Sonic Net vs Xfinity: Extra Fees and Contracts
Installation
If your home is not wired for Xfinity’s service and you’re a new customer, your home will likely require professional installation for a fee of $90. However, if you live in or are moving to an area that is serviced by Xfinity, your home may already be wired for their service and you can choose to self-install for free—you just need to pick up the tools or have them shipped to you.
Sonic Net offers free professional installation to new customers for their DSL and fiber services. Depending on which service you choose and where you live, you may be able to opt for self installation, if you prefer. Their self-installation kit comes with a guide to set up the equipment.
Contracts, Equipment Fees & Fine Print
Most of Xfinity’s plans require a contract length of 1-2 years. Make sure to thoroughly read your contract for the early termination fees, because if you break the contract early, you may need to pay anywhere from $5-$10 for each remaining month. If you’d prefer to not have a contract, you can pay an additional $10/month to go contract-free. You will also need to pay $14/month to rent the modem and router, or you can use your own equipment as long as it’s compatible.
Sonic Net requires a 1-year contract for all of its plans and does not have the option to go contract-free. If you cancel after a month, you will be charged an early termination fee of $149 or the remaining monthly charges; Sonic will allow you to pay the cheaper option. Sonic charges a rental fee of $9.50/month to lease a modem.
Data Caps
Depending on where you live, you may be able to choose from Xfinity’s internet plans with unlimited data. If you don’t live in one of these areas, your plan will likely feature a 1 TB data cap. If you end up going over this cap, which isn’t likely for average households, you will be required to pay $10 for an additional 50 GB. You can also add unlimited data for an extra monthly fee of $30.
Sonic Net does not have data caps on any of their plans.