Did you know that there are 1,525,000,000 miles of aerial telephone wires across the USA? Now you must be wondering why is this even important when your voice communication primarily depends on your wireless cellphones. Your voice communication may no longer depend on telephone lines, but your digital communication surely does. You cannot have DSL internet without being connected to a telephone line.
DSL internet is the most popular form of broadband service in the countryside. It uses a landline to deliver data signals to your home. So let’s dig a little deeper to see how Frontier DSL Internet is ensuring high-speed and affordable internet in the left-out communities of the USA.
Frontier DSL Internet Service
Frontier Communications is an American telecommunications company that offers DSL and fiber broadband, home telephone, and TV streaming services to its residential and business customers. Frontier has one of the widest DSL internet networks in the country. Its DSL cable network spans over 25 states, and the coverage is available in most rural areas within its national footprint.
Frontier DSL Internet is the best alternative for areas where high-speed fiber internet services are limited or non-existent. It is cheaper than satellite and fixed wireless internet plans. Unlike fiber-optic internet, which is only available in 43 percent of the country, DSL internet is accessible in more than 90 percent of the USA, and 70 percent of rural America is wired with DSL connections.
Frontier DSL Internet speeds can go up to 100 Mbps on the downstream channel, and the upstream traffic can be delivered at 25 Mbps. The entry-level plan for DSL internet costs around $34.99 per month for the first 24 months. Frontier DSL subscribers can enjoy unlimited data, no-contract service, and a variety of internet speeds on their monthly plans. Although DSL internet cannot match the ultrafast, symmetrical, multigigabit speeds of Frontier Fiber internet, it is a reliable solution for basic connectivity in fiber-deprived rural communities.
Pros
- Good coverage in rural areas
- Unlimited data on the plans
- Up to 100 Mbps of download speed
- Distributed via existing telephone lines
- Plans are cheaper than satellite internet
- No-contract service
Cons
- Internet speeds are slower than Frontier’s fiber internet
- Installation and equipment costs are not included in the plans
- Not suitable for professional gamers
- Internet speeds fluctuate between 5 Mbps and 100 Mbps
Frontier DSL Plans
At the moment, customers can choose between three Frontier DSL Internet plans to get broadband access in the absence of Frontier Fiber. All these plans can be bundled with Frontier home phone and TV streaming services for a holistic telecom solution at a discounted rate.
Plans | Price | Speed | Contact Frontier |
---|---|---|---|
Frontier Basic | $34.99/mo. | Up to 25 Mbps | Call 877-410-3834 Now! |
Frontier Preferred | $37.99/mo. | Up to 50 Mbps | Call 877-410-3834 Now! |
Frontier Premium | $44.99/mo. | Up to 100 Mbps | Call 877-410-3834 Now! |
Speed
DSL Internet is faster than dial-up connections and satellite internet but slower than cable, fixed wireless, and fiber-optic internet. When it comes to internet technology, the mode of transmission and distribution determines the upload and download speeds. For example, fiber internet, often called the future of the internet, is delivered via fiber-optic cables that can transmit data at the speed of light. Most fiber-optic cables have a bandwidth of 1 gigabit per second. And when several hair-like fiber strands are banded together to produce miles and miles of a fiber-optic network, customers can expect multigigabit speeds up to 10 Gbps. High-tech industrial customers have access to 100 Gbps of symmetrical speeds from renowned fiber internet providers like AT&T and Colt.
Frontier DSL Internet can offer download speeds of up to 100 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 25 Mbps. These speeds are good for a household with basic internet usage. In this speed range, users can easily carry out online activities like web surfing, social media browsing, video streaming, sending and receiving audio/ video messages, and even light gaming. A household that receives anywhere between 10 Mbps and 100 Mbps of download speeds can connect multiple devices to the network. Frontier DSL service allows subscribers to lease an advanced Wi-Fi router for a small fee of $10 per month. The in-built features of a Wi-Fi router optimize internet speeds and automatically bars unwanted devices from connecting to the network.
Data Cap
Frontier DSL Internet plans come with unlimited monthly data. It gives subscribers the freedom to download as many files as they want, enjoy non-stop streaming, and upload images and videos without running out of data. As there are no data caps on the Frontier DSL Internet, customers do not have to worry about data overage charges. In contrast, satellite internet services have data caps. When you exceed the data limit in the same billing cycle, either your speeds get reduced, or you have to pay the data overage charges at $10 for every 50 GB of excess data. Therefore, if you are looking for an internet service without data caps for your remote abode, then Frontier DSL is a better choice as compared to a satellite internet provider.
