Frontier Fiber Web Evaluation: Plans, Pricing, Pace and Availability

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Execs

• Wi-Fi router rental included within the worth
• Limitless knowledge
• Quick fiber speeds

Cons

• Spotty DSL speeds
• Poor, however bettering, buyer satisfaction report
• Time period settlement required to get signup bonuses

Frontier Fiber web assessment

Frontier Fiber is well one of many high candidates amongst web service suppliers that provide high-speed web. Frontier Fiber additionally lands as one in all CNET’s high picks for the greatest web offers obtainable proper now, with a $45 month-to-month plan for symmetrical speeds of 500 megabits per second. Limitless knowledge is offered for all plans, which implies you will not have to fret about looming knowledge overage charges. However earlier than you enroll, there are essential particulars it’s best to know.

Signing up for Frontier might imply having to cope with its a lot slower and inconsistent DSL service. Its DSL service does not provide the type of worth that you could get from its fiber tiers. Plus, Verizon introduced in September 2024 that it plans to accumulate Frontier in a $20 billion deal. The deal nonetheless has some regulatory hurdles to beat and is anticipated to shut in early 2026 however because it’s unclear how this can impression service or pricing, now might be a very good time to lock in a deal.

In case you’re a present or potential Frontier buyer, it’s too early to say precisely how the acquisition will unfold. Nevertheless, Frontier Fiber’s present choices will doubtless disappear as soon as the deal is finalized, as Verizon has said its intent for an “speedy integration post-close with Verizon’s best-in-class choices.”

If that is certainly the case, signing up for Frontier Fiber now with the hopes you possibly can maintain your worth and plan as soon as Verizon takes over is a stable transfer. Each fiber suppliers go above and past when it comes to speeds, pricing and total worth, however Frontier Fiber at present gives extra velocity choices and decrease pricing in comparison with Verizon Fios. If I had my alternative of the 2, I might go together with Frontier, even when it means passing up Verizon’s tempting promotions.

Frontier fiber web plans and pricing

The Fiber 500 plan, at present provided at $45 monthly, is CNET’s decide for one of many greatest web offers obtainable. That comes down to a price per mbps of 9 cents. Frontier’s fiber plans are nearly as good a worth as you will discover from almost any supplier. The plan has a decrease beginning worth level than many fiber ISPs — AT&T and Verizon included — whereas nonetheless delivering loads of velocity.

Frontier Fiber gives six plans with speeds starting from 200 megabits per second to 7,000Mbps, or 7 gigabits per second. Many markets solely have entry to the 5Gbps velocity tier because the top-end plan. You will discover a big velocity soar from one Fiber plan to the following, making it simpler to seek out the suitable plan to your wants.

In most markets, pricing on all Frontier Fiber plans is month to month, so there are not any set worth will increase. Some areas, resembling Charleston, South Carolina, West Virginia and Tampa, Florida, might have decrease introductory pricing on choose plans good for 12 months, after which the value will increase to the usual (however nonetheless comparatively low) worth.

What’s the greatest Frontier Fiber plan to your residence?

• Fiber 200: Greatest for one to 3 customers, as much as 10 gadgets. Good for flats and smaller households with a restricted variety of gadgets used for streaming or working from residence.
• Fiber 500Mbps: Greatest for 3 to 5 customers, as much as 20 gadgets. Good for average use, resembling streaming on a number of TVs directly, working from residence and connecting good audio system and safety cameras.
• Fiber 1 Gig: Greatest for 5 to 6 customers, 20 to 30 gadgets. Good for heavier use, together with streaming in 4K, critical on-line gaming and connecting a number of gadgets per room. I’ve 1 gigabit web (not from Frontier) and it exceeds my every day wants.
• Fiber 2 Gig: Greatest for six to 10 customers, 30 or extra gadgets. Good for bigger households with a number of customers working or studying from residence and streaming on separate gadgets. Very best for an arsenal of good residence gadgets, from gaming consoles and TVs to audio system and cameras.
• Fiber 5 Gig: Greatest for a just about limitless variety of gadgets and makes use of. An uncompromisingly quick connection to fulfill any residence.
• Fiber 7 Gig: Supported by Wi-Fi 7, greatest for bigger houses and a just about limitless variety of gadgets and makes use of. These speeds optimize your expertise for 4K streaming and on-line gaming. This plan contains a further Eero Max 7 system, increasing your web protection to as much as 2,500 sq. ft.

Whereas the thought of high-speed web is mostly well-liked amongst residence web customers, the typical US family might not even want that a lot velocity. In accordance with the most recent OpenVault report, smaller households of 1 or two members use 578Mbps or under and bigger households with 4 or extra members use 800Mbps. In different phrases, chances are you’ll not even want to join a gigabit or multi-gigabit service. Learn our complete information and verify how a lot velocity your family wants.

The place are you able to get Frontier Fiber web?

Frontier Communications is among the nation’s largest web suppliers, serving 25 states from Connecticut to California, with a powerful presence within the Midwest and Northeast.

Fiber protection on the rise

Till not too long ago, Frontier Fiber was reserved for components of California, Florida, Indiana and Texas. Due to current fiber-optic expansions, the service is now obtainable in 17 states and rising. Final yr, the corporate obtained over $23 million in Federal Funding grants, increasing its fiber service to underserved communities in San Bernadino and Riverside counties in California.

Though availability continues to be considerably restricted, Frontier has acknowledged the necessity for extra important fiber enlargement and plans to increase service to extra areas within the close to future. “Frontier is focusing on substantial fiber upgrades over the following a number of years to areas in and close to Frontier’s footprint,” a spokesperson stated.

