Hawaiian Telcom Speed Test - Check Your Speed | Hawaii
Test your Hawaiian Telcom internet speed in United States
www.hawaiiantel.comTest your Hawaiian Telcom internet speed in United States. This free test measures download, upload, and latency for Hawaiian Telcom fiber, dsl connections. Run multiple tests at different times to compare peak-hour performance and confirm your plan meets your needs.
About Hawaiian Telcom
Hawaiian Telcom traces its origins to 1883 when the Mutual Telephone Company was founded in Honolulu, making it one of the oldest continuously operating telecommunications companies in the United States (142 years as of 2025). For over a century, Hawaiian Telcom served as Hawaii's primary telephone provider across all major islands—Oahu, Maui, Big Island (Hawaii Island), Kauai, Molokai, and Lanai.
In 2005, Verizon Communications acquired Hawaiian Telcom as part of a broader Hawaiian market strategy, but sold the company in 2008 to private equity (Carlyle Group) after determining the isolated island market didn't align with Verizon's mainland strategy. Hawaiian Telcom filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2008 during the financial crisis but emerged in 2010 as an independent company. In 2018, Cincinnati Bell (Ohio-based regional telecom) acquired Hawaiian Telcom for $650 million. Cincinnati Bell itself was later acquired by Macquarie Infrastructure Partners and merged with other regional fiber providers to form Altafiber in 2022.
Despite multiple ownership changes, Hawaiian Telcom maintains operational independence and remains Hawaii's dominant fixed broadband provider, serving approximately 200,000 residential and business customers across all major islands. The company has invested heavily in fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) deployments since 2010, converting legacy copper DSL infrastructure to fiber. As of 2026, Hawaiian Telcom reports 85%+ fiber coverage in urban/suburban areas (Honolulu, Pearl City, Kahului, Hilo), with remaining areas served by legacy DSL or fixed wireless. Due to Hawaii's geographic isolation and regulatory barriers, Hawaiian Telcom faces limited competition—Spectrum (Charter) has small footprint in select Oahu neighborhoods, and fixed wireless (T-Mobile, Verizon, Starlink) serves rural areas, but Hawaiian Telcom maintains quasi-monopoly status for high-speed fixed broadband.
Hawaiian Telcom Plans and Services
Hawaiian Telcom offers several internet plans across different technologies and price points.
Hawaiian Telcom offers four primary fiber internet tiers: Fiber 100 (100/100 Mbps for $39.99/month), Fiber 300 (300/300 Mbps for $44.99/month), Fiber 500 (500/500 Mbps for $54.99/month), Fiber 1 Gig (1,000/940 Mbps for $69.99/month), and Fiber 2 Gig (2,000/2,000 Mbps for $99.99/month, select markets only). All fiber plans offer symmetrical upload/download speeds with no data caps and no promotional pricing expiration—Hawaiian Telcom uses flat-rate pricing (advertised price is the permanent price, not a 12-month promo).
Fiber equipment: $10/month gateway rental (ONT + Wi-Fi 6 router combo) or customers can use their own router by connecting to Hawaiian Telcom's ONT Ethernet port. Installation: $99 one-time fee for professional install, or $0 for self-install (if residence is pre-wired with fiber). No contracts required (month-to-month service available), but multi-year contracts (24-36 months) can reduce installation fees or include free gateway.
Legacy DSL service remains available in rural/remote areas without fiber coverage: DSL 10 (up to 10/1 Mbps for $29.99/month), DSL 20 (up to 20/2 Mbps for $39.99/month), DSL 50 (up to 50/5 Mbps for $49.99/month). DSL speeds are "up to" rates, not guaranteed—actual speeds depend on distance from central office (CO). Customers more than 2 miles from CO typically see 50-70% of advertised speeds. DSL upload speeds are severely limited (1-5 Mbps), making work-from-home video conferencing challenging.
Bundling options: Hawaiian Telcom offers IPTV service (Hawaiian Telcom TV) using Roku platform, phone service (VoIP), and mobile service (MVNO on T-Mobile network). Bundling internet + TV saves $10-20/month but requires monthly Roku device rental fees ($10/device). Mobile service bundling saves $5-10/month per line.
