Frontier
available in 
Price: $49.99–$154.99/mo. †
Fiber speeds: 500–5,000 Mbps
Data cap: No cap
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◊ Provider star ratings are based on user reviews and our independent customer satisfaction survey.
* Data effective 03/01/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
† w/ Auto Pay & Paperless Bill per month. Max speeds are wired. Location dependent. Wi-Fi, actual & average speeds vary. One-time charge on disconnect applies. In select areas where available.
Our Frontier internet review
Frontier’s DSL internet has you covered in terms of availability if you live in a rural area without cable or fiber internet access. But if you can get Frontier’s fiber, go with that instead. You can get a serious boost in speed for the same price you pay for DSL or cable internet.
Pros
- Affordable fiber plans
- Wide DSL availability in rural areas
Cons
- Added fees for equipment and installation
- Limited fiber availability
Jump to: Plans and pricing | Speed and data caps | Fees | Installation, equipment, and contracts | Customer ratings | Frontier vs. the competition | Bottom line | FAQ
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Compare Frontier internet plans and pricing
| Package | Price | Speed | Type | View on Frontier site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier Fiber 500 | $49.99/mo.✝ | Up to 500 Mbps | Fiber | Shop Plans |
| Frontier Fiber 1 Gig | $69.99/mo.‡ | Up to 1000 Mbps | Fiber | Shop Plans |
| Frontier Fiber 2 Gig | $99.99/mo.# | Up to 2,000 Mbps | Fiber | Shop Plans |
| Frontier Fiber 5 Gig | $154.99/mo.** | Up to 5,000 Mbps | Fiber | Shop Plans |
| Frontier Internet (DSL) | $49.99/mo.* | Call for details | DSL | Shop Plans |
✝ w/ Auto Pay & Paperless Bill. Max wired speed 500/500 Mbps. Wi-Fi, actual & average speeds vary. One-time charges apply. In select areas where available.
‡ w/ Auto Pay & Paperless Bill. Max wired speed 1000/1000 Mbps. Location dependent. Wi-Fi, actual & average speeds vary. One-time charges apply. In select areas where available.
#w/ Auto Pay & Paperless Bill. Max wired speed 2000/2000 Mbps. Wi-Fi, actual & average speeds vary. One-time charges apply. In select areas where available.
**w/ Auto Pay & Paperless Bill. Max wired speed 5000/5000. Wi-Fi, actual & average speeds vary. One-time charges apply. In select areas where available.
* w/ Auto Pay and Paperless bill per month for 24 mos. One-time charge on disconnect applies. Call for details. In select areas where available.
Frontier speeds: What’s best for you?
You don’t need a lot of speed to stream video, stream music, or play games online. But all that streaming can add up when multiple people download all that data simultaneously. The 500 Mbps plan is great for homes with around four people; it gives you enough room to stream, surf, and download game updates without disrupting everyone’s day. Speeds over 500 Mbps are ideal for running a business from home and livestreaming.
How fast are your Frontier speeds?
Click below for a quick speed test and find out.
Download speed
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Upload speed
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Latency (ping)
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Jitter
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Use our How Much Speed Do I Need? tool to see your household’s ideal internet speed before investing in a high-speed Frontier plan.
Frontier data caps
Frontier does not enforce data caps, so no worries there.
Our favorite plan:
The Fiber 500 plan is cheap and offers plenty of speed for a family of four. It’s an excellent deal compared to Spectrum’s 500 Mbps plan offered at $25 more and doesn’t have symmetrical speeds.
We suggest Frontier’s fiber over DSL and cable internet if you can get it—fiber is more reliable and has symmetrical speeds. Frontier expects to reach 10 million homes with fiber by the end of 2025.
Frontier also provides DSL internet if you can’t get fiber where you live.
Frontier ongoing deals and promotions + bundles
Get $10/mo. off YouTube TV for one year on all fiber plans. Terms and Conditions apply.
Get the DealFrontier internet fees
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Frontier’s paper bill fee is somewhat new to the list, so be sure to get your bill digitally if you want to save $36 each year. Also, try to avoid paying your bill through an authorized agent—human interaction requires an added fee.
