How to Choose Between Earthlink Internet and Frontier Internet
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| Photo by Alena Darmel from Pexels |
The United States is packed with internet providers that are constantly competing with one another by throwing competitive prices and plans at their customers. It is often overwhelming to decide between ISPs if their services are so similar. If you are confused between Earthlink internet and Frontier internet, then don't worry, because you are not alone in this.
But the providers have some similarities, such as both have fiber optic and DSL internet. These factors make the choice even more difficult.
To break it down for you, here is a detailed review of each provider’s internet plans and the pros and cons. However, just remember that the speed and strength of the internet also depends on your location too. So be sure to visit a speed test site that offers a test my internet speed service, to ensure you're receiving the guaranteed speed.
Earthlink Overview
Earthlink goes way back into the 1990s when the internet was not such an essential commodity and people did not have much to do online. Fast forward to 2024, the internet has become an essential part of any home, office or even school. Today, Earthlink internet stands out as one of the fastest, most reliable and widespread internet providers in the country.
It is best known for its customer support, which is extremely important when customers don't know much about dealing with internet equipment. In a nutshell, Earthlink’s average internet speed ranges between 7 to a whopping 1000 Mbps. This means you get to choose between various speed tiers that can meet your particular needs.
However, there is one downside to this. Many Earthlink internet reviews tell us that the speed availability is significantly varying from one area to another. This can be a little confusing for the customers.
Speaking of areas, Earthlink has wide coverage in the following states:
- Alabama,
- Arkansas,
- California,
- Florida,
- Georgia,
- Iowa,
- Illinois,
- Indiana,
- Kansas,
- Kentucky,
- Louisiana,
- Michigan,
- Minnesota,
- Missouri,
- Mississippi,
- North Carolina,
- Nebraska,
- Nevada,
- New York,
- Ohio,
- Oklahoma,
- South Carolina,
- Tennessee,
- Texas,
- Wisconsin,
- West Virginia
The reason behind Earthlink’s wide coverage is that it uses pre-established DSL links by other major providers like AT&T and Verizon. Consequently, it covers the majority of the states, with the best coverage and services in New York and California.
With Earthlink, you get more than just plain internet. The provider has a range of products and services to offer. For example, it has separate internet services and plans for residential users and business users. Moreover, there are also numerous business solutions Earthlink offers, such as website development and custom branding.
Some highlights of Earthlink’s internet include its low rental fees, no data caps and fiber optic availability. However, fiber optic roll-out is much slower than cable, so you might need to check out the availability in your area for that.
With such widespread use of the internet, people are undoubtedly insecure about their safety on the web. If that's the case with you, particularly if you are a business, then do check out the security tools and solutions Earthlink has to offer.
Some advantages of Earthlink internet are listed below:
- No data caps, unlimited data usage on all plans
- Low rental fees when compared to other providers
- Good customer support
- Remarkable area coverage
- Fiber internet option
Possible disadvantages of Earthlink internet are:
- No contract-free plans
- $200 cancellation fees
- Unavoidable rental fee
- DSL plans are not as cheap as other providers
- No TV or any other service to bundle with
Frontier Overview
From Connecticut to California, Frontier internet stands tall as one of the biggest providers in the country. Speaking of state-wise availability, the following is a list of states this ISP’s services are available in:
- Alabama,
- Arizona,
- California,
- Connecticut,
- Florida,
- Georgia,
- Iowa,
- Illinois,
- Indiana,
- Michigan,
- Minnesota,
- Mississippi,
- North Carolina,
- Nebraska,
- New Mexico,
- Nevada,
- Ohio,
- Pennsylvania,
- South Carolina,
- Tennessee,
- Texas,
- Utah,
- Washington,
- Wisconsin,
- West Virginia
Frontier is more like a well-rounded ISP that has more than just one service to offer. It is one of the 5 largest DSL providers in the US, as well as a provider of other internet types including fixed wireless and fiber optic.
Many people enjoy bundling the services they are using from the provider due to the immense convenience and cost benefits it offers. If you are looking for bundled services, then Frontier is your best shot. It has internet, cable TV and phone services running in major areas across the nation.
You can expect perks and benefits like free international calling, no data caps and the provider does not enforce any long-term contracts either. This versatile range of services and bundling option clearly has an edge over Earthlink.
However, when it comes to customer support, Frontier doesn't have a very detailed process. It does not have any dedicated lines for different customer issues like many ISPs do. It only has a customer support number which is available 24/7. Although, there is a dedicated line for service cancellation.
