In October 2022, Charter Communications introduced something called Spectrum One. It’s like a package deal that includes Spectrum Internet with different speed options (300 Mbps, 500 Mbps, or 1 gigabit), Spectrum Mobile that gives you unlimited data, and Charter’s Advanced WiFi (with a cool Wi-Fi 6 router).
The first level, which has Spectrum Internet at 300 Mbps, is on a special offer for $50 per month for the first year (if you’re a new customer), and there are no extra charges or contracts.
In April of this year, Spectrum got a bit of a celebration because Ookla, a speed test, said it’s the fastest internet provider in the U.S. They were clocked at around 235 Mbps in the first part of 2023, beating Xfinity, which was the fastest at the end of 2022.
What’s cool about Spectrum is that there are no contracts or fees if you decide to stop, and if you’re a new customer, you can get your money back within 30 days if you’re not happy. It’s a pretty simple deal, and that’s not always the case with internet providers.
With Spectrum, you can pick from three different speed plans. The starting plan gives you a maximum download speed of 300Mbps, which is quite fast for the first choice. If you compare it with other cable internet providers like Cox, Xfinity, and WideOpenWest, their starting speeds are 25, 75, and 100Mbps, respectively.
Spectrum Internet is used by about 30 million customers in 41 states, so it’s likely available in your area or nearby. It’s a good choice because, unlike its big competitors, Xfinity and Cox, Spectrum doesn’t limit how much data you can use.
However, if your address has a 100% fiber connection available, you might want to think about choosing that over Spectrum. Fiber usually gives you faster upload speeds and a more reliable connection overall.
Spectrum Internet: Pricing and plans
Spectrum Internet has three plans, each with its own price. There are no limits on how much data you can use, and you don’t have to sign a contract. But, after 12 months, your monthly bill will increase by $30. Here are the details:
More about the cable
Spectrum Internet mostly uses a mix of fiber and coaxial cable to connect to people’s homes. Cable is a reliable way to get fast internet, better than what you’d get with DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite. However, fiber internet can also give you speedy downloads and uploads. With cable plans from Optimum, Xfinity, and Cox, your upload speeds are usually in the double digits.
In a report from June 2022 by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), it’s mentioned that Spectrum’s cable internet is an option for almost 30% of the country. However, less than 1% of the people who could use Spectrum have the option for fiber internet.
But, according to our source, that’s not right. Even though Charter, the company behind Spectrum, doesn’t share how much of its internet is fiber and coaxial cable (HFC), the person speaking for them says the FCC’s info is old. They say a big part of their network uses fiber, and almost all the 53 million homes their network goes by can get really fast internet speeds.
But here’s the thing, it is not just about super-fast gigabit speeds. Other cable internet competitors, such as Cox and Xfinity, also have Gig plans. The real deal is having symmetrical speeds and better performance from a 100% fiber network. And that’s something Spectrum doesn’t offer.
Where Spectrum Internet is available
Spectrum Internet is in 41 states in the country. To make it easier, let’s mention the states where Charter Communications doesn’t offer its service: Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Iowa, Oklahoma, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, and Utah (also Washington, DC). If you live anywhere else, there’s a good chance you’re in an area covered by Spectrum or close to it.
However, like many other cable internet providers, Spectrum might have trouble reaching places with fewer people in rural areas. If that’s your situation, you might want to look at our list of the best internet providers for rural areas.
Spectrum Internet: Simple Details
Charter likes to keep things simple with Spectrum, but let’s dive in to see what else you can expect with your service.
Extra Monthly Costs
As mentioned earlier, Spectrum prides itself on not having data limits or extra fees. This is mostly true. Along with no contracts or data limits, each Spectrum plan includes a free modem. However, if you want to connect to Spectrum’s network using Wi-Fi, you’ll need to pay an extra $5 each month for the Spectrum router.
The good news is, like many other internet providers, Spectrum lets you avoid that extra charge by using your own equipment that works with Spectrum. Just keep in mind that you won’t be able to get technical support from Spectrum if you go that route.
Fees for Setting Up
Spectrum stopped in-home professional installations for a bit because of the pandemic, but now it’s back. The usual cost for professional installation at your home is $60. But, for many Spectrum Internet setups, you can do it yourself. If that’s the case, you’ll need a self-installation kit and that costs $20. It can be sent to your home or picked up at a Spectrum store.
You’ll also have to pay a one-time fee of $20 to activate the service, and there’s an extra $10 fee for activating the Wi-Fi.
No Data Limits
Unlike some other internet providers like Cox and Xfinity, Spectrum doesn’t put any data caps on its customers. This means you don’t have to worry about your internet slowing down if you use a lot of data.
Free Wi-Fi Anywhere
Besides using the internet at home, Spectrum gives customers free access to Wi-Fi when they’re outside. They have around 530,000 hotspots in all the places they cover. To connect when you’re close to one of these networks, just log in with your account username and password for unlimited access. You can also use the My Spectrum app for easy and fast access.
Spectrum Internet Compared to Others
Here’s the good news: Charter’s Spectrum service is making customers happier than it did when it took over Time Warner Cable in 2016. But there’s still some work to be done.
For instance, when you check the J.D. Power U.S. Residential Internet Service Provider Satisfaction Study for 2022, Spectrum consistently scored lower than the average in different regions of the U.S. In the South region, Spectrum got its highest score of 719 out of 1,000, but it still came after AT&T, Kinetic by Windstream, and Xfinity in that area.
According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index, Spectrum’s score went up by 7% in 2020, reaching 63 points. While not fantastic, it stayed at that score since then, even when the whole industry had lower scores. In 2023, Spectrum went a bit higher, getting 64 points. Although it’s two points less than the average of all internet providers without fiber, it’s still better than the 63 points from the previous year.
Conclusion
Spectrum Internet gives you three fast-speed options with unlimited data and no contracts. You won’t face extra charges like some other internet providers—no extra monthly fee for the modem, for instance.
But, like many providers, Charter Spectrum increases your monthly cost after the initial special period, so keep that in mind. Also, because Spectrum uses cable technology, it can give you quick download speeds, but the upload speeds might not be as fast. This could be a drawback for people working from home.
