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Frontier Communications internet reviews

Frontier Communications brand
Staff rating
4.1
Customer rating
3.8
(44)
Price: $49.99 - $164.99/moSpeed: 500 Mbps - 5000 Mbps
STAFF REVIEW
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Rebecca Palmer smiles for the camera
Headshot of Dave Schafer
Researched by
Headshot of Bri Field
Reviewed by
Bri FieldAssigning Editor
Updated 2/7/23

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Excellent service, if you can get fiber

The story of Frontier internet is one of two services: a slow and expensive DSL network and a fast and affordable fiber network. Which one you get makes all the difference.


What we like

  • Well-priced fiber plans
  • Fast speeds
  • No data caps
What we dislike

  • Limited fiber availability
  • Slow DSL in non-fiber areas
  • Poor customer service reputation

Frontier internet review 2023—the cheapest fiber internet? video thumbnail
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Frontier internet review 2023—the cheapest fiber internet?
Our expert review of Frontier internet
Source: Switchful YouTube

Our expert assessment

Value
4.0
Frontier offers excellent value on its fiber plans—if you can get them

Frontier offers two types of internet service: fiber and DSL. That means there are two sides to the Frontier value equation. Frontier fiber service is generally an excellent value—you can get 500 Mbps for around $50 per month or 1 gig for around $75, both of which are excellent prices well below the national benchmark for similar plans. (1) If you go for 2 gigs or even the newly available 5 gig plan, you'll pay quite a bit every month but enjoy excellent reliability and super fast speeds. If you go for 5 gigs, free tech support is included.

On the other hand, Frontier’s DSL plan is not nearly so exciting. It is around $50 per month for up to 115 Mbps, but the actual speed varies heavily with the specific area you’re in. Many places won’t see anywhere near 115 Mbps, but even if you do have that speed available, it’s not great for the price. There's also a required $85 installation charge. The good news, though, is that Frontier guarantees its DSL pricing for two years and doesn't require you to sign a contract.

To be fair, DSL service is almost always a poor value for money—it’s not unique to Frontier. And unlike some other combined fiber and internet providers, Frontier offers fiber in a good portion of its coverage area. (4)

Performance
5.0
Outstanding fiber performance and so-so DSL service

Frontier continues the tale of two in the performance department. The DSL service caps out at a fairly slow 115 Mbps, and that’s only in certain areas. While that’s sufficient for many day-to-day activities and light streaming, larger families or those who want to stream in HD may be left wanting more.

On the flip side, the fiber service is predictably excellent, with speeds up to 2,000 Mbps and no data caps to limit you. In fact, Frontier's fiber plans are some of the fastest, according to PCMag (2). The service has the fastest ping of any provider, according and a study by the FCC (3), and it's neck and neck with the competition in terms of speed and reliability. These fiber plans also offer symmetrical speeds, which means the upload speed is equal to the download speed. This is handy if you upload or share a lot of large files, and it tends to be unique to fiber.

Equipment and installation
5.0
No charges for equipment—seriously

Frontier redeems itself in a big way when it comes to equipment and installation. If you have Frontier's DSL internet, the equipment itself is fairly standard. It works, but it doesn't look great on a desk and the capabilities are limited. It's free, which is nice, but you might still want to use your own gear if you need more control over which devices on your network get bandwidth priority. DSL installation costs $85, and there's no self-install option.

If you have fiber internet from Frontier, you're in luck! You get free rental of an eero 6 on the Fiber 1 Gig plan or an eero6E mesh Wi-Fi system, on the Fiber 2 Gig plan. If you have the 5 Gig plan, you'll get the TP-Link AXE300 6E with an optional TP-Link RE815XE Wi-Fi extender for an extra $10 per month. You could still technically use your own gear, but it's hard to do any better than the latest and greatest from eero and TP-Link.

If you're eligible, you may be able to get a Frontier self-install kit—otherwise, a professional will come to your house to install the internet for you. If you need a pro to come out, you'll be charged $50 on your first bill. Cancelation is also free, but some customers are charged a $20 restocking fee for rented fiber gear and a $50 restocking fee on DSL gear.

Customer experience
2.5
Plenty of unsatisfied customers, and you can't order online

The Frontier customer experience is a mixed bag. The service itself is fairly reliable—especially the fiber. The DSL service is relatively stable, but more prone to slowdowns during heavy traffic times (like the evening). We’ve also seen some reports online of speeds that are inconsistent with what’s advertised, so keep that in mind.

Frontier has also received very low scores in customer satisfaction from organizations like the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). (3) The provider ranked second-worst in overall satisfaction in the most recent surveys, falling well below average. The complaints we’ve seen point generally to a broad pattern of poor customer service, so if that’s a key factor in your choice of provider, you might want to steer clear until Frontier can sort out its issues.

