Optimum vs Frontier Comparison 2023

Tue, Apr 11, 2023 5:49 AM Internet Bundles Broadband Deals

When comparing the differences between Frontier and Optimum, this is something to keep in mind. You want to make sure you're comparing apples to apples while searching for the cheap internet offers available. Comparing a DSL internet plan to a cable or fiber internet plan is pointless because a DSL connection can only provide speeds of up to 100 Mbps.

Frontier has been one of the most successful DSL internet providers over the last decade. With the acquisition of Verizon Fios' fiber network on the West Coast, they entered the fiber internet market. Optimum also provides a fiber link, but it is only accessible in four northeastern states. I'm not trying to dismiss Optimum in any way; it's a fantastic choice that's just not widely available.

Frontier FiberOptic and Optimum both have high-speed fiber internet at competitive prices. In the Northeast, however, Optimum has higher speeds than Frontier.

Frontier and Optimum Comparison

Optimum

Only available in four states
Internet-only plans begin at $40 per month
Price for Life guarantee
Over 2 million public Wi-Fi hotspot locations
No data caps

Frontier

Available in 26 states
Internet-only plans begin at $27.99 per month
No contract plans
No data caps

Comparison: Network Coverage

Optimum is the fourth-largest cable internet service in the United States, despite only being available in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. Optimum's cable and fiber networks are widely available in densely populated areas such as Brooklyn, Bronx, and Newark. Frontier's fiber infrastructure (Frontier FiberOptic) is only available in California, Texas, Florida, and Indiana, with overlapping availability in the northeast. Don't get me wrong: Frontier's DSL internet is fast enough for streaming, but Optimum's cable internet is at least six times faster.

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Comparison: Speed and Performance

Optimum

Cable: Up to 500 Mbps
Fiber: Up to 940 Mbps
No data cap
Cable: Up to $60 per month
Fiber: $65 per month

Frontier

DSL: Up to 45 Mbps
Fiber: Up to 940 Mbps
No data cap
DSL: Up to $44.99 per month
Fiber: Up to $79.99 per month

Optimum offers three different plans with speeds of up to 300, 500, and 940 Mbps. The typical Optimum customer enjoys speeds of about 230 Mbps, which is appropriate for a couple working from home with children attending virtual school. Even though all four were talking at the same time, anyone in that situation could connect to their Zoom or Slack calls with minimal lag or buffering.

While Frontier DSL and FiberOptic internet do not provide as many high-speed plans as Optimum, both deliver at least 90% of their advertised speeds. However, as a Frontier FiberOptic customer, I believe you'll find that if you live in a densely populated area or log on during off-peak hours, you'll have a more reliable connection. (Off-peak hours are when there aren't as many users on the internet.)

Comparison: Plans and Pricing

On the surface, Optimum appears to have a cheaper price for the gigabit contract, but that monthly cost does not include the $10 monthly equipment rental fee. As a result of the premium, the plan costs the same as Frontier's gigabit plan. Optimum has the upper hand, though, because the Optimum 1 Gig package comes with a Price for Life guarantee.

Frontier, in my opinion, has a small advantage over budget-conscious internet users like myself because it provides a broader variety of plans. Most Frontier plans, however, are only quick enough for a one- or two-person household of light streamers. And when you compare the DSL internet plans that Frontier provides to the cable and fiber plans that Optimum offers in many of the same regions, Optimum comes out as the simple winner. The fastest DSL plan from Optimum costs $5 less than Frontier's fastest DSL plan.

Comparison: Bundles

Optimum

Internet + TV: starting at $64.99 per month
Internet + Phone: starting at $39.99 per month
Internet + Phone + TV: starting at $74.99 per month

Frontier

Internet + TV: starting at $64.99 per month
Internet + DISH TV: starting at $89.98 per month
Internet + Phone: starting at $34.99 per month
Internet + TV + Phone: starting at $74.99 per month

More so than Frontier, Optimum's starting TV kit contains 220+ channels for each bundle. When you consider the Altice One, Optimum's all-in-one modem, router, cable box, and streaming system, bundling with TV becomes a viable choice — even for a long-time cord cutter like myself! I haven't found any internet service that charges less than $70 a month for up to 300 Mbps and 220+ channels. However, Optimum's TV packages come with up to $45 in monthly payments, including a $20 monthly charge for the Altice One. Even so, Optimum offers a better internet and TV package than most other vendors, particularly when you consider the pace. If you want a home phone, Optimum will add $10 per month to every package to provide home phone service.

Frontier has a broader selection of TV services than Optimum due to their Dish TV discount, but Optimum also has lower bundle rates and more channels. The Frontier FiberOptic Basic TV package, which only has 25+ local TV channels, is included in the price mentioned above for Frontier's TV bundle prices. The majority of people who live in Frontier and Optimum's overlapping coverage areas do not have access to Frontier FiberOptic TV, which starts at $89.98 a month for up to 50 Mbps and 190 channels.

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Comparison: Equipment and Installation

Optimum

Installation Fee: $99 or $149
Modem Lease Fee: $10 per month

Frontier

Internet Activation Fee: $85 + $10 processing (charged when service ends)
Installation Fee: $75
Wi-Fi Router Service Fee: $10 per month
Wi-Fi Extenders: $6 per month or $75 to purchase

Frontier's Internet Activation fee places it on the higher end of the equipment and installation fee scale. You will pay less for internet setup with Optimum's premium installation ($149) than you would with Frontier.

For new customers, Optimum often provides free installation as a promotional bid. If you miss out on the bargain, you'll have to pay $99 or $149, depending on the type of installation you choose. If you choose premium installation, all of your computers will be wired to the internet wirelessly.

Each company includes the use of a modem and router, as well as the use of Wi-Fi extenders if your home is large enough. When you lease a modem from Optimum, you get a free smart router. Frontier, on the other hand, integrates the modem and router into one unit. If you get the Optimum 1 Gig package, which also includes a free Wi-Fi extender, I believe Optimum still has a leg up on Frontier. Frontier's gigabit package only includes a year of free modem/router service.

Best Pick:

Optimum Is Faster and More Affordable

Frontier is perhaps one of the most cost-effective fiber internet providers in the United States, but when you evaluate the services they operate in the only areas where Optimum is available, I believe you'll find that Optimum is the quicker, more cost-effective, and feature-rich provider. I can only suggest Frontier if you want to relocate to California, Texas, or Florida, as these are the only states where Frontier offers the best plans.