Frontier Fiber Internet Review: Plans, Pricing, Speed and Availability

Frontier Fiber internet review

If you're in one of the 17 states in which Frontier Fiber operates, you're in luck. If you only have access to its DSL network, you're better off looking into other fiber internet providers, such as AT&T or Verizon Fios. Frontier Fiber offers fast, symmetrical speeds, solid value across all plans and straightforward service terms.

Frontier's DSL service makes up a majority of its network and is available in over 25 states. Its fiber network, on the other hand, is steadily growing. Just recently, Verizon announced its acquisition of Frontier, with the goal of expanding its fiber reach to over 10 million locations by 2026. With this agreement, the combination of both networks can reach up to 25 million units across 31 states.

Frontier fiber internet plans and pricing

The Fiber 500 plan, starting at $45 per month, is CNET's pick for one of the best internet deals on the market. Frontier's fiber plans are as good a value as you'll find from nearly any provider. The lowest-priced plan, Fiber 200, has a lower starting price point than many fiber ISPs, AT&T and Verizon included, while still delivering a decent amount of speed.

In all, Frontier Fiber offers six plans with speeds ranging from 200 megabits per second to 7,000Mbps, or 7 gigabits per second. Most markets may only have access to the 5Gbps speed tier as the top-end plan. You'll notice a significant speed jump from one Fiber plan to the next, which can make it easier to find the right plan for your needs.

In most markets, pricing on all Frontier Fiber plans is month to month, so there are no set price increases. Some areas, such as Charleston, West Virginia and Tampa, Florida may have lower introductory pricing on select plans good for 12 months, after which the price increases to the standard (but still comparatively low) price.

Choosing the best Frontier Fiber plan

• Fiber 200: Best for one to three users, up to 10 devices. Good for apartments and smaller households with a limited number of devices used for streaming or working from home.
• Fiber 500Mbps: Best for three to five users, up to 20 devices. Good for moderate use, such as streaming on multiple TVs at once, working from home and connecting smart speakers and security cameras.
• Fiber 1 Gig: Best for five to six users, 20 to 30 devices. Good for heavier use, including streaming in 4K, serious online gaming and connecting multiple devices per room. I have 1 gigabit internet (not from Frontier) and it exceeds my daily needs.
• Fiber 2 Gig: Best for six to 10 users, 30 or more devices. Good for larger households with multiple users working or learning from home and streaming on separate devices. Ideal for an arsenal of smart home devices, from gaming consoles and TVs to speakers and cameras.
• Fiber 5 Gig: Best for a virtually unlimited number of devices and uses. An uncompromisingly fast connection to satisfy any home.
• Fiber 7 Gig: Supported by Wi-Fi 7, best for larger homes and a virtually unlimited number of devices and uses. These speeds optimize your experience for 4K streaming and online gaming. This plan includes an additional Eero Max 7 device, expanding your internet coverage to up to 2,500 square feet.

Where can you get Frontier Fiber internet?

Frontier Communications is one of the nation's largest internet providers, offering service in 25 states, from Connecticut to California.

Fiber availability is expanding

Until recently, Frontier Fiber was reserved for parts of California, Florida, Indiana and Texas. Thanks to recent fiber-optic expansions, the service is now available in 17 states and growing. 

Although availability is still somewhat limited, Frontier has acknowledged the need for more significant fiber expansion and plans to extend service to more areas in the near future. "Frontier is targeting substantial fiber upgrades over the next several years to locations in and near Frontier's footprint," a spokesperson said.

Frontier Fiber fees, data caps and contracts

Regardless of the Frontier Fiber you choose, service comes with free equipment rental and unlimited data at no extra cost.

Wi-Fi router rental is free, but Whole-home Wi-Fi, which includes up to two mesh Wi-Fi devices, is available for an additional $10 per month.

I'd recommend starting with the free rental, then upgrading to whole-home Wi-Fi if you notice any areas with a slow or spotty connection. Upgrading to mesh Wi-Fi is an option if you want it later, and the $10 monthly fee is lower than many providers charge for simply renting a router.

