Frontier Internet Review

We like Frontier’s Fiber plans and unlimited data, but its customer service and random fees are hard pills to swallow

Frontier
Frontier
3.8 out of 5 stars
3.75
  • pro
    Great prices for fiber internet plans
  • pro
    Unlimited data for all internet plans
  • con
    Slow DSL speeds
Catherine McNally
Jan 18, 2024
Icon Time To Read6 min read

We may earn money when you click our links.

Frontier has some good things going for it—namely, a fiber-optic network and no data caps.

We think Fiber is the better deal between Frontier's Fiber internet service and its DSL service. But we know not everyone has access to fiber internet.

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.

reviews.org next zip logo
Find Frontier internet plans in your area.

Is Frontier Internet right for you?

Frontier internet is perfect for those who want fiber internet, a type of internet that is fast and reliable but not available everywhere. And if you live in a rural area, Frontier offers DSL internet for a low price.

Frontier’s Fiber internet plans give 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 also has tons of options for bundling your internet with TV or phone services. You can bundle any Frontier Internet DSL or fiber plan with YouTube TV and save on streaming and internet.

Frontier internet prices and plans

Prices for Frontier's Fiber plans are limbo low, but you may find better deals when it comes to its DSL plans

If you're lucky enough to live where Frontier's Fiber internet is available, then we recommend getting it.

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.

Frontier Fiber internet prices
Plan
Price
Download speed
Data cap
Details
Fiber 500$44.99/mo. w/ Auto Pay and Paperless Bill*500 MbpsUnlimited
Fiber 1 Gig$69.99/mo. w/ Auto Pay and Paperless Bill1000 MbpsUnlimited
Fiber 2 Gig$99.99/mo. w/ Auto Pay and Paperless Bill2000 MbpsUnlimited
Fiber 5 Gig$154.99/mo. w/ Auto Pay and Paperless Bill^5000 MbpsUnlimited
* w/ Auto Pay & Paperless Bill. Max wired speed 500/500 Mbps. Wi-Fi, actual & average speeds vary. One-time charges apply.
w/ Auto Pay & Paperless Bill. Max wired speed 1000/1000 Mbps. Location dependent. Wi-Fi, actual & average speeds vary. One-time charges apply.
w/ Auto Pay & Paperless Bill. Max wired speed 2000/2000 Mbps. Wi-Fi, actual & average speeds vary. One-time charges apply.
^ w/ Auto Pay & Paperless Bill. Max wired speed 5000/5000. Wi-Fi, actual & average speeds vary. One-time charges apply.

The fastest Frontier fiber plan with 5,000 Mbps speeds rings in at about $155 a month. That's a pretty average price for gig internet when compared to other internet providers. And if you want the fastest internet possible, those speeds will do the trick.

Do you need gigabit speeds?
Info Box

Chances are you don't need gig download speeds—unless you've got a large family or a lot of roommates using your internet connection to stream, game, upload YouTube videos, and work from home.

We'll help you figure out which speed is right for you in our guide to download speeds.

That said, you may not need gigabit internet speeds if you're a smaller family who just streams an HD movie or two on the weekend. And the prices for Frontier Fiber Internet 500/500 Mbps plan is even better than the price for its gigabit plan. So, we'd say you're looking at a win-win if you go for either of these plans.

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 are known for being slower.

Frontier DSL internet prices
Plan
Price
Download speed
Data cap
Details
Frontier Internet$64.99/mo.°N/AUnlimited
° w/ Auto Pay & Paperless Bill per month for 24 mos. One-time charge on disconnect applies.

Still, if Frontier DSL is all you've got, know that it's all right. For about $65 a month, you get unlimited data

If you've got more than two people using the internet in your home, you'll likely need more speed than what Frontier offers.

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.

Where can you get Frontier internet service?

Frontier internet is available across most of the US, but you'll mainly find it in West Virginia, Connecticut, and Illinois.

Frontier coverage map

Source: Reviews.org

How does Frontier compare to Xfinity, CenturyLink, and others?

To be honest with you, Frontier doesn't have a place in our top 8 internet service providers

Frontier's availability is limited and the customer service rating is quite low compared to other providers like T-Mobile 5G Home Internet, Xfinity, and CenturyLink based on customer reviews. But you'll get better speeds with Frontier than with Spectrum Internet.

