Metronet’s fiber service offers record-breaking internet speeds that rival major broadband providers, but watch out for extra fees.
9 min readIf you live in certain parts of the Midwest, you may have heard exciting news (and construction noise) of a Metronet fiber rollout happening in your area. Although cable companies still dominate internet access in many areas where Metronet is available, it's worth signing up for this Indiana-based provider thanks to its many great features—including reasonable prices, unlimited data with no throttling, and record-fast symmetrical speeds.
“It provides a very cheap and reliable service,” says Zamero Reyez, a biochemistry Ph.D. student at Purdue University who uses Metronet at his apartment in Lafayette, Indiana. “I don’t feel the need to even explore [other options] because I’m satisfied where I’m at.”
Metronet's cheap fiber plans start at $34.95 per month, earning Metronet the best budget pick for fiber internet among major fiber internet providers. Read on to get a close-up view of what Metronet customers are experiencing and whether this fiber provider is worth getting.
“It provides a very cheap and reliable service” -Zamero Reyez, Metronet customer
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Get to know Metronet—plans and pricing
Metronet offers four different internet plans: 150Mbps for $34.95 per month, 500Mbps for $44.95 per month, 1Gbps for $59.95 per month, and 2GB for $89.95 per month.
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For 12 months. Offers available to new residential customers only and may not be combined with other offers. MetroNet reserves the right to revoke or modify offers at any time. Taxes, fees, and other terms apply. Pricing and speeds not available in all areas
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For 12 months. Offers subject to change; available to new residential customers only. May not be combined with other offers. Services are subject to all applicable terms and conditions located at www.metronet.com. Advertised speed based on wired connection. Services not available in all areas. Restrictions apply. Free eero router when purchasing Metronet internet (up to 2 Gig speeds), and equipment must be returned at time of cancellation. 3 Gig and higher speeds require customer to provide a compatible router. The advertised price does not include applicable taxes and fees (including installation fees and $12 per month Tech Assure fee in select markets).
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For 6 months. Offers subject to change; available to new residential customers only. May not be combined with other offers. Services are subject to all applicable terms and conditions located at www.metronet.com. Advertised speed based on wired connection. Services not available in all areas. Restrictions apply. Free eero router when purchasing Metronet internet (up to 2 Gig speeds), and equipment must be returned at time of cancellation. 3 Gig and higher speeds require customer to provide a compatible router. The advertised price does not include applicable taxes and fees (including installation fees and $12 per month Tech Assure fee in select markets).
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Offers subject to change. Standard rates apply upon expiration of any promotional periods. Non-promotional pricing subject to change. Advertised speed based on wired connection. Pricing and speeds not available in all areas. Restrictions apply.
All Metronet plans offer fiber-to-the-home connectivity with unlimited data and no contracts. Metronet advertises 100Mbps speeds on its lowest tier plan, which should generally support a single user streaming, gaming, and taking video calls. But it also offers faster plans, with speed tiers going up to 2Gbps.
Like most providers, Metronet’s introductory rates only last for the first year, before increasing by $10 every year for one to three years, depending on the plan. You can shave off some costs by opting in to AutoPay, which gives you a $25 one-time credit, while paperless billing means waiving a $4.95 monthly fee. There are add-on TV streaming services through MyBundleTV, but there aren’t any discounted Metronet internet with TV bundles.
Although you don’t have to worry about early cancellation fees or data overage charges, Metronet does impose a monthly “Tech Assure” fee that covers 24/7 technical support and service calls to repair Metronet-owned equipment or infrastructure. This type of fee is uncommon for internet providers, but somewhat manageable considering you don’t have to worry about a router rental fee.
Which Metronet plan is right for you?
Metronet's 500 Mbps plan, available for $45 per month, will meet most household download speed needs and is super affordable. For any media-intensive households, Metronet's 1 Gbps plan is just $5 more for double the speeds. While most users may not need a full gig of download speed, $5 more a month might be worth it to never worry about slow speeds.