Frontier internet installation, equipment, and contracts
Frontier provides expert installation for $50 and does not offer a self-install option at this time.
Frontier equipment
You get an Amazon eero mesh Wi-Fi router when you sign up for DSL internet. The Fiber 1 Gig plan comes with the Amazon eero Pro 6 and you get the Ultrafast Wi-Fi 6E router if you choose the Fiber 2 Gig plan. The Fiber 5 Gig plan comes with an Archer AXE300 Wi-Fi router.
Frontier internet contracts
Frontier does not have contracts. Instead, you must sign an agreement for up to 12 months if you select a plan with a rewards card. An early termination fee applies if you cancel your service before the agreement period ends.
Frontier internet customer ratings
| Overall Rating | Reliability Rating | Customer Service Rating | Speed Rating | Price Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier fiber | 3.8/5 | 3.8/5 | 3.6/5 | 4.0/5 | 3.4/5 |
| Frontier DSL | 3.3/5 | 3.3/5 | 3.3/5 | 3.4/5 | 3.0/5 |
| National provider average rating* | 3.7/5 | 3.7/5 | 3.6/5 | 3.8/5 | 3.3/5 |
*Based on our annual customer satisfaction survey
In our annual customer satisfaction survey, Frontier’s overall rating was 3.5— lower than the 3.7 average for all national providers. However, Frontier’s customers had differing opinions depending on whether their internet was DSL or fiber. DSL customers were overall unsatisfied with their service, with Frontier ranking in the bottom half of every category.
Frontier’s fiber internet saw better rankings from customers across the board when compared to DSL. Its highest ranking was in speed, with 90% of those respondents with Frontier’s fiber saying speeds were “always” or “usually” as fast as advertised. While Frontier’s fiber scored high in every category, it isn’t as widely available as Frontier’s DSL.
How Frontier compares to the competition
| Provider | Plan price range | Speeds (range) | User rating* | Order online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier | $49.99–$154.99/mo.† | Up to 500–5,000 Mbps (for fiber) | 3.5/5 | View Plans |
| Spectrum | $49.99–$89.99/mo. for 12 mos.‡ | Up to 300–1,000 Mbps (wireless speeds may vary) | 3.7/5 | View Plans |
| Xfinity | $25.00–$80.00/mo.§##| | 75–1,200 Mbps | 3.7/5 | View Plans |
| Optimum | $40.00–$180.00/mo.||# | Up to 300–5,000 Mbps | 3.4/5 | View Plans |
| CenturyLink | $50.00–$70.00/mo.**†† | Up to 100–940 Mbps | 3.6/5 |
*Based on our annual customer satisfaction survey.
† w/ Auto Pay & Paperless Bill per month. Max speeds are wired. Location dependent. Wi-Fi, actual & average speeds vary. One-time charge on disconnect applies. In select areas where available.
‡ Limited time offer; subject to change; valid to qualified residential customers who have not subscribed to any services within the previous 30 days and who have no outstanding obligation to Charter. Spectrum Internet® Gig promotion price is $89.99/mo; standard rates apply after yr. 1. Taxes, fees and surcharges extra and subject to change during and after the promotional period; installation/network activation, equipment and additional services are extra.
§ Connect plan: For 12 months. No term contract. Taxes and equipment not included. Includes $10/mo automatic payments and paperless billing discount. Regional price differences may apply.
##Connect More and Gigabit Extra plans: For 24 months. No term contract. Taxes not included. Includes $10/mo automatic payments and paperless billing discount. Regional price differences may apply.
|Fast, Superfast, and Gigabit plans: For 24 months. No term contract. Taxes and equipment not included. Includes $10/mo automatic payments and paperless billing discount.
|| w/Auto Pay & Paperless Bill. Terms apply. Not available in all areas.
# w/Auto Pay & Paperless Bill plus taxes. Terms apply. Not available in all areas.
** Speed may not be available in your area. Paperless billing required. Taxes and fees apply. Offer Details. Online ONLY. Free Modem.
††Speed may not be available in your area. Maximum download/upload speed of up to 940 Mbps via a wired connection. Paperless billing required. Taxes and fees apply. Offer details. Offer includes professional installation at customer’s eligible location.