Reliability
Overall, Frontier DSL Internet network is reliable as customers hardly experience outages. Unlike satellite internet service, which gets affected during heavy rain and snow storms, DSL internet service remains operational in inclement weather conditions. But it is the inconsistent speeds that hamper DSL internet’s network reliability. As we have mentioned before that Frontier uses telephone lines to deliver its DSL internet service. The problem is that during peak hours, many netizens are using the same network. This results in network congestion and leads to speed throttling. So, while Fiber customers get consistently fast internet speeds, DSL internet subscribers have to settle for 10 Mbps to 100 Mbps of download speeds.
Contract
Frontier’s DSL internet service is contract-free. It is not mandatory for new customers to sign an annual contract upon subscription. So, customers can freely cancel the service if they are unhappy with speeds, prices, or terms and conditions. A no-contract clause saves customers from paying early termination fees, which can be as high as $200. However, there are some promotions and deals that require Frontier DSL subscribers to sign an annual contract. For example, a few years ago, Frontier introduced a limited-time offer for free installation and equipment if customers agreed to sign a 1-year-long agreement. In such a case, failing to abide by the terms and conditions of the contract results in penalties like early termination fees and equipment non-return fees.
Additional Costs
There is a little discrepancy when it comes to the cost of Frontier DSL Internet because the price for monthly plans varies from state to state. Also, in some areas, the price locks are for 12 months, whereas in other areas the price guarantees are given for 24 months. The only thing that remains consistent across the footprint is the additional costs associated with Frontier’s DSL internet.
Additional Costs | |
Additional Services | Extra Price |
DSL Internet Installation Fee | $85.00 one-time charge |
Service Activation Fee | $85.00 one-time charge |
Equipment Fee | $10.00 per month |
Late Payment Fee | $10.00 per month |
Service Disconnection Fee | $10.00 one-time charge |
Taxes | Up to $6.00 per month |
Surcharges | Up to $4.00 per month |
On a positive note, the bulk of these extra prices is one-time fees for services like internet installation, activation, and cancellation. However, some recurring costs like the equipment rental fee, taxes, and surcharges are unavoidable and nominal.
Availability
Frontier DSL Internet is available in most villages, towns, and cities in 25 states of the USA. Here is a list of all the states where you can access Frontier’s DSL internet service.
Frontier DSL Availability by States | ||||
Alabama | Georgia | Minnesota | New York | Tennessee |
Arizona | Illinois | Mississippi | North Carolina | Texas |
California | Indiana | Nebraska | Ohio | Utah |
Connecticut | Iowa | Nevada | Pennsylvania | West Virginia |
Florida | Massachusetts | New Mexico | South Carolina | Wisconsin |
Is Frontier DSL Internet Good for Gaming?
Online gaming websites state that for light gaming, internet speeds over 25 Mbps are good. Apart from the internet speeds, ping and latency make a huge difference in the gameplay. Higher ping rates and latency cause lagging and it can be very frustrating for competitive games like Counter-Strike, Fortnight, and Call of Duty. Experts say that a latency lower than 20 milliseconds is excellent for gaming, and anything over 20 ms but less than 40 ms is considered good. Fortunately, Frontier DSL Internet’s latency is between 11 and 40 milliseconds. So, we can say that mid and elite-level plans are good for gaming as they have download speeds of 50 Mbps and 100 Mbps and low latencies.
Frontier DSL vs Other DSL Providers
There are quite a few internet service providers that are offering both, fiber-optic internet and DSL internet services to their consumers. Frontier DSL Internet’s biggest competitors are EarthLink, CenturyLink, and Kinetic. Let’s dive deeper to understand whether Frontier’s DSL service can compete with these three providers in terms of pricing, speeds, and perks.
