AT&T Internet vs WOW!: Side by Side Comparison

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AT&T Internet vs WOW!

There’s plenty to think about when comparing AT&T with WOW! for broadband service. Both offer TV and phone service as well, and subscribers who combine or “bundle” services can sometimes find great deals with excellent speeds. The biggest differences come down to technical network differences and TV offerings.

AT&T Internet AT A GLANCE

  • Sales: (877) 722-3506
  • Support: (800) 288-2020
(877) 722-3506

$50 to $90 / mo.

5.0 mbps to 1,000 mbps

1.0 mbps to 1,000 mbps

64%64%

DSL

Current: 22nd ↓ (-6)

WOW! AT A GLANCE

  • Sales: (888) 607-2611
  • Support: (866) 496-9669
(888) 607-2611

$39.99 to $79.99 / mo.

5.0 mbps to 1,000 mbps

Up to 50 mbps

--

Cable

Current: 6th ↓ (-3)

AT&T Internet OVERVIEW

AT&T Internet is a major telecom provider. AT&T offers DSL and fiber Internet, as well as TV and landline telephone plans.

WOW! OVERVIEW

WOW! is a bundled cable TV, broadband Internet and phone provider. Also known as "Wide Open West", the company mostly serves western areas. The company also markets fiber packages in some areas.

AT&T Internet INTERNET DEALS †

  • $50 for 100 mbps Fiber
    • 100 Mbps ↓ and 100 Mbps ↑ w/ a 1000 GB/mo data cap
    • 1-year promo rate. Regular rate is $60.00.
    • Contract Term: 1 year with up to $180 ETF
    • Get up to $100 in AT&T Visa® Reward Cards when ordered online.
    • Setup: $99.00 (Internet Installation Fee)
    • Modem w/ WiFi included.
    • Call (877) 722-3506 to setup service.
  • $50 for 50 mbps Fiber
    • 50 Mbps ↓ and 50 Mbps ↑ w/ a 1000 GB/mo data cap
    • 1-year promo rate. Regular rate is $60.00.
    • Contract Term: 1 year with up to $180 ETF
    • Get up to $100 in AT&T Visa® Reward Cards when ordered online.
    • Setup: $99.00 (Internet Installation Fee)
    • Modem w/ WiFi included.
    • Call (877) 722-3506 to setup service.
  • $50 for 50 mbps DSL
    • 10 to 75 mbps depending on location w/ a 1000 GB/mo data cap
    • 1-year promo rate. Regular rate is $60.00.
    • Contract Term: 1 year with up to $180 ETF
    • Get up to $100 in AT&T Visa® Reward Cards when ordered online.
    • Setup: $99.00 (Installation Fee)
    • Modem w/ WiFi included.
    • Call (877) 722-3506 to setup service.
  • $60 for 10 mbps Fixed Wireless
    • Download speeds of at least 10 Mbps/1 Mbps upload w/ a 170 GB/mo data cap
    • 1-year promo rate. Regular rate is $70.00.
    • Contract Term: 1 year with up to $120 ETF
    • Wi-Fi Gateway router included.
    • Setup: Up to $99 installation fee applies.
    • Modem included.
    • Call (877) 722-3506 to setup service.
  • $70 for 300 mbps Fiber
    • 300 Mbps ↓ and 300 Mbps ↑ w/ a 1000 GB/mo data cap
    • 1-year promo rate. Regular rate is $80.00.
    • Contract Term: 1 year with up to $180 ETF
    • Get up to $100 in AT&T Visa® Reward Cards when ordered online.
    • Setup: $99.00 (Professional Installation Fee.)
    • Modem w/ WiFi included.
    • Call (877) 722-3506 to setup service.
  • $90 for 1,000 mbps Fiber
    • 1,000 Mbps ↓ and 1,000 Mbps ↑ w/ no data cap.
    • 1-year promo rate. Regular rate is $100.00.
    • Contract Term: 1 year with up to $180 ETF
    • Get up to $100 in AT&T Visa® Reward Cards when ordered online.
    • Setup: Waived (Professional Installation fee.)
    • Modem w/ WiFi included.
    • Call (877) 722-3506 to setup service.
Show All Deals (9)
Last updated on 1/11/2019

†All plans not available in all areas or to all customers. Verify details with AT&T Internet.

WOW! INTERNET DEALS †

  • $39.99 for 100 mbps Cable
    • 100 Mbps ↓ and -- Mbps ↑ w/ no data cap.
    • 2-year promo rate. Regular rate is $49.99.
    • Contract Term: 2 years with up to $345 ETF
    • Setup: $0 (Free installation.)
    • Modem: $10/mo
    • Call (888) 607-2611 to setup service.
  • $59.99 for 500 mbps Cable
    • 500 Mbps ↓ and -- Mbps ↑ w/ no data cap.
    • 2-year promo rate. Regular rate is $69.99.
    • Contract Term: 2 years with up to $345 ETF
    • Setup: $0 (Free installation.)
    • Modem: $10/mo
    • Call (888) 607-2611 to setup service.
  • $79.99 for 1,000 mbps Cable
    • 1,000 Mbps ↓ and -- Mbps ↑ w/ no data cap.
    • 2-year promo rate. Regular rate is $89.99.
    • Contract Term: 2 years with up to $345 ETF
    • Setup: $0 (Free installation.)
    • Modem: $10/mo
    • Call (888) 607-2611 to setup service.
Show All Deals (11)
Last updated on 1/15/2019

†All plans not available in all areas or to all customers. Verify details with WOW!.