There is typically no contract, although Frontier internet is not totally contract-free. Accepting a signup bonus, like a free gift card, will come with a term agreement. If you don't want that, simply decline any special offers when you sign up.

What about Frontier's DSL service?

With Frontier Internet -- that's the DSL service -- customers have one plan option starting at $65 monthly for the fastest speeds available. 

That's typical for a DSL provider, but Frontier doesn't advertise speeds for its DSL service at all, so there's no telling what speeds you'll get until you sign up. I can set your expectations a bit. Recent Federal Communications Commission data shows that less than 5% of the country is eligible for DSL broadband speeds of 100Mbps down and 20Mbps up.

If your address is only serviceable for DSL, you may want to also explore other rural internet alternatives such as Starlink or 5G home internet. I'm not saying Frontier's DSL service, in particular, is bad, but I wouldn't recommend DSL internet from any provider.

How does Frontier internet compare?

As a DSL provider, Frontier may be a viable home internet option in rural areas, depending on the speeds you can get. As a fiber internet provider, Frontier's pricing and service terms are as good as any and better than most.

In all likelihood, you won't have the option of other DSL or fiber providers in Frontier service areas. Competing internet providers of the same technology typically avoid offering internet to the same address. You will find cable internet providers such as Spectrum or Xfinity available in many of the same areas as Frontier.

Cable beats DSL, fiber beats cable

Cable internet providers in Frontier service areas include Mediacom, Optimum, Spectrum and Xfinity. Compared with cable internet, Frontier Internet (DSL) is slower and more expensive, especially considering the cost per Mbps.

Most cable internet providers offer gigabit download speeds whereas Frontier Internet will come nowhere close to that. Cable internet plans can reach $100 a month or higher, and the speeds you get for the price are likely to be a much better value.

Cable internet versus Frontier Fiber is a coin toss, depending on which cable provider is in your area. For example, Frontier Fiber has pricing similar to Xfinity's cable internet plans on comparable speed tiers -- both providers offer gigabit service starting at or around $70 per month, for instance -- but you'll get faster upload speeds and unlimited data with Frontier Fiber.

Ultimately, if Frontier Fiber is available in your area, I'd recommend it over cable internet service, especially if you're considering the higher 500Mbps or gigabit speed tiers. The pricing is likely to be on par with or lower than similar tiers from a cable provider, and the straightforward pricing and unlimited data give Frontier Fiber an advantage over most providers in general. If you want to learn more, read our review on cable vs. fiber.

Frontier Fiber customer satisfaction continues to improve

Customer satisfaction scores are never pretty for cable and internet providers, but Frontier's were downright ugly for a while. 

When the American Customer Satisfaction Index began separating fiber from non-fiber providers last year, the source of Frontier's sour scores became apparent. Frontier Fiber received a 74 out of 100 in 2023, while Frontier Internet, the DSL service, came in at 61.

In the most recent ACSI report, Frontier Fiber continued to improve, earning a 76 out of 100, tying the industry average and scores from competing fiber ISPs Quantum Fiber and Google Fiber. There's room for further improvement, but at least the ISP seems to be moving in the right direction.

DSL is a different story

Despite progress on the fiber side of Frontier, DSL customer satisfaction levels fell from 61 in 2023 to a 59 in 2024. Only Kinetic by Windstream had a lower score (56).

Given the technology type, the low score is understandable. Again, I wouldn't typically recommend DSL internet from any provider due to the slow, spotty speeds.

What's the final verdict Frontier Fiber?

If you can overlook the low customer satisfaction record and slow DSL speeds, Frontier is worth considering, especially if fiber service is available. Frontier Fiber internet offers speeds and pricing comparable to or lower than many other top providers, and fiber's fast upload speeds and reliability give it an edge over cable internet service.

Depending on the available speeds, Frontier's DSL-based service could be the best internet option in rural areas where satellite is the only other way to connect. Reports of slow service may make you want to give satellite internet another look. 

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