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.

Frontier internet comparison
Provider
Monthly price
Download speeds
Data cap
Learn more
Frontier$44.99-$154.99**500-5000 MbpsUnlimited
Xfinity$25-$80††200-1200 Mbps1200 Mbps
ATT$55-$225‡‡300-5000 MbpsUnlimited
Verizon$49.99-$89.99^^300-2300 MbpsUnlimited
Spectrum$19.99-$89.9930-1000 Mbps°°Unlimited
Data as of 04/05/2023. Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change.
** Requires Auto Pay or $5/mo. fee applies. Beginning April 2022, a printed bill fee of $2.99/mo. will apply, NY, PA and select customers excluded. A $10 fee applies when Internet is disconnected. Equipment return required at disconnection, up to $150 per device if not returned. Multi-Device Security covers up to 10 devices. Other applicable charges and additional services are extra. Service subject to availability. Cannot be combined with other offers. Other restrictions, Frontier policies and service terms apply.
†† Pricing for some packages are for the first 12 months. Some packages require a 1- or 2-year contract.
‡‡ Price after $5/mo Autopay & Paperless bill discount (w/in 2 bills). Plus taxes $ fees. Limited availability. May not be available in your area.
^^ Price per month with Auto Pay & without select 5G mobile plans. Fios plan prices include taxes & fees
°° Limited time offer; subject to change; valid to qualified residential customers who have not subscribed to any services within the previous 30 days and who have no outstanding obligation to Charter.

And if you mostly use the internet for your home business, freelancing, or streaming on YouTube, you might want to consider the Gig Service plan. With 2000 Mbps download speeds, you won't have to worry that your hour-long Zoom meeting will put a damper on your kiddos' Disney+ time.

Frontier internet speed

Frontier maintains fast internet speeds! Frontier's Fiber internet service offers 500–5,000 Mbps download speeds, which pretty much suits any need you could have.

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 simultaneously. (Especially since it's a fiber connection, which gives you reliably fast upload speeds too.)

Frontier Fiber internet download and upload speeds
Plan
Download speed
Upload speed
Fiber 500500 Mbps500 Mbps
Fiber 1 Gig1000 Mbps1000 Mbps
Fiber 2 Gig2000 Mbps2000 Mbps
Fiber 5 Gig5000 Mbps5000 Mbps

And if you mostly use the internet for your home business, freelancing, or streaming on YouTube, you might want to consider the 2 Gig plan. With 2000 Mbps download speeds, you won't have to worry that your hour-long Zoom meeting will put a damper on your kiddos' Disney+ time.

Do I need fast upload speeds?
Pin

You likely won't need to worry about upload speeds unless you upload a lot of large files to the internet. This includes attaching PDFs and giant spreadsheets to your email so you can get them to your boss for the deadline.

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.

On the other end of the Frontier speed spectrum is its DSL plans. DSL tends to be less reliable in terms of speed performance. That's mainly because it's an older technology.

If you have more than one person or multiple devices using your internet at the same time, Frontier DSL Internet plan may not be for you. 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.

Frontier internet data caps

A big selling point for Frontier is that it doesn’t put any data caps on its plans. That’s right: zero caps—even on its DSL plans.

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.

Frontier contracts and fees

Frontier recently did away with a handful of confusing fees, making it easier to get a handle on your bill.

We're pleased as punch not to see any mention of contracts for the DSL plan, but you will have to sign a 1-year commitment for the fiber plans. That doesn't mean your bill won't go up after the promotional period, but it gives you the freedom to change things up without paying a penalty.

Frontier service fees

Just like any other internet provider, Frontier's service comes with a few fees. However, we're excited to say that it recently trimmed these fees down.

So, aside from taxes, which change based on your location, here's what you can expect to pay in terms of Frontier fees:

  • Activation fee: $85 one-time fee
  • Disconnect fee: $10 one-time fee when your service is disconnected
  • Expert Installation fee (required only for DSL internet): $100 expert installation
  • Equipment rental fee: None. Equipment is included with your Fiber internet plan

Frontier customer service

According to the scores, Frontier has the worst customer service out of all internet providers

No ISP gets amazing marks for customer service, but even among the bad, Frontier doesn't have the best showing. The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) gives Frontier’s customer service a much-improved-from-last-year score of 61, which places it in a tie for five out of seven fiber providers.

