With the growth of technology, the internet has become a necessity in every person’s life. It provides many opportunities and benefits to people, including access to meaningful information, and helps them improve their skills. In short, broadband access impacts the quality of our life.

We all want a reliable home internet service to support our bandwidth demands. Unfortunately, the overwhelming number of choices in the market makes the entire selection process quite stressful. If AT&T and Frontier are the available options at your address, you may quickly lose yourself in endless details. Before we jump into a detailed analysis of Frontier vs AT&T, let’s begin with a brief introduction of each provider.

Frontier

Frontier Communications offers a range of broadband services to companies and household users via fiber-optic and DSL networks. This national telecommunication company began as a rural internet service provider before expanding to offer fiber internet in large metropolitan areas. Frontier currently operates in 25 states and is known for providing reasonable packages and bundles.

Frontier’s fiber internet provides remarkable speeds at affordable costs, but its DSL service is relatively subpar. Therefore, its fiber internet is more valuable in terms of speed, reliability, and performance. 

Pros:

  • Price-lock guarantee
  • 24/7 technical support
  • Unlimited Data

Cons:

  • Lackluster DSL service
  • Unsatisfactory customer service
  • Some plans require contracts

AT&T

AT&T is the largest internet provider in the US, with an award-winning fiber network. The company also provides a variety of broadband services to millions of people via fiber and hybrid-fiber connections. It currently covers over 40% of households, but more than half comes under its hybrid DSL network called IPBB. However, it is actively working to extend its fiber network, which currently services 21 states.

AT&T Fiber offers excellent value and provides some of the fastest internet speeds. Depending on your address, AT&T might provide the best internet deals. Besides wired Internet, AT&T also offers fixed wireless and mobile service.

Pros:

  • Faster internet option
  • Strong customer service
  • Remarkable perks
  • No contracts or data caps

Cons:

  • Non-fiber plans have data caps
  • IPBB is more prevalent

Internet Service Comparison – Frontier Internet vs AT&T

FeaturesAT&TFrontier
Fiber Internet Plans53
Price Range$55.00/month – $180.00/month$49.99/month – $149.99/month
Speed Range10 Mbps – 5000 Mbps25 Mbps – 2000 Mbps
Internet TypeFiber, IPBB, Fixed WirelessFiber, DSL
Data CapsNoneNone
Bundle DealsYesYes
ContractsNoneSome plans require them
Equipment FeeNoNo
Installation FeeYesNo
Contact ProviderCall NowCall Now

AT&T and Frontier use fiber and DSL technologies to deliver wired broadband services to their customers. So, Frontier vs AT&T? Who is the best provider? You can discover the answer by looking at their differences and similarities.

AT&T and Frontier have different numbers of internet plans, price points, speed tiers, terms, and coverage areas. However, they both provide limitless bandwidth and fantastic bundles. We’ll go through these key distinctions and parallels in more depth.

Internet Plans – Frontier vs AT&T

In general, AT&T has a large selection of internet options. Both Frontier and AT&T offer DSL and fiber internet plans. They have similar speeds for some fiber internet plans, but AT&T offers more options. Here are the internet plans and rates of each provider. 

Frontier

Frontier has a more extensive DSL network, as most customers in its service area can only get this service. Whereas, the availability of its fiber internet plans is currently limited to large metro areas. The best thing about Frontier internet plans is that it offers both DSL and fiber plans with a price lock. So when will the prices increase?

Frontier’s price lock has varied time frames depending on the internet type and package. For instance, Frontier DSL internet subscriptions have a 24-month price lock. There isn’t a promised or guaranteed price rise after that. As for its fiber internet service, it locks your pricing for a year or longer. For example, its gigabit internet plan comes with a 3-year fixed price.

PlanMonthly PriceSpeedInternet TypeContact Frontier
Frontier Internet$54.99/month115 MbpsDSLCall Now
Frontier Fiber 500$49.99/month500 MbpsFiberCall Now
Frontier Fiber 1000$74.99/month1000 MbpsFiberCall Now
Frontier Fiber 2000$149.99/month2000 MbpsFiberCall Now

AT&T

Just like Frontier, most AT&T customers qualify for its DSL service. But its fiber footprint is more extensive than Frontier. AT&T offers several fiber internet plans with unlimited data and no contracts. Its multi-gigabit plans however are available at a few addresses.

Ultimately, AT&T’s fiber internet plans offer much better value with higher speed options, better performance, and more availability. Besides these wired internet connections, AT&T also offers a fixed wireless internet plan. You don’t have to worry about the price increase after a year because AT&T offers internet plans at regular prices.

PlanMonthly PriceSpeedInternet TypeContact AT&T
AT&T Fixed Wireless$70.00/month10 Mbps – 25 MbpsFixed WirelessCall Now
AT&T Internet 75$55.00/monthUp to 75 MbpsIPBBCall Now
AT&T Internet 100$55.00/month100 MbpsIPBBCall Now
AT&T Fiber Internet 300$55.00/month300 MbpsFiberCall Now
AT&T Fiber Internet 500$65.00/month500 MbpsFiberCall Now
AT&T Fiber Internet 1000$80.00/month1000 MbpsFiberCall Now
AT&T Fiber Internet 2000$110.00/month2000 MbpsFiberCall Now
AT&T Fiber Internet 5000$180.00/month5000 MbpsFiberCall Now

Internet Speed – Frontier vs AT&T

Internet speeds are always one of the most important considerations when looking for home internet. AT&T and Frontier offer comparable fiber internet speeds for most plans. The only difference is that AT&T gives you more speed options and has one of the fastest internet plans in the US. The majority of providers solely promote download speeds because they are more important, but what about the upload speeds?