Another huge benefit of using Frontier internet or any other service is its no-contract feature that makes cancellation easy and free of charge.
Ever since 2009 when Frontier bought a huge lot of landlines and fiber optic lines from Verizon, it has become one of the 5 largest ISPs in the USA.
Here are some important advantages of Frontier internet:
- No contract required
- No cancellation fee
- Equipment charges are included in the plan
- Customer support is 24/7
Some possible drawbacks include:
- No dedicated customer support lines
- Prices vary after 12 months
- Prices vary from area to area
Earthlink Internet Plans
Earthlink internet speed tiers start from as low as 30 Mbps. This kind of speed is ideal for single-person use, or for homes with basic internet usage such as emailing and casual browsing, social media, etc.
Meanwhile, the highest speed is 1000 Mbps or the 1 Gig fiber internet option that meets the needs of binge-watchers, gamers, heavy media sharers, and so on. Plans starting and ranging from 30 to 45 Mbps are all DSL connections, while speeds between 45 Mbps to 1000 Mbps are usually Fiber connections.
For DSL connections, keep in mind that the speed availability varies from one area to another. This is not Earthlink’s problem and is a general rule of thumb for most DSL providers.
Let's scan through Earthlink internet prices and the services you get with different plans.
1. Hyperlink 12 Mbps
Starting at $49.95/mo, the 12mbps internet plan will offer you a maximum upload speed of 1 Mbps. This speed can accommodate 2-person homes, up to 5-6 devices, and basic HD streaming.
2. Hyperlink 24 Mbps
At $59.95/mo, the 24 Mbps internet plan offers a maximum upload speed of 3 Mbps. Overall, this kind of internet speed is ideal for small family homes where there are casual streamers and HD video callers using the internet.
3. Hyperlink 80 Mbps
With just a jump of $10 from the 24 Mbps plan, the 80 Mbps speed tier will give you a boost of 8 Mbps upload speeds and a future-proof fiber-optic connection. It is ideal for family homes that include gamers, Netflix addicts and even for streaming music on mobile apps.
4. Hyperlink 100 Mbps
A 100 Mbps of internet speed sounds enough to accommodate YouTube and Netflix streaming, media sharing, social media browsing, and HD video conferencing. The plan costs $79.95/mo and has a maximum upload speed of 010 Mbps.
5. Hyperlink 1 Gig
Coming on to the most premium internet plan by Earthlink. The 1 gig fiber optic connection is the best for large family homes, for users who have to do a lot of research as well as heavy media sharing all at the same time. Binge watchers, 4K gaming, all of this will be well accommodated by this internet plan. It costs $99.95/mo.
Internet equipment and installation
There is a mandatory $9 equipment fee with Earthlink internet. Similarly, professional installation is mandatory and costs $79.95. The equipment rental fee is not avoidable, even if someone is using their own bought equipment. This is a huge downside. However, compared to an average of $10-$12 rental fee, Earthlink does charge a significantly less amount.
Frontier Internet Plans
Compared to its competitors, Frontier tends to have a much more simplified pricing structure that doesn't confuse its customers. It is also a user-oriented service, with consistent speeds available in most areas. It looks like Frontier FiberOptic internet is a much wiser choice than going for its basics. DSL service.
This is primarily because of the shaky internet speeds. Compared to Earthlink’s DSL internet, Frontier does not impress us so much. Instead, its fiber internet is a much more solid option. Before subscribing to any of their plans, make sure you have checked the availability by zip code on buytvinternetphone. Take a quick look at the internet plans Frontier has to offer so you can weigh the price point against Earthlink's internet prices.
Frontier fiber optic internet plans
1. FiberOptic 50 Mbps
The most basic or minimum speed you can get with FiberOptic internet is 50 Mbps of download speeds. The plan has all the basic benefits such as no contract and no data caps. It is priced at under $50/mo.
2. FiberOptic 500 Mbps
The 500 Mbps fiber optic internet plan is ideal for small offices and even large family homes. It's ideal for video conferences, heavy streaming, gaming, and screen sharing. The plan is priced at $49.99/mo. for 12 months. Clearly, Frontier is not going to dent your pocket if you wish to subscribe to futureproof fiber internet services.
3. FiberOptic Gig Service
The gig service is the premium-most offer. It includes up to 940 Mbps of internet at $74.99/mo. This, compared to Earthlink’s $99.95/mo for 1 Gig service, wins the competition at this point. If someone needs a 1 Gig service, they might opt for Frontier's offer as long as area availability is not an issue.
