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How does Cox compare to Frontier internet?
Providing services across 19 states, Cox is one of the largest telecom service providers in the country, but strong fiber service and easy billing makes Frontier a popular choice. When you have both internet service providers (ISPs) available, elements ranging from add-on costs to customer service could factor into the decision. Below, we compare Cox and Frontier internet to help you decide which ISP is more suited to your needs.
- Who Cox and Frontier internet are for
- Key considerations
- What others say about Cox and Frontier internet
- How do Cox and Frontier internet packages compare?
Who Cox and Frontier internet are for
Cox offers affordable cable internet plans with reliable download speeds that are good for surfing, streaming movies, or playing online games. If you’re a smaller family only using the internet for social media or downloading a movie on the weekend, Cox’s Starter 25 plan is a cost-effective alternative. At $29.99/month, the plan offers download speeds of up to 25Mbps. However, if there are multiple streaming devices in your household or you need an internet plan for multi-player gaming and 4K video streaming, you may consider Cox’s fiber plans with higher speeds and low latency.
On the contrary, Frontier offers DSL services that come with bundle deals and offer download speeds of up to 115Mbps. In addition, Frontier also provides cost-effective fiber plans that make it a popular choice for gamers and businesses. For instance, at a monthly cost of $49.99, the FIberOptic 500 plan from Frontier offers symmetrical download and upload speeds of 500Mbps.
Overall, if only Cox cable and Frontier DSL services are available in your area, you may want to go with Cox for better speeds and lower cost plans. However, if you have access to both Cox and Frontier fiber services, the FiberOptic plans from Frontier usually offer better value compared to Cox.
Key considerations
- For $49.99/mo, Frontier provides 500Mbps of download speed, while Cox offers 250Mbps for $59.99.
- Frontier offers unlimited data on its internet plans, while Cox plans carry data caps.
- Cox’s regular rates increase by $20/month after one year. In contrast, Frontier’s standard rates increase by only $10/month.
- Frontier offers 24/7 customer support as an integral feature on all its plans. Cox customers, however, have to pay extra for Advanced Security features, which include 24/7 customer support.
- Frontier’s FiberOptic Gig plans are cheaper than Cox’s Gigablast plan. Moreover, the fiber plans from Frontier also offer better upload speeds than the plans offered by Cox. For example, Frontier’s FiberOptic Gig Service offers 940Mbps download speed and 880Mbps upload speed at $79.99/month. In contrast, the Gigablast plan from Cox provides 1000Mbps of download and 35Mbps of upload speed for $99.99/month.
- Cox internet users get free access to over 3 million public WiFi hotspots across the country, while Frontier offers no such features.
- Frontier and Cox do not require contracts.
What others say about Cox and Frontier internet
Cox reviews
In 2021, the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) scored Cox a 63 out of 100, an improvement of 3.3% from the previous year. However, the score is still slightly below the industry average of 65. Although with a score of 71/100 in in-home WiFi quality, Cox is not far behind the top ISPs like Verizon Fios, Xfinity, and AT&T.
Frontier reviews
Frontier scored 57 out of 100 in the ACSI report, breaking it out of the lowest spot in the previous year. While the ISP finished last in the WiFi quality score, it fared better in the video-on-demand service with a score of 66, making Frontier on par with other popular providers like Optimum and Spectrum.
How do Cox and Frontier internet packages compare?
Cox and Frontier offer a range of internet services that vary depending on your location. The chart below compares plans and pricing as of 2022. However, the pricing does not include additional fees and is subject to change. Also, note that prices for Frontier plans include a discount of $5/month for customers that enroll in autopay.*
*Pricing varies by location and availability. Speeds may vary. All prices subject to change; for current pricing and availability visit our internet service page. Prices as of 2/1/22.
Disclosure | Updater articles are based on our own data and research, independent from partner relationships. We are not compensated by partners for information and opinions presented here. Our Editorial Terms of Service can be found here.
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