Frontier internet ACSI score 2023
Provider
ACSI 2023 score
Frontier Internet

74 out of 100

Like with most ISPs, we recommend using online chat instead of phone calls. But watch out—Frontier’s live chat feature can be a little unreliable. It’s not available 24/7 and it can have some long wait times that make you wish you’d just called.

So if you don't hear back on chat, schedule a call back or pick up the telephone and give Frontier a call.

Recap: Is Frontier internet good?

  • Pricing: We think Frontier's Fiber internet service is the better deal, but we like that it also offers DSL service to country-dwelling folks out there.
  • Data limits: Frontier also lets its customers live the unlimited data dream—even if they have its DSL internet.
  • Fees and contracts: We're thankful that Frontier recently trimmed down its fees and swapped to no contracts for DSL internet. The fiber plans come with a 12-month commitment. 
  • Equipment: Oh, and your equipment is now included with your internet plan.
  • Customer service: Still, it has some work to do in the customer service area.
Plan
Price
Download speed
Data cap
Frontier Internet$64.99/mo.°N/AUnlimited
Fiber 500$44.99/mo. w/ Auto Pay and Paperless Bill*500 MbpsUnlimited
Fiber 1 Gig$69.99/mo. w/ Auto Pay and Paperless Bill1000 MbpsUnlimited
Fiber 2 Gig$99.99/mo. w/ Auto Pay and Paperless Bill2000 MbpsUnlimited
Fiber 5 Gig$154.99/mo. w/ Auto Pay and Paperless Bill^5000 MbpsUnlimited
° w/ Auto Pay & Paperless Bill per month for 24 mos. One-time charge on disconnect applies.
* w/ Auto Pay & Paperless Bill. Max wired speed 500/500 Mbps. Wi-Fi, actual & average speeds vary. One-time charges apply.
w/ Auto Pay & Paperless Bill. Max wired speed 1000/1000 Mbps. Location dependent. Wi-Fi, actual & average speeds vary. One-time charges apply.
w/ Auto Pay & Paperless Bill. Max wired speed 2000/2000 Mbps. Wi-Fi, actual & average speeds vary. One-time charges apply.
^ w/ Auto Pay & Paperless Bill. Max wired speed 5000/5000. Wi-Fi, actual & average speeds vary. One-time charges apply.
reviews.org next zip logo
Look for Frontier internet plans in your area.

Methodology

We base our ratings and reviews off of these five criteria:

  • 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.

Frontier compares favorably to its fiber competitors. Its prices are affordable for most, but its speeds get freaky fast (sorry to infringe on your slogan, Jimmy John’s, but there’s no other way to put it). It also has unlimited data, a huge plus for those of us who can’t get enough YouTube. It’s no wonder that Frontier ranks third in our list of fiber providers.

Catherine McNally
Written by
Catherine McNally
Catherine has a degree in journalism and an MBA, and has spent the last 10+ years writing everything from Okinawa travel guides to stories on Medium. She’s been online since AOL CDs were a thing and is an unapologetic PC gamer. She believes the internet is a necessity, not a luxury, and writes reviews and guides to help everyone stay connected. You can also find her on Twitter: @CMReviewsIt.

Related Articles

A woman holds an infant in her lap while she uses a laptop at the dining table
How Does DSL Internet Work?
How does DSL internet work, and is it right for you? We compare DSL to...
A brunette woman wearing glasses browses the internet on her laptop
An Honest AT&T Internet Review: Is It Worth Your Money?
Is AT&T internet good? Read our AT&T internet review to learn more about prices, plans,...
A laptop sits on a small table with a cup of coffee and a flower illuminated by sunlight
Hughesnet vs. AT&T Internet Air Review
We compared rural internet providers HughesNet to AT&T DSL internet and AT&T Fixed Wireless. Find...
Best-5G-Home-Internet_feat
Best 5G Home Internet
There are currently three companies offering fixed 5G home internet: Verizon, T-Mobile, and Starry. Here’s...