For the most part, Frontier DSL competes with Xfinity, Spectrum, and Optimum cable internet. Frontier has five million fiber connections as of May 2022, so the chances of finding Frontier’s fiber-to-the-home service are slim for now. Fiber internet is just scarce in general, so DSL and cable internet may be your only landline options.
If we compare gigabit plans, CenturyLink has the same starting price as Xfinity, but Xfinity offers the most bang for your buck with its Gigabit Xtra plan at $80.00 per month for up to 1,200 Mbps.
But keep possible price hikes in mind. Optimum’s gigabit plan is cheaper than Spectrum’s at first but costs $25 more once the promotional period ends. Meanwhile, Frontier’s gigabit plan idles at a flat $69.99 per month, but isn’t guaranteed outside of month to month.
Read our full reviews of Frontier vs. its main internet competitors
Is Frontier internet right for you?
Frontier is your go-to, contract-free DSL internet provider in rural areas. It mainly competes with CenturyLink in this space and serves as an alternative if cable internet from Spectrum, Xfinity, or Optimum doesn’t reach your home. The price is on par with other DSL providers—even slightly cheaper than AT&T’s DSL service.
Frontier’s fiber is a different story. The prices are great and don’t automatically increase after the promotional period ends, however it’s hard to find right now. Frontier promises better availability soon as it swaps out telephone lines with fiber connections. So get fiber if you can, especially if you crave Frontier’s fast 2,000 Mbps speeds.
FAQ about Frontier
What is Frontier Communications?
Frontier is mostly a DSL internet provider that began as the Citizens Utilities telephone company in the 1930s. Frontier acquired Verizon’s landline assets in 2009, including DSL lines and some FiOS fiber. Since then, Frontier has slowly expanded both networks through acquisitions, but DSL is currently Frontier’s primary business, serving over eleven million locations across 25 states.5
Frontier’s fiber is still extremely limited. The company announced five million fiber connections to homes and businesses as it conveniently launched its Fiber 5 Gig plan on February 29, 2023.1 Frontier expects to reach 10 million fiber connections during its Wave 2 expansion—some of which will be upgrades from current DSL lines—by 2025.2
What are the best routers for Frontier internet?
You don’t need a specific router for Frontier’s DSL internet or its 500 Mbps and Gigabit fiber plans. All modern routers have a gigabit internet input port that connects to the modem or fiber ONT.
Frontier supplies the router it recommends at no cost to you, but if you want a router of your own, go with a Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 6E model for the best speeds and multi-device support. Be sure to check out these guides for additional router recommendations:
- Best Gigabit Routers for Superfast Wi-Fi
- Best Long-Range Routers
- Best Wi-Fi 6 Routers
- Best Wi-Fi Routers for Online Gaming
Why does Frontier now have a printed bill fee?
The new printed bill fee is the result of rising costs, according to Frontier.3 You can eliminate the monthly charge by signing up for paperless billing in your Frontier account.
Methodology
Our HighSpeedInternet.com editorial team bases our analyses on customer input from our annual customer satisfaction survey, results from our speed test tool, and proprietary internet provider data on speeds and pricing. To strengthen our research, we look closely at provider contracts to get hard-to-find information on price hikes, data caps, and extra fees, and we keep tabs on the latest news reports and online reviews. When applicable, we also rely on our personal experiences testing these services.
Sources
- Frontier Communications, “Frontier Becomes the First and Only Major ISP to Deliver Network-Wide 2 Gig Fiber Service,” February 22, 2022. Accessed May 17, 2022.
- Frontier Communications, “Frontier Communications Accelerates Fiber Build Out to Reach 10 Million Locations by End of 2025,” August 05, 2021. Accessed May 17, 2022.
- Frontier Communications, “Frontier Billing: Frequently Asked Questions.” Accessed May 17, 2022.
- Frontier Communications, “Understand My Bill: Taxes and Surcharges.” Accessed May 17, 2022.
- Frontier Communications, “Frontier First Quarter 2022 Results,” May 6, 2022. Accessed May 18, 2022.