Best Fiber Internet Providers of 2020

Fiber-optic Internet is a relatively new technology. As of 2019, there are still some Internet Service Providers (ISPs) that offer fiber services, so we are comparing the four largest fiber Internet providers. Remember that the best for you depends on your location - two providers rarely provide fiber in one place. Enter your zip code above to see which Best Fiber Internet Providers are providing services in your city and we'll help you compare the plan.

Best Fiber Internet Providers 

Best Fiber Internet Providers

Verizon Fios - no data limit

AT&T Internet - Comfortable TV / Internet Bundle

Frontier Fios - No contract

CenturyLink - Lifetime Price-Lock

Best Fiber Internet: Abbreviated

Verizon Fios 

Why do we choose

There is no data cap

Verizon FiOS intelligently combines its fiber speeds with unlimited data usage. You can upload, download, stream and surf all month. Other providers with a data cap will slow down your service when you use all your data, making your Internet virtually useless.

Online forums note if you are hosting servers and are regularly paying 10TB per month, you may receive a warning letter from Verizon Internet encouraging you to consider a business internet plan. However, most consumers will never reach that kind of data consumption.

Award winning customer service

We use Verizon's Consumer Reports, American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) and J.D. We are at the top of the Power Customer Service rankings. It was previously the recipient of the JD Power Customer Satisfaction Award with full marks on every metric. Verizon has topped ACSI with Consumer Reports with 70 out of 100. These types of ratings are the best indicator of customer care. Because of Verizon's optimistic score, you can expect reliable performance, reasonable costs, painless communication and clear billing.

Promotional price

New customers signing up for Verizon will offer you many promotional deals that will save you a lot of money. If you can switch services during the contract with another provider, Verizon will help you purchase your contract for up to $ 500.

We appreciate that all Verizon packages come without the obligation of an annual contract. Although you may need to discontinue your service, you do not have to worry about the initial cancellation fee. If you order online, Verizon will also waive the Installation Fee of the 99.

Each plan is price-locked for one to three years and comes with various gift cards (between $ 50 and $ 150). Some bundles include $ 200 credits for smart home devices through Google or Nest. To overcome this, Verizon offers a 30-day money back guarantee if the service is defective.

Points to consider

Just a TV / Internet bundle

When you combine your Internet, TV and phone services, most ISPs offer greater savings. But by 2018, U.S. More than half the homes are wireless - most people do not like finding landlines on their Internet service.

Said phone service is standard with Verizon's best bundle package. If you only want to combine internet and TV services, Verizon Custom TV Plan is the only option. It comes with $ 80 per 1,000 GB and about 155 channels.

The Adaptive TV Scheme allows many people to get their favorite programs. If you like one of its more comprehensive channel plans, you should also add a phone service.

State availability

Verizon FIOS serves only ten states on the east coast, and its population coverage is approximately 33 million - after Comcast. So if you come to some states (especially New York), there is a good chance that you will be in your neighborhood.

AT&T Internet

Why do we choose

Wide availability

With fiber presence in 21 states (70 of the country's largest metro areas), and 9,799 zip codes, AT&T now has the largest fiber network. You will find most of its fiber services in the South, Midwest and California. AT&T has more detailed plans to expand its service to 14 other metro areas in the region, with Verizon's expansion plans only focused on New York State.

Comfortable bundle options

AT&T Internet lets you create and customize your own bundle of TV and Internet services. Customers have an unlimited combination of channel package and speed range. If you want to provide all speeds, but don't need multiple channels, you can connect 1,000 Mbps internet with a 180+ channel plan. If you spend more time surfing channels than surfing the web, you can opt for a 360+ channel plan and build it at 100 Mbps Internet speeds.

On average, the bundle saves you $ 10 on each service. When you unlock your service with a TV or phone you get unlimited data (usually $ 30) and a $ 150 reward card.

Customer service

We believe that AT&T can resolve issues quickly, communicate accurate billing, provide reliable service and provide responsive technical assistance.