AT&T Internet: DATACAPS From 170 GB/mo.

We have found plans that include datacaps. AT&T Internet offer plans with data caps regionally or nationwide. Be sure to verify plan details before purchasing.

WOW!: NO DATACAP FOUND

We have not found plans that include data caps. This doesn't mean WOW! doesn't have data caps, just that we haven't found them when collecting their plans. Always verify plan details before purchasing.

AT&T Internet's TECHNOLOGY

AT&T currently markets two options for Internet service: fiber and DSL. Fiber is available for both consumer and business subscribers. AT&T also offers a variety of bundled packages that include TV or home phone options.

AT&T's DSL offering, historically known as AT&T U-verse, uses a fiber-to-the-node layout. In this setup, the fiber optic line terminates near the subscriber address, switching over to telephone, ethernet, and coaxial cables. This fiber-based infrastructure has allowed them to service higher bandwidth packages than usually possible from copper-based DSL.[3]

AT&T Fiber to the Home (FTTH) is available in select locations. FTTH is considered the “gold standard” for robust, fast and reliable home internet connections.

WOW!'s TECHNOLOGY

WOW! provides a variety of broadband connection types. WOW! services include fiber, cable, and DSL, often combined with television services.

Cable Interent is the most common choice from WOW!, using a hybrid fiber-coax (HFC) infrastructure to deliver faster download rates. Fiber lines make up the backbone of HFC networks like WOW!. As usual with cable Internet, upload capacity is still reduced compared to download speed.[4]

While pure fiber-to-the-homefiber connections are the most robust of Internet access technologies, the company is working to deploy DOCSIS 3.1 to their cable networks. DOCSIS 3.1 is an upgrade to the current DOCSIS systems. This upgrade is expected to enable cable service areas to get gigabit speeds rivaling FTTH offerings.

AT&T Internet INSTALLATION

AT&T offers both technician installation and self-installation.

AT&T usually charges a fee for professional installation. If your home was previously serviced and qualifies for self-installation, this may help you to lower costs when setting up service.

WOW! INSTALLATION

WOW! offers a variety of connection types, and generally bundles installation of equipment with their packages. Unlike most Internet companies, WOW! doesn't currently allow self-installation. WOW! doesn't offer self install kits for equipment and WiFi like their competition. For professional installation, WOW! sends out a licensed technician to set up and configure your television. There is usually a nominal connection fee, but no direct fee for technician setup for most plans.

AT&T Internet RATINGS AND REVIEWS

41%41% Customer Rating

41.1% recommendation rating according to 100511 verified users.

WOW! RATINGS AND REVIEWS

56%56% Customer Rating

55.5% recommendation rating according to 8231 verified users.

AT&T Internet COVERAGE & AVAILABILITY

AT&T Internet Interactive SVG Map showing broadband coverage.
Customize map

WOW! COVERAGE & AVAILABILITY

WOW! Interactive SVG Map showing broadband coverage.
Customize map

Cut the cord, or stay connected?

Streaming video content vs paying for TV service

AT&T and WOW! both offer TV in addition to Internet and phone service — but the similarities end there. Channels on offer vary from place to place, particularly when it comes to local channels. AT&T often offers TV via a satellite dish separate from your DSL Internet connection, which has pros and cons depending on your area. WOW! generally uses the same coaxial cable that brings your Internet data to provide cable TV.

Data caps are increasingly a concern in some areas.[1] Consumers should double check that they won’t go over their download limit if they “cut the cord” and rely on over-the-top streaming services like Hulu to deliver their video entertainment. Even with caps as high as a terabyte, high-quality video has been creating bigger and bigger file sizes every year, making those data caps look much more restrictive in the long term.

Understanding fees and “extras”

The fine print isn’t always pretty

The good news: bundling Internet, phone, and TV services from the same provider usually results in a lower overall monthly cost. The bad news: ETFs (early termination fees) and long contract lengths can make the final cost of your broadband service much higher than it looks when you sign up.

To stay safe, always shop with the final monthly cost in mind, no matter how attractive the sign-up bonuses offered are. Students, young professionals, and others who frequently relocate should be especially mindful of what they’ll have to pay to break a contract.

Also be wary of additional fees on your bill, and don’t be shy to call your provider and request explanations for fees you don’t understand. Even a couple extra dollars a month can add up over the years, which is too bad if it’s a fee you can remove with a simple phone call.[2]

REFERENCES AND FOOTNOTES
  1. https://broadbandnow.com/internet-providers-with-data-caps ↩
  2. https://transition.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/labels-for-broadband-services.pdf ↩
  3. https://www.fcc.gov/general/types-broadband-connections ↩
  4. https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/getting-broadband-qa ↩
Last updated on 1/15/2019.

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