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Frontier vs. Comcast: How Do They Compare?

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Frontier vs. Comcast: How Do They Compare?

Shopping for an internet provider can be a hassle, especially in an area with more than one provider. Here is a quick comparison guide to help you make an informed decision when your only options are Frontier and Comcast’s Xfinity.

Frontier vs Comcast Xfinity: Side-by-Side Comparison

infographic for Frontier vs Comcast
DescriptionComcast XfinityFrontier
ServicesInternet, TV, and home phone servicesInternet
Coverage40 states25 states
Internet TypeFiber and CableFiber and DSL
Data CapYesNo
Internet and TV BundlingYesNo
ContractsYesNo
Customer ServiceFairLow

Frontier vs. Comcast Xfinity: What’s the Difference?

Background

Frontier communications is one of the top ISPs in the US, popular for reliability, low prices, and lack of contracts. Comcast, on the other hand, uses its Xfinity brand to market its home phone service, cable TV, and internet. It is currently among the largest ISPs for cable internet.

Internet Types

There are three main internet technologies; DSL, cable, and fiber.

DSL uses telephone lines to connect to the internet. It is the oldest of the three and consequently the cheapest as well as the slowest. DSL internet is available in most areas. It is common in rural and remote areas due to the expansive network of telephone lines.

Cable internet uses the same cable for cabled TV to supply internet to homes. It is faster than DSL and is also available to nearly all households.

Fiber internet uses fiber optics technology to transmit data at extremely high speeds. It offers the fastest internet in the country and is slightly pricier than other options. As a nascent technology, it is not as widespread as the other two though the network is fast growing.

Frontier offers both DSL and fiber internet services, while Xfinity provides cable and fiber internet. Due to this, on the low-price spectrum, Xfinity offers better speeds with its cable internet, but the speeds level up at higher price plans as both ISPs use fiber internet.

Frontier Internet homepage
Frontier offers customers a choice between DSL or fiber internet services.

©History-Computer.com

Availability

As of June 2020, the broadband map of the Federal Communication Commission, FCC, indicated that Frontier served 11% of the US population while Xfinity served 36% of the population. And today, Xfinity is the largest cable ISP in the US. This is partly because Comcast’s Xfinity focuses on densely populated areas, whereas Frontier largely serves suburbs, rural, and remote areas.

In terms of distribution, Xfinity is mostly available in the Northeast moving down to the South through Tennessee but not in North Carolina. It is also largely available in Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Memphis, Nashville, Portland, Sacramento, and Seattle.

Frontier offers DSL internet service to around 11.7 million people in the Southwest, Northeast, and Southwest. Its Fiber internet is available to about 4 million people in California, Texas, Indiana, and Florida.

The services of the two ISPs overlap in states such as California, Indiana, Illinois, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. This number is bound to grow as the ISPs grow their networks.

Internet Plans and Pricing

Comcast offers its users six to seven internet plans, while Frontier offers fewer options and often only one DSL plan. Here is a tabular breakdown of some of the internet plans of the two ISPs.

Note that all the prices indicated here are bound to change and vary from region to region. Therefore, make sure you check the ISP’s website for the latest plans and promotions before subscribing.

Frontier Internet Plans

PlanTypeMonthly PriceDownload/Upload Speeds
Frontier Internet (Copper)DSL$54.99Varies
Fiber 500Fiber$49.99500/500Mbps
Fiber 1 GigFiber$74.99940/880Mbps
Fiber 2 GigFiber$149.992Gbps/2Gbps

Comcast Xfinity Internet Plans

PlanTypeMonthly PriceDownload Speed
ConnectCable$24.99Up to 75Mbps
Connect MoreCable$39.99Up to 200Mbps
FastCable$55.00Up to 400Mbps
SuperfastCable$65.00Up to 800Mbps
GigabitCable$75.00Up to 1000Mbps
Gigabit ExtraFiber$80.001200Mbps
Gigabit x6Fiber$299.953000Mbps

In Central Region, the Gigabit x6 plan goes by the name Gigabit X3  

Some regions, like the Northeast, get the same Comcast Xfinity connection type and download speeds offered at Central and Western but with different names and monthly prices. i.e

PlanTypeMonthly PriceDownload Speed
Performance StarterCable$65.00Up to 75Mbps
PerformanceCable$83.95Up to 200Mbps
Performance ProCable$39.99Up to 400Mbps
Blast!Cable$59.99Up to 800Mbps
Extreme ProCable$69.99Up to 1000Mbps
GigabitFiber$79.991200Mbps
Gigabit ProFiber$299.996000Mbps (double  what you get in Central and Western)

Both Frontier and Comcast Xfinity have additional fees other than installation and rental fees. Xfinity users who want unlimited data access have to pay an extra amount. Frontier, on the other hand, offers unlimited data but charges an extra monthly fee for network maintenance and related costs.

comcast xfinity truck internet iSP
Comcast Xfinity offers the same connection type and download speeds, but with different names and prices depending on the region.

©Gary Reinwald/Shutterstock.com

TV Bundles

Frontier has since discontinued the provision of digital TV to its customers. Its TV bundles include local channels and a free 90-day trial of the DISH Movie Pack online TV, after which you start paying a monthly fee of $20.