However we’ll have to attend to see what Verizon’s acquisition of Frontier Fiber means for these fiber enlargement plans.

Frontier Fiber charges, knowledge caps and contracts

Whatever the Frontier Fiber plan you select, service comes with free tools rental and limitless knowledge at no further price.

Wi-Fi router rental — an Amazon Eero 6 Plus — is free, however whole-home Wi-Fi, which incorporates as much as two mesh Wi-Fi gadgets, is offered for a further $10 monthly or $30 a month for the Entire House Wi-Fi Plus. Nonetheless, the Eero router will work with Alexa and has a built-in Zigbee good residence hub.

I might advocate beginning with the free rental, then upgrading to whole-home Wi-Fi in the event you discover any areas with a sluggish or spotty connection. Upgrading to mesh Wi-Fi is an possibility if you need it later, and the $10 month-to-month payment is decrease than many suppliers cost for merely renting a router.

There may be usually no contract, though Frontier web shouldn’t be completely contract-free. Accepting a signup bonus, like a free reward card, will include a time period settlement. If you don’t need that, merely decline any particular gives whenever you enroll.

Is Frontier’s DSL service price it?

In case your handle is barely serviceable for DSL, chances are you’ll need to additionally discover different rural web alternate options resembling Starlink or 5G residence web. I am not saying Frontier’s DSL service is dangerous, however I would not advocate DSL web from any supplier.

With Frontier Web — that is the DSL service — clients have one plan possibility beginning at $65 month-to-month for the quickest speeds obtainable to your handle. 

That is typical for a DSL supplier, however Frontier does not promote speeds for its DSL service in any respect, so there isn’t any telling what speeds you will get till you enroll. I can mood your expectations a bit. Latest Federal Communications Fee knowledge reveals that solely 4% of the nation is eligible for DSL broadband speeds of 100Mbps down and 20Mbps up.

How does Frontier web evaluate?

As a DSL supplier, Frontier could also be a viable residence web possibility in rural areas, relying on the speeds you may get. As a fiber web supplier, Frontier’s pricing and repair phrases are nearly as good as any and higher than most.

In all chance, you will not have the choice of different DSL or fiber suppliers in Frontier service areas. Competing web suppliers of the identical expertise usually keep away from providing web to the identical handle. You can see cable web suppliers resembling Spectrum or Xfinity obtainable in most of the identical areas as Frontier.

Cable beats DSL, fiber beats cable

Cable web suppliers in Frontier service areas embody Mediacom, Optimum, Spectrum and Xfinity. In contrast with cable web, Frontier Web (DSL) is slower and costlier, particularly contemplating the price per Mbps.

Most cable web suppliers provide gigabit obtain speeds whereas Frontier Web will come nowhere near that. Cable web plans can attain $100 a month or greater, and the speeds you get for the value are more likely to be a significantly better worth.

Nevertheless, in the event you’re evaluating cable web with Frontier’s fiber choices, fiber is a way more cost-efficient possibility. For instance, Frontier Fiber has pricing just like Xfinity’s cable web plans on comparable velocity tiers — each suppliers provide gigabit service beginning at or round $70 monthly, as an example — however you will get sooner add speeds and limitless knowledge with Frontier Fiber.

Finally, if Frontier Fiber is offered in your space, I might advocate it over cable web service, particularly in the event you’re contemplating the upper 500Mbps or gigabit velocity tiers. The pricing is more likely to be on par with or decrease than comparable tiers from a cable supplier, and the easy pricing and limitless knowledge give Frontier Fiber a bonus over most suppliers on the whole. If you wish to study extra, learn our assessment on cable vs. fiber.

Frontier Fiber buyer satisfaction is on the up — DSL, not a lot

Buyer satisfaction scores are by no means fairly for cable and web suppliers, however Frontier’s had been downright ugly for some time. 

When the American Buyer Satisfaction Index started separating fiber from non-fiber suppliers final yr, the supply of Frontier’s bitter scores turned obvious. Frontier Fiber obtained a 74 out of 100 in 2023, whereas Frontier Web, the DSL service, got here in at 61.

In the latest ACSI report, Frontier Fiber continued to enhance, incomes a 76 out of 100, tying the trade common and scores from competing fiber ISPs Quantum Fiber and Google Fiber. There’s room for additional enchancment, however not less than the ISP appears to be shifting in the suitable course.

In accordance with the most recent survey knowledge from J.D. Energy’s 2024, Frontier nabbed a rating of 481 within the East– placing it behind cable web suppliers Spectrum and Xfinity. Within the West and South, nonetheless, Frontier fared significantly better, scoring above the trade averages and staying in second place total.

DSL is a distinct story

Regardless of progress on the fiber facet of Frontier, DSL buyer satisfaction ranges recorded by the American Buyer Satisfaction Index fell from 61 in 2023 to 59 in 2024. Solely Kinetic by Windstream had a decrease rating (56).

Given the expertise kind, the low rating is comprehensible. Once more, I would not usually advocate DSL web from any supplier as a result of sluggish, spotty speeds.

What is the closing verdict on Frontier Fiber?

In case you can overlook the low buyer satisfaction report and sluggish DSL speeds, Frontier is price contemplating, particularly if fiber service is offered. Frontier Fiber web gives speeds and pricing corresponding to or decrease than many different high suppliers, and Fiber’s quick add speeds and reliability give it an edge over cable web service.

Relying on the obtainable speeds, Frontier’s DSL-based service might be the perfect web possibility in rural areas the place satellite tv for pc is the one different approach to join. Studies of sluggish service might make you need to give satellite tv for pc web one other look. 

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