Hawaiian Telcom Internet Plans
| Plan | Speed | Price | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiber 300 fiber | 300 Mbps | $44.99/month | - |
| Fiber 500 fiber | 500 Mbps | $54.99/month | - |
| Fiber 1 Gig fiber | 1000 Mbps | $69.99/month | - |
Prices and availability may vary by location. Contact Hawaiian Telcom for current offers.
Hawaiian Telcom Coverage by Region
Hawaiian Telcom performance varies by location. Coverage density, local infrastructure, and network congestion affect speeds in each market.
Oahu (Honolulu, Pearl City, Kailua, Kaneohe)
Oahu accounts for ~70% of Hawaiian Telcom's customer base. Fiber coverage is extensive in urban/suburban Honolulu: Waikiki, downtown, Ala Moana, Pearl City, Aiea, and Kailua have 90%+ fiber availability. Windward side (Kaneohe, Kailua) completed fiber upgrades 2018-2020. Typical speeds: Fiber 1 Gig plans average 920-960 Mbps download, 880-920 Mbps upload (symmetrical). Latency averages 3-8 ms to Honolulu servers, 90-120 ms to US mainland (Los Angeles), 150-180 ms to US East Coast. Inter-island latency (Oahu ↔ Maui) averages 15-25 ms. Peak-hour congestion is minimal due to lower population density compared to mainland cities. Main competitor: Spectrum (limited to select Honolulu neighborhoods—Manoa, Makiki, portions of downtown). Spectrum offers cable (DOCSIS 3.1) up to 1 Gbps with asymmetric uploads (35-50 Mbps) vs Hawaiian Telcom's symmetrical fiber. Hawaiian Telcom's fiber is preferred by most users due to better upload performance and broader coverage. Fixed wireless (T-Mobile Home Internet, Verizon 5G) gaining traction in rural North Shore and Waianae Coast where fiber isn't available.
Maui (Kahului, Lahaina, Kihei, Wailea)
Maui is Hawaiian Telcom's second-largest market. Fiber coverage: Kahului (airport/commercial area) 95%+, Lahaina/Kaanapali (tourist corridor) 85%+, Kihei/Wailea (South Maui) 80%+, Upcountry Maui (Kula, Makawao) 40-50%. Legacy DSL serves rural Upcountry, Hana Highway, and North Shore areas. Typical fiber speeds: 1 Gig plans average 900-950 Mbps download, 850-900 Mbps upload. Latency: 5-10 ms to Kahului servers, 15-25 ms to Honolulu, 95-125 ms to LA. Maui faces unique challenge: 2023 Lahaina wildfire destroyed significant infrastructure (central office, fiber runs, customer ONTs). Hawaiian Telcom rebuilt most Lahaina fiber by mid-2024, but some neighborhoods switched to Starlink or T-Mobile 5G during 6-12 month rebuild period. No direct cable competition on Maui—Hawaiian Telcom is the only fixed broadband option for most addresses. Customer satisfaction is high (net promoter score 45-55, well above US ISP average of 25-35) due to lack of alternatives creating lower expectations and Hawaiian Telcom's responsive local customer service.
Big Island / Hawaii Island (Hilo, Kona, Waimea)
Big Island is Hawaii's largest landmass but third by population (~200,000). Fiber coverage concentrated in population centers: Hilo (east side) 80%+, Kona/Kailua-Kona (west side) 75%+, Waimea (north) 60%+. Rural areas (Puna, Ka'u, North Kohala, Hamakua Coast) rely on DSL or have no fixed broadband. Typical fiber speeds: 500 Mbps plans average 480-520 Mbps symmetrical. 1 Gig plans average 880-940 Mbps. Latency: 8-15 ms to Hilo/Kona servers, 20-30 ms to Honolulu, 100-130 ms to LA. Big Island faces greatest digital divide in Hawaii: wealthy Kona resort areas have gigabit fiber, while rural Puna (30 miles away) has <10 Mbps DSL or no service. Starlink has become primary broadband option for rural Big Island—estimated 5,000-8,000 Starlink subscribers (vs ~30,000 Hawaiian Telcom fiber/DSL subscribers). Hawaiian Telcom competes poorly against Starlink in rural areas: $49.99 DSL 20 (actual 8-12 Mbps) vs $120/month Starlink (100-200 Mbps). For rural users, Starlink's 3-5x higher price is justified by 10-20x better performance.
