EarthLink Internet Review: Plans, Pricing, and Availability Compared
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Advantages
- No extreme interest rate hikes after 12 months
- Unlimited data, never speed limit
- Fiber optic connection if available
Disadvantages
- No introductory rates
- 12 months contract
- Speeds and network quality vary greatly by location
EarthLink, once a leading dial-up Internet provider, now offers fiber, fixed wireless, and satellite Internet connections in select areas. How can it offer so many unique Internet services? Primarily by leveraging the established wired and wireless networks of other providers, such as AT&T, CenturyLink, BorderT-Mobile and Viasat.
Piggybacking on other providers gives EarthLink high availability and a variety of speeds, but that approach also leads to higher prices. Shop around and you’ll find that EarthLink’s internet costs are higher than most ISPs, but give the company credit for transparent pricing and customer-friendly terms of service, such as unlimited data and no speed limit thanks to fiber optic internet.
EarthLink Internet Plans and Prices
Because EarthLink uses different networks and connection types to provide home internet service, available plans, prices, and speeds can vary greatly by address. I’ve included a sample of EarthLink fiber plans below, but keep in mind that actual prices and speeds will vary by location.
EarthLink Fiber Optic Internet Subscriptions
| Plan | From monthly price | Maximum speeds (Mbps) | Data limit | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 Mbps | $60 | 100 down, 100 up | No | 1 year |
| 300 Mbps | $65 | 300 down, 300 up | No | 1 year |
| 500 Mbps | $80 | 500 down, 500 up | No | 1 year |
| 1,000 Mbps | $90 | 1,000 down, 1,000 up | No | 1 year |
| 2,000 Mbps | $130 | 2,000 down, 2,000 up | No | 1 year |
| 5,000 Mbps | €190 | 5,000 down, 5,000 up | No | 1 year |
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EarthLink’s wireless internet plans don’t vary in speed, but in the amount of data included each month. Service starts at $40 per month in most locations for speeds up to 25 megabits per second and 100 GB of data. Higher data limits, up to unlimited, are available for an additional fee.
EarthLink’s satellite internet may offer slightly higher speeds than wireless, up to 100 Mbps, but there is still a data cap and a higher price tag. Equipment costs and installation can also be higher with satellite internet compared to other connection types.
Prices start high but don’t jump any higher
With EarthLink, customers pay the standard rate from the start. That means you won’t get the cheap introductory rates you get from providers like Astound or Xfinity, but it also means there’s no looming price hike waiting to happen after a year or two of service.
In some cases, EarthLink may be more expensive up front but may be a better deal in the long run. Take a close look at other providers’ introductory and standard pricing — and how long you expect to have service, if possible — to determine whether it’s worth paying EarthLink’s standard rate from day one.
EarthLink Wi-Fi, installation costs and data limits
Wi-Fi service is available with all EarthLink plans at no additional cost, other than the $10 to $15 per month equipment rental fee. Unfortunately, the equipment fee is unavoidable even if you prefer to use your own equipment, so factor the extra cost into the monthly price when comparing EarthLink plans.
EarthLink installation costs
The installation fee for EarthLink can add between $40 and $100 to your initial cost. Actual costs will vary by location and the type of connection available at your address.
In some cases, EarthLink’s fee may be less than the professional installation fee charged by the provider (the one who owns the network used for the service). However, many providers will waive the installation fee when you sign up or include installation at no additional charge.
No data limits, no speed restrictions with fiber optic service
One definite advantage of EarthLink’s fiber internet is unlimited data. You don’t have to worry about a data cap or excessive fees for exceeding an EarthLink plan, even if the partner provider imposes them. Plus, EarthLink promises to never throttle your speed.
The unlimited data and no throttling stop there, though, as wireless internet does indeed have a data cap and slower speeds once you exceed it. The best way to avoid the cap is to opt for EarthLink’s unlimited plan, or choose a wireless ISP with no data caps, such as T-Mobile Home Internet or Verizon 5G Home Internet.
Compare EarthLink with other providers
Thanks to partnerships with fiber, wireless and satellite providers in the U.S., EarthLink is one of the largest internet providers in the country, making it available in many markets where other providers offer service.
EarthLink Fiber vs. the Competition
EarthLink Fiber is, again, relatively expensive. AT&T Fiber, Frontier and Verizon Fios have lower starting prices and higher maximum speeds with their cheapest plans compared to EarthLink.
EarthLink’s gigabit service is more expensive than fiber providers, including AT&T, Quantum Fiber and Frontier, but it can be cheaper than cable providers’ gigabit service. For example, Cox’s gigabit service has a higher starting price than EarthLink — and it will continue to increase after 12 months, while EarthLink’s price is more stable. Plus, you’ll get much faster upload speeds with EarthLink fiber than you would with cable.
EarthLink vs. the providers it partners with
In most EarthLink service areas, you also have the option of the fiber provider that EarthLink partners with for service. When comparing EarthLink to the primary provider, it is often more cost effective to go with the latter, but there may be cases where EarthLink is the more desirable service.
EarthLink Customer Satisfaction and Contact Information
Sources that conduct customer satisfaction surveys, such as the American Customer Satisfaction Index and JD Power, omit EarthLink from their reports, making it difficult to determine what real customers think of their service.
The Better Business Bureau gives EarthLink an “A-plus” rating despite a lackluster customer review score. At 1.09 out of 5, EarthLink’s BBB review score is lower than most major ISPs. Many of the reviews (nearly 300 at the time of writing) and filed complaints cite inconsistent speeds and confusion over the data cap that comes with wireless service
It’s no surprise that customers have issues with speed consistency and reliability. With a variety of other carrier networks providing EarthLink’s service, connection quality can vary by address. EarthLink’s outage history on DownDetector.com is not great and often leads to hundreds of complaints.
EarthLink Customer and Technical Support
Should customers have a problem with their service or account, EarthLink makes it easier than most to contact customer service and technical support. EarthLink customer service can be found online at support.earthlink.netwhere customers can view popular topics or chat live with a representative.
EarthLink is also one of, if not the only, ISP that offers customers the ability to text customer service in addition to calling. Customers can call the EarthLink customer service number at 888-327-8454 or text 833-458-4360.
To sum it all up
EarthLink is a little different in that the ISP doesn’t technically provide internet service, but instead sells service plans using other providers’ fiber, wireless, or satellite networks. As a result, EarthLink plans tend to be more expensive than many other providers, but there are some benefits, like stable pricing and unlimited data, that can make the cost of the service worth it.
EarthLink Internet FAQs
What kind of internet is EarthLink?
EarthLink typically uses a fiber optic connection to provide internet service, but can also offer wireless options such as 4G LTE and 5G Home Internet or satellite services.
The type of EarthLink internet available at your address depends on the networks and providers in your area. EarthLink speeds and prices vary by connection type.
How much does EarthLink internet cost?
Like EarthLink internet speeds, prices vary by location. That said, monthly rates for EarthLink subscriptions generally range from $50 to $190 per month, plus $10 to $15 for equipment rental.
There are a number of factors that can affect EarthLink’s internet prices, such as the speed available and the plan you choose, as well as data limits in the case of wireless internet.
Is EarthLink dial-up still available?
Dial-up Internet doesn’t require much more than a phone line and a compatible modem, so it’s still possible to get it in many areas. That said, the maximum speeds you’ll get with dial-up, around 56Kbps, will make even basic Internet tasks impossible. So while dial-up may technically be available, the painfully slow speeds, not to mention the hassle and expense of finding a compatible modem, aren’t worth the effort.