Which states offer Metronet fiber?
While Metronet continues to expand its fiber network, it's only available in the following states.
- Arizona
- Colorado
- Florida
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Texas
- Virginia
- Wisconsin
Metronet fees for modem and installation
Eero router rental (Optional)
Free
Early contract termination
None
Data overage
None
Professional installation
$75 (can be waived on the student plan, or reduced to $50 if you sign up for AutoPay)
Tech Assure Fee
$12.95/mo.
Billing Fee
$4.95/mo. (waived if you sign up for paperless billing)
Late Fee
1.5% of services
Eero Plus app (Optional)
$10/mo.
Whole Home Wi-Fi (Optional)
$9.95/mo.
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 spoke with five customers over the phone and a dozen others on Reddit, Facebook, and TikTok. We let their experiences guide our research and shape our conclusions. We also spoke with a Metronet spokesperson and an expert on internet technology about the need for multi-gig internet plans. We looked over the fine print of Metronet’s pricing and speed capabilities, analyzed data from our speed test, pored over public surveys and customer-satisfaction reports, and contacted customer service to gauge the experience.
The rundown—Metronet by our criteria
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.
Want to know how Metronet stacks up? See our full take below.
Overall score: 4.4/5
Speed and reliability
4.8/5.0
Metronet delivers some of the fastest speeds in the biz. Plans deliver symmetrical download and upload speeds up to 5Gbps, all over an ultra-reliable fiber-to-the-home connection. Metronet ranked second in our Fastest Internet Providers report, coming in just behind Google Fiber—an impressive sign for a regional company that doesn’t have the same resources as bigger ISPs.
Even Metronet’s slowest plans are still quite fast for most people. And like all fiber internet providers, Metronet’s symmetrical download and upload speeds make this Wi-Fi excellent for upload-heavy tasks like taking Zoom calls, uploading videos to YouTube, hosting a livestream, or playing VR games.
It’s worth noting that unlike other fiber providers, Metronet fully funds and independently owns its fiber networks, and tends to build where big brand providers like Google Fiber and AT&T aren’t available. “Many communities across the nation currently have limited options for internet service providers, restricting access to advanced technologies. Metronet's multi-gigabit fiber-optic network offers a valuable alternative,” says Katherine Yochum, a Metronet spokesperson.
Dollar value
4.0/5.0
Metronet’s fiber network gets you consistent, reliable, and fast speeds for a great price. All plans start with 12 months of promotional pricing, followed by a $10 increase every year for the next one to three years. Yes, price hikes aren’t ideal, but the plans start at such a low rate that the final prices end up being reasonable. A Reddit user, iPersivol, told Reviews.org that changing to Metronet gave him great value even though the plan is more expensive than other internet options in his area: “I have so many devices (~20) connected and it has never been a problem.”
There is a mandatory monthly Tech Assure fee, which includes 24/7 technical support and service calls to repair wiring or Metronet-owned equipment. That means even if you accidentally mow over a line (as one customer who spoke with us did), any repairs will be fully covered. You can also request an appointment for “Metronet’s Annual WiFi Optimization” in the month of your plan anniversary, where a technician comes to your home to check that everything is working at peak performance. Happy anniversary!
Customer experience
4.5/5.0
According to HighSpeedInternet.com’s customer satisfaction survey, Metronet ranks above average in customer satisfaction.
The professional installation process can take a few days to a few weeks to complete, but customers say service technicians are friendly and installation is quick. A person 18 years or older will need to be present during the main installation day, which can take a few hours.
Once service is up and running, customers generally find the customer service to be responsive. You can contact customer service by texting a customer support phone number, calling, or using the website’s chat. On the chat service, a bot guides you through a troubleshooting process, exhausting all possible solutions before recommending a technician.
