Frontier Communications internet review: Cost, coverage and customer experience guide

Frontier Communications at a glance

Frontier is one of the nation’s largest internet service providers (ISPs), offering digital subscription line (DSL) internet and Frontier fiber service in select cities. While Frontier internet reviews show the DSL service leaves much to be desired, the fiber service is solid.

Fast facts

What we like

Frontier offers a wide range of internet plans for just about any budget. None require you to sign a contract, and all offer unlimited data. The fiber service offers competitive pricing for fast internet, especially when you take advantage of promotional offers.

What we don’t like

Frontier’s DSL service is notorious for service interruptions and slow speeds, to the point that the company doesn’t even advertise DSL service on its high-speed internet page. Considering Frontier Fiber is only available in 15 states, this may be an issue for the average internet customer.

Likewise, Frontier is cagey about what’s available in your location and how much it will charge you for internet service. You must share your address to get specific quotes; the service you want may be unavailable.

* BBB ratings are accurate as of August 2024.

Frontier Communications’ pros and cons

Frontier earns points for not having annual contracts or data caps on its plans and providing an affordable internet option. The company’s 1 Gig Fiber plan starts at $64.99 per month when you sign up and elect AutoPay. Starting prices for its DSL plans are as low as $34.99 monthly.

Unfortunately, Frontier Fiber does not serve customers in all 25 of its operating states. DSL service is far more common.

Although Frontier is among the top five ISPs in Ookla’s speed test rankings, it doesn’t report its DSL speeds, which makes the frequent customer complaints about slow DSL speeds hard not to trust. Frontier’s fiber service is strong. The more common DSL service is less so.

Pros

Cons

How much does Frontier Communications cost?

While Frontier only advertises its fiber service, the service provider offers a range of DSL and fiber plans at several price points. You must plug in your address to see what plans are available to you. A bonus, however, is that all plans include free professional installation.

Many of Frontier’s plans come with promotional offers for new customers, which complicates the no-contract benefit. If you want to accept an initial offer, such as a gift card or Apple TV subscription, you will likely have to sign a contract to get the perk. You can refuse the perk if you want the service but not a contract.

Savings and discounts

When you enroll in AutoPay on any plan, you’ll save up to $15 per month. Frontier offers more savings when bundling your home phone and home security plans. Unfortunately, Frontier’s prices are not transparent, and you must call to get a price quote. How much you save depends on where you live.

The fiber plans also include perks like a $200 Visa Reward Card. if you accept any perks or price discounts, you may have to agree to a contract.

What plans and services does Frontier offer?

Frontier offers DSL service and several Frontier Fiber plans starting at speeds of 500 Mbps. The fiber service is one of the country’s most affordable. Compare, for instance, the 1 Gig plan at $60 per month to AT&T’s plan at $80 a month and T-Mobile’s plan at $75 per month.

Again, Frontier’s issues are availability and transparency. You won’t know if you can buy Frontier Fiber until you start talking to Frontier.

However, Frontier offers unlimited data on all its plans. You won’t have to sign a contract if you don’t need the perks. The company includes a Wi-Fi router with your plan, and you can get free professional installation on any service.

Frontier add-ons and optional features

One of Frontier’s best perks is the ability for customers to get a $10 monthly discount from YouTube TV for one year. You can save more by choosing AutoPay or bundling home phone and security services.

All plans include an Amazon eero Wi-Fi router rental at no extra cost. If you live in a home larger than 3,000 square feet, opt for whole-home Wi-Fi, which includes two mesh Wi-Fi devices for an additional $10 monthly.

Frontier customer service and experience

Where Frontier lags is in customer service. It ranked below average in the 2023 American Customer Satisfaction Index survey of ISPs, above only Comcast Xfinity. Despite an A rating from the BBB, customers have given it a 1.05/5-star rating on the BBB’s website.

Frontier claims you can reach the company 24/7 by phone or via live chat. Still, when we called several times on Wednesday, July 3, 2024, we were met with an automated recording reporting “technical difficulties.” The virtual assistant, Giga, wasn’t much better, relying solely on predefined answers to a core set of questions and making it exceedingly difficult to speak to a human.

For self-help purposes, Frontier’s website offers a Help Center, How-To Videos and a Support Wizard.

Customer feedback

On Trustpilot, Frontier has a 1.3-star rating. Examples of two reviews are:

Other considerations about Frontier Communications

There are always several things to consider when choosing an ISP. When considering Frontier, don’t overlook the following items.

Additional monthly fees

Frontier does not charge additional or hidden monthly fees. However, if you need another router to get full Wi-Fi coverage for your home, you’ll pay an extra $10 per month.

Installation fees

Frontier offers free professional installation on all of its internet plans. That’s a nice perk that competitors like AT&T, Comcast Xfinity and T-Mobile don’t offer. If the infrastructure is in place and you have the expertise, you can install your internet service yourself.

Data caps

All of Frontier’s DSL and fiber plans offer unlimited data.

How does Frontier compare with competitors?

Frontier Communications offers some of the most affordable fiber internet, with a 1 Gig plan that’s $15 a month cheaper than T-Mobile and $20 per month cheaper than AT&T.

However, it’s only available in 15 of the 25 states Frontier operates in, and you’ll have to contact the company directly to find out if fiber service is available at your address. Add that opaqueness to the dismal customer service record, and our Frontier internet review ranks it below several ISPs.

Frontier Communications vs. competitors

Methodology

To review the nation’s 22 largest ISPs, we’ve evaluated nearly 50 primary sources and more than 2,000 data points, including customer reviews, company materials and more publicly available information. Our methodology weighs company reputation, plan features, plan pricing, customer support, technology, availability and data privacy to arrive at an impartial score on a 5-point scale.

FAQs