As you sign up for a new internet plan, don’t get slammed with unexpected internet fees! You can check out offer details and your provider’s service agreement page to learn about fees that they may come with your new internet service.
From modem and router rental fees to early termination fees, we’ve outlined where you can get information about different internet provider fees.
Menu for finding internet fees by provider
- Quick provider fee comparison
- AT&T internet fees and costs
- CenturyLink internet fees and costs
- Charter/Spectrum internet fees and costs
- Cox internet fees and costs
- Frontier internet fees and costs
- HughesNet internet fees and costs
- Verizon internet fees and costs
- XFINITY internet fees and costs
Pros and cons of each provider’s fee policies:
Here’s a quick overview of the advantages and disadvantages of each provider’s monthly costs and additional fees.
AT&T
✔ Low equipment rental fee ($7-10)
✔ Low late payment fee
👎 Charges for additional data usage
CenturyLink
✔ Can lock in price for life
👎 Highest late payment fee
Charter/Spectrum
✔ Lowest monthly equipment rental fee ($5)
✔ No early termination fee
👎 Vague about other fees & additional costs
Cox
✔ Cox offers no-contract plans and varying lengths of contract services
✔ Multiple modem rental options and freedom to provide your own modem
👎 You must still pay a fee if you set up your internet yourself
Frontier
✔ No data usage fee
👎 Lots of fee variation based on plan and offer
HughesNet
✔ Opportunity to purchase equipment and get $25 credit
👎 Highest early termination fee ($400)
Verizon
✔ Free installation for DSL and potential free installation for Fios
✔ Option to purchase or rent Fios router
👎 High early termination fee (up to $350)
👎 Requirement to purchase Verizon DSL Gateway
XFINITY
✔ Lower installation fee ($60 compared to typical $99 other providers)
👎 Charges for additional data usage
Originally published 4/26/18. Last updated 5/21/18.
AT&T internet fees and costs
Intro deals vs. normal monthly price increase
Current pricing conditions outline that your starting price lasts 12 months. If you click on “offer details” on the latest internet plan sign-up page, you’ll see that if you keep AT&T internet service after 12 months, the “then prevailing monthly rate” applies.
AT&T modem and router rental fee
According to the offer details for AT&T internet plans, a Wi-Fi Gateway (a modem and router combo) is included in your new internet plan. Internet plan details do not disclose information about modem or router rental, just that the Gateway is included with your purchase. However, AT&T community support forums suggest you must rent the Gateway that is sent to you, and the monthly Gateway rental fee will be either $7 or $10.
Data limit and cap fees
Current data limits are outlined on the internet sign-up page. Right now, AT&T has a 1 TB data limit per month. It also states a charge of $10 for each additional 50 GB of data usage.
Late payment fees
According to AT&T Terms of Service, you’ll be charged an AT&T internet late payment fee of up to $10 per bill not paid in full by the payment due date.
If a payment is returned to you, such as a bounced check, AT&T outlines a charge of up to $30. If your service is suspended for some time, by either you or AT&T, AT&T charges an internet recovery fee of “no more than $50.”
Early cancellation fees
AT&T discloses charging an early termination fee in their terms and services page, but the fee will be specific to your plan. For example, you can find the prorated early termination fee for an internet only plan in the plan’s offer details. In most AT&T internet plan details, you’ll see a prorated early termination fee of $180.
Setup and installation fees
AT&T new internet plan offer details disclose that up to $99 in installation fees apply to the your new service plan.
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CenturyLink internet fees and costs
The modem and router rental fee
CenturyLink gives you the option of purchasing your own modem, and if you choose that option, they have provided a list of modems compatible with CenturyLink service.
However, if you choose to purchase lease or purchase a modem directly from CenturyLink, you can find the costs on the CenturyLink product details page. Monthly equipment lease costs $10 per month and purchasing equipment is a $150 one-time payment.
