Setting Up Utilities in Tyler, Texas
Tyler sits in Texas's deregulated electricity market, which means you don't get assigned a power company — you choose one. The local poles, wires, and meters are owned by Oncor, the transmission and distribution utility, but dozens of competing retail providers sell the actual electricity, so it pays to compare plans before you sign up.
The rest of the setup is more conventional: CenterPoint Energy handles natural gas, the City of Tyler runs water service for most of the city, and Optimum reports the widest internet coverage in town (84% of homes on the FCC broadband map).
Electricity
You can choose your providerTyler is in the deregulated ERCOT market. Oncor delivers the power and handles outages, but you pick your retail electric provider and can compare plans on the state's Power to Choose site.
Delivery utility (poles, wires & outages): Oncor
Compare electricity plans →Natural Gas
CenterPoint Energy
CenterPoint Energy is the natural gas utility serving the City of Tyler.
Water & Sewer
City of Tyler Water Utilities
Most of the city is served by City of Tyler Water Utilities; some outlying areas are on Southern Utilities Co. or a rural water supply corporation.
Trash & Recycling
City of Tyler Solid Waste Services
Residential trash and recycling collection is handled by the City of Tyler Solid Waste Services department; set up service through the city.
Internet
Widest coverage: Optimum
Optimum reports service to 84% of homes inside Tyler city limits, the widest reported coverage of any provider other than the satellite companies and the 5G home-internet carriers. Fiber is reported at 72% of homes. Full provider comparison on our Tyler internet page.
Check your address (FCC map) →Electricity: You Choose Your Provider
Because Tyler is in the deregulated part of Texas, electricity service is split in two. Oncor is the transmission and distribution utility — it owns the lines, reads your meter, and is who you call during an outage — but it doesn't sell you electricity. That part comes from a retail electric provider you choose yourself.
That means it's worth shopping before you turn the lights on. Plans differ on price per kilowatt-hour, contract length, and whether the rate is fixed or variable. The state's official comparison site, Power to Choose, lists every provider serving the Oncor grid so you can compare apples to apples for your ZIP code.
Gas, Water, and Trash
Natural gas in the City of Tyler is provided by CenterPoint Energy. Water and sewer service for most of the city comes from City of Tyler Water Utilities, though some outlying neighborhoods are served by Southern Utilities Co. or a rural water supply corporation — worth confirming for your specific address. Residential trash and recycling collection is run by the City of Tyler, set up alongside your water account.
Internet
Providers report home internet service inside Tyler city limits over cable at 84% of homes, licensed fixed wireless at 79% of homes, fiber at 72% of homes, unlicensed fixed wireless at 40% of homes, and DSL over copper phone lines at 40% of homes, out of 54,599 homes and apartments, according to FCC National Broadband Map data as of December 31, 2025.
At least 84% of homes have a reported wired or fixed-wireless option of 100/20 Mbps or faster, and at least 71% have a reported gigabit (1,000/100 Mbps) option.
Optimum reports service to 84% of homes inside Tyler city limits, the widest reported coverage of any provider other than the satellite companies and the 5G home-internet carriers. Fiber is reported at 72% of homes.
Availability is address-specific: check your exact address on the FCC National Broadband Map before signing up.
FAQ: Utilities in Tyler
Yes. Tyler is in Texas's deregulated electricity market on the Oncor grid, so you choose your own retail electric provider. Oncor delivers the power and handles outages, but you pick who you buy electricity from and can compare plans on the state's Power to Choose site.
Oncor is the transmission and distribution utility (TDU) that owns the lines and delivers power in Tyler, but it doesn't sell electricity. You buy your electricity from a competing retail provider of your choice.
CenterPoint Energy provides natural gas in the City of Tyler. Water and sewer for most of the city come from City of Tyler Water Utilities, with some outlying areas on Southern Utilities Co. or a rural water supply corporation.
Apart from satellite and 5G home-internet carriers, Optimum reports the widest coverage: 84% of homes inside Tyler city limits in FCC data as of December 31, 2025. Other providers reporting at least 10% coverage: AT&T, Metronet, Digi Comm Enterprises, Verizon Home Internet, and T-Mobile Home Internet. Availability varies by address, so check the FCC National Broadband Map.
Sources & Verification
East Texas guides
Region-wide guides that put Tyler in context — where to go, what things cost, and how people actually live here.
Moving to East Texas: What You Need to Know
Thinking about moving to East Texas? A fact-checked guide to healthcare, schools, getting around, weather, and daily life in Tyler, Jacksonville, and the towns around them.
Read Guide →Cost of Living in East Texas
What it costs to live in East Texas, using Census figures: home values and rents in Tyler, Jacksonville and Athens compared with Texas and the big metros, plus taxes, utilities, healthcare and driving.
Read Guide →East Texas Real Estate Guide
East Texas real estate by the numbers: Census home values for Tyler, Athens and Jacksonville, drive times, property-tax basics and what buyers should check.
Read Guide →Best Day Trips from Tyler and East Texas
Drive-time guide to day trips from Tyler: state parks, small towns, museums, and lakes within about 30 minutes, an hour, and up to three hours.
Read Guide →Business Owner?
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