Unlike most internet service providers, the only way to order internet service is to call in. It works okay for most people, but some folks love the convenience of handling everything without having to deal with phone trees, wait on hold, or talk to a live human. At least the hold music is nice, though, and you can enter info via text message!

We stand by the validity of our reviews and are committed to transparency: Our team uses consumer sentiment software to source customer reviews, which are entirely unique to this website. Reviewers attest to being current customers of the providers they review and are not incentivized to speak positively or negatively about their experience. We do not alter the reviews in any way. Learn more about how we source reviews.

Frontier Communications customer ratings overview

Frontier Communications
3.8
(44)
5 Star
20%
4 Star
50%
3 Star
25%
2 Star
5%
1 Star
0%
Our reviews come from real customers who weren't incentivized to leave a review. The rating distribution typically shows a range of experiences and opinions that helps you get a sense for the average customer experience, not just extremes.

Top reviews from Frontier Communications customers

R
Rosemary from Victorville , CA
Frontier Communications Customer for 1+ years
Reviewed on: 2022-12-04
The service is just ok. Less disruptions would be great
B
Bobby Morrisonfrom Lewisville, TX
Frontier Communications Customer for 1+ years
Reviewed on: 2022-11-12
500 mps, $55 month… I'm happy with that
L
Laurenfrom Winchester, VA
Frontier Communications Customer for 1+ years
Reviewed on: 2022-11-10
I think that they do a good job. I think that they should do a free things to improve faster speed and also I feel that they should offer in more areas.
T
Timothy Yanytzfrom Lakeland, FL
Frontier Communications Customer for 1+ years
Reviewed on: 2022-10-28
they never go out and are ok priced all over priced
G
Garyfrom Plano, TX
Frontier Communications Customer for 4+ years
Reviewed on: 2022-10-26
Frontier customer service is terrible. Costs of Frontier is too high. Availability of network is very good. TV reception an viewing is also very good.
J
Jackfrom Twin Lake, MI
Frontier Communications Customer for 8+ years
Reviewed on: 2022-10-23
My internet service is slow and sometimes buffers for long time periods. That is why I am trying a new service starting today
J
Jackfrom Sarasota, FL
Frontier Communications Customer for 4+ years
Reviewed on: 2022-10-19
Frontier's customer service and experience have greatly improved but it is still lacking. Their mobile app is useless and unable to stream programming. It would be nice to see your content anytime, anywhere on your mobile device.
T
Teresafrom Charleston, WV
Frontier Communications Customer for Less than a year
Reviewed on: 2022-10-19
They know what they are doing no downtime yet since I have had their service
A
Amanfrom Walnut , CA
Frontier Communications Customer for 1+ years
Reviewed on: 2022-10-09
It does the job. Sometimes it is slow but not often. Overall it is decent.
R
Robertfrom Middletown, NY
Frontier Communications Customer for 8+ years
Reviewed on: 2022-09-12
It seems Frontier gives us very slow internet service.
M
Mikefrom Everett, WA
Frontier Communications Customer for 4+ years
Reviewed on: 2022-09-12
they are reliable and there are no outages. the speed is ok but needs to be faster. they have the worst customer service on earth and try to trick people into buying things they do not want.
R
Rosariofrom New Port Richey, FL
Frontier Communications Customer for Less than a year
Reviewed on: 2022-09-11
Speed and service are good. Value is is close to others researched. When a tech is needed to come out for service could take days, not pleasant.
P
Patfrom Rowlett, TX
Frontier Communications Customer for 4+ years
Reviewed on: 2022-09-11
there speeds are good. They need to be more reliable
C
Cherylfrom Sherman, TX
Frontier Communications Customer for 1+ years
Reviewed on: 2022-09-09
They do provide me with fast internet service but it could be a little more reliable. I do have time where my service is out. The biggest thing they need to improve on is customer service when there is an outage.
T
Tommyfrom Oberlin, OH
Frontier Communications Customer for 1+ years
Reviewed on: 2022-09-07
Frontier is a decent internet service unless something goes wrong. If your internet goes out and you need help, they make you wait. The last time I didn't have internet for 3 weeks.
Is this provider in your area? Find out!
Endnotes and sources
1. “2022 Urban Rate Survey – Fixed Broadband Service,” FCC. Accessed 19 October 2022.2. "The Fastest ISPs of 2022," PC Mag. Accessed 19 October 2022.Internet Service Providers,” American Customer Satisfaction Index. Accessed 14 June 2022.3. "Measuring Broadband America," FCC. Accessed Dec. 9, 2022.4. "FCC National Broadband Map," FCC. Accessed Dec. 9. 2022. As an Amazon Associate, Switchful.com may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.