Frontier DSL vs EarthLink DSL
EarthLink Internet is one of the largest internet service providers in the country. It uses the wired and wireless infrastructure of other internet carriers to provide high-speed and reliable internet to its customers. It is a little ironic because, in some areas, EarthLink uses Frontier’s DSL network to deliver broadband services to its subscribers. In the side-by-side comparison below, you can see that EarthLink DSL plans are more expensive than Frontier DSL Internet even if the same telephone lines are being used for transmission. This is because EarthLink only purchases the bandwidth from Frontier. After which, it sets its prices, speeds, and perks. It is a lot like buying goods from a wholesaler and reselling it at a profit at your boutique.
Comparison | Frontier DSL | EarthLink DSL |
---|---|---|
Price Range | $34.99 to $44.99/mo. | $49.95 to $69.95/mo. |
Download Speed | Up to 100 Mbps | Up to 80 Mbps |
Upload Speed | Up to 25 Mbps | Up to 10 Mbps |
Availability | 25 states of the USA | 48 states of the USA |
Installation Cost | $85.00 | $79.95 |
Equipment Cost | $10/mo. | $8/mo. |
Data Cap | Unlimited Data | Unlimited Data |
Contract | Not Required | 1-year contract |
Customer Service | 3.6 out of 5 stars | 3.7 out of 5 stars |
Contact Provider | Call 877-410-3834 Now! | Call 877-209-2467 Now! |
EarthLink DSL internet cannot match Frontier DSL Internet’s affordable rates, faster upload and download speeds and perks like contract-free service.
Frontier DSL vs Kinetic DSL
Kinetic Internet by Windstream is at par with Frontier DSL Internet. Both can deliver up to 100 Mbps of download speeds within the same price range. And while both DSL internet providers offer unlimited data and contract-free service, the extra expenditures on Kinetic DSL internet service are a lot lower than Frontier’s DSL Internet. Moreover, Kinetic’s customer service rating is far better than Frontier’s.
Comparison | Frontier DSL Internet | Kinetic DSL Internet |
---|---|---|
Price Range | $34.99 to $44.99/mo. | $39.99 to $59.99/mo. |
Download Speed | Up to 100 Mbps | Up to 100 Mbps |
Upload Speed | Up to 25 Mbps | Up to 10 Mbps |
Availability | 25 states of the USA | 18 states of the USA |
Installation Cost | $85.00 one-time charge | $35.00 one-time charge |
Equipment Cost | $10.00/mo. | $6.99/mo. |
Data Cap | Unlimited Data | Unlimited Data |
Contract | Not Required | Not Required |
Customer Service | 3.6 out of 5 stars | 4.0 out of 5 stars |
Contact Provider | Call 877-410-3834 Now! | Call 877-412-0760 Now! |
Frontier DSL vs CenturyLink DSL
CenturyLink is one of the top ten internet providers in the country. Its coverage spans over 36 states, and its DSL internet service is highly popular in rural and suburban areas. CenturyLink is one of the few internet carriers that give lifetime price guarantees and has adopted a policy of fixed pricing. CenturyLink has only one plan for its DSL internet, called Simply Unlimited Internet. The plan costs $50 per month and can deliver up to 100 Mbps of download speeds.
Comparison | Frontier DSL Internet | CenturyLink DSL Internet |
---|---|---|
Price Range | $34.99 to $44.99/mo. | $50.00/mo. |
Download Speed | Up to 100 Mbps | Up to 100 Mbps |
Upload Speed | Up to 25 Mbps | Up to 10 Mbps |
Availability | 25 states of the USA | 36 states of the USA |
Installation Cost | $85 | $99 |
Equipment Cost | $10/mo. | $15/mo. |
Data Cap | Unlimited Data | Unlimited Data |
Customer Service | 3.6 out of 5 stars | 4.1 out of 5 stars |
Contact Provider | Call 877-410-3834 Now! | Call 877-395-5851 Now! |
Although CenturyLink’s DSL internet plan is initially more expensive than Frontier’s DSL internet, in the long run, it will be a better option because CenturyLink’s price will remain the same, but Frontier’s price will increase in the second or third year.
Conclusion
Frontier Communications is a renowned internet service provider in the country, offering high-speed internet services to nearly 3.17 million customers. Frontier DSL Internet is a widely available and low-cost alternative to fiber internet. Frontier’s fiber internet service is only available in 15 cities within its 25-state coverage area. Whereas, Frontier DSL Internet is accessible in most villages and towns. You can get up to 100 Mbps of download speeds on Frontier DSL plans at a starting price of just $34.99 per month.
J.Soofi
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