of locations, and gigabit service with uploads of at least 100 Mbps, the FCC's 1,000/100 tier, at 93.9%. The fastest advertised download moved up a tier: in June 2022 it fell between 940 Mbps and 2 Gbps at 100.0%2 of locations; in June 2026 it was 2 Gbps or more at 93.9%1. All of these are advertised maximums, not measured connection speeds.
Copper left the map at the same time. DSL was reported at 16.0%2 of locations in 2022 and at 0.1%1 in 2026.
Fixed wireless covers more ground than it delivers at 100 Mbps
Licensed fixed wireless, the service sold as 5G or LTE home internet, is reported at 85.5% of locations, down from 86.4% in 2022. 3 carriers file it, a count tied for 2nd lowest among large cities. T-Mobile reports service at 77.3% of locations and 100/20 Mbps at 6.8%; AT&T, which filed no service in Paterson in 2022, reports 29.3% and 100/20 Mbps at 9.8%. Fixed wireless of 100/20 Mbps or more from any carrier reaches 30.5%1 of locations, up from 8.8%2 in 2022.
| Measure | Paterson | New Jersey | United States | Rank among largest cities |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed fixed wireless | 85.5% | 88.1% | 87.3% | 316th of 343 |
| Fixed wireless 100/20 | 30.5% | 38.0% | 47.9% | 307th of 343 |
| Fixed wireless | 85.5% | 88.1% | 89.2% | 321st of 343 |
| DSL available | 0.1% | 2.3% | 36.2% | tied 309th of 343 |
Source: FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2026. Rank 1 is the highest value. FCC file revision of November 10, 2026. Shares are of broadband serviceable locations (homes and businesses), not people.
Satellite is reported at every location by HughesNet, Starlink and Viasat. No location in Paterson has satellite as its only option.
Phone plans in place of home connections
Census subscription figures put Paterson near the top of a different list. In the Bureau's 2025 survey, 22.0% of Paterson households had a smartphone and no desktop, laptop or tablet (margin of error ±4.8 percentage points), the 4th highest share among large cities, against 8.6% for New Jersey. 21.8% relied on a cellular data plan with no other subscription (±4.7 percentage points), compared with 13.3% statewide; the 2019 estimate, 23.0%5, is within the margins. Subscriptions to cable, fiber or DSL stood at 71.1% (±3.8 percentage points), the 29th lowest share among large cities and below the state's 79.9%4.
| Area | Households whose only computer is a smartphone | Households relying only on a cellular data plan | Households subscribing to cable, fiber or DSL | Households without an internet subscription |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paterson, New Jersey | 22.0% ±4.8 | 21.8% ±4.7 | 71.1% ±3.8 | 4.1% ±1.6 |
| Newark, New Jersey | 18.3% ±3.4 | 22.0% ±3.3 | 69.1% ±3.0 | 7.1% ±2.0 |
| Jersey City, New Jersey | 7.8% ±1.9 | 11.4% ±1.8 | 82.4% ±2.7 | 4.9% ±1.2 |
| Elizabeth, New Jersey | 16.9% ±4.6 | 15.8% ±4.2 | 75.8% ±2.3 | 5.9% ±2.9 |
| New Jersey | 8.6% ±0.4 | 13.3% ±0.4 | 79.9% ±0.4 | 4.9% ±0.2 |
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 1-year detailed tables. Period: 2025. ± is the 90% margin of error.
The two sources measure different units. The survey estimates 47,6904 households; the FCC map counts 21,7481 locations, because an apartment building is a single location however many units it holds. A fiber filing for a building means a provider says it can serve it, not that every apartment has a line installed.
Paterson accounts for 21,748 of Passaic County's 111,2591 locations. The New Jersey page maps every county, and Newark and Jersey City have their own pages.
Paterson internet questions
What internet providers serve Paterson, NJ?
Optimum reports service at 91.2% of Paterson's locations, over both fiber and cable. Verizon reports 89.9%, fiber at most of them and fixed wireless at the rest. T-Mobile (77.3%) and AT&T (29.3%1) report fixed wireless home internet. HughesNet, Starlink and Viasat report satellite everywhere.
Does Paterson have fiber internet?
Yes, at 94.7% of locations, tied for 26th highest share among large US cities, against 69.7% statewide. Optimum accounts for most of it, at 90.6%. Verizon's fiber reaches 68.5%1, and that is where a location has two fiber networks.
How many internet providers are in Paterson?
6 providers report wired or fixed wireless service somewhere in the city, 4 of them wired; the smallest report only a handful of locations. At a single location the average is 1.60 wired providers offering 100/20 Mbps: two at 64.6% of locations and one at 30.4%1.
Is 5G home internet available in Paterson?
Licensed fixed wireless, sold as 5G or LTE home internet, is reported at 85.5% of locations. T-Mobile and AT&T advertise at most 100 Mbps here; fixed wireless of 100/20 Mbps or more from any provider is reported at 30.5%1. Carriers accept sign-ups address by address because tower capacity is shared.
Checking one address in Paterson
The figures on this page describe the whole area. Which providers report service at a single home or apartment is shown only on the FCC's own map: search the address at broadbandmap.fcc.gov. If a provider is listed there but cannot actually connect you within ten business days, or the location is missing or misplaced, the map has a button to file a challenge; providers must respond, and corrections flow into later releases. Prices and plans are not part of the FCC data: each provider must show them on its broadband facts label at the point of sale.
More on internet in New Jersey
The state picture, county by county: internet in New Jersey. Other large cities in the state: Newark, Jersey City and Elizabeth. Compare Paterson with any other city or state in the comparison tool.
Sources
- FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2026; Availability as of June 30, 2026; released November 10, 2026. broadbandmap.fcc.gov
- FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2022; Availability as of June 30, 2022; released May 10, 2024. broadbandmap.fcc.gov
- FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of December 31, 2025; Availability as of December 31, 2025; released November 3, 2026. broadbandmap.fcc.gov
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 1-year detailed tables; 2025 (calendar-year sample); released October 29, 2026. api.census.gov
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019 1-year detailed tables; 2019. api.census.gov
Margins of error (±) are at the 90% confidence level. A difference is called significant only when it passes the Census Bureau's test at that level. How every figure is built: methodology. Found an error? Write to [email protected]; corrections are listed on the updates page.