“They sort of have a robot set up to guide you and guide the system on trying to diagnose the issue,” says Reyez, who couldn’t get his TV to connect to Wi-Fi. “It was pretty straightforward. I wish I’d have had a person to talk to, but the Wi-Fi was restored within 30 minutes, so I can’t really complain that much.”
During working hours, customer service representatives were available immediately and answered my questions in a straightforward way both on the phone and web-based chat. One customer service rep I talked to on the phone was quick to dismiss my questions about specific plan prices because I didn’t share my address, but this is to be expected from internet providers because they want to first check if Metronet is available in your location before answering questions.
While signing up can be done either through Metronet’s website or over the phone, canceling requires that you call customer service.
How long it took to get a real human on the phone: less than a minute.
How the chat service is: fast, straightforward, and informative.
Overall quality
4.4/5.0
Fast and reliable speeds, helpful customer service, and a reasonable price make up the holy grail of a good internet experience. Metronet ticks all these boxes, making it a provider worth signing up for.
Before you hand over your hard-earned cash, think about what speeds you really need. Metronet highlights their 1Gig plan as the best deal, but a lower speed plan is sufficient for average households. There aren't any contracts, so if you wanted to, you could take up the higher speed plans on promo pricing, and then downgrade to a lower speed when the prices have increased. Keep track of any differences in service, if any, and change plans if needed.
Metronet—what deals and promotions can you get?
Metronet’s promotional pricing eases you into the full cost of the service, which ends up being a nice perk if you’re fully aware of it. Besides pricing, Metronet offers a “free” Eero wireless router to every new customer, but you need to return it if you cancel the plan. You can also bundle your internet with phone service, and you get free Whole-Home Wi-Fi if you sign up for the 2Gbps plan.
In addition to deals you can browse Metronet's cheapest plans here.
$25 credit when you sign up for AutoPay
Enroll in AutoPay via ACH to get a billing credit.
Metronet add-ons and perks
Free WholeHome WiFi
If you sign up for the 2Gbps internet plan, you get a $9.95/mo. discount which covers WholeHome WiFi for 1 year.
$100 Amazon Gift Card
Sign up and pay for 2 full months of 1Gbps services or higher speed plans. Must remain a customer without downgrading speeds for at least 12 months.
$15/mo. Unlimited Phone
If you sign up for an unlimited residential phone plan alongside your internet plan, you get the phone plan price-locked at $15/mo. for 1 year.
What do customers think of Metronet?
Most Metronet users say they experience reliable internet with fair pricing. Customers say the provider does a good job when customers stream on multiple devices, work from home, or upload content.
“We’re in 2024. We shouldn't have to wait for things to buffer,” says Kristy Borboa, a marketing agency owner in Bryan, Texas. “The speed is fast. We have one TV, three phones, and two computers going right now."
Borboa previously used Optimum but didn't like the provider's constantly-changing prices and poor upload speeds, so she switched to Metronet in 2023. Now, her household of three loves their home Wi-Fi. "We've got one uploading video and another listening to music," she says. "We don't have any problems with Metronet."
“When they did install it in the neighborhood, it was pretty quick and easy,” says Kristy Borboa from Bryan, Texas.
On the flipside, Borboa was happy with the fiber-burying process. “When they did install it in the neighborhood, it was pretty quick and easy. And they didn't make a big mess, which I appreciate. They weren't sloppy,” says Borboa.
“Growing pains” of a recently constructed fiber network
While Metronet’s newly laid fiber lines are an exciting development for communities that have had few options for high-speed internet, it also means there are “growing pains” as described by PJ Villaflor, a content creator and DJ in Des Moines, Iowa.
“I’m willing to put up with a little hassle for the goal of having reliable, faster internet” -PJ Villaflor, Metronet customer in Des Moines.
Villaflor was initially excited about his new Metronet service because of its symmetrical speeds–a must for uploading videos. But on the second day after his service got set up, the neighboring apartment mowed over his fiber line.
