Most businesses pay $600 to $1,312 a month for 1 Gbps dedicated internet on a 36-month term. Buildings already on a carrier's fiber land at the low end. Sites that need construction land at the high end, or pay a one-time construction charge on top. Bay Area school contracts, the best public California data, have a median of $990.
Price range by speed
Bar = 10th to 90th percentile. Marker = median. Monthly price, 36-month term, US. Source: Lightyear 2026 State of Connectivity, 1M+ quotes, as of 2026-05-26.
Prices from public E-Rate contracts (USAC) and Lightyear's published guides, as of Sept 2026. 100gig's operator sells circuits through Tel-One, which may earn a commission on your quote. That doesn't change these numbers. How we get paid
What moves the price
The single biggest factor. Ask every carrier whether you're on-net.▼ lower
The carrier rents the last stretch from someone else, or has to build it.▲ higher, or a construction charge
Carriers spread install costs over more months.▼ lower
Worth it for real uptime needs, and often oversold.▲ higher
A small block is usually included. Bigger blocks cost extra.▲ slightly higher
Several carriers on-net beats one. Always get more than one quote.▼ lower
If a quote includes a construction charge over $20,000, ask three things: how many feet they're building, whether it's on poles or underground, and whether they'll waive part of it for a longer term. You're paying for their network expansion, and it's often negotiable. What construction really costs.
California providers, from public contracts
What California schools paid each provider for 1 Gbps internet in FY2026. Schools get lowest-price protections, so treat these as a floor. The spread between providers is the useful part.
| Provider | Contracts | Median monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Charter Communications Operating, LLC | 351 | $347 |
| AT&T Enterprises, LLC | 63 | $793 |
| Comcast Business Communications | 32 | $1,035 |
| Cox California Telcom, LLC | 28 | $1,105 |
| AT&T Corp. | 22 | $955 |
| Frontier California Inc. | 14 | $715 |
| Comcast Phone, LLC | 14 | $1,033 |
| Pacific Bell Telephone Company | 12 | $312 |
| U.S. TelePacific Corp | 11 | $1,989 |
USAC E-Rate FY2026, non-consortium, funded or pending, pre-discount. More in what California schools pay.
Common questions
Is 1 Gbps dedicated internet worth it over business broadband?
Dedicated internet gives you symmetric speed, a service level agreement and faster repair. Business broadband often costs a fraction as much. If downtime costs you real money, pay for dedicated.
Why did my renewal quote go up?
Carriers often quote renewals near list price and count on you not shopping. A competing quote is usually the fastest way back to market.
How long does installation take?
In a building already on the carrier's fiber, AT&T's product brief quotes 10 to 20 business days. Buildings that need a fiber connection take longer, and routes that need construction or pole work can take several months; pole make-ready alone runs 103 to 163 days under FCC rules. See the build guide.
What should a construction charge be?
It depends on the distance and whether the fiber goes on poles or underground. California schools paid from about $5 to $133 per foot in recent E-Rate filings. Details.