Mediacom vs. Verizon Fios Television plan comparison

Mediacom offers reasonable value to TV customers. It’s not the most affordable TV provider and doesn’t offer the highest channel count or fastest internet speeds, but it’s also not outrageously expensive. It’s just…reasonable.

Depending on your chosen package, you get 50+, 125+, or 170+ channels, along with internet speeds up to 1 Gbps. The channel selection is good, with popular networks including ESPN, HGTV, and Telemundo available. You’ll need to bump up to the second tier to get FS1 plus local channels, but that's all you get for sports. You'll need the third tier for ESPN and most regional sports networks. Channel selection varies quite a bit based on where you live.

It’s worth noting that Mediacom does not offer a standalone TV service. It’s available only as part of a bundle with internet service. We expect most people will want to bundle, so this isn’t a huge deal, but it’s good to know.

Verizon isn't the cheapest option for traditional TV—you can get TV service for less elsewhere. It’s also not the best in terms of channels per dollar—although it holds its own. However, the ability to personalize the Your Fios plan means you can get more of the channels you actually want without having to pony up for a more expensive plan. It's a fantastic feature, and relatively uncommon in the cable TV space.

Of course, if you do want all the channels, you can get that, too: the top-tier Most Fios plan comes with well over 400, which is one of the highest channel counts in the business.

Remember TiVo? Well, it lives on with Mediacom as the provider’s DVR of choice. Mediacom subscribers get a TiVo DVR box that can record up to 150 hours of HD content (or 1,000 hours of standard definition), which should be plenty for most users.

The Xtream TiVo system also has powerful search and voice control capabilities, making it easy to find what you want to watch. Finally, the Mediacom TV Everywhere service gives you access to your favorite shows and DVR recordings no matter where you are. You can use your Mediacom login information to access a network’s content in the network’s app or via its website (like ABC or A&E, for example), or you can use the Mediacom mobile app.

Verizon Fios TV comes with all the features you’d expect from a fiber company. It offers a $12/month DVR with 50 hours of storage, as well as a built-in Netflix app for when you want to change things up. You can add more storage and multi-room capabilities for an additional monthly fee (or for free, if you qualify for certain promotions).

Whether you have the basic DVR or one of the advanced options, you'll benefit from top-of-the-line features. The remote offers voice control, so you can simply tell it what you want to watch. Finally, the mobile app enables on-the-go streaming of your favorite channels—and it is surprisingly well rated. (1, 2)

Installation of your new Mediacom service will cost at least $35, and there’s no option to self-install. This fee can sometimes be waived with certain promotions, and we highly recommend hunting one down or discussing it with your sales rep. There’s also a $10 activation fee that’ll show up on your first bill.

The first TiVo DVR is included in your monthly price, but you'll have to pay around $15 to use it. Additional boxes cost about $9 per month. Finally, since you have to bundle with internet, you’ll be on the hook for a $12 modem fee each month. There’s also a standard $10 monthly fee for an eero Wi-Fi router system, but you might be able to get it free with certain promotions.

The Verizon Fios TV installation fee is $99, and there’s no self-install option. However, online ordering and promotions often waive this fee, so you can save some money on your first TV bill. Apart from that, the other major setup costs are the router and the DVR. You'll need the $18-per-month router if you don't already have Verizon Fios internet, and the company recommends against using your own equipment. For the DVR, the monthly cost is $12 but you may need to pay more depending whether you need additional set-top boxes and multi-room DVR capabilities.

The overall installation process is a little more involved than some other providers. Since this is a fiber service, you need a special box called an Optical Network Terminal (ONT) installed if you don’t already have one. That said, it is quick and painless for most.

In a truly bizarre move, Mediacom offers only local networks on the first tier, only local networks plus FS1 on the second tier, and no ESPN or TUDN until you get to the top-tier Variety package. This means sports fans on a budget might have to look elsewhere. Even then, the selection is pretty slim. Popular channels like NFL Network, MLB TV, and the Golf Channel are nowhere to be found, but you can pay about $8 per month for the Sports & Info PAK, which includes the Tennis Channel, MSG Network, and a variety of news channels.

Mediacom also offers all the usual premium channels, including HBO Max, SHOWTIME, Cinemax, and STARZ. Prices are on par with other providers. Better yet, some of the add-on costs were reduced by a few bucks at the end of 2022!

Verizon Fios TV offers a reasonable number of sports and premium options. Fios has access to all the major professional sports, including NFL Network, MLB Network, and the various ESPN channels. We think sports fans will be plenty satisfied with the options here.

You can get two of the major premium channels (HBO Max, STARZ, SHOWTIME, Cinemax, and EPIX) in any combination you like, from one channel to all five. The more you bundle, the less you’ll pay for each. Getting all five is a solid deal at around $40 per month—that’s less than $10 per channel.