Let’s be real: The joy of cord-cutting is replacing all of that great TV content with over-the-air TV and video streaming services. This presents its own set of challenges, which includes finding a good quality and cost-effective internet service provider (ISP) in order to stream on demand. One popular ISP is Xfinity, which has been known to deliver consistent internet speeds for its customers. We took a look at some of the main perks that Xfinity internet had to offer: the speeds, equipment, contracts, and more.
A Quick Look at Xfinity Internet
- Number of states served: 41
- Number of subscribers: 122.4 million
- Connection types: Cable, fiber
- Maximum download speed: 6 Gbps
- Maximum upload speed: 6 Gbps
- Starting price: $35 per month
OUR TAKE:
With contract-free plans and nationwide hotspots, Xfinity can keep you connected and covered wherever you go. It also offers the option to use your own modem, a great way to avoid paying high equipment rental fees.
Xfinity Internet Pros and Cons
Pros
- Wide internet coverage
- Variety of reliable, high-speed plans
- Term agreement discount applied to your monthly bill
- Promotional rates for contracts
Cons
- Higher monthly prices
- Contract required for promotional prices
- Early-termination fees (ETFs)
Xfinity Internet Availability
Xfinity has fast internet speeds available with both its cable and fiber plans. Its cable service has more availability; only a small percentage of people have access to its fiber service. It has the most coverage in California, Florida, and Illinois. There is extensive Xfinity cable internet coverage on the East Coast as well. We love watching baseball games in person, so it was really great to know that Xfinity’s cable internet was available in our area. Instead of wearing our baseball caps and jerseys at the stadium, we were able to stream the games via live TV at home.
Xfinity Internet Plans, Speeds, and Features
| Internet plan type | Starting price* | Maximum download speed | Maximum upload speed | Data cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xfinity Cable Internet | $35 per month | 1.2 Gbps | 35 Mbps | 1.2 TB |
| Xfinity Fiber Internet | $309.95 per month | 6 Gbps | 6 Gbps | 1.2 TB |
* Prices listed reflect a promotional rate for the first one or two years.
Despite the stark difference between both internet types in terms of speed, Xfinity offers unlimited data for both services. We watch sports all the time and even enjoy the reruns. Because our plan has unlimited data, we don’t have to worry about exceeding a monthly cap. Even if we did have a data cap, Xfinity’s cable internet is still an affordable internet option.
Though cord-cutters will no doubt focus on the internet-only plans, it's worth noting that Xfinity also offers extensive internet+TV bundling options for deal-seekers who are interested in cable TV.
Xfinity Internet Contracts, Data Caps, and Equipment
Xfinity’s internet service comes with contracts and cancellation policies. When you get a discounted rate on Xfinity internet, you'll sign a service contract that will run for one year. We weren’t happy about the yearlong commitment, nor were we thrilled to learn about the ETF we might have to pay if we end the contract early. We decided it was best to look at the discounts and deals offered by Xfinity to see if we could find something that could offset those costs.
Xfinity Data Caps
| Xfinity Cable | Xfinity Fiber |
|---|---|
| 1.2 TB | 1.2 TB |
For the casual viewer in need of an affordable internet plan, Xfinity’s cable internet plans have a large data cap of 1.2 TB, which is plenty for almost every household. If you want to stream in 4K on Hulu or Netflix, you’ll need a bandwidth of 16 Mbps or 7 GB per hour, respectively.
You can watch a lot of 4K UHD content or stream live TV on a service such as Sling TV. Casual sports fans may not put that much strain on their internet plans, but we’d probably be subjected to overage fees with the amount of streaming we do if we did have a data cap. A weekly football game shouldn’t take up that much data anyway, putting us within budget using Xfinity Cable.
Our Experience With Xfinity Internet: Customer Service
Customer service is one area that many folks complain about regarding Xfinity. We didn’t really have any issues; however, its customer service reps can be a little bit pushy trying to get you to upgrade your plan. It’s usually easy to get an issue resolved with Xfinity. Our internet went out a few times, but a customer service rep was available to help us fix it within an hour each time. We never had to go for days without the internet.
Most of the reps we spoke to were friendly. However, you often have to deal with robo-operators before you can get an actual human on the phone. Dealing with them, as well as being put on hold, is the most frustrating part about contacting Xfinity. Thankfully, Xfinity has multiple ways to reach it online, like social media, online chat, and community forums.
Xfinity Internet vs. Competitors
Many popular ISPs are now looking to offer cable and fiber internet. AT&T, for example, offers a variety of high-speed fiber internet plans, while Spectrum offers bundles similar to what Xfinity provides. Each ISP has its own pros and cons, and choosing the best one for you will depend on factors like location and household size.
Overall Verdict on Xfinity Internet
The most notable things about Xfinity internet are its high speeds and exclusive features. Its internet plan prices are relatively high, but it provides a reliable network that could handle any cord-cutter’s heavy internet usage. Cord-cutters are also given unlimited data with their plans — a nice perk that should pique the interest of casual and veteran sports fans alike.