Frontier Communications is bringing faster home broadband speeds to all customers in its service area. In a bid to compete against rivals, including AT&T with its recent hyper-gigabit service plans, Frontier is now deploying a new symmetrical 2Gbps fiber service.
Frontier notes that it is the first major internet service provider (ISP) to launch network-wide multi-gig fiber speeds while other providers are still deploying fiber to select residents living in very specific fiber footprints.
Frontier’s speed boost, however, won’t come cheap. Frontier is launching its symmetrical 2 Gig fiber plans at $149 per month, which comes with ” free next-gen total home Wi-Fi + free Amazon Fire TV + free webcam + free voice line + free activation + free premium tech support + free multi-device security,” according to the company. At a time when more people are embracing hybrid work, the faster speed is a welcome addition.
These speeds deliver 2.5 times less latency, which is good for working, learning, and staying entertained at home with high-bandwidth applications like gaming, streaming, and videoconferencing. With 2Gbps speeds, it takes just two minutes to download a 10GB game like Fortnite on your desktop and under two minutes to download to a high-resolution Blu-ray video with Dolby Audio, the company said. And with symmetrical speeds, the carrier boasted that the new plan is up to 50 times faster in upload speeds than competing cable networks.
“We’re thrilled to become the first and only major ISP to deliver networkwide 2 Gig internet service, as we unleash the power of our fiber network,” Frontier CEO and President Nick Jeffery exclaimed. “Today is proof that Frontier is doing what customers want and cable can’t – bringing faster speeds and greater value to consumers as we build Gigabit America.”
Compared to rival AT&T’s recent multi-gig plans, Frontier’s 2 gig pricing sits in the middle of AT&T’s comparable 2Gbps plan ($110)and the faster 5Gbps plan ($180). Google Fiber also offers a similar 2Gbps plan in very limited areas, and that service is the most affordable at just $100 per month. In addition to AT&T and Google, other providers, including Verizon and Comcast, also have gigabit or multi-gig broadband service in select areas.
To sweeten the deal, Frontier stated that the first 1,000 customers to sign up for or upgrade to the new multi-gig plan will get a 43-inch Amazon Fire TV and Logitech Webcam. The 2 Gig router, the company said, supports fast Wi-Fi 6E technology to unlock the speeds of your new broadband plan. All 2-gig customers will receive 24/7 customer support. The company promised 99.99% network reliability.
Frontier’s 2 Gig plan is launching now following the company’s announcement during its Investor Day in August that it will blanket its entire network with multi-gig speeds.