It is worth clarifying that Frontier does not have true TV bundles. Instead, it has partnered with independent TV and streaming service providers such as Sling TV, Fubo TV, DirecTV Stream, and DISH satellite TV. This arrangement might be convenient to the customers, but it saves them no money as the prices are the same whether you purchase Frontier’s TV plan or buy directly from the TV service provider.

On the other hand, Comcast’s Xfinity TV bundles can save you about $10 per month. The ISP has several Internet and TV bundles called Double Play. Depending on your plan, you can get from 100Mbps to 1200Mbps of speed.

The cheapest option, Choice Double Play, offers 10+ TV channels, 100Mbps, and costs $49.99/month. For $109.99/month, you can get 185 channels and 600Mbps. The Premier Double Play costs $125/month and delivers 1200Mbps and 185+ TV channels. Again, these offers are bound to change over time and vary with region.

Customer Satisfaction

Comcast and Frontier do not score highly on customer satisfaction rankings but have consistently improved over the years. Xfinity ranks better with a score of 66% in the 2021-2022 American Customer Satisfaction Index, ACSI. Also, Frontier’s score improved from 54% in the previous ranking to 61%.

In a 2021 study by J.D Power of ISPs across all four regions in the US, Xfinity garnered 725 points out of 1000. Frontier scored below average in the South and ranked last in the other three regions. The study examined ISPs on billing, cost, customer service, communications, performance, and reliability.

Complaints filed on the Better Business Bureau show that Frontier’s low customer satisfaction is mainly on its DSL internet as it is slow. Service disruptions due to the selling and acquisition of infrastructure also caused dissatisfaction amongst Frontier’s customers.

Therefore, the low customer satisfaction ranking of Frontier’s services can be misleading precedence for decision-making, especially when one is considering Frontier’s Fiber internet. In fact, when separated from the overall ratings, Frontier Fiber internet ranked higher than Xfinity’s.

Pros and Cons

Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of both providers.

Frontier

ProsCons
Affordable fiber internet pricesPoor customer service
Fast download and upload speedsSlow speeds for DSL services (especially when farther away from the provider’s central office)
No data caps

Comcast Xfinity

ProsCons
Wide coverageRequires contracts
Highly reliableHas data caps
Fast internet speeds

Frontier vs. Comcast Xfinity: 6 Must-Know Facts

  • Xfinity has a data cap of 1.2TB, while Frontier offers unlimited data.
  • Frontier’s DSL is the slowest internet connection when comparing the two ISPs.
  • Frontier Fiber Internet service was formerly named Frontier FiOS, and Frontier FiberOptic.
  • Xfinity internet plans vary in name and price depending on the region.
  • Frontier Fiber offers marginally higher upload speeds than Xfinity.
  • For both providers, internet speeds vary from area to area.

Frontier vs. Comcast Xfinity: Which is Better?

The decision on which provider is better depends on several factors, the leading of which is availability. However, if they are both available in your area, then here is a quick summary:

Speed: Xfinity offers better download speed than Frontier, which makes it great for streaming services. However, Frontier has better upload speeds, making it a better option for fast-paced online gaming.

Price: Frontier wins. Even though both offer excellent promos, Frontier requires no contracts and offers unlimited data. Just remember that Frontier DSL is cheap but slow.

Additional services: Xfinity wins. Though slightly expensive, Xfinity offers its subscribers access to public Wi-Fi hotspots across the US and a streaming device.

TV bundles: Xfinity wins as Frontier does not sell real TV bundles, nor does buying from it save you any money.

Comcast Xfinity wins the duel; it has better speeds at low-price plans, better extra services and TV bundles than Frontier. However, if you do not wish to be tied down by contracts and data cap limits, then Frontier is a suitable alternative. Also, if you must choose between Frontier DSL and Frontier Fiber, go for the latter. It has more plans, higher speeds, and higher customer satisfaction rankings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Frontier Cheaper than Comcast Xfinity?

The prices vary depending on the area; hence a determination on which is cheaper of the two ISPs can only be correct when the comparison is based on regions. That said, Frontier wins the price war with its unlimited data cap, especially in high-priced plans.

How long are Comcast’s Xfinity contracts?

The length of the contract depends on the type of the plan. Some plans require 12 months, others 24 months, and some do not even need contracts.

Does Frontier own Verizon?

Verizon and Frontier are two different ISPs. However, Frontier acquired most of its DSL and Fiber infrastructure from Verizon in 2009.

Can I have both Frontier and Xfinity in the same house?

You can, but only if you use different internet connections. You can have Frontier DSL with either Xfinity cable internet or Xfinity Fiber internet. If you go for Frontier Fiber, you can only add Xfinity cable internet. You cannot have Frontier Fiber and Xfinity Fiber.

What is Comcast Xfinity Flex?

It is a 4K-capable streaming TV box rented to Xfinity customers who use internet-only plans. It allows access to apps and networks such as Prime Video, Hulu, Spotify, Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, and many more.

Can I use my personal router on Comcast and Frontier internet?

You can, provided it is compatible with the ISPs’ equipment. However, using your own router will limit the technical support the internet provider can offer.

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