Intro deals vs. normal monthly price increase
If you purchase a CenturyLink Price For Life plan, then there’s no price increase as long as you have CenturyLink service. Other CenturyLink plans offer limited term commitments, which means you can lock in a set internet price for an amount of time, and after that, standard pricing applies.
Data limit and cap fees
CenturyLink has a 1 TB monthly data usage limit on high-speed internet customers. They disclose that they do not currently charge a data cap fee for going over the data usage limit.
However, by agreeing to their terms of service, you agree you will “not exceed any bandwidth usage limitations CenturyLink may establish,” so you’ll be subject to restrictions or suspensions as CenturyLink sees fit.
Late payment fees
In the high-speed internet service agreement, CenturyLink outlines late fees as a combination of a flat fee (up to $15/mo.) and a percentage of the unpaid amount of your late bill.
Early cancellation fees
CenturyLink lists early termination fees, along with tons of other details, on their offer and product terms and conditions page.
A month-to-month, no-contract service will not have early termination fees because there’s no “early termination.” But if you have CenturyLink high-speed internet service with a bundle, you could be charged early cancellation fees related to other services in the bundle that have a contract term, such as TV services.
Setup and installation fees
On their terms and conditions page, CenturyLink explains that a professional technician installation fee of up to $99 applies to internet set up if you don’t opt for self-installation.
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Spectrum internet fees and costs
The modem and router rental fee
Spectrum explicitly says on their internet plan options page that a modem comes free with your internet service. According to a Spectrum support page, you must rent a router. You can find the monthly router rental fee of $5 once you start the online purchase process.
Intro deals vs. normal monthly price increase
Spectrum discloses in their FAQs that most pricing deals last 12 months and then, “standard rates apply.” You can check your local “standard rates” to check what the price could increase to by visiting Spectrum’s rate card and entering your address.
Data limit and cap fees
Under Spectrum’s product offer disclaimers, they state that you won’t have data caps or data allowances with your internet service.
Late payment fees
Spectrum has a helpful article about all the items you may see on a monthly bill, including late fees, which they say will be charged when a bill is not paid in full by its due date. Spectrum internet late fees show up on your next monthly bill.
If your service gets disconnected and you decide to reconnect the service, you could be charged a “restoration” fee, or an internet recovery fee, which will show up on your monthly statement after reconnection.
Early cancellation fees
Spectrum internet has no contracts and no early cancellation fees. It’s good to check what early cancellation fees could be though if you sign up for a Spectrum internet and cable bundle that may have a contract.
Setup and installation fees
Spectrum states on their Support FAQs that setup and installation fees vary by the service that you purchase. As Reviews.org points out, Spectrum offers free setup and installation with some plans, but in some cases, they may charge an installation fee, which will appear on your first monthly bill.
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Cox internet fees and costs
The modem and router rental fee
An internet plan and pricing page discloses the different costs for renting a single-band vs. a dual-band modem from Cox. You can choose which modem is right for you based on how many devices use Wi-Fi in your household. Renting the single-band modem costs $6.99 per month and renting the dual-band modem costs $9.99 per month.
Cox says on their internet options page that you can also choose to provide a modem.
Intro deals vs. normal monthly price increase
As you browse Cox internet plan options, Cox notes on each plan option what the promotional price will be for the next 12 months. Click on “offer details” to see that after 12 months, “regular rates apply.”
To find the “regular rate” that your monthly plan could increase to, visit a Cox internet plan pricing page and compare “regular rates” for high-speed internet plans.
Data limit and cap fees
Under new internet plan offer details, Cox states that all internet plans have a 1 TB data cap and that data usage exceeding 1 TB could result in $10 per additional 50 GB of data.
Late payment fees
Cox states in their service agreement page that you are subject to late fees if you don’t pay a bill in full by the due date. If you wait long enough to pay, and Cox assigns your late account to a field collector, you may have to pay additional fees up to $25.
Early cancellation fees
Cox has varying early termination fee amounts based on whether or not you have entered a specific service agreement with Cox. Early cancellation fees also depend on your plan promotions and deals. Each early termination fee charge is prorated at a different rate, and you can find the complete details for Cox internet early termination fees on the service agreement page.