Kauai (Lihue, Kapaa, Poipu)
Kauai is smallest major island market (~70,000 population). Fiber coverage: Lihue (county seat/airport) 85%+, Kapaa (east side) 75%+, Poipu (south shore resort) 90%+, North Shore (Hanalei, Princeville) 50%+. Typical fiber speeds: 300 Mbps plans average 290-310 Mbps symmetrical, 1 Gig plans average 900-950 Mbps. Latency: 8-12 ms to Lihue servers, 25-35 ms to Honolulu, 105-135 ms to LA. Kauai customers report highest satisfaction in Hawaiian Telcom footprint due to lower subscriber density (less congestion), newer fiber infrastructure (deployed 2015-2020), and excellent local customer service (Kauai support team is based in Lihue, not offshore). No cable competition whatsoever—Hawaiian Telcom is the only fixed broadband provider. T-Mobile and Verizon 5G home internet launched 2023-2024, offering $50-60/month alternative to Hawaiian Telcom's $44.99-69.99 fiber, but adoption remains low (<2,000 subscribers estimated) due to Hawaiian Telcom's reliability and symmetrical uploads.
Molokai and Lanai (small island markets)
Molokai (~7,500 population) and Lanai (~3,200 population) have limited Hawaiian Telcom infrastructure. Molokai: Fiber available in Kaunakakai (main town), DSL in outlying areas. Speeds max out at 100 Mbps fiber or 10-20 Mbps DSL. Lanai: Fiber available in Lanai City (only significant town), but network serves primarily Lanai Resorts (Four Seasons) and local businesses. Residential service is limited to 50-100 Mbps fiber. Both islands face chronic underinvestment—small population makes fiber upgrades economically unviable. Starlink is increasingly common on both islands: 300-500 estimated subscribers on Molokai, 100-200 on Lanai. Hawaiian Telcom maintains basic service for legacy customers but isn't actively marketing or upgrading infrastructure.
Test Your Hawaiian Telcom Speed
Run a free speed test to check if Hawaiian Telcom delivers the speeds you are paying for. Test during peak evening hours for the most realistic results. Compare your results against Hawaiian Telcom advertised speeds above.
Hawaiian Telcom Speed Test FAQ
How fast is Hawaiian Telcom internet?
Speeds depend on your plan, address, and connection type. Run multiple speed tests to compare download, upload, and latency against your advertised tier. Test on a wired connection when possible and repeat during peak hours to see real-world performance.
How do I test my Hawaiian Telcom speed?
Click Start Test to measure download, upload, and ping. For best accuracy, close other apps, pause large downloads, and test on Ethernet if possible. Repeat the test at different times to capture congestion patterns.
Why is my Hawaiian Telcom internet slow?
Slowdowns can be caused by network congestion, Wi-Fi interference, outdated equipment, or distance from the router. Try rebooting your modem, using a wired connection, and testing closer to the router to isolate the issue.
Does Hawaiian Telcom offer fiber internet?
Yes. Hawaiian Telcom offers fiber in select areas, and availability depends on address and network build-out. Check eligibility, then run a speed test after installation to confirm actual throughput and uploads.
How can I improve Hawaiian Telcom Wi-Fi performance?
Place your router centrally, avoid obstructions, and use 5 GHz or Wi-Fi 6 when available. Update firmware, limit device congestion, and consider a mesh system for larger homes.
What speed tier should I choose?
The right tier depends on household size and usage. Basic browsing and HD streaming can work on entry plans, while 4K streaming, gaming, and multiple users benefit from higher tiers. Use your speed test results to verify the tier meets your needs.
How should I interpret my speed test results?
Compare download, upload, and latency with your plan and usage needs. Download affects streaming and browsing, upload affects video calls and backups, and latency affects gaming. If results are lower than expected, test on Ethernet and repeat during off-peak hours.
How does Hawaiian Telcom mobile performance compare?
Mobile performance is not applicable unless you use a mobile plan from the same brand.