Between Frontier’s Fiber internet service and its DSL service, we think Fiber is the better deal. But we know not everyone has access to fiber internet. That said, Frontier’s DSL internet isn’t a bad deal, though we wish it offered faster speeds than a max of up to 25 Mbps. So should you get Frontier internet? Let’s dig into the details and find out if Frontier’s prices, internet speeds, and data caps make the cut. Frontier’s Fiber internet plans gives you enough download speed for multiple people in the family to use at the same time without seeing a lag in your Netflix movie or your son’s Xbox game. Also, Frontier’s internet service won’t break the bank! Frontier internet is available across more than half of the US, but you’ll mainly find it in West Virginia, Connecticut, and Illinois. Fiber internet like this is faster and most often more reliable than cable or DSL internet. And Frontier’s fiber internet comes at some of the lowest prices for the speeds you get. We’ll help you figure out which speed is right for you in our guide to download speeds. But if you don’t live in an area where Frontier Fiber internet is available, you’re not out of luck. Frontier also has DSL options that come at fairly low prices—but its DSL speeds max out at up to 25 Mbps. But we wouldn’t recommend download speeds a slow as Frontier’s up to 6 and up to 25 Mbps plans for anyone doing some serious online activities. (Think working from home, gaming, or streaming a lot of YouTube videos.) And if you’ve got more than two people using the internet in your home, you’ll likely need more speed. That said, we know that Frontier DSL internet might be one of your only—if not the only—choice in your area. Still, we recommend checking out these other rural internet options to see if you have any alternatives. Frontier’s availability is limited and the customer service rating is quite low compared to other providers like Earthlink and CenturyLink based on customer reviews. But we must warn you: Frontier has a bad reputation for not delivering on its advertised download and upload speeds and its DSL service is pretty bad, according to customer reviews. Check out our top ISP’s if you’d rather order from a reliable internet company (hard choice, we know). The 500 Mbps plan offers great speeds for medium- to large-sized families—or homes full of roommates. These download speeds should support more than a few people streaming, gaming, and working from home all at the same time. (Especially since it’s a fiber connection, which gives you reliably fast upload speeds too.) With 50 to 880 Mbps upload speeds, Frontier’s Fiber internet plan upload speeds should keep things running smoothly no matter what you’re uploading. That’s the magic of fiber internet. But its DSL internet plans may struggle to get your newest YouTube video or photo gallery uploaded in a timely manner. Frontier doesn’t list upload speeds for these plans, but we’d imagine they’re 10 Mbps or lower. We wouldn’t recommend grabbing anything slower than Frontier’s up to 25 Mbps DSL plan if you can avoid it. Even 25 Mbps is pretty slow—especially if you have more than one person or multiple devices using your internet at the same time. That’s because the more people or devices that use your internet, the more speed you need to keep everyone’s internet connection running smoothly. In our latest analysis of the fastest internet providers in the US, Frontier ranked 12th out of 38 ISPs. That puts it ahead of other well-known internet providers like Spectrum, AT&T, and Cox. That said, Frontier’s score is a lot lower than we expected. Other fiber internet providers scored much higher: Google Fiber topped our list with 75.6 out of 100, and Verizon Fios Home Internet was a close second with 65.1 out of 100. Frontier’s low score is likely due to its slow DSL internet service. So we can hazard a guess that Frontier Fiber internet speeds will be good, but its DSL speeds will be lackluster. Frontier doesn’t even do that sneaky thing some internet providers do where their data is “technically” unlimited, but there are actually soft data caps—after which your speed slows down to a slow crawl. (We’re looking at you, satellite internet providers.) Unlimited data is especially important in today’s day and age as most of us continue to work, study, and play at home. If you’re like us, you’ve found that your data usage spiked over the last few years. So not paying for extra data is definitely a blessing.
Activation fee: $85 one-time fee Disconnect fee: $10 one-time fee when your service is disconnected Installation fee: Free installation for all plans except for the following: Fiber 500: $50 expert installation Frontier Internet DSL: $85 expert installation Equipment rental fee: None, equipment is included with your Fiber internet plan
So if you don’t hear back on chat, schedule a call back or pick up the telephone and give Frontier a call.
Frontier customer service phone number: 1-800-921-8101 Frontier tech support: 1-800-239-4430 Pay your Frontier bill: 1-800-801-6652 Frontier online chat Schedule a call back Facebook: @FrontierCorp Twitter: @AskFrontier
Prices Availability Speed scores Customer service scores Connection type
After comparing the criteria, we give you our honest recommendation and let you know if this internet service provider is worth your money compared to the others ISPs in the industry. Unfortunately, Frontier declared bankruptcy in 2020, but they’re on a mission to gain consumers’ trust back. They’re more reliable, speedy, and fairly priced. No one likes to see the word “buffering” in the middle of an intense action scene.