Setup and installation fees
Setup and installation for Cox high-speed internet starts at $50, and they disclose that if you choose self-installation, it will still cost you $20 to start your new internet service.
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Frontier internet fees and costs
The modem and router rental fee
At the bottom of the Frontier pricing and plans page, Frontier notes that a monthly router rental fee costs up to $10/mo. According to a separate offer details page, the router fee varies by plan with some plans offering a discounted $5/mo. router rental fee and other plans waiving the router rental fee altogether.
Intro deals vs. normal monthly price increase
At the bottom of the Frontier pricing and plans page, Frontier says that if you continue service after your 24 month agreement, the “then-current everyday price” will be applied.
Data limit and cap fees
Frontier doesn’t have data caps or limits currently, so you won’t face data usage fees.
Late payment fees
Frontier notes that a late payment fee of up to $10 is charged if a payment isn’t received by the billing due date and says it can be found under “other service charges” on your bill.
Early cancellation fees
Some Frontier internet plans are no-contract plans, which means you have no early termination fee. However, some Frontier internet plans require a 2-year agreement. According to an offer details page, plans that require a 2-year agreement will have an early termination fee of up to $120.
Setup and installation fees
At the bottom of the Frontier pricing and plans page, Frontier says that installation costs $75.
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HughesNet internet fees and costs
The modem and router rental fee
HughesNet offers customers the option to purchase or lease equipment, which includes a satellite dish in addition to the typical modem and router.
The typical cost to lease standard equipment and have it installed is a monthly $14.99 lease fee and $99 for installation. The typical cost to purchase standard installation and equipment is $449.98. If you purchase HughesNet equipment, their terms and conditions state that you’ll receive a $25 credit on your first bill.
Equipment purchase, installation and lease costs can all vary depending on what deals HughesNet currently offers in your area.
Intro deals vs. normal monthly price increase
HughesNet offers two-year contracts, so your intro deal is the price you get for the following two years. If you sign up for HughesNet internet plan with a promotional deal, offer details in the footer of the internet plans page disclose that after your contract ends, internet pricing reverts to the “standard monthly fee.”
Data limit and cap fees
According to HughestNet FAQs, there are no data caps that you will be charged for or that could result in losing service. However, if you use all the data in your plan, you’ll experience reduced internet speeds. To bring slow speeds back to normal, purchase extra data for your plan. You can find internet plans with data usage limits ranging from 10 GB to 50 GB on the HughesNet internet plans page.
Late payment fees
In the user service agreement, HughesNet states that if any check you submit is returned for insufficient funds or if your account is suspended for non-payment, you could be charged up to $25.
Early cancellation fees
According to the HughesNet service terms page, if you cancel your order before installation, you’ll receive a refund.
If you cancel before the end of your two-year service commitment and have purchased equipment from HughesNet, you’ll be charged a prorated fee that starts at $400 and decreases by $15 per month after 90 days of service.
If you cancel before the end of your service commitment and have leased equipment, you’ll be charged the prorated $400 as a cancellation fee plus $300 for an unreturned equipment fee if you do not return the installed modem, power supply and radio to HughesNet within 45 days in good condition.
The above information applies to HughesNet customers after 3/10/17, but Terms and Conditions for HughesNet customers who subscribed at prior dates can find their applicable HughesNet Terms and Conditions as well.
Setup and installation fees
If you purchase equipment from HughesNet, the setup and installation fees are included with the equipment purchase fee, which is typically $449.98. If you lease equipment, the installation fee is $99.
If you relocate your HughesNet service and need new installation, HughesNet states that they will not charge for relocation installation. However, you must commit to HughesNet for the next 12 months, regardless of time left on your current contract.
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Verizon internet fees and costs
The modem and router rental fee
For Verizon Fios internet plans, you can find the monthly router rental fee, which is $10, under new plan offer details. A different Verizon page states you also have the option to purchase the Fios router for $149.99.