Frontier DSL internet plans
1. Frontier Basic Internet
For small family homes, couples or single person usage, the Frontier DSL basic internet plan sounds perfect. It includes a maximum download speed of 9 Mbps and 1 Mbps of upload speed. The plan starts at $39/mo, and has no data caps or rental fees whatsoever.
2. Frontier Preferred internet
At $45, you will get 24 Mbps internet which will accommodate your binge-watching or gaming kid, as well as your office file sharing and video conferencing.
3. Frontier Premium Internet
The premium plan offers 115 Mbps of internet speed. It costs $55/mo., which is significantly less than the 79.95/mo Earthlink 100 Mbps plan. Again, if availability and customer support are not issues for you, Frontier could win here too. Although, DSL speeds by Frontier are not as solid as Earthlink’s.
Internet equipment and installation
You can rent internet equipment from Frontier, with a monthly charge of $10. The installation and setup will cost you around $75, but this will only be a one-time payment. If you have your own equipment or can self-install, you can avoid paying these charges. You can also get a 2-year agreement to waive the installation fee.
Verdict
There are multiple aspects in which different ISPs compete with one another. While one ISP might be good in terms of area coverage, its pricing could not be as simple as another ISP. The verdict for the debate about Frontier internet vs Earthlink internet will highly depend on the aspects that matter the most to you.
Firstly, Frontier is a clear winner when it comes to internet prices. It has significantly less prices for its 1 gig fiber internet, as well as its DSL premium internet plan. Secondly, it does not enforce any rental fee, and also has a no-contract policy saving you from cancellation troubles.
Meanwhile, Earthlink has a much wider coverage, making it available to more users without much hassle. It also has straightforward pricing, with fixed rental fees that are lower than most ISPs you will find around.
Earthlink customer service is also a lot more solid than frontier, as Frontier does not have any dedicated lines, leading to a slower response rate and more confusion for the customers.
The verdict, after all these considerations, is that if your area has Frontier’s fiber optic internet, go for it. But if you want a DSL connection and need something that is more readily available, then Earthlink internet is the clear choice.
FAQs
1. Does Earthlink provide cable TV?
Earthlink does not have any cable TV services. It provides internet for residential and businesses, as well as other business solutions and tools.
2. Does Earthlink provide fiber optic plans?
There are two types of internet connections offered by Earthlink, including DSL and fiber optic plans. The availability of fiber optic may vary from one area to another. The premium-most fiber optic plan by Earthlink is its 1 Gig plan.
3. Does Frontier provide cable TV?
Frontier is a full-scale provider offering cable TV, internet and phone services. You can either buy these services individually or bundle them up for more convenience.
4. Does Earthlink provide low-income plans?
Earthlink does not have any particular low-income plans for now.
5. How to check Frontier availability in my area?
You can check Frontier’s availability in your area by reaching out to their customer support or run the availability test by using your ZIP code on buytvinternetphone.
6. Is 100 Mbps internet good for me?
The speed tier you will find most suitable for yourself will vary hugely. There is no definite answer to how many Mbps is good for someone. Ideally, 100mbps of internet is great for casual streaming, HD gaming, social media browsing and media sharing. However, if you are in a family home where multiple devices will need the internet for heavy usage such as 4K gaming, then 100 Mbps might not be enough. Therefore, the suitability of every internet speed tier is contextual.
7. Is 500 Mbps good for gaming?
500mbps is good enough for 4k gaming. However, while gaming, if someone else is using the internet for binge-watching and downloading heavy files, then the bandwidth might get exceeded and the speed might not be enough. Therefore, choose the internet connection type and speed by looking at the usage of the internet.
8. Is there a cancellation fee with Frontier internet?
No, you won't have to pay an early cancellation fee to Frontier.
9. How to cancel Frontier internet?
Frontier has a dedicated line for cancellation requests. Just call the company at 1-866-786-6693 and cancel your service.
10. What is the My Earthlink Mobile app?
Every Earthlink subscriber gets an Earthlink my account where all their data and information is stored. The account can be accessed either by web or via the Earthlink mobile app. The app has features like the ability to pay bills, check due payment, lodge complaints and manage your Earthlink email.
11. How do I contact Earthlink customer service?
You can contact Earthlink customer service either through their email or call them at 1-844-343-1171.