While both providers have symmetrical upload and download speeds with their fiber internet service, their other connection types come with asymmetrical speeds. In comparison, AT&T DSL internet offers significantly better speeds as Frontier’s DSL speeds highly vary with your location. Here is a comparison of the internet speeds of both providers.

Internet SpeedsAT&TFrontier
Fiber Internet Speed Range300 Mbps – 5000 Mbps500 Mbps – 2000 Mbps
DSL Internet Speed Range10 Mbps – 100 Mbps9 Mbps – 115 Mbps

Data Caps 

Monthly data caps are frustrating if you are a remote worker or enjoy heavy activities like streaming or gaming. Fortunately, Frontier offers unlimited data on every plan, allowing you to enjoy bandwidth-heavy activities without monitoring your data usage or fearing an overage fee.

In contrast, AT&T imposes data caps on non-fiber internet plans. However, the DSL internet plans come with a 1 TB monthly data allocation. This huge amount of monthly data implies that you won’t run out of it because it’s more than enough for any activity.

Bundle Deals

Another similarity between both providers is that they don’t offer their TV service. Instead, they collaborate with a satellite TV provider to deliver some of the best internet and TV bundles. So, if you are curious about who offers the best bundle deals between Frontier vs AT&T, let’s take a closer look at their offerings.

AT&T

AT&T teams up with DirecTV to provide excellent internet, TV, and home phone bundles. The providers let you mix and match the plans to create a package that suits your or your family’s needs, whether you prefer fewer channels or better internet connections.

High-speed internet, live TV, tens of thousands of on-demand movies, and twenty hours of cloud DVR storage are all included in the bundles. Additionally, some packages give you three months’ worth of access to premium channels like HBO Max, SHOWTIME, and STARZ. Below are the top AT&T and DirecTV packages.

BundlePriceInternet SpeedChannelsHome Phone
AT&T INTERNET + DIRECTV STREAM ENTERTAINMENT PACKAGE$124.99/month300 Mbps65+
Internet 1000 + DIRECTV STREAM ULTIMATE + Phone$209.98/month1000 Mbps130+Unlimited North America

Frontier

In contrast, Frontier partners with DISH TV to offer customizable FrontierTV and internet bundles. Customers of Frontier can combine any internet plan with a DISH TV package based on their preferences and financial constraints.

With the ability to add regional and sports channels, each bundle package comes with high-speed internet and a different number of channels. Plus, these packages include a complimentary three-month subscription to SHOWTIME and the DISH Movie Pack.

BundlePriceInternet SpeedChannelsContact Frontier
Frontier Fiber Internet 500 + DISH America’s Top 200$139.98/month500 Mbps240+Call Now
Frontier Fiber Gig + DISH America’s Top 250$174.98/month1000 Mbps290+Call Now

Coverage Area – Frontier vs AT&T

AT&T is the largest internet provider in the US and considerably has a much more expansive footprint than Frontier. According to FCC, its DSL network covers 96% of its service area, fiber internet 31%, and fixed wireless internet is available in just 4% of its area. In fact, AT&T has an impressive fiber footprint as it covers large metro areas of 21 states.

In contrast, Frontier is accessible in just 25 states, but most customers are eligible for its slower DSL service as it covers 99% of its service area. Its fiber internet has a much smaller footprint, covering large metro areas in 11 states. 

Customer Service

Sadly, American ISPs seldom receive positive consumer feedback. Every year, a number of customer service reviewers, including ACSI and J.D. Power, publish their rankings of the top internet service providers. Comparatively, AT&T has much better customer service than Frontier. In fact, it is among the top 3 internet providers in the country.

In contrast, Frontier is currently showing significant progress after receiving unfavorable ratings for several years. Its score of 61 in the most recent ACSI assessment, albeit below the industry average, is a substantial personal improvement from last year’s 57. However, its performance in the J.D. Power Study tells a different tale, as it came last in the East, North Central, and West areas. The below-average customer service is mostly due to the slower DSL service, but Frontier vows to put more effort into continuously improving its service. 

ACSI RankingsAT&TFrontier
20217157
20226961

Additional Fee 

Your internet service comes with a few additional charges. We have made a list of all the extra costs to help you choose between Frontier vs AT&T.

Equipment Fee

The equipment fee is not part of both AT&T or Frontier’s internet service. Hence, you don’t have to worry about this additional fee in your monthly internet bill.

Installation Fee

AT&T charges a one-time $99 for its installation and only provides free installation at a few addresses. But it frequently runs online promotions where this cost is waived.

In comparison, Frontier offers free professional installation and charges $85 for activating its DSL service.

Conclusion

Choosing an internet package is more difficult if numerous internet service providers in your region provide broadband services using the same technology. So who is the best provider? Frontier vs AT&T? The real comparison between AT&T and Frontier is about their fiber internet service. So, it all comes down to whether this service is available at your address.

Ultimately, both internet providers offer comparable speeds, unlimited data, and excellent perks with their fiber internet. However, we recommend AT&T because of its wider availability, consistent performance, and reliability.