You do not need to purchase or rent a modem with Verizon Fios internet service. Instead, Verizon provides and installs an Optical Network Terminal, which connects to your router.
Verizon DSL high-speed internet plans require you to purchase a self-installation kit from Verizon that comes with a Verizon wireless Gateway.
Intro deals vs. normal monthly price increase
Some Verizon Fios internet plans have no contract, but according to new plan offer details, promo rates go away after an unspecified amount of time and “increase after promo period.”
There are also Verizon Fios internet plan contracts available, which would result in a guaranteed price for a number of years until your Verizon Fios internet service commitment is over.
High-speed internet plans are one-year contracts, so your price will last for a year. New plan offer details state that “rates may increase after first year.” The terms and conditions state that if you do not select a new contract plan, your internet service plan will convert to a monthly plan that “may be higher than your current rate.”
Data limit and cap fees
Verizon Fios internet plans do not have a hard data cap, and Verizon has previously boasted that Fios doesn’t have a usage cap. Verizon high-speed internet plans also have no data caps.
Late payment fees
Verizon states in internet user terms of service that they may charge a late fee on unpaid balances if they don’t receive the full payment by the due date. The late fee could be “the amount billed by your local exchange carrier,” $5 or the “maximum allowed by law.” Since that is fairly vague, Verizon directs you to review your monthly bill to see what’s applicable to your account.
Early cancellation fees
Verizon Fios customers paying month to month do not have an early termination fee. If you purchase a Fios internet plan with a specified length of service, a prorated $350 early termination fee that decreases $15 per month applies.
Verizon outlines how early cancellation works and explains their prorated cancellation fee on a service support page. If you have a Verizon high-speed internet contract, the early termination cost is a prorated $350 fee that decreases $15 per month.
Setup and installation fees
Verizon high-speed internet has gateways and routers that are sent with self-installation guides, so you have no installation fee.
Verizon Fios internet also offers self-installation, but not all orders are eligible for Fios self-installation. The typical Fios setup charge is $99.99, but may be waived depending on current internet plan deals and promotions.
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XFINITY internet fees and costs
The modem and router rental fee
XFINITY internet discloses on their internet equipment page exactly how much it costs per month to rent one of their Gateways. Renting a Gateway from XFINITY currently costs $11 per month.
Intro deals vs. normal monthly price increase
XFINITY states the standard monthly service charge for each internet option on its internet service comparison page. Click on “Pricing & Other Info” as you browse internet plan options in your area to learn what the standard monthly rates are after promotional pricing ends.
Data limit and cap fees
XFINITY internet plans have a 1 TB data cap, and XFINITY says 99% of customers don’t use that much data per month.
Your internet will not be restricted if you do go over 1 TB of data usage. Instead you can pay $10 for each additional 50 GB, or you can pay $50 per month to have truly unlimited data.
One feature of XFINITY internet plans is that certain qualifying customers can get $5 back each month if you use 5 GB or less.
Late payment fees
The XFINITY service agreement only outlines late payment fees for Maryland residents. However, many customers in the XFINITY user forum have noted a typical late payment charge of $9.95.
If you decide to reactivate your XFINITY service after it’s disconnected or suspended for non-payment, you could be charged an additional reactivation fee.
Early cancellation fees
If you have an XFINITY internet plan with a set service term, an early termination fee will apply, and it is a prorated fee that drops by $10 per month. The starting cost will depend on the length of your service term agreement. The early termination fee for a one-year agreement starts at $110 and the early cancellation cost for two-year agreements starts at $230.
XFINITY also offers internet plans without service term agreements. So, if you have a month to month plan with no contract, there are no early termination fees.
Setup and installation fees
XFINITY charges a professional installation fee of $60.
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These top provider fees of course change as providers update their services. We hope this guide can help you evaluate your options as you purchase internet and help you make the smartest decision for you.
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Originally published 4/26/18. Last updated 5/21/18.
The post The complete guide to internet fees by provider – May 2018 appeared first on Allconnect Connected Home Blog.