Points to consider

Comparatively expensive

AT&T's fiber prices are $ 10 more than every speed tire. Its 1,000 Mbps and 235+ channel bundle costs 5 135 per month. $ 95 per month for Verizon's 1,000 Mbps, 280+ channels and home phone services. If you're not interested in bundling, you'll pay $ 30 per month for unlimited data. When you tie up the service, the cost will be waived, but will be added to the bill after your promotional offer expires (usually one year).

1 TB Data Cap

As we mentioned earlier, AT&T implements the 1TB data cap. If you choose a 100 Mbps or 500 Mbps Internet-only plan, you should closely monitor your data usage. This should be enough data for most households, but you can cross that limit if most people are streaming or gaming every day. If you exceed that amount, you will receive an alert and if this happens too often, you will be charged an additional $ 10 per 50 GB.

You have the option to upgrade to unlimited data ($ 30 per month), but Verizon Fios offers unlimited data for free. AT&T customers who purchase Top Speed ​​Tires (1,000 Mbps) or lease their services will have free unlimited Data during the initial contract period.

Frontier

Why do we choose

Availability of PNW

Frontier offers fiber-optic availability for the West Coast, especially for the Pacific Northwest. Its fiber service is available in many cities in Washington, Oregon and California. While CenturyLink has presence in some of these states, it is relatively small (up to a maximum of one or two cities).

Meanwhile, fiber service from AT&T and Verizon is not in the Pacific Northwest and there are no current plans to expand. For West Coast residents, Frontier Fiber is your only option for the Internet.

No agreement, no data limit

Frontier’s service comes without contractual obligations and data limitations. Customers are free to shop and change services without any upfront fee. You will receive no penalty for using data to get away from your summer, videoconferencing during your workday, or uploading to your YouTube channel.

New customers also get a two-year price guarantee, a free router and Amazon Prime's year.

Points to consider

Customer service

The bottom line of customer satisfaction surveys is lower than the borderline average. 54 out of 100 of the company received moderate comments from ASCI and from Consumer Reports readers. In each area where Frontier operates, it made 2 out of 5 power circles from Jedi Power (which publishes the lowest score).

Customer service varies from person to person, but be prepared for some frustrating phone calls, billing confusion or spotty service capability. If you value diligent customer service at speed, consider another provider in your area.

CenturyLink

Why do we choose

Value for life

CenturyLink's starting price is $ 65 per 100 Mbps Internet, which may be a bit higher than other providers, but this price never goes up. Typically, Internet prices increase from $ 10 to $ 20 dollars after the first year and they increase as you continue the service. With CenturyLink, your monthly rate will stay locked until you stay at that address and stay on the same plan.

Business-Internet planning

If you want to buy best fiber internet for your business, CenturyLink offers very good terms. In cases where you have experienced and interrupted the Internet, CenturyLink will give you a full day credit for the total 30-minute service decline. This is er er of many other internet providers.

In our full review of Best Business Internet Providers, we found that CenturyLink is transparent with its service and flexible contract. CenturyLink is the only provider offering a service-level contract on its website, without the responsibility of the sales provider. Whether you need a month-to-month plan or stick to your two-year contract, you have many contract options.

Points to consider

Population availability

CenturyLink offers fiber to the smallest population in our largest selection. With only 3 million in 13 states, this availability is low. Although you may find CenturyLink fiber in a few other states than Verizon or Frontier, the state has little presence. CenturyLink can provide fiber to only a few states in one city.

XFINITY 

Xfinity Internet provides Internet speeds that match the fiber-optic technology, but Comcast still distributes traditional coaxial cables. Therefore, even if you can benefit from 1,000 or 2,000 MBPS, you are not taking full advantage of fiber technology (clarity, reliability and longevity).

Note that this cable speed also requires specialized routers and cable modems that use a wireless protocol called DOCSIS 3.1. In other words, you pay extra for this particular device.

Since Comcast has already built a nationwide cable infrastructure, there is a tremendous availability of these fiber-aware speeds. In areas where fiber technology is not yet available, you can gain fiber-like speed. If you need that kind of speed, it's easy to find, but we want a real fiber provider first.