Getting it fixed took several days, and the line was never properly buried. When he came back from his honeymoon two weeks later, he saw that the landscapers had mowed over the line again, so there was no internet connection. (According to Metronet’s website, Metronet may run temporary lines on top of the ground while completing repairs, but they assure that they will bury them within a couple of weeks.)
Luckily, Villaflor had not yet canceled his cable internet plan with Mediacom, which he’s now using as a backup while he waits for Metronet to get back online
Despite his lawnmower woes, Villaflor is determined to stick with Metronet. “I’m willing to put up with a little hassle for the goal of having reliable, faster internet,” he says. He is satisfied with the included Eero router, cashback for agreeing to AutoPay, and even the future price hikes as it will still be cheaper than his Mediacom plan.
Need to contact Metronet customer service or tech support?
- Knowledge Base: www.metronet.com/support
- Customer Care: 877-407-3224
- Tech Support: 844-692-6184
- Text/SMS Support: Text "Agent" to 95798
Do I really need multi-gig speeds?
It can be tempting to opt for Metronet’s 1Gbps, 2Gbps, or 5Gbps speed plan, but faster speeds aren’t always necessary, or even possible to attain. Even if you do sign up for a multi-gigabit internet plan, your speed may vary depending on your equipment, wired or Wi-Fi connection, home size, and the devices you use.
You would likely need a hardwired Ethernet connection to hit the maximum advertised speeds—and you wouldn’t even make the most of those speeds unless you live with a huge household or run a server farm on your property.
“We recommend 100Mbps per person in your home. So, for a family of five, you would need download speeds of about 500Mbps even if you have gamers or if you’re uploading a lot of content,” says Chili Palmer, consumer expert and senior staff writer at HighSpeedInternet.com. “Most households don’t need gigabit internet, and almost no one needs multi-gig speeds. There's no reason to pay for more speed than you need.”
Spending a few minutes reading our speed guide can help you decipher what speed you need based on what you use the internet for, the number of people who use the internet, and the number of devices that are connected.
Have thoughts about home internet?
We’re eager to hear from internet customers about their experiences with their home Wi-Fi. Contact us at info@reviews.org to share your thoughts, recommendations, and hot tips.
Where is Metronet available?
Metronet is available or is currently building fiber networks in over 200 communities in the midwest and south states. Enter your zip code below to check if Metronet is live in your neighborhood.
Enter your zip code and find high-speed providers in your area
Metronet vs. the competition
Metronet will give you an overall better experience than any cable provider, even though you might see that Spectrum and Xfinity offer promotional discounts for a longer period. Both cable providers are generally more expensive after the promotional period is over, and you just can’t beat the reliability and speed of fiber.
An AT&T or CenturyLink DSL plan instead of Metronet should be your last resort if you don’t have access to Metronet or cable providers, because they’re expensive and slow.
Compare internet providers and prices
Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change. Data verified as of the article's publication date.
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Limited time offer; subject to change; new residential customers only (no Spectrum services within past 30 days) and in good standing with Spectrum. Taxes and fees extra in select states. SPECTRUM INTERNET: Standard rates apply after promo period. Additional charge for installation. Speeds based on wired connection. Actual speeds (including wireless) vary and are not guaranteed. Services subject to all applicable service terms and conditions, subject to change. Not available in all areas. Restrictions apply.
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Pricing for some packages are for the first 12 months. Some packages require a 1- or 2-year contract.
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For the first 12 months.
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Price after $5/mo Autopay & Paperless bill discount (w/in 2 bills). Plus taxes $ fees. Limited availability. May not be available in your area.
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Speed may not be available in your area. Paperless billing or prepay required. Additional taxes, fees, and surcharges apply.
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w/ Auto Pay. Regulatory fees included in monthly price for qualified accounts. See full terms.
FAQs
No, AT&T does not own Metronet.
Metronet's fiber internet plans offer plenty of speed and data for easy, breezy streaming. Its entry-level package of 150 Mbps is sufficient for one or two users, and any package beyond that should easily cover the speed and data needs of households with more than five users.
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