But are Ziply’s price hikes, slow DSL internet speeds, and poor customer service worth your while? Let’s dig in and find out if it’s the right internet service provider (ISP) for you. That said, Ziply’s price for its DSL internet service is high. You’re promised speeds up to 115 Mbps, but more likely, you’ll get 45 Mbps or slower speeds. The other side of the Ziply Fiber tale is that the prices you see here go up after one year. This is pretty common practice in the internet industry, but it’s good to know what to expect after the promo period ends. Here’s what Ziply Fiber prices look like after one year. But if you can get its fiber internet service, you’re looking at a cheap promotional price paired with unlimited data and no contract. That makes Ziply’s fiber internet a win for us. Once you hit gig speeds, Ziply Fiber’s price is extremely hard to beat. And when you factor in that it also comes with unlimited data and no contracts, it outweighs even Xfinity. Only Spectrum matches those two perks with its own unlimited data and no contracts, but you’ll pay over $90 for the Spectrum gig plan. Satellite internet is expensive in general, with prices as high as $150 a month. And we caution you that it comes with extremely low data caps and high latency. But it might be a blessing if you live in a town like Bothell, Washington, and can get only 1 Mbps speeds from Ziply. Check out our Viasat versus HughesNet comparison to see if either of these satellite ISPs might work better for you. When we searched for Ziply’s DSL prices, we noticed that DSL service addresses also got invited to sign up for updates on Ziply’s fiber network expansion. You can also check to see when certain towns expect to get Ziply’s fiber-optic network upgrade. And while we wouldn’t recommend its DSL internet plans or its 30 Mbps for most internet users, those plans are available for anyone who barely uses the internet and would rather save some cash. Ziply’s 100 and 1,000 Mbps plans, on the other hand, are a sweet spot for smaller families and larger families or internet power users, respectively. If you’re paired with Ziply Fiber’s DSL service for now, you’ll likely see your internet speed go up and down. DSL is an older technology that uses your telephone line to deliver internet to your home. So it’s easy for a DSL signal to get weaker, making your internet connection poke along at a speed slower than what you were promised. That’s amazing because if you’re like us, your data usage has been going through the roof since 2020.
Fiber router: $10/month DSL router: $10/month Whole-Home Wi-Fi: $20/month
The good news about using Ziply Fiber-branded (or Frontier-branded) equipment is that you get a free upgrade if you update your service and need a new modem or router.2 And the Whole-Home Wi-Fi system uses CommScope X5042 Wi-Fi extenders with Wi-Fi 6,3 so you shouldn’t need to upgrade them any time soon. Your $20 a month gets you up to three extenders to envelop your home in a stronger Wi-Fi signal than just one wireless router could provide. If you prefer to save money by buying your own modem or router, just know that Ziply discourages that. The ISP states that it supports only the modems and routers its technicians install. But it doesn’t outright say “No” to using your own equipment either. This is pretty normal for fiber internet services, since fiber uses an Optical Network Terminal (ONT). The ONT is usually installed on a wall inside your home, so it’s a good idea to have a technician install it so everything is set up properly. Here are a few one-time and monthly fees you can expect from Ziply Fiber:
Installation fee: Currently, Ziply Fiber offers free pro or self-installation for both fiber and DSL services. Equipment fee: $10/month for a basic router, $20/month for the Whole-Home Wi-Fi package. Late payment fee: $9 for each late payment. Early termination fee: None, because Ziply Fiber doesn’t require contracts.
We do know, however, that the ACSI gave the internet industry as a whole a score of 65 out of 100.6 That means we should all temper our expectations when it comes to calling up a customer service rep no matter which ISP we use. Ugh. We’ve seen a lot of complaints about Ziply Fiber’s internet speeds, including one from Penny B. that said “We had a faster, more reliable connection with dial-up.”7 Scathing, but we feel the frustration. If your Ziply Fiber speeds aren’t living up to your expectations, we have a few tips to try when you call customer service. Or you can try fixing the problem yourself with these internet speed tricks.
Ziply Fiber customer service phone number: 1-866-699-4759 Twitter: @AskZiplyFiber Facebook: @ZiplyFiber
Why we picked it: 100 Mbps is a great starting speed for a smaller household. You’re able to take Zoom calls while your kiddo watches Cocomelon in the next room. (Instead of photobombing your video call, right?) Why we picked it: This is one of the lower-priced 1,000 Mbps plans we’ve seen out there, and even when the price bumps up to $80 a month after one year, it’s not a bad deal. Gig speeds are great for anyone who deals with large files like PDFs, YouTube videos, or raw photos. And with matching upload speeds, you’ll have no problem uploading your work to the internet if you need to. We rated the Roku Ultra four out of five stars, noting that Roku is an “affordable, powerful, and all-purpose streamer” with lots of free content. We think you’ll enjoy Ziply’s deal on the Roku Streaming Stick+ too. But Ziply’s unlimited data and lack of contracts sweeten the deal, so at least you won’t be ponying up a wad of cash for cancelling your service or going over a data cap.
Prices and plans: The promo price for Ziply Fiber is hard to beat—unless you’re stuck with its DSL internet. We’re also excited that every plan comes with unlimited data. Speed: We don’t recommend Ziply’s DSL internet or 30 Mbps fiber plan, but its 100 and 1,000 Mbps plans should cover most anyone’s online needs. (Just be warned that your download speeds may be slower than expected.) Contracts, equipment, and fees: You don’t need to sign a contract with Ziply, and its equipment fees are reasonable. But you may not get full support if you use your own modem or router. Customer service: All internet customer service is B-A-D. Sadly, Ziply Fiber is no exception from what we’ve heard.
Random trivia time: Did you know that part of Frontier’s network in California, Florida, and Texas used to belong to Verizon Fios?8 Fiber-optic internet uses light signals to transfer data to and from your devices and requires an Optical Network Terminal (ONT) instead of a traditional modem. DSL internet uses your phone line to transfer data into your home, though you can still make a phone call while you’re online. (Not like the dial-up days, right?) DSL technology is older than fiber tech, and it’s more prone to slow internet speeds than fiber. Whether you get Ziply’s fiber or DSL internet depends on where you live. But Ziply is upgrading those DSL connections to fiber in multiple communities.
