Quantum Fiber is the obvious standout with fast, reliable service, but Cox also serves up decent deals on cable internet service.
Cox vs. Quantum Fiber: Fiber Internet Wins the Duel for Your Dollars
Fast and reliable, but iffy service
Overall Quality ⁃ 3.6/5
3.6/5 - Speed and reliability
3.4/5 - Dollar value
3.2/5 - Customer experience
More affordable, less available
Overall Quality ⁃ 3.9/5
3.9/5 - Speed and reliability
4.0/5 - Dollar value
3.9/5 - Customer experience 
8 min readBeing broke sucks. Pinching the cheeks of an adorable, chubby baby? Incredible! Heartwarming! Pinching pennies? Awful! The worst of all the pinches! But alas, most of us must feel the bad pinch. On the bright side, one of the easiest ways to save is by choosing a solid internet service provider, and thankfully you don’t have to sacrifice service to keep a few extra coins every month.
But how do you measure what’s the best option for your needs? Is cheapest actually better? Let’s see by comparing Cox and Quantum Fiber.
Cox offers fast, reliable internet speeds, and service is available in most U.S. cities—two big pluses! On the downside, its prices tend to be higher than competitors unless you bundle—and you’re on the hook for self-installation, router rental, and data overage charges. So, if you’ve been dying to get a landline again, that could work out for you.
Quantum Fiber’s service reliability is strong, but it really stands out in dollar value, with plans offering 940Mbps going for just $75 a month. But, and it’s a big one, Quantum Fiber is only offered in parts of the West, Midwest, and Florida.
Both struggle with customer service, but that’s to be expected until we outfit every inch of planet Earth with the greatest fiber network ever invented. Until then, if you happen to be in Quantum Fiber’s service areas, it’s the way to go. But for sheer accessibility reasons, Cox is ahead of the game.
“The download and upload speeds varied wildly.” —Software developer Aaron LaBounty, a former Cox customer in Tulsa, Oklahoma
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Honest reviews written by real people
Why trust Reviews.org? Because we are real people writing these reviews, and we interview customers and experts to do our research.
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Want to know if Cox or Quantum Fiber are available where you live? Run a search with your zip code below to find out.
Cox vs. Quantum Fiber: Plans, pricing, and speed
| Provider |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per month |
$9.95-$150
|
$50-$165
|
| Download speeds | 100-2000 Mbps | 500-8000 Mbps |
| Upload speeds | 5-100 Mbps | 500-8000 Mbps |
| Details | View Plans | View Plans |
Data as of 04/05/2023. Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change.
When it comes to bang for your buck, Quantum Fiber stands ahead of Cox. Rob, a Quantum Fiber customer in the Pacific Northwest who is a public telecom worker, calls the service “fast and reliable.” That’s a big deal considering the service’s low price. I mean, $75 for almost a whole Gbps is bonkers. But that fiber connection isn’t strong everywhere all the time at once. Joe, another customer based in Bellevue, Florida, says his service “has hiccups a lot, which is problematic for people that work from home.” According to Joe, upload drops all the time, and customer service has never been able to explain why.
Cox has never gotten great reviews in terms of speed from Reviews.org, but the service still clocks in with decent options for fast cable internet. On average, Cox upload speeds are 26.442Mbps, while average downloads are 160.347Mbps, which is definitely slower than fiber providers but still faster than most cable competitors like Spectrum. If a fiber option isn’t available in your area, Cox is a solid choice.
Cox vs. Quantum Fiber: Fees for modem and installation
What makes this review legit?
Our fact-based research process centers on interviews with internet customers across the country, helping us understand how internet services hold up against diverse needs and challenges.
To put together this review, we looked at results from our speed test, pulled data from customer satisfaction surveys, and pored over the fine print to compare prices and speeds between the two providers. To flesh out our analysis, we also interviewed Cox and Quantum Fiber customers to get their firsthand insights. We let their experiences guide our research and shape our conclusions. We also speak with ISP spokespeople and industry experts to get insights into connection types, speed capabilities, and other technical issues related to internet service.
The matchup: How we rate Cox vs. Quantum
For all our internet reviews, we give a rating based on three main criteria—speed and reliability, dollar value, and customer experience—which we then average to make an overall score.
Here, we compare those ratings face to face. We then offer some analysis and context for important factors to keep in mind.
Want to know more? Read our full-length Cox review and Quantum Fiber review.
Speed and reliability
Cox: 3.6/5.0 | Quantum Fiber: 3.9/5.0
Would Cox win in the fastest internet in the world contest? Probably not. Its service isn’t considered one of Reviews.org’s five fastest internet providers, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hold down a decent pace. Based on data from our internet speed test over the last year, Cox has an average download speed of 160.347Mbps. That’s nothing to scoff at. You can easily enjoy an episode of Love Island while working on your laptop and taking breaks to scroll TikTok on your phone without any slowing or glitches. Now, if 10 people in your home do the same, that might change things. When it comes to reliability, customers say it can vary wildly, with some complaining about frequent outages and download and upload speeds that can run the gamut. We want our internet to work all the time, but sadly that’s not possible especially with a cable internet provider.
This is why fiber always beats out cable, especially if it’s a fiber-to-the-home connection. Fiber isn’t vulnerable to interference in the way cable is, and because it's a hotter and newer infrastructure, the likelihood of it breaking down or causing major issues is much smaller. Quantum Fiber offers symmetrical upload and download speeds, meaning it uploads at the same speed as it downloads. That equates to far less lag time and other issues with streaming, scrolling, yelling for Alexa to play “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter, or checking your social media feeds on your smart fridge. What a world we live in! It’s by far the better choice. Still, the big drawback is sheer access. Quantum Fiber is not available in many places, so check your local service provider to see what’s available.
Dollar value
Cox: 3.4/5.0 | Quantum Fiber: 4/5.0
Again, Quantum Fiber beats out Cox in this round. While Cox offers great deals for new customers (that you have to try several tricks of the trade to maintain) and anyone willing to bundle, Quantum Fiber offers two low-priced options. No need to bundle. And they have a “price for life” guarantee: Whatever your monthly rate is at sign-up, you keep for as long as you have the service, though, per their website, “internet service monthly rate subject to plan availability.”
Rob, the Quantum Fiber customer in the Pacific Northwest, signed up for the $75 per month package, getting 940Mbps. “It seems like a good deal,” he says. Add to that the fact that Quantum Fiber has no contracts, hidden fees, installation fees, or overcharge fees, well, it’s the clear champ.
Customer experience
Cox: 3.6/5.0 | Quantum Fiber: 3.8/5.0
Customer experience is a tough thing to calculate. It can be biased, and people’s baseline of a positive experience can vary wildly. I’ve seen people leave expletive-ridden one star reviews of restaurants because they were out of the soup they liked. The general public is tough to please, especially if they were really craving beef barley.
Still, the customer experience with internet providers can be a minefield of long waits, rude agents, bad live chat quality, and several transfers to different departments. Customer satisfaction surveys give Cox average scores, while many of the customers who spoke to Reviews.org complain of customer service reps that offered little-to-no help. "The customer service representatives are a very mixed bag," says Audrey, a social worker in Louisiana.
Quantum Fiber doesn’t fare much better, with one customer calling its customer service “terrible,” adding that agents just “read off a script” which offered “no help at all.” Joe, a customer based in Florida, said Quantum Fiber's customer service is “not the greatest, since my only interactions with Quantum are with techs that don't ever get back to me.”
Both internet providers’ live chat or chatbot options aren’t considered very useful, but when it comes to wait time, Cox edges out Quantum Fiber with typical wait times being around one minute. Our team wasn’t able to get anyone on the phone at Quantum Fiber. So, based on that, Cox has the advantage.
Overall quality: Which internet provider should you pick?
Cox: 3.5/5.0 | Quantum Fiber: 4.0/5.0 (average of previous scores)
After weighing all the pros and cons, Quantum Fiber is the better choice. Based on the fast and reliable service, lack of fees, and excellent price options, it’s not even close. Though be prepared for a massive headache if you need to talk to anyone in customer service. There’s always a price to pay!
That doesn’t mean Cox is not a solid provider to go with, especially if your area isn’t fitted with fiber options at the moment. Be prepared to haggle, threaten to disconnect, or employ other negotiation tactics to secure the best deal possible.
Cox vs. Quantum Fiber: What deals and promotions can you get?
Currently, Cox is offering $15 off to customers who bundle with Cox Mobile. Over at Quantum Fiber, no deals and promotions are available, as the base plans offer no contracts or hidden fees.
Best deal from Cox
$15 off when you sign up for Cox Mobile Services. Eligible with the Go Fast, Go Faster, Go Even Faster, and Go Super Fast internet plans.
Best deal from Quantum Fiber
No deal necessary. You get high-speed fiber-optic internet with no contracts or hidden fees.
Cox add-ons and perks
How to get it: Sign up for unlimited data for $49.99/mo.
Available with every package, though some for only 24 months.
Quantum Fiber add-ons and perks
Sign up when you enroll in Quantum Fiber.
Earn up to $100 cash and a $10 charity donation with each referral to Quantum Fiber.
Sign up for $40–$50 a month when you enroll in Quantum Fiber.
Sign up for $69.99–$114.99 a month when you enroll in Quantum Fiber.
Cox vs. Quantum Fiber: What do customers think?
Cox customers have strong opinions and worry they’re overpaying.
Isaac Chandler, an e-sports lounge manager based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, thinks Cox’s price is too high for the service he’s actually getting. That stings extra hard when there are regular slowdowns and outages of his service. Even so, he still feels mostly positive about his experience with the provider, saying, “They solve my problems pretty quickly.”
M.J. Stevens, a customer out in San Diego, also finds the service cost to be way too high for what he gets. Even so, he sticks with his Cox plan. "I still do it because I get everything I need with a minimum of fuss and bother," he says.
With easy, free installation and a relatively positive customer service experience, customers seem to be mostly comfortable sticking with Cox.
“They solve my problems pretty quickly.” —Isaac Chandler, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Quantum Fiber customers are impressed with pricing and speeds
While customers have been impressed with the pricing and speed offered by Quantum Fiber, they have a hard time dealing with the customer service experience, which some describe as faulty at best. Getting someone on the phone to help troubleshoot issues or get more information is too hard of a task for many. Especially when it comes to installation. Many customers complain of late arrivals of workers who were meant to show up during a set window of time.
“Quantum is 30 minutes late from the appointment window,” D.P., a customer in Denver, told Reviews.org on his installation day. Two hours after that window had passed, D.P. got an alert that his appointment was pushed back from 8 to 11 a.m. to 1:20 pm. When you’ve got a busy day, that is extremely frustrating. For D.P., the frustration led him to cancel service rather than reschedule installation.
Still, Jake, a customer who lives in Orlando, loves the "great fast speeds" Quantum Fiber has to offer, but is often frustrated by his Wi-Fi 7 equipment, which doesn’t appear to be compatible with the Quantum Fiber app.
“Quantum [was] 30 minutes late from the appointment window.” —D.P., based in Denver
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