Hawaii has a relatively even distribution of high-speed internet coverage. The average download speed is 102.6 Mbps. However, the island of Honolulu has the best coverage. More than half (51.8%) of Hawaiians can access fiber-optic Internet services. This is double the national average.
Overview & Guide
Our mission has changed dramatically over the past two decades. Our first focus was in communications, including data transmission, internet, wireless and data transmission.
Then we moved into wider digital applications that can improve the lives of our customers every day, regardless of whether they are residential, business, or government.
Hawaiian Telcom phone is deeply involved in many new products and services. The fiber that connects to your 4G wireless network is the basis for digital television. From VoIP Hosted Voice and virtual colocation.
To enable new office towers with fiber, and to lay new submarine cables from the Pacific to Asia, Hawaiian Telcom has it all. Hawaiian Telcom offers 1-gigabit broadband service.
This includes state-of-the-art cloud services, expanding Hawaii’s largest next-generation fiber network, and providing business-grade cloud services. More than 1200 people work in technology, communications, and customer service.
Hawai’i is our home. We will continue to serve Hawai’i, our home, as we grow and expand. Hawaiian Telcom is proud to be Hawaii’s Technology Leader. Read more about Hawaiian Telcom.
Hawaii ranks 27th in the USA’s broadband access meter, despite its remote location. Hawaii has a relatively even internet coverage with 102.6 Mbps average download speeds. However, Honolulu is the most accessible island. More than half (51.8%) of Hawaiians can access fiber-optic internet services. This is double the national average.
The Digital Divide in Hawaii
Although they are far from the mainland, Hawaii’s islands have relatively easy access to internet services. Both in terms of affordability and availability. However, there is still a digital divide between Hawaiians with access to internet at a low cost and high speed, but this is not the end of the story.
For example, even with 43 internet providers in Hawaii, there remain 22,000 residents who do not have any wired internet providers offering service at their address and another 91,000 have only one wired provider available at their residence. 44,000 island residents don’t have access to broadband internet with speeds up to 25mbps, while 96.9% of the population has it.
At 51.3%, over half of Hawaii’s population has access to what is considered a ‘low-priced’ ($60 per month or less) internet plan, according to the latest affordability data. This is less than the 51.5% national average for consumers who have the same access.
The Best-Connected Cities
The top five most connected cities in Hawaii in terms of broadband speed, availability, and price are Honolulu and Wailuku. Kaneohe is the best, while the latter is the worst.
Worst-Connected Cities
The worst-connected cities of Hawaii are Ninole and Makaweli as well as Kaumakani and Papaaloa.
See how Hawaii stacks up against other states throughout the rest of the country.
Governmental Initiatives
Between 2010 and 2015, Hawaii’s Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA), received federal grants totaling over $4.3 Million to help fund the Hawaii Broadband Mapping Project. This project was designed to map and collect data about the state’s broadband landscape. To further improve and expand Hawaii’s connectivity, the DCCA developed a state Broadband Strategic Plan in 2012.
A total of $34 million more has been allocated to federal infrastructure grants for the expansion of broadband infrastructure in the islands. All of the above data was pulled from public and private databases